If you are willing to spend the money the experiences of New Orleans tours is almost unlimited. There are walking tours which include French Quarter Haunted History Tours, New Orleans Cemetery Walking Tours, New Orleans Garden District Walking Tours, French Quarter History Walking Tours, and Vampire Walking Tours. There are Riverboat Tours, New Orleans Air Tours, mule-drawn Carriage Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Airboat Tours and Plantation Tours. After talking with visitors who have been on these tours and with the guides who give them I would confidently recommend any of the tours listed on this page. I am confident that you will find any of these tours are definitely worth the cost.
Take a New Orleans Walking Tour
One of the best ways to explore New Orleans, the French Quarter, and the Garden District is with an experienced guide on a New Orleans Walking Tour. The most common walking tours are Cemetery Walking Tours * Ghosts & Legends Walking Tours * Ghost & Vampire Walking Tours * Voodoo Walking Tours * Crescent City Nights Walking Tours * French Quarter Walking Tours * Garden District Walking Tours * Cocktail Walking Tours * Jazz Music Walking Tours. Walking tour are given day and night, seven days a week, rain or shine. Visit my New Orleans Walking Tour page for additional infomation on the many New Orleans Walking Tours available.
Take a Riverboat Tour on the Paddle Wheeler Creole Queen
There is no better way to explore New Orleans than by taking a cruise down the mighty Mississippi River aboard the Paddle Wheeler Creole Queen! Choose from either the Battlefield Cruise or the Dinner Jazz Cruise. While on the Battlefield Cruise you will have an awesome photo opportunity of New Orleans and the French Quarter as you sail south to Chalmette Louisiana. Upon arriving in Chalmette you will disembark at the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans where American forces, commanded by General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army. After touring the battlefield you will re-board for the return cruise. The Battlefield Cruise take approximately 2 ½ hours. On the Dinner Jazz Cruise enjoy the Creole Queen’s own Jazz Band while you feast on a lavish Creole buffet. After dinner enjoy a romantic stroll on the promenade deck as you take in a twilight view of New Orleans. The Dinner Jazz Cruise takes approximately 2 hours. Their phone number is (504) 529-4567.*** New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise ***
If you are going to be visiting New Orleans over New Year's Eve then cruise aboard the Creole Queen. The cruise is from 10:00pm to 1:00am and will be an exciting night with a perfect view of the fireworks on the Mississippi River. Cruise Includes: Late night Buffett * Open Call Bar * DJ Entertainment * Champagne Toast and Party Favors. $99 per adult, $79 per child (6-12). For more information or to make reservations call (504) 529-4567
Tour the Mississippi on the Steamboat NATCHEZ * Live Jazz on all cruises
Savor the beauty and romance of New Orleans and take a journey back in time aboard the authentic Sternwheel Steamboat NATCHEZ. Your two-hour cruise from the heart of the French Quarter takes you back when life was as slow and graceful as the current on the Mississippi. Let us show you New Orleans as you can only see from the river. Experience Southern hospitality, steamboat style! The Steamboat NATCHEZ Dinner Jazz and Daytime jazz cruises … run daily, year round, in the style of authentic steamboats in New Orleans for centuries! While on board enjoy Steam Engine Room visitation, calliope, live jazz and optional Creole food and local beverages. The Steamboat NATCHEZ docks at Toulouse Street and the Mississippi River. Their phone number is 504-569-1401.
Embark on a New Orleans Swamp Tour
New Orleans is literally surrounded by swamps, marsh, or water so which ever direction you travel you will be able to find a New Orleans swamp tour. This is a picture of my son squirrel hunting in the Honey Island Swamp. The swamps are an amazing ADVENTURE and I spend a lot of time hunting, fishing, and boating in the swamps. I have never been on a commercial swamp tour but I have seen many of their tour boats while in the swamps. There are at least a dozen swamp tours available that I know of and most of them offer transportation from and to your hotel. They are all about the same price and offer between one and two hour tours. I would imagine that anyone of them would give you an excellent tour of the Louisiana swamps. There are several Honey Island Swap Tours which are about an hour (North) from the French Quarter. There are several Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours which are about 30 minutes (South) from the French Quarter in New Orleans. There is a least one Manchac Swamp Tour which is a little over an hour (East) from New Orleans. Visit my New Orleans Swamp Tour page for additional infomation on the many New Orleans Swamp tours available.
Enjoy a French Quarter Carriage Tours
While vacationing in New Orleans you must take a French Quarter carriage tour. It is by far one of the best ways to explore the French Quarter and to learn about this historic district. These mule-drawn carriages line up in front of Jackson Square on Decatur Street everyday from around 9am until late into the evening. You will find carriages of different styles and passenger capacity. All carriage drivers are licensed tour guides and each one does their own research and custom tour. So ask questions and find one that meets your likings. They work on commission and tips SO if your carriage driver gives you a good tour don’t forget to tip them appropriately. As far as I know the three basic tours are:French Quarter tour – about 30 minutes.
French Quarter and Cemetery tour – about 60 minutes.
French Quarter and Garden District tour– about 90 minutes.
As you explore New Orleans the carriage driver will give you plenty of time to ask questions and take pictures.
Take a New Orleans Post Katrina City Tour
Tours by Isabelle offers a 70 mile, 3 ½ hour New Orleans Post Katrina City Tour packed with facts and history. This is NOT the traditional city tour of New Orleans, 90% of this tour is about The Storm's impact. On this New Orleans City Tour you will see and learn about: The French Quarter history, geography and architecture: Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the Pontalbaa row houses, Mississippi River Port, levees & flood walls. London Avenue Canal’s levee breaches and flood gates. UNO’s campus along Lake Pontchartrain's shores, where our levee system is explained and the longest of all bridges, the Causeway, is seen from the van. Lakeview and the 17th St. Canal breach. Stop for a refreshment & restroom break in Metairie. Gentilly and New Orleans East neighborhoods continuing to witness the huge scope of Katrina’s devastation. Cross over the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, MRGO, explaining its impact on the loss of wetlands and coastal erosion. Chalmette, St. Bernard Parish, where the size of our vehicles allows us to drive through a demolished neighborhood caused by yet another levee failure. Lower 9th Ward desolation and rebirth, see Brad Pitt's "Make it Right" rebuilding project. Then drive across the Industrial Canal to see the largest Levee Breach. See Habitat For Humanity's colorful Musicians' Village site in the Upper 9th Ward and return to New Orleans' downtown, pass the Superdome and Convention Center. For additioanl Katrina City Tour information call Tours by Isabelle at 504-398-0365 or 1-888-223-2093.
Experience a New Orleans Air Tour
Experience the thrill of New Orleans as you fly over the French Quarter and the Superdome; Land in the beautiful bayous in the Jean Lafitte swamp. Fly to and visit one of the many historic forts located in the bayous outside the city. View firsthand the devastating loss of Louisiana’s wetlands and see the efforts currently in place to preserve their existence. Any of these New Orleans experience can be yours with a Southern Seaplane Air Tour. Their tours include a 30 minute New Orleans Bayou Air Tour, a 2 hour Fort Pike Discovery Air Tour, a 3 hour Cajun Heritage Air and boat tour, and a 1 hour Save Our Coast Tour. Southern Seaplane Inc. was established in 1954 and they are located just 20 minutes from the French Quarter. Their address is #1 Coquille Drive, Belle Chasse, LA. and their phone# is 504-394-5633.