10 Best New Orleans Tour Companies

Visitor or local, a guided look around the Crescent City can open up stories you might miss on your own. Whether you want gators, ghosts, or gin, New Orleans delivers tours that match your plans and pace.

The picks below highlight ten standout tour operators in New Orleans. Pack comfortable shoes, since several options involve plenty of walking.

1) French Quarter Phantoms Ghost Tours

Few neighborhoods in America claim a spookier past than the French Quarter, and French Quarter Phantoms shows how that reputation took root. The popular Ghost and Vampire Walking Tour threads through infamous Vieux Carré stops such as the LaLaurie Mansion and Gallier House, pairing dark tales with on-the-ground history. Daylight choices are available for guests who prefer culture over chills, including guided routes in the Garden District, the French Quarter, and Tremé.

French Quarter Phantoms runs every day, with departures offered in the afternoon and late evening. Tours typically last about two hours, and adult pricing begins at $22.

2) Haunted History Tours

The city’s grim and uncanny stories draw curious minds year-round, and Haunted History Tours leans into that demand with a five-in-one format covering ghosts, vampires, and more. Guests who would rather ride than walk can opt for nighttime cemetery bus tours that focus on New Orleans’ famous above-ground tombs. Cameras should stay handy, since unexpected sights sometimes surprise even seasoned guides.

Haunted History Tours operates daily except on Mardi Gras Day. Walking experiences are usually $30, while bus outings start near $55, with reduced rates available for students, seniors, and veterans.

3) New Orleans Secrets

Hidden eateries and lesser-known corners define much of the city’s charm, which is exactly where New Orleans Secrets excels across ten distinct offerings. The Beyond the French Quarter Food Tour shifts attention to the Audubon area for three hours of tastings that pair small bites with cocktails. The Mysteries of Voodoo Tour explains the beliefs and practices of Louisiana Voodoo with care and accuracy, trading movie myths for the real thing.

New Orleans Secrets schedules tours seven days a week and caps groups at nine guests. Food and cocktail outings generally run three hours and cost between $119 and $129. History-focused options last about two hours at $39 per person.

4. Bayou Swamp Tours

Roughly a half hour from downtown, Bayou Swamp Tours introduces visitors to Louisiana wetlands from the water. The company, which promotes itself as New Orleans’ top swamp tour, showcases moss-draped bayous and native wildlife up close. Guests can choose an airboat for speed and thrills or a pontoon for a quieter ride that favors scenery and photos.

Boats depart daily at 8:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m., noon, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. Each trip typically runs about one hour and forty-five minutes.

5. NOLA DeTours

Travelers looking to avoid high-priced tourist traps often land on NOLA DeTours for value and authenticity. The Backstage Music Steps Tour charts the city’s musical path from French opera to early jazz, connecting venues and eras as the story unfolds. The Blood on Every Brick Tour revisits major disasters and crises, including the 1788 fire that leveled much of the city and the 1878 yellow fever outbreak.

Scheduling and booking take place through the NOLA DeTours website, where visitors can coordinate dates and purchase tickets.

6. Unique NOLA Tours

Unique NOLA Tours promises offbeat angles on local history and delivers with seven walking options that spotlight overlooked narratives. The Sinister Criminal Intentions Tour, billed as the city’s original murder tour, explores organized crime and figures such as Madam LaLaurie. The Local’s Guide to the French Quarter Tour keeps things easygoing while clarifying who Creoles and Cajuns are and how each group shaped the city.

Tours run daily, and standard tickets are $37, with special pricing available for children and seniors.

7. Gray Line New Orleans

From bayou adventures to river cruises, Gray Line New Orleans covers a broad spectrum with roughly twenty tours tailored to different interests. Music lovers can board the steamboat Natchez for a cruise that pairs skyline views with classic jazz. Guests seeking more adrenaline can ride an airboat on a swamp excursion, while history fans often choose plantation tours featuring sites like Whitney Plantation and Oak Alley.

Rates and schedules vary by tour and season. Walking options begin near $27, and premium experiences can reach about $126.

8. Tours By Foot

Operating in major travel hubs across the globe, Tours by Foot also serves New Orleans with flexible formats. Independent travelers can download self-guided routes for the French Quarter or the Garden District and explore at a personal pace. Those who prefer a guide can join daily walking options that include a Jackson Square history tour or a spirited ghost pub crawl through the Quarter.

Guided walks are typically two hours at $39 per adult, with discounts for kids and seniors. Self-guided audio routes generally cost about $3 per location.

9. Gators & Ghosts

Gators and Ghosts helps visitors streamline planning by partnering with more than two dozen local operators. Through a single point of contact, guests can book a swamp run, a cemetery visit, a city stroll, or another favorite while comparing options. A complimentary pocket guide to New Orleans also comes in handy for building custom itineraries around your interests.

Prices and availability differ by partner and tour length. Current details and reservations are handled directly through the company’s website.

10. 2nd Line Tours

2nd Line Tours centers its experiences on New Orleans’ Afro-Creole heritage, using six itineraries to trace Black history across key neighborhoods. Typical routes include visits to Congo Square and the Lower Ninth Ward, with context that ties place to story. The Soul of New Orleans Tour follows the city’s growth from an indigenous settlement to a global port, touching on moments such as the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling, the impact of Hurricane Katrina, and the reverberations of the Haitian Revolution.

Daily departures are standard. Adult tickets are $55 and child tickets are $35, and most outings run about two hours and forty-five minutes.