Cultural & Theme Tours in New Orleans

New Orleans French Quarter: Stolen Art Puzzle Adventure (opens in a new tab)

7 1 h 56 min – 2 h 26 min

A priceless painting has vanished from a historic French Quarter mansion. Follow coded messages from the mysterious thief through 10 iconic New Orleans landmarks on this self-guided puzzle adventure. Begin at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the oldest bar in America with ties to pirate treasure. Decode puzzles at the Old Ursuline Convent, where vampire casket girl legends haunt the corridors, then trace jazz history past Danny Barker’s birthplace. Navigate past St. Louis Cathedral and through Jackson Square before uncovering secrets at America’s first licensed pharmacy. Each stop reveals a new clue and stories hidden behind famous facades. Your chase ends with beignets at Cafe du Monde and the birthplace of the muffuletta sandwich, where a twist ending reveals the truth behind the stolen masterpiece. Play anytime at your own pace using the Questo app. Best in the evening when the Quarter comes alive. Perfect for couples, families, and mystery lovers.

Private tourFree cancellation

Podcast Tour New Orleans The Garden District (opens in a new tab)

1 h 24 min

Step into the mid-nineteenth-century rivalry that reshaped New Orleans. Following the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, incoming Anglo-American Protestants clashed with the established French Creole Catholic elite. Barred from the French Quarter's inner circles, these newly wealthy cotton and sugar magnates converted plantation soil into a suburban showcase of monumental Greek Revival and Italianate mansions. Discover the subtle architectural signals, hidden water management systems, and forgotten labor that built this extraordinary neighborhood. - A 1.4 km self-guided tour with 7 stops over 84 min - Ideal for travelers interested in Art, Design & Aesthetics and History & Memory - Immersively told in a podcast style by experts and locals - Matching audio content, AI guide and navigation through the app

New Orleans Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour (opens in a new tab)

3 h

The Best Way to Discover New Orleans: Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour. Play, learn, and walk! Explore at your own pace with a 100% self-guided activity. Start anytime (24/7) with no guides or schedules. Pause for a photo at Woldenberg Park or a visit to the Audubon Aquarium and resume whenever you're ready—even the next day. This unique team-building activity is perfect for couples, families, and groups. The "Complete City" Package - Everything you need in one app: Interactive Game: Solve puzzles and discover 10+ major attractions, plus hidden gems revealed along the way. Learn the history/legends of each site. Insider Tips: Access hand-picked local restaurant and shop recommendations. What you will visit: Spanish Plaza, Caesars New Orleans Hotel & Casino, Audubon Aquarium, Woldenberg Park, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, French Market Place, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, Louis Armstrong Park, and Congo Square.

Free cancellation

New Orleans Garden District- At your own pace. Downloadable audiovisual tour. (opens in a new tab)

6 1 h 30 min – 2 h

A unique downloadable audio walking tour of New Orleans' historic Garden District - explore the rich history of this opulent enclave, venturing away from our hectic modern society and into a time of near magical grace. Our tour is available anytime you want to take an enlightening walk in New Orleans. Simply download the Welcome Walks app to your smart phone, enter your code and you are ready to go. Enjoy your tour!

St. Joseph Plantation Tour (opens in a new tab)

43 1 h – 2 h

St. Joseph Plantation is one of the few fully intact sugar plantations in the River Parishes. In addition to the Manor Home, this historic site features many outbuildings for guests to explore. These include original homes of enslaved people, a detached kitchen, blacksmith’s shop, school house, and chicken coop. Several buildings have been moved to their present day location from other parts of the property, but most remain where they were built. The initial structure of the St. Joseph House was built by the 1830’s and expanded by the 1850’s. The expansion was funded by dowry money that was given to Josephine Aime Ferry by her father, Francois Gabriel “Valcour” Aime. In 1877, Joseph Waguespack purchased the plantation and named it after his patron saint. Later, one of his grandsons purchased Felicity Plantation. In 1901, his grandchildren formed the St. Joseph Planting and Manufacturing Co., LTD. and merged the two plantations.

Walking the Tremé: A Self-guided Audio Tour of New Orleans (opens in a new tab)

24 1 h

Two hundred years before the HBO television series made Tremé an emblem of the cultural richness of New Orleans, the residents of the faubourg Tremé drummed, danced, and second lined their way into history. The oldest African American neighborhood in the United States as well as the birthplace of jazz, Tremé boasts a history of civil rights activism and jazz rhythms that still inspires.  Explore the Tremé at your own pace with this highly acclaimed self guided audio tour of New Orleans. From Congo Square to Brass Band Heaven and the Tomb of the Unknown Slave, the Faubourg Tremé will get under your skin. The tour is ready whenever you feel like “Walking the Tremé.” With your smart phone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, the audio plays automatically at exactly the right time and place. If you prefer, you can download the tour and use it offline as well.If you've got an hour or so and want to explore a neighborhood like no other, then this is the tour for you!

