When people think of New Orleans, often the first things that comes to mind are Bourbon Street, bars and parties. While these are certainly major (and fun!) parts of New Orleans, the city is also filled with wonderful museums, tons of history and incredible tours to take part in. If you’re looking for fun things to do in New Orleans, and ways to immerse yourself in the city’s unique culture and history, this post is for you! Keep reading for your guide to the best tours and museums in New Orleans!
The Best Tours in New Orleans
New Orleans is packed full of unique tour and activity options! You’ll find everything from classic food tours, to ghost tours to art tours and everything in between. Going on tours is such a fun way to learn more about a destination and connect with both locals and other travelers.
French Quarter Food Tour
One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new city is to take a food tour! It’s an amazing way to learn more about the culture, history and traditions of a city all while eating great food. Additionally, the tour guides are almost always very knowledgeable and passionate about sharing facts, stories and information about their city with travelers.
There are a wide variety of food tours to choose from in New Orleans, but it’s important to note that not many are vegan/vegetarian friendly.
Food Tours in New Orleans:
- New Orleans Food and History Walking Tour
- New Orleans French Quarter Food Adventure
- Taste of the French Quarter
- New Orleans Cocktail and Food History Tour
- Small-Group French Quarter Cocktail and Foodie Crawl
Cocktail Tours in New Orleans:
- New Orleans Cocktail History Walking Tour in the French Quarter
- New Orleans Original Craft Cocktail Walking Tour
Street Art Tour
An art tour in New Orleans is a great way to get outside of the main tourist areas and see beautiful and unique street art.
NOLA Art Walk offers amazing street art tours that showcase artists’ works in the 8th Ward, 9th Ward and Tremé neighborhoods of the city. The tour guides are so knowledgeable, and because they are friends with many of the artists, they have tons of insights and information to share. The street art is unique and this is definitely a wonderful way to see other areas of the city outside of the Garden District and French Quarter. Added bonus: you’ll also see a Banksy! This two hour tour is $30 per person.
More Art Tours in New Orleans:
Art lovers, be sure to also check out the wonderful New Orleans Museum of Art located in City Park and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in the Warehouse Arts District.
Ghost and True Crime Walking Tour
New Orleans is known for being a haunted city and these ghosts and haunted happenings are especially prevalent in the French Quarter! I love ghost tours and I was so excited to go on one in New Orleans – it definitely didn’t disappoint. While I was out on my ghost tour, I saw at least 5 other tours operating around the French Quarter and everyone seemed to be having a great time. In my opinion, this is a must-do while in New Orleans!
There are ghost tours that focus on history, others that are based on true crime, and even some that are cocktail focused. Choose the one that looks best to you and prepare for some ghost stories!
Ghost Tours in New Orleans:
- Adults Only New Orleans Ghost, True Crime, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour
- True Crime Pub Crawl in New Orleans
- Spooky Family-Friendly Ghost Tour in New Orleans
Tour the Garden District
In addition to the beautiful French Quarter, the Garden District is a must-visit on any New Orleans itinerary! This area is known for its beautiful homes and mansions, oak tree lined streets, and the famous Lafayette Cemetery. You could easily spend a couple hours wandering around and looking at the beautiful homes and different architectural styles.
You can take a street car (fun public transportation), from the French Quarter to the Garden District in under 30 minutes. The street car ride is a fun experience itself! Once there, you can explore the area on your own, or go on a guided tour to learn more about the beautiful neighborhood.
Garden District Tours:
- Garden District History and Homes Walking Tour
- Garden District Secrets and Scandals Tour
- New Orleans Garden District & Cemetery Bike Tour
- New Orleans Homes of the Rich and Famous Tour of the Garden District
Oak Alley Plantation Tour
Another way to learn about the history of Louisiana, specifically the state’s history with slavery, is to take a plantation tour. I chose to visit Oak Alley Plantation and while there I was able to tour the big house, learn about the history of the sugarcane plantation and tour the slave quarters, seeing the horrible, brutal conditions enslaved people were forced to live and work in.
This tour is very educational and guests are also able to explore the plantation and view the exhibits independently. Touring Oak Alley Plantation allowed me to gain a better understanding of Louisiana’s history and the horrific treatment enslaved people had to endure during that time period.
There are plantation tours that include transportation from downtown New Orleans, or if you have a rental car, you can also drive. Downtown New Orleans to Oak Alley is a 1 hour drive, and if you have your own car you’ll also be able to visit other nearby plantations. There are many within a few miles of each other.
Plantation Tours from New Orleans:
- Guided Creole Laura Plantation Tour from New Orleans
- Double Plantation Tour in New Orleans
- Whitney Plantation Tour
- Small-Group Whitney Plantation, Museum of Slavery and St. Joseph Plantation Tour
Other Fun Tours in New Orleans
If you have extra time in New Orleans, definitely consider some of the below tours. Swamp boat tours are fun and popular and, of course, cemetery tours are a traveler favorite as well!
Adventurous Tours:
- New Orleans Swamp Tour Boat Adventure
- New Orleans Airboat Ride
- New Orleans Zipline Swamp Tour
- New Orleans Helicopter City Tour
Low-key Adventures:
The Best Museums in New Orleans
New Orleans is home to dozens of unique and interesting museums! There are a wide variety to choose from ranging from history museums, to art museums and cultural museums. Many of these museums are located close to one another in the French Quarter, so it’s easy to visit a few each day.
