Shopping in New Orleans: Markets & Districts

Magazine Street stretches roughly from Canal Street to Audubon Park, passing through the Lower Garden District, the Garden District proper, and Uptown. The character shifts block by block. Near Washington Avenue you'll find antique dealers and vintage furniture shops in old shotgun houses, the kind of places where a mid-century credenza sits next to a stack of 1920s postcards. Further uptown past Napoleon Avenue, the mix turns younger. Boutique clothing, locally made jewelry, small-batch skincare. The sidewalks are cracked and shaded by live oaks, and the whole corridor smells like jasmine in spring and roasting coffee year-round. On the first Saturday of each month, many shops coordinate sales and stay open later.

Best for: Antiques, local designer clothing, home goods, gallery browsing

Royal Street between Canal and Esplanade is the French Quarter's serious shopping corridor, a few blocks from the noise of Bourbon Street but a different world in tone. The antique shops here deal in 18th- and 19th-century European and Louisiana pieces. Some of these galleries have operated in the same buildings for 50 or 60 years. You'll see oil paintings, estate jewelry, ornate mirrors, and sterling silver. Prices can run into five figures for period furniture. The block between St. Peter and St. Ann sits near Jackson Square, founded in 1721, and tends to draw afternoon foot traffic from visitors exploring the square's surrounding landmarks. On weekend afternoons, several blocks close to car traffic.

Best for: Fine antiques, estate jewelry, original art, serious collectors

Freret Street between Napoleon Avenue and Jefferson Avenue went through a rough patch in the early 2000s but has filled back in over the past 15 years with locally owned restaurants, a few breweries, and small retail. The vibe is neighborhood-casual. You might walk past a barber shop, a screen-printing studio, and a craft cocktail bar within two blocks. Prices stay accessible. This is where Tulane University students and young professionals browse on Saturday mornings.

Best for: Neighborhood shops, local crafts, casual browsing near restaurants

Julia Street in the Warehouse District hosts the highest concentration of contemporary art galleries in the city. The neighborhood sits between the Convention Center and the CBD, in converted 19th-century warehouses with tall ceilings and exposed brick. First Saturday gallery openings, called White Linen Night in August, draw thousands. The galleries here lean toward contemporary Southern art, photography, and glass. Nearby, the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk mall sits along the Mississippi River with chain retailers and a food court.

Best for: Contemporary art, gallery openings, river-view retail

Oak Street runs about 4 blocks in the Carrollton-Riverbend area near the end of the St. Charles streetcar line. It feels like a small-town main street that happens to be in a major city. A used bookshop sits next to a snowball stand. A record store shares a wall with a po'boy counter. The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival in November draws big crowds, but on a regular weekday afternoon, you might have the sidewalk to yourself. The sound of the streetcar bell carries from a block away.

Best for: Used books, vinyl records, local character, neighborhood feel

Canal Place sits at the foot of Canal Street near the river. This is the city's conventional upscale mall, with Saks Fifth Avenue as the anchor tenant and a handful of designer brand shops across 3 floors. The building also houses a movie theater and connects to the Westin hotel. It's climate-controlled, which matters in New Orleans summers when the humidity regularly sits above 90%. Most locals treat it as a functional stop rather than a destination, but tourists staying in the Quarter find it convenient.

Best for: Designer brands, air-conditioned shopping, convenient to French Quarter hotels