Creole Christmas Historic Home Holiday Tour (opens in a new tab)

2 h 30 min

Step back in time for a sprinkle of seasonal magic and join the Friends of the Cabildo for a heart-warming stroll through the French Quarter’s most cherished treasures. Decked out in magnificent traditional Creole Christmas finery, each stop sparkles with historic charm, antique velvet ribbon, and old-world holiday grandeur. Your festive journey opens doors to iconic historic homes, lush hidden courtyards, and storied quarters, including: Historic BK House & Gardens, Gallier House, Hermann-Grima House, 1850 House, The Historic New Orleans Collection, and Spring Fiesta House. Event Details December 26th (Saturday) and 27th (Sunday) Only Homes are open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Due to the historic nature of the buildings The 1850 House, Hermann-Grima and Gallier House, and Historic BK House & Gardens are NOT fully wheelchair accessible. However, ground floors and courtyards are wheelchair accessible.

New Orleans Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide (opens in a new tab)

2 h

Explore New Orleans on a self-guided walking tour, starting at the historic Congo Square. This engaging journey weaves through 2.8 km of the city’s rich history, where architecture, music, and ritual come alive. With audio guidance, learn fascinating facts at your own pace, and enjoy interactive quizzes that unlock more content as you walk. The tour is designed for solo adventurers or those who want to team up with friends, allowing for a unique blend of learning and fun. Perfect for any weather, this tour can be undertaken anytime and takes about two hours to complete. - Self-guided tour, allowing for personal pace and exploration - 2.8 km route featuring iconic sites like Bourbon Street and Jackson Square - Interactive audio guide with quizzes for added engagement - Enjoy this activity solo or with friends—no group required.

Free cancellation

Hire Photographer, Professional Photo Shoot - New Orleans (opens in a new tab)

1 4 h

Professional photo shoot in unique New Orleans locations. The Photo Experience will create amazing photo memories from your visit. You will be able to see undiscovered locations and get the best photo story from your New Orleans visit. We can tailor each photo shoot to meet your requirements; we can travel to your location or we can suggest a location for the photo shoot. Our Photoshoots are ideal for any Tourists - Solo Traveler - Couples - Groups - Hen/Bachelorette & Stag/Bachelor Parties - Families - Secret proposal/Engagement - Honeymoon - Experienced Influencers and Models - New Influencers and Models What's Included: A Private online viewing gallery - 1 hour = 20 Final photos* - 2 hours = 30 Final photos* - 3 hours = 40 Final photos* - 4 hours = 50 Final photos* * same set of images - A unique location professional shoot experience - DELIVERY - Up to 14 days after photoshoot. What's Excluded: - Transportation - Entry fees

Free cancellation

New Orleans Music Walking Tour (opens in a new tab)

24 2 h

Explore the world’s richest musical city. Starting with Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square, historic site of African slave gatherings, it is the only place in North America where pure West African religious ritual and musical traditions were performed. Congo Square is the wellspring of all New Orleans music and so many of world-famous songs. Visit the building which housed Cosimo Matassa’s groundbreaking J&M Studios - the true birthplace of rock’n'roll. See the New Orleans Musicians Tomb. The first burial to take place was for Lloyd Washington of the Ink Spots on October 23, 2004. The Musicians Tomb was restored and is administered by Robert Florence of NOLA Historic Tours. Learn about the Second Line & stroll down Basin Street to the remains of Storyville, fabled red light district whose parlors presented Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton. Then move through the Tango Belt to May Bailey’s and the French Opera House, ending with the legendary Preservation Hall.

Beignets and Burials Tour of New Orleans Iconic Cemeteries (opens in a new tab)

13 2 h

Start your morning with beignets and coffee at the famed Morning Call while learning about the general history of New Orleans cemeteries. We venture into Greenwood Cemetery, home of the largest assemblage of iron tombs, as well as local and national celebrities, such as a Pulitzer-prize winning writer and the man who spiced up New Orleans. Afterward, journey into Cypress Grove, the first cemetery built to honor New Orleans volunteer firemen and their families. Get exclusive access into the large society tomb built for the temporary burial of Chinese citizens, and view many original tombs crafted in granite, marble, and cast-iron that hold some of New Orleans’ earliest prominent citizens. We then visit the Hurricane Katrina Memorial located in the spot where Charity Hospital used to bury the poor and indigent. The tour ends back at the Morning Call. This is the only private tour company allowed to give tours in Greenwood Cemetery and the only company allowed in Cypress Grove.

Oak Alley Or St. Joseph Plantation Plus Swamp Tour Combination (opens in a new tab)

26 7 h 30 min

Join us for a unique and educational journey back to the early days of Louisiana bayou and swamp exploration at Cajun Pride Swamp Tours. Afterwards, continue on to your choice of Oak Alley or St. Joseph Plantation. Due to our swamp's location and proximity to the plantations, our combination tours offer you less travel time than most other tour companies.

A Day in Tremé: Creole Classics and Local Stories (opens in a new tab)

21 5 h

As the only chef curated culinary tour in New Orleans, we share the unique culture of the city through its amazing cuisine. Discover the hidden gems of the city that most tourists are unaware of and meet the people that create the culture and cuisine of the Crescent City. Customize your tour to meet a Black Masking Indian and learn more about how their culture is intertwined with the indigenous people of Louisiana. Chat with a VooDoo priestess and gain a better understanding of how the West African spiritual traditions blend with Catholicism and indigenous practices. We limit the amount of people in each tour group, insuring a personalized, quality experience and interaction.

The French Quarter Haunted Tour (opens in a new tab)

77 2 h

Small Groups ✦ Hauntings ✦ History ✦ Legend Walk the 300-year old streets of the French Quarter, lit by gas lamps, and experience its rich history of real hauntings, true crime, vampire lore, and scandal. We bring the private tour experience to every tour, by limiting it to small groups, and personalizing every your for you. Stops may include the Casket Girls, the Ax Man of New Orleans, some true history about voodoo and Queen Marie Laveau, the St. Germain House, LaLaurie Mansion, Muriel's Restaurant, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, a building from the 1780s -- and much more! Take home a piece of New Orleans you won't forget!

Private New Orleans Culinary, Cocktail and Kitchen Adventure (opens in a new tab)

17 3 h

Have a restaurant insider show you the food culture in New Orleans! I grew up in the French Quarter hospitality business. My family and I owned a restaurant called Broussard's in the Quarter; I have a great network of connections around town in the various restaurants. I love sharing all the insiders' info & hidden secrets that New Orleans locals don't even know! You will experience sampling multiple courses at various neighborhood restaurant stops and learn real-life insider information on the past & present restaurant scene in New Orleans. Cocktail & Kitchen Adventure includes History, Architecture & Music. Our private tours and excursions are truly authentic & include experiences off the beaten path, definitely not the typical tour you see around the city. Every tour is customized and designed for you! *This is a new tour-Please read "Nola Detours Private City Tour with Local Expert" to get an idea of the quality of tours Nola Detours provides & check Nola Detours Google reviews

Free cancellation

New Orleans Voodoo, Storyville, Treme, Walking Tour (opens in a new tab)

65 2 h 15 min

Our guides are by far the most skillful and very personally connected to NOLA history and culture, and no one else is doing this exact combination of fascinating tour subjects.

New Orleans Music Tour (opens in a new tab)

78 2 h

Although New Orleans is heavily associated with Jazz, this tour will show how every form of American popular music is informed by New Orleans. As the outgrageous New Orleans R&B legend Ernie K-Doe said: “I'm not sure, but I'm almost positive, all music came from New Orleans.”

French Quarter Haunted Excursion In New Orleans (opens in a new tab)

35 1 h – 2 h

Enjoy a haunted excursion that covers ghosts, vampires, New Orleans history, culture and architecture, as well as its cemetery which is a mass burial ground with a real EMF Meter (Ghost/Paranormal Detector). Stroll down the streets of the French Quarter while hearing detailed stories about New Orleans. This tour gives meaning to the saying 'laissez les bon temps rouler', the Cajun expression meaning "Let the good times roll." You will be allowed to stop in bars along the tour route to grab a drink to-go and then the tour group heads out to the next location. Please keep in mind that some bars allow children inside, however some do not. Welcome to the home of the New Orleans Drunken Tour....  Where learning is intoxicating.

New Orleans French Quarter Walking Tour with Audioguide (opens in a new tab)

4 h

The audio guide is a convenient mobile companion for a self-guided walk through New Orleans’ French Quarter. The tour is designed specifically to help you get to know the neighborhood in a short time (2–2.5 hours). Follow the route on the map in the app to walk from the Mahalia Jackson Theater to the Mississippi River waterfront, seeing the main sights along the way. You will definitely see: Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo, Congo Square, The Storyville Museum, Old Ursuline Convent, St. Louis Cathedral. The tour includes 26 interesting stops. All stories are written by professional journalists and historians, with a touch of humor and a love of travel. After you download the tour, the app works offline. You can hear the audio guide clearly through your headphones. Enjoy fascinating stories and legends as you move at your own pace, without having to follow a tour group. You can stop to rest in a café or turn down a picturesque alley, then continue your walk through city.

Private Tarot Card Reading & New Orleans Voodoo (opens in a new tab)

7 2 h

Enter the mystical side of New Orleans! Receive a private Tarot reading from the creator of the Marie Laveau Tarot, enter a real Voodoo shop & uncover the Vieux Carré's darkest spiritual secrets. Look beyond the familiar sights of the French Quarter and make room for a more personal encounter with the city's mystical side. Your private Tarot reading offers a moment to pause, reflect, and explore the cards with the person who created this distinctive deck. Bring a question or simply your curiosity, and discover what the imagery brings to mind. Step inside a real Voodoo shop, where your curiosity about New Orleans' spiritual traditions takes on new setting. Along the way, let the atmosphere of the Vieux Carré draw you into a city where mystery is part of the allure. Whether Tarot is new to you or already part of your life, this experience invites you to see New Orleans from a different perspective. Come curious, embrace the unexpected, and leave with a story that feels uniquely your own.

Free cancellation