Tours in New Orleans

Tours in new prleans. Raises or land

New Orleans offers a wide variety of tours that allow visitors to explore both its above-ground attractions and its surrounding waterways and bayous. Depending on your interests, you can choose between guided walking tours, bus tours, or boat tours. Many tours highlight the history, architecture, culture, and music of the city.

Here are some popular types of tours to consider:

  • Walking Tours: Explore the French Quarter, Garden District, or Tremé neighborhoods. Guides often share stories about the city’s architecture, history, and famous residents. You can also find specialty walking tours focused on haunted locations, culinary tastings, or jazz history.
  • Bus Tours & Hop-On Hop-Off: These are convenient for seeing a larger portion of the city without walking long distances. Many tours cover major neighborhoods, cemeteries, and landmarks. Some companies offer combined tours with riverboat or jazz experiences.
  • Steamboat & River Tours: Ride along the Mississippi River on a historic paddlewheel steamboat. These tours often include live jazz music, lunch or dinner options, and scenic views of the riverfront and city skyline.
  • Swamp & Bayou Tours: For a taste of Louisiana’s natural beauty, take a guided airboat or pontoon boat tour through nearby swamps and bayous. You may see alligators, herons, and other wildlife. These tours often include some history about the area and local culture.
  • Specialty Tours: Consider food tours to sample gumbo, po’boys, beignets, and other local dishes, or cocktail tours featuring classic New Orleans drinks. Ghost, voodoo, and cemetery tours are also popular if you want a spookier experience.

When planning, consider how you will get to the tours:

  • Many river or swamp tours offer hotel pick-up or shuttle services.
  • Walking tours are usually centralized in the French Quarter or nearby neighborhoods.
  • For swamp or airboat tours further from the city, renting a car or booking a tour with transportation included is recommended.

For a first-time visitor, a mix of walking tours in the French Quarter and Garden District, plus a riverboat cruise or a swamp tour, provides a good balance between exploring the city and experiencing Louisiana’s natural landscapes.


More New Orleans Travel Questions