New Orleans Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best New Orleans tours in the soulful heart of Louisiana: wander the wrought-iron balconies of the French Quarter, glide through moss-draped bayous on a swamp airboat, uncover ghosts, voodoo and history in the above-ground cemeteries, cruise the mighty Mississippi on a paddlewheel steamboat with live jazz, and step back in time at the grand antebellum plantations. Compare top-rated experiences and plan your perfect Big Easy adventure.
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Explore New Orleans by interest
Whatever brings you to New Orleans — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in New Orleans
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
French Quarter
Wrought-iron heart.
Swamp & Bayou
Airboat wildlife.
Cemeteries
Ghosts & voodoo.
Steamboat Natchez
Mississippi jazz.
Oak Alley
Plantation oaks.
Garden District
Grand mansions.
Creole Food
Gumbo & beignets.
Bourbon Street
Nightlife & jazz.
New Orleans in 1 day
- 1French Quarter
- 2Cemetery tour
- 3Steamboat jazz
- 4Frenchmen Street
New Orleans in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Quarter & river
- 2Day 2: swamp & plantation
- 3Ghost tour
- 4Food & jazz
New Orleans in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Quarter & river
- 2Day 2: swamp & plantation
- 3Day 3: food & Garden District
- 4Jazz nights
Swamp & plantation day
- 1Morning airboat through the bayou
- 2Alligators & Cajun wildlife
- 3Afternoon plantation & River Road
- 4The history of slavery, told honestly
Ghosts, voodoo & cemeteries
- 1Dusk ghost walk of the French Quarter
- 2Voodoo history & Marie Laveau
- 3St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
- 4Vampire lore after dark
In city awayFrench Quarter
Historic heart.
45 min awaySwamp & Bayou
Airboat wildlife.
1 hr awayOak Alley
Plantation oaks.
In city awaySteamboat Natchez
Mississippi jazz.
In city awaySt Louis Cemetery
City of the dead.
In city awayFood Tour
Gumbo & beignets.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every New Orleans visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
February–May brings warm, pleasant weather and the city’s biggest festivals, the best all-round time to visit.
Spring (Feb–May)
Mild and lively with Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest — book well ahead as the city fills up.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot, humid and prone to afternoon storms; quieter and cheaper, with indoor and evening tours ideal.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Warm, drier and comfortable, a great time for walking tours and swamps with fewer crowds.
Winter (Dec–Jan)
Mild and festive, with cooler evenings and the build-up to Mardi Gras.
Festival tip
For Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest, book accommodation and tours months ahead, as prices soar and the city sells out.
One day
The Quarter, river and a ghost tour.
Two days
Add a swamp tour and plantation.
Three days
Add food tours and the Garden District.
Foodies
Add culinary tours and cooking classes.
Mystery lovers
Add more ghost, voodoo and cemetery tours.
With kids
Mix swamps, steamboats and the aquarium.
On foot
The French Quarter is small and best explored on foot, with most sights within easy reach.
Streetcars
The historic streetcars, especially the St Charles line, are a charming way to reach the Garden District.
Tours & transfers
Swamp and plantation tours include transport, the easiest way to reach the bayou and River Road.
Taxis & ride apps
Taxis and ride-hailing are handy for getting between neighbourhoods, especially at night.
Walkable core
The Quarter, Marigny and CBD are close together; the swamps and plantations need a tour or car.
Getting there
Louis Armstrong International Airport is around 30 minutes from the French Quarter.
US dollars & tipping
The US uses the dollar; cards are widely accepted, and tipping is customary for guides, servers and drivers.
Book cemetery tours
St Louis Cemetery No. 1 can only be visited on an official guided tour — book a cemetery tour to enter.
Embrace the evenings
New Orleans comes alive after dark, so save ghost tours and live jazz for the atmospheric nights.
Beat the heat & bugs
In summer, carry water and insect repellent, especially on swamp tours, and plan walks for the cooler hours.
Plan around festivals
Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest are magical but very busy — book far ahead or visit just outside them.
Come hungry
Don’t miss beignets, gumbo and po’boys; food tours are a tasty way to sample the city’s best.
Steamboat jazz cruises
Popular dinner and brunch cruises sell out — book ahead.
Cemetery & ghost tours
Official cemetery access tours fill up — reserve early.
Swamp tours
Airboat and bayou trips are in demand — book ahead.
Plantation tours
Oak Alley and Whitney tours have set times — reserve early.
Food tours
Small-group culinary walks are popular — book ahead.
Festival season
Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest sell out months ahead — plan early.
French Quarter walk
Around €20–45 for a guided walking tour.
Swamp airboat tour
About €40–90 with transport from the city.
Ghost or cemetery tour
Roughly €25–55 for a guided evening or cemetery tour.
Steamboat jazz cruise
Around €35–90 for sightseeing to dinner cruises.
Plantation tour
About €60–110 with transport, more combined with a swamp.
How to save
Book combo swamp-and-plantation tours and walk the free French Quarter.
New Orleans through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Festivals, mild.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mardi Gras; book ahead.
- Best for
- Cheaper, quieter.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot, humid, storms.
- Best for
- Warm, drier, calmer.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great for tours.
- Best for
- Mild, festive.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cooler evenings.