Take a Walking Tour with a New Orleans Local

What’s a better feeling when you’re taking a New Orleans walking tour than getting the “real story,” or “inside info?”  New Orleans has layers and layers of depth to unravel in so many areas: music, food, nightlife, history, French culture, Black culture, Cajun culture, architecture to name a few. And that doesn’t include the surrounding swamps and plantations, Carnival, Jazz Fest and on and on and on.  Not only would a visitor need someone to break it all down for him or her; it’s hard to imagine enjoying the place without that person.

What you’ll learn about New Orleans

Remember we are a three hundred year old port city that has absorbed the cultures and experiences of amazingly diverse peoples. This area was a focal point where many Native American tribes came to trade. Then the French and Spanish arrived. Sadly, but importantly for our unique style, enslaved people were brought here. Free black refugees from the Haitian Revolution escaped here in the thousands. Then Napoleon sold us to the Americans and all these pioneers came in. As recently as the Nineties, Vietnamese boat people came to escape the humanitarian crisis in their original home.

There are many other influxes of influence that have wrought us into the fascinating kaleidoscope we are today. Our local guides are well-acquainted with the myriad styles of architecture for example. From the centuries-old Creole Cottages in the French Quarter to the stately Italianate and Greek Revivals in the Garden District to our famous shotgun houses to the delightfully kitschy Seventies spaceship called the Superdome, there’s a lot to process. 

And that’s just buildings! What the heck is gumbo? What is a boudin ball? Where are the best po-boys? Our locals have strong opinions and wonderful insights for such things. We know which restaurants are gems and which are tourist traps. Heck, when you hear a whole discourse from one of our obsessed guides on the places that have great bread … you know you’ve the right host.

Another facet guests under-estimate is how to navigate Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest or Holiday festivities or the hundreds of festivals here every year. There is no online guide or Tik Tok or even a book that can orient you through the weird and wonderful events that constantly roll here. Our New Orleans walking tours will contain insights one would have never considered. A local knows this stuff the way, say, you know your own Thanksgiving traditions.

Additionally, our staff of experts are all involved in different aspects of New Orleans life. We all “know a guy.” You want to go to a certain restaurant, one of us may know the chef to hook you up. Want to learn more about Voodoo? We have folks that partake. There are even little things like getting an Uber, we have pro-tips to help you get your ride as fast as possible.

Locals also understand safety issues in town.  This is a very mixed city culturally and economically, and there are all the attendant challenges any big city has. On our New Orleans walking tour, we can direct you away from areas you may want to avoid; while at the same time, sending you safely to areas you do want to see. 

Weather is also a challenge here. Is it hot and muggy or chilly and rainy? The answer is “Yes.” Locals are used to the crazy climatic changes here and can tell you in the morning what you should wear later in the afternoon. And then we can guide you to the best places to pick up that sweater you forgot at home.

Learn the city from a local

Another test for guests is getting around. One does a lot of walking here, but what if they are interested in getting to our fabulous City Park and New Orleans Museum of Art? When and where is the best place to get the Streetcar? What about getting to the Plantations or Swamps? