Bourbon Street
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Bourbon Street is a major tourist street running the length of the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It exists as Carondelet Street in New Orleans' Central Business District, then takes the name Bourbon Street after crossing Canal Street and entering the French Quarter. Running southwest to northeast a few blocks from and roughly paralleling the Mississippi River, Bourbon Street comes to its terminus at Pauger Street in the Faubourg Marigny. Bourbon Street was named in honor of the House of Bourbon, the ruling party in France at the time of the its founding.
The street is home to many bars, restaurants, strip clubs, as well as t-shirt and souvenir shops. The southwestern end of Bourbon Street towards Canal Street is home to many of the French Quarter's strip clubs. These include Rick's Caberet, Temptations, and Larry Flynt's Barely Legal Club. Towards the central section of Bourbon Street one can find many famous bars including Johnny White's, Pat O'Briens, The Famous Door, Razoo and The Cat's Meow. The section of Bourbon Street from the intersection of St. Anne Street proceeding several blocks northeast caters to New Orleans' thriving gay community, featuring such clubs as The Bourbon Pub and Oz. From Dumaine Street to Pauger, Bourbon Street is largely residential.
Though largely quiet during the day, Bourbon Street comes alive at night, particularly during the French Quarter's many festivals. Most popular among these is the annual Mardi Gras celebration, when Bourbon Street teems with hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals alike. There are no open container laws in the French Quarter and the streets are packed with people drinking Hurricanes, Hand Grenades and Big Ass Beers - a large plastic cup of draft beer marketed to tourists at a low price. Other festivals and events focusing on Bourbon Street include French Quarter Fest and Southern Decadence.
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