Tucked away off Canal Street, the Canal Baths were one of New Orleans’ most infamous and enduring gay bathhouses — a steamy, neon-lit refuge where men from every corner of the city came to meet, unwind, and exist freely in a world that often didn’t allow it.
Operating through the 1970s and early 1980s, the Baths reflected the essence of queer New Orleans: a little decadent, a little dangerous, and always alive with rhythm and heat. Like the city itself, it was a mix of mystery and hospitality — tiled corridors, jazz on the radio, and a sense of connection that transcended words.
