The French Quarter History Tour

5.0 (4 reviews) 2 hours Free cancellation

out of 5

4 reviews

5.0

St Louis Cathedral — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Secondline marching through Armstrong Park — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

History ✦ Famous Places ✦ Epic Lives ✦ Hilarious Scandal

Share a local's love for 300 years of our city's history, and learn the stories of those famous locales you've always read about.

Hear about famous French Quarter figures who led epic lives, such as a pirate, a voodoo queen, and Baroness.

We bring the private tour experience to every tour we host, by limiting the experience to small groups, and personalizing every tour for you.

The early native settlers called the area Bulbancha -- "the land of many tongues" -- and used as a trading post. From there, on to the early French & Spanish colonies, all the way to the jazz age, and the birthplace of modern music!

We go beyond just names and dates, and share a connection to our city, and its famous stories, that you'll never forget.

Private and Luxury Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours Short term availability Weather Dependent - Moderate Agent Low Quality Product

At a glance

Duration: 2 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 16 people
People per booking: 1–16
Guide: English
Operated by: Spectral City Tours

Ages: Youth (12–17 years) · Adults (18–100 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Mid-tour break, both coffee and alcohol available for purchase within one block.

Itinerary

Cuban Creations Cigar Bar

20 min

Cuban Creations is a wonderfully inviting and classy spot with very comfortable indoor and outdoor seating. It's the only smoking bar in the French Quarter and has excellent cocktails.
Washington Artillery Park

15 min

We begin the tour in the most scenic spot in the French Quarter, as you hear about the river and bed of mud out city rests on, the early Chitimacha tribe that settled the area, and the rather odd French colonists who founded New Orleans in 1718.
Stop 3

5 min

We'll pass Cafe Du Monde, the oldest coffee house in the city, and explore the sweet history of beignets.

Let us know what stories you'd like to include, because content does vary between guides and what the group is interested in.
St. Louis Cathedral

10 min Admission included

Our next stop is at our most iconic landmark, the St Louis Cathedral. It's a spectacular sight, and has some really interesting history, from pirate prisons to dueling grounds! Along the way we will talk about Pirate's Alley, and if it's open we will take a quick peek inside of the Cathedral. It's the oldest in the country!
Pontalba Buildings

15 min

We'll see the Pontalba Buildings, and hear the story of the Baroness Pontalba, from the wealthiest family New Orleans has ever seen, Spanish nobles who paid for the construction of all the buildings in Jackson Square. Her bizarre story is a real-life psychological thriller.
Jackson Square

10 min

Then we'll take a look around Jackson Square and we'll tell you about the statue of Andrew Jackson -- the only statue in the city to be erected out of spite! During the French colonial period, it was a place of bizarre punishments.
French Quarter

20 min

There are plenty of mini-stops along the way where we'll share all the knowledge we've learned in our years of tour guiding. This city is SO interesting and you will leave with an exciting and amazing understanding of The Big Easy!
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar

10 min

We'll stop between this historic bar and a nearby coffee shop. Built in the 1780s, this popular dead-end-of-Bourbon St. bar was once a business front for smugglers and pirates. These pirates also enlisted to fight the war of 1812. To this day, men who re-enact the battle come to drink afterwards.

In the 1960s, "Cafe Lafitte" was a popular gay bar, frequented by Tennessee Williams.
Louis Armstrong Park

14 min

We'll begin with a stroll through the beautiful Louis Armstrong Park, the birthplace of Jazz music! We'll talk NOLA history and how this amazing city began and share some juicy stories before heading into the heart of the French Quarter.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

We meet at Cuban Creations Cigar Bar, 533 Toulouse St., outside the bar.

If you see your guide, say hello, or just wait with your group in one spot. We may be across the street to avoid cigar smoke.