Eras of New Orleans: A History Lover's Walking Tour
Description
Prepare to be transported through time as your experienced storyteller paints a detailed picture of what life was like during different eras of French Quarter history. From Yellow Fever and the toll it took on our city, to the famous Jackson Square and the establishment of La Nouvelle Orléans; from the history of enslaved peoples and their impact on religion and culture, to what makes the architecture in our city so incredibly unique; from our historical red light district, to the earliest notes of jazz. This tour will have you laughing and crying as you grapple with all that New Orleans has gone through to get where it is today. History lovers, join us on an adventure through the real, gritty history of New Orleans.
Tour Options
Itinerary
From the earliest settlers in the city, to slave rebellions, to the amazing woman who was Michaela Almonester. You'll learn all about where this city started and how far it's come.
See the outside of the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral and hear a bit about early economics, smuggling, and piracy in the city.
Voodoo is a huge part of New Orleans history and culture. Hear all about what New Orleans Voodoo is, isn't, and about our incredible Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau.
Learn about the Ursuline nuns, how they came to New Orleans, and how the impacted early life in the city.
Learn a bit more about what New Orleans looked like in the 18th and 19th century, as Yellow Fever and numerous fires ravaged the city.
For this architecture stop, you'll hear all about different types of New Orleans' architecture and what makes it unique.
End at one of New Orleans' oldest bars.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- While we do our best to accommodate all guests with mobility issues, the conditions of the terrain in the historic French Quarter present challenges. Please book accordingly.
Reviews(80)
This was one of the best walking tours I’ve ever taken. Our guide Hannah Kate was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and kept the group’s energy up from start to finish. She was friendly, welcoming, and clearly passionate about the stories she shared. What stood out most to me was the care and respect she showed while leading a ghost tour. Rather than making light of the people whose stories were being told, she approached each one with compassion and humanity. She also handled discussions involving race and difficult historical topics thoughtfully and respectfully, without relying on crude jokes or sensationalism. That made the experience feel much more meaningful and authentic. The stories were fascinating, the pacing was great, and her enthusiasm was contagious. Learning that she’s a practicing witch (the good kind!) somehow made the entire experience even cooler and added an extra layer of authenticity to the tour. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone looking for an entertaining, informative, and respectful exploration of local history and ghost lore. Thanks Hannah!
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review. Hannah Kate brings such incredible knowledge, passion, and authenticity to the Eras of New Orleans: A History Lover's Walking Tour, and we love hearing how much her approach resonated with you. One of the things we value most is telling the stories of New Orleans with respect for the people who lived them, especially when discussing difficult chapters of history. We are so glad that came through in your experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and your kind words about Hannah Kate and the Eras of New Orleans: A History Lover's Walking Tour.
Tour was good. However talked to much about the beginning of New Orleans. Never talked about history of New Orleans from 1900 to current. Needed to be a beginner talked and not so detailed about the early 1800s
Thank for sharing this and allowing us to learn from it. We will discuss this with the guide and make sure the Era's are all discussed more evenly.
Nice guy but this was not an entertaining experience. This tour was WAY too deep in the weeds of historical New Orleans. Even my wife who has a history degree thought it was too long and not entertaining. Most tours incorporate humor and interesting facts. This one had almost none. I felt like I was in a 2.5 hour college class with a professor that had tenure and wasn’t worried about getting fired for being unengaging.
I am sorry to hear this was your experience. That is obviously not what we want to hear or have happen. I will speak with the guide and follow up. We take your feedback seriously
This excursion was cancelled within a few the day of the trip due to not enough people signed up! The tour group was to not be anymore than 10 people and we were 2! Then we traveled to the Witches Brew location and no one there knew anything about the tour or its cancellation. We then had to call another number to then be told that Viator had to be called to request a refund.
We apologize for the inconvenience. It is rare that we cancel a tour but you're aparticular tour did not meet the necessary minumum number that day and was canceled. We did contact you and let you know. Just to clear up some misunderstandings, the tour can be up to 15 people and you were 2. The only 2 that signed up for that particular day. It's unusual that our tours don't sell out but that day, not enough had signed up. You went to the Witches Brew Gallery which is our retail store. That staff wouldn't know about cancellations of tours but w3e had already let you know. Our reservationist let you know, on our end, we had done what we could do and that if you needed to talk to someone it would have to be the agency you booked through, which is Viator. We had already issued the refund for you. I find it unfair to give us a 1 star review when we gave you advance notice of the cancelation. As it states on all tour companies, we reserve the right to cancel if we do not meet the minimum number of guests or in the event of severe weather or other unusual circumstances. While I understand your frustration, we did what we had to do in an extremely unusual situation. We offered you alternative tours and then issued a refund.
