The Country Club

The Country Club occupies an 1884 Creole mansion in the Bywater and has been a fixture of queer New Orleans since 1977. Out front it is an elegant Southern restaurant and bar; out back, past the veranda, lies the famous saltwater pool, hot tub and cabana bar that made its name. The pool scene is swimsuit-clad these days (the clothing-optional era ended in 2014) and the crowd is a mix of queer regulars, brunch parties and neighborhood loyalists. Drag brunch and movie nights on the lawn are recurring favorites. Day passes for the pool are sold seasonally and sell out on hot weekends, so book ahead. It is the natural finish line for a Bywater wander past the murals and vintage shops, and a short pedicab hop from the Marigny bars.