Uptown

Uptown is New Orleans's leafy, elegant swath of the city stretching upriver from the Garden District, full of grand oak-lined streets, historic mansions, and two universities (Tulane and Loyola). Ride the St. Charles Avenue streetcar under the live oaks, wander the shops, cafes, and restaurants along Magazine Street, and spend an afternoon in Audubon Park with its golf course, lagoon, and walk to the zoo. It's spread out and mostly residential, so plan to combine the streetcar with walking rather than trying to see it all in one stroll.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Uptown without a car?

The new E Line bus rapid transit (opened December 6, 2025) runs down Hennepin from downtown and the U of M — frequent, $2, with heated station shelters. It replaced the old Route 6 and it's genuinely quick.

What happened to Uptown?

A rough stack of years: chain retailers and the mall-anchor stores left, pandemic and 2020-21 unrest hit hard, and long road construction on Hennepin didn't help. The city and developers are now leaning in — the former Calhoun Square site is being rebuilt as Seven Points with 228 apartments, due around fall 2027.

Is Uptown Minneapolis still worth visiting?

Yes, with adjusted expectations. Bde Maka Ska — beaches, sailboats, a 3-mile paved loop — is as good as urban lakefront gets, and it's free. The Hennepin/Lagoon commercial core lost a lot of tenants after 2020 and is rebuilding block by block; a renaissance of small businesses is real but early.

Is Uptown safe?

It's a busy urban district by day and around the lake, fine with normal awareness. Late nights on the emptier stretches of the commercial strip warrant the usual big-city judgment. The lake paths are heavily used well into the evening in summer.

Is there still nightlife in Uptown?

Some, and growing again — bars and music venues along Hennepin and Lagoon, including the restored Uptown Theater as a concert hall. It's quieter than its heyday; Lyn-Lake, the district's eastern edge at Lyndale and Lake, currently has some of the better energy.

Where should I eat in Uptown?

The scene is in flux, which cuts both ways: closures, but also new openings taking over good spaces every season. Check what's current before you go rather than trusting old listicles — and know that neighboring Lyn-Lake and Whittier's Eat Street are a short hop for deeper benches.

What is Bde Maka Ska and how do I pronounce it?

It's the lake formerly called Lake Calhoun, restored to its Dakota name — roughly buh-DAY mah-KAH skah, meaning White Earth Lake. Rent kayaks or paddleboards in summer, walk or bike the loop, or just claim a patch of beach.

Can I swim in Bde Maka Ska?

Yes — there are designated beaches (Thomas Beach on the south end is the favorite) with summer lifeguard hours. Water quality is tested regularly; the Park Board posts closures on the rare bad week.

Nearby in Ask New Orleans

• Girard ParkPark1643.08 km · 20538 min walk
• Whitney PlantationAttraction1673.61 km · 20920 min walk
• Milneburg Lighthouse and Lake Pontchartrain LakefrontPark1682.68 km · 21034 min walk
• Pontchartrain ParkPark1684 km · 21050 min walk
• City ParkAttraction1685.28 km · 21066 min walk