Mardi Gras World
Located in a huge warehouse just a quick shuttle ride from the French Quarter, Mardi Gras World is a great place for the whole family. On the self-guided tour you can see tons of amazing, elaborate floats from Mardi Gras parades of years passed. There are so many colorful floats and decorations to see and it’s so much fun to walk around and look at them all! You can also see new floats being made and decorated and this behind the scenes look really makes the museum special!
Tickets are $22 for adults, or $17 for students and seniors. Tickets also includes a free shuttle that will pick you up and drop you off at a ton of different points around the French Quarter. This museum was so much fun and I highly recommend visiting!
Location: Lower Garden District, 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, 70130
Voodoo Museum
This super tiny museum shares the history of Voodoo in New Orleans. The whole museum consists of two rooms, but they are packed full or artifacts and signs with information.
It is important to note that this museum really is very small and for the $10 entrance fee ($8 for students) you may prefer just to take a look around the gift shop. I found it interesting, but it is a little expensive for the small size. The good news is that you can easily visit this museum in 20 minutes or less, so it’s a great quick stop. The museum also offers guided tours, which are a great way to learn more about the significance of Voodoo in New Orleans.
Location: French Quarter, 724 Dumaine Street, 70116
The Pharmacy Museum
This museum is the site of the first pharmacy in the USA and it shares artifacts and information about what medicine was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This museum tour is self-guided and visitors are given a handout with information about each exhibit.
The museum is really unique, and there are so many interesting items inside! It will definitely make you appreciate modern medicine. Admission is $10 for adults or $7 for students.
Location: French Quarter, 514 Chartres Street, 70130
1850 House
Located in Jackson Square, this historic home gives visitors a look into what life was like for a wealthy family living in New Orleans in the 1800s. It’s furnished with pieces from the era and the museum plays audio recordings of what conversations in the home would have sounded like at the time.
If you’re into ghosts and haunted locations, this is the place for you. I could feel the haunted vibes the second I walked into the house and the third floor, especially, gave me chills. I ended up leaving the third floor, as I didn’t like being up there alone, and on my way out of the museum I asked an employee if the house is said to be haunted. He said yes, especially the third floor and the kitchen. He is certainly right about that! Go with friends, I wasn’t brave enough to be in that house alone! Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for students.
Location: French Quarter, 523 St Ann Street, 70116
The Beauregard Keyes House and Garden Museum
This historic home in the French Quarter was restored and preserved by author Frances Parkinson Keyes. This home has been inhabited by many different residents over the years and you can learn more about these residents and the long history of the home on this tour.
There are many crazy stories that took place in this home, including a mafia murder! There is also a stunning garden attached to the home, that makes the visit even more special. Tickets are $10 for adults and $9 for students and guided tours run Monday-Saturday on the hour between 10am and 3pm.
Location: French Quarter, 1113 Chartres Street, 70116
The Cabildo and The Presbytère
The Cabildo and The Presbytère are both Louisiana State Museums and they sit side by side in Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Both of these museums are worth a visit and you could easily spend hours and hours looking at all of the amazing exhibits and reading all of the information.
The Cabildo has exhibits all about the history of New Orleans and was actually the site of the Louisiana Purchase ceremonies in 1803. The Presbytère has an interesting exhibit about Hurricane Katrina on the first floor and the entire second floor is dedicated to Mardi Gras.
Tickets for The Cabildo are $10 for adults or $8 for students. Tickets for The Presbytère are $7 for adults and $6 for students.
Location: French Quarter, 701 Chartres Street, 70130
The Jazz Museum
While I’m not a huge Jazz fan, I appreciate its significance in New Orleans history and culture and I was excited to learn more. The Jazz Museum features a variety of interesting exhibits (some of which are interactive) and visitors can learn about famous Jazz musicians and the history of Jazz. Despite not being a huge Jazz fan, I still enjoyed this museum and learned a lot!
Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students.
Location: French Quarter, 400 Esplanade Ave, 70116
New Orleans is famous for its Jazz music and Jazz lovers are really in for a treat. To learn more about Jazz music in New Orleans and experience a night out, check out the New Orleans Jazz Tour with Live Music and a Drink.
I hope you found this guide to the best tours and museums in New Orleans to be helpful! New Orleans is a fascinating city and it is a unique and fun place to partake in a variety of tours and experiences.
If you have any questions, or any other tours and museums to add to this post, let me know in the comments!
More New Orleans Guides:
- 6 Essential New Orleans Travel Tips
- 9 Amazing Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants in New Orleans
- Packing Guide for 5 Days in New Orleans
- 5 Perfect Days in New Orleans, Itinerary
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♡Kate
Note: A huge thank you to New Orleans & Company for providing me with a media pass to many of the above museums!
Additionally, this guide to the best tours and museums in New Orleans includes affiliate links, read our disclose here. Of course, all opinions are entirely my own.
Wow, you learn so much from these tours! And I love that they support locals and local businesses. When I was there, I also did a fun swamp airboat tour. Would highly recommend.
This is such a great, detailed guide! I loveeee food tours too! Cant wait to go to New Orleans one day!
I missed the Mardi Gras center when we visited, and I’m sad about that – it looks like a great balance if you aren’t able to visit for actual Mardi Gras.
New Orleans is one of the funnest cities in the US! And one of the best food cities!
I’m not a big fan of going to the museums but I then I never knew about voodoo museum and pharmacy museum 😀 Thanks for sharing these cool ideas.
This list is great, lots of different options to choose from. You gave me a few spots to add to my list.