Such a great history tour! We were looking for something a cut above in terms of quality, and this definitely hit the mark. It's obvious that our guide (Graham) knows his stuff. I've done several tours in NOLA and can honestly say I never learned so many interesting tidbits in such a short amount of time as I did on this one. Graham started the tour by warning us that he was going to be incorporating new historical scholarship; and that we may learn things that contradicted established NOLA lore. He then proceeded to infuse the tour with letters and journal entries from real people who *actually* lived during that time (and sent us the reference list when the tour was done). He provided insight into the people in a way that really made the NOLA history come alive! If you want to come away with a deep appreciation for the unique personalities who built this city, I couldn't recommend this tour more highly.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and generous review of the New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour. This is exactly the kind of experience we strive to offer, and I’m thrilled it landed for you. Graham will be so grateful to read this. His commitment to current historical scholarship and primary sources is something we truly value, and I love that you noticed the care he puts into using letters and journals from people who actually lived here. That deeper human layer is what turns history from lore into lived experience. It means a lot to hear that even after doing several tours in New Orleans, the New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour still stood out as something special. Thank you for recognizing the quality and intention behind it. We would be honored to walk with you again the next time you are in the city.
There’s a lot of information to absorb. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and passionate about the history of New Orleans. It was incredible how he remembered all of this.
Thank you for joining us on the Eras of New Orleans: A History Lover's Walking Tour! We’re so glad you enjoyed diving deep into the city’s past. Our guides put a lot of heart into preserving and sharing New Orleans history, and it’s wonderful to hear that passion came through. It means a lot that you took the time to absorb it all. We hope the stories stay with you long after the walk ends. Come back anytime for more!
My guide was very knowledgeable about New Orleans when it was under French and Spanish rule. He clearly enjoys history and explained things in a conversational way that kept my interest. He checked often to see if we had questions and did a good job of answering the questions we had. I enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to fellow history lovers.
Thank you so much for taking our Eras of New Orleans: A History Lover's Walking Tour! It means a lot to hear that you enjoyed the deep dive into the French and Spanish eras of the city. Our guides truly love what they do, and it shows in the way they share stories and invite questions. We’re so glad it kept your interest and sparked curiosity. Thanks for recommending us to your fellow history lovers!
Our historical tour of New Orleans with Graham was absolutely phenomenal! From the moment the tour began, it was clear we were in expert hands. Graham brought the city’s rich and complex history to life with passion, humor, and deep knowledge. He didn’t just recite facts — he told the stories behind the stories, weaving in local legends, cultural insights, and personal anecdotes that made everything feel vivid and real. Whether we were walking past iconic landmarks or in a tucked-away corners of the French Quarter, Graham made sure we understood the significance of every stop. His storytelling style was engaging and approachable — like listening to a friend who just happens to be a brilliant historian. We left the tour feeling inspired, informed, and more connected to New Orleans than we ever expected. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the city — and if you can, ask for Graham. He’s a true gem!
Wow, what an incredible review! 🌟 Thank you so much for taking the time to share such detailed and thoughtful feedback about your experience with Graham. We're absolutely thrilled that Graham was able to bring New Orleans' rich history to life for you in such a meaningful way. He truly has a special gift for storytelling - that ability to go beyond the facts and share the heart and soul behind the stories is exactly what makes him such a treasure on our team. Your description of feeling "like listening to a friend who just happens to be a brilliant historian" perfectly captures Graham's approach. He has this wonderful way of making history feel personal and accessible, whether you're at the iconic landmarks or discovering those hidden gems tucked away in the French Quarter. It means the world to us that you left feeling inspired, informed, and more connected to our beautiful city. That's exactly the kind of experience we strive to create for every guest. Graham will be absolutely delighted to read this review - and we'll definitely make sure he sees it! Thank you for the wonderful recommendation and for highlighting his exceptional work. Reviews like yours help other visitors know they're in for something truly special. We hope New Orleans has left a lasting impression on you, and we'd love to welcome you back anytime! 🎭⚜️
Nicki is absoloutley lovely she shared amazing history , very informative and interesting. You have to stop by and see her
Thank you so much for joining us on the Eras of New Orleans: A History Lover's Walking Tour! Nicki will be thrilled to hear your kind words. She’s truly passionate about sharing this city’s incredible past. We’re so glad you found the tour informative and engaging. Come see her again anytime!
Very informative and interesting tour. Graham makes history jump off the page and really explains the whys and wherefores of New Orleans history in a clear manner.
