Walk through its streets and take on the Big Easy.
New Orleans has a wide range of facets to discover because to its melting pot of cultures. Pick a walking tour to learn about the Big Easy’s biggest sights, its history, hauntings, and food while also burning off calories from all those beignets. U.S. News compiled a list of the best New Orleans walking tours based on feedback from visitors as well as professional judgment. You’re sure to have a rollicking good time whichever one you select.
French Quarter Tour, a famous walking tour in New Orleans
This two-hour tour includes a walk through the French Quarter as well as a thorough historical lesson about the city’s long history. Among other attractions, you’ll walk through famous New Orleans houses and observe the Mississippi River. Additionally, you’ll discover more about Jackson Square’s history and the significance of music to New Orleans culture. Reviewers praise the guides and call the tour a “must-do,” particularly for history buffs.
Daily tours start at 10 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. Adult tickets start at $27.75, while those for kids aged 4 to 11 are only $16.75. Children under 3 are admitted free. The business also provides Garden District and ghost excursions.
Street Foodie Tour with Magazine: New Orleans Secrets
On this three-hour culinary tour, you will eat your way around Magazine Street, which New Orleans Secrets refers to as the “local foodie heaven.” You’ll try six different dishes from five local restaurants during your vacation. The excursion is also easily accessible. Reviewers laud their knowledgeable tour guides and claim that the tour offers the perfect amount of food. Visitors agree that this is an excellent experience for both first-time and returning guests.
Ages 6 and above can purchase tickets for as little as $85 each. All food and one pint of local beer or soda are included in the ticket price; additional alcoholic beverages must be purchased individually at each stop. There is an additional 3 p.m. daily tour in addition to the 11 a.m. Thursday through Monday tours. Interested in more? A history and cocktail tour of the French Quarter is also available via New Orleans Secrets.
Steven’s Walking Tour of the Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery
On this two-hour tour of the Garden District, take in the celebrity residences, well-known filming spots, and lush landscaping. Even though Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is off limits to the public, you will stop outside of it to discover more about the city’s distinctive burial customs and cemeteries. Reviewers laud the guides’ extensive knowledge of the Garden District and New Orleans. The fact that tour guides give their picks for dining establishments and activities is also well-liked by visitors.
Daily tours start at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. Tickets are roughly $30 for adults and $20 for kids aged six to eleven. In addition to jogging excursions, TOURS by Steven also conducts led walks in the French Quarter.
French Quarter Walking Tours by Friends of the Cabildo
Friends of the Cabildo, a nonprofit organization that supports the Louisiana State Museum, which is largely housed in the Cabildo structure, is in charge of organizing this tour. The history, architecture, and mythology of New Orleans are the main topics of the two-hour tours. Reviewers rave about how much they learned on the tour and how knowledgeable the guides were about Louisiana’s past.
Tickets for the daily 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. tours start at $25 for individuals and $20 for children, seniors, and members of the armed forces.
Grand Garden District Tour by Two Chicks Walking Tours
On this two-hour tour, take in the historical houses of the Garden District while learning about Louisiana’s past. Your guide will regale you with tales of the city’s role in the Civil War, its famed architecture, and the filming locations for a range of well-known movies and TV shows as you stroll amid the neighborhood’s sumptuous mansions. Additionally, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 will be passed by, where you may discover more about regional funeral customs. The tour, according to reviews, is well-paced and quite enlightening because of the knowledgeable guides. The fact that the guides discuss New Orleans history honestly is also appreciated by visitors.
Everyday at 10:30 am and 2 pm, tours are given. The average cost of a ticket is $30 per person. French Quarter tours are also offered by Two Chicks Walking Tours.
Kids’ Experience in New Orleans with Lucky Bean Tours
This tour, created especially for families with children, includes treats, crafts, and tales made to interest kids between the ages of 5 and 12. The two-hour walking tour informs children about Mardi Gras, Creole food, jazz funerals, as well as how children have historically lived and played in the city. Visitors to the tours claim that the guides keep the children interested and that they enjoy interesting surprises along the route.
Tours start at 10 a.m.; precise days change depending on the season. For participants aged five and older, admission is roughly $30; children under the age of four are admitted free of charge. Along with other districts, Lucky Bean Tours also provides tours of the Garden District and the French Quarter.
Killers and Thrillers Tour at Ghost City Tours
On this adult nocturnal tour of New Orleans, learn about the city’s paranormal heritage, Voodoo rituals, and notorious murders. 90 minutes of walking through the French Quarter will be spent listening to guides explain the true criminal narratives behind the spooky legends. Pets are welcome on the outing, and alcohol is welcome to be brought along. Reviews claim that the tour is a must-do activity if you’re a fan of real crime and that the guides are excellent storytellers.
