Algiers

It is a short ferry ride from the foot of Canal Street in busy downtown New Orleans to Algiers Point, but the transition is dramatic. Algiers point is New Orleans’ Brooklyn without the bustle- the place with great views of the city skyline and the Mississippi River.

Part of Orleans Parish since the city annexed it in 1870; this neighborhood still has the feel of a village. The character has made “The Point” a favorite with musicians and artists.

Algiers was part of the land grant given to New Orleans founder Jean Baptiste LeMoyne, Sieur de Bienville by the Company of the Indies in 1719. At its heyday, this sleepy town had six ferries to New Orleans’ east bank, including one ferry capable of shuttling railroad cars and livestock.

With such vast enterprises employing hundreds of men, it’s not surprising that Algiers had 36 music and dance halls in 1911. The local scene benefited from the many musicians, including Henry “Red” Allen, Peter Bocage, Oscar “Papa” Celestine, “Kid” Thomas Valentine and Elizabeth “Memphis Minnie” Douglas, who lived in Algiers.

Once crowded with industrial sheds, the Algiers riverfront today offers three miles of levee for walking, biking, and picnics. Theaters and corner stores have found new life as recording studios, glassblowing workshops and specialty stores. A walk through the streets of this village will reveal community parks, ancient oaks and tidy Victorian cottages adorned with gingerbread woodwork.

Detour to Mardi Gras World for a glimpse into the fantasy business of float making. If you would like to stay the night there are nearly a dozen bed and breakfasts in the Point.