Every night, at 6 and 8, the tour departs. Participants must be 16 years of age or older, and tickets cost about $35 each. Consider the company’s Ghosts of New Orleans Tour if you’re searching for an activity the whole family can enjoy. It’s appropriate for all ages.
Doctor Gumbo: A Walking Tour of Cocktail History
The city of New Orleans is well-versed in the art of mixing drinks. In actuality, it is the origin of the whiskey cocktail known as the Sazerac. With stops at up to four restaurants and bars, including SoBou, the Bourbon O Bar, and Peychaud’s, this Doctor Gumbo tour walks guests through the evolution of the city’s cocktails. Travelers will be able to taste drinks like the Sazerac and the grasshopper along the way. Due to the tour’s leisurely pace and entertaining guide, participants believe they learn a lot about mixology and cocktail history.
The average cost of a ticket is $70 per person. Visitors must be at least 21 years old. The three-hour long tours start every day at 5 o’clock from Wednesday through Sunday. Interested more in food than drink? A cuisine history tour is also available from Doctor Gumbo.
Free Walking Tours: Voodoo Tour
This trip emphasizes the crucial role that voodoo plays in the stories and culture of New Orleans. The 1 1/2-hour Voodoo Tour from Free Tours by Foot explores the West African roots of the faith and makes stops at Congo Square and city cemeteries. The journey will end with a stop at a contemporary Voodoo temple. Reviewers state that the tour is educational and that the guides are engaging and knowledgable.
Join the tour at 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. on Thursday through Monday. You set the ticket price, but reservations are necessary. Every age group is welcome on the excursion. In addition, the business provides free food and ghost tours.
Garden District Tour offered by New Orleans Architecture Tours
The Garden District’s Greek Revival, Victorian, and Italianate mansions are highlighted during this two-hour tour. You’ll discover which of these 19th-century residences has connections to fame and history as you tour them. Visitors praise the experience as being well worth the price and are impressed by the guides’ knowledge of architecture.
Daily tours start at 10 a.m.; a 1 p.m. tour might also be offered. All ages are permitted, and tickets run about $30 per person. Additionally, the business provides tours of Marigny and the French Quarter.
Gray Line – The Original Cocktail Walking Tour in New Orleans
On this 2.5-hour cocktail walking tour of the French Quarter, you’ll learn about the history of the city’s cocktails, from absinthe to Pimm’s Cup, and visit renowned bars and eateries. A complimentary Natchez jazz punch is provided at the beginning of the journey, and additional drinks are available for purchase at rest stations. Reviewers commend the knowledgeable guides and the high caliber of the rest stations and beverages. They suggest doing the tour early on in your trip to New Orleans because it will help you become accustomed to the French Quarter.
Adult tickets cost about $30 and tours start at 4 p.m. every day. To participate, you must be at least 21 years old. Along with other trips, Gray Line also provides swamp and plantation tours.
The French Quarter Ghost and Vampire Walking Tour is offered by French Quarter Phantoms.
On this roughly two-hour walking tour of the French Quarter, learn the terrifying truths behind some of the city’s most well-known ghost stories and vampire legends. Visitors regard tour guides as amusing and remark on how well they expertly incorporate some history into their ghost stories.
At 6 and 8 p.m. every night, tours are provided. Adult ticket rates begin at $22 while those for kids aged 7 and under are $5. Along with a Tremé walking tour, French Quarter Phantoms also offers tours that stop at a number of the city’s cemeteries.
French Quarter Walking Tour of New Orleans’s Destination Kitchen
During the course of this three-hour walking culinary tour, visit some of the most well-known eateries in the French Quarter. Up to seven tastings will be provided as you travel, stopping at restaurants that have been recommended in well-known cookbooks and learning about the history and culture of New Orleans. Among the meals tried can be jambalaya, pralines, alligator bites, and chargrilled oysters. The meals and the guides have received excellent reviews. This is a popular must-do that many tourists advise scheduling on your first day in New Orleans to help you get oriented.
Daily several morning and afternoon tour periods are offered. The price of a ticket begins about $70 per person. Along with the French Quarter’s combined cocktail and food tour, Destination Kitchen now offers excursions in the Garden District.
French Quarter Ghosts & Legends Tour with Haunted History Tours
On this approximately two-hour tour, visit some of the haunted spots in the French Quarter. Even though the subject of this walking tour is New Orleans’ paranormal activity, the interpreters’ tales are historically accurate. Visitors agree that tour leaders are entertaining storytellers who can be both humorous and educational at the same time.
Daily tours start at 3, 6, and 8 o’clock. Tickets are roughly $30 for adults and $20 for kids aged six to twelve. Along with other possibilities, Haunted History Tours also offers tours of the Garden District and nightly bar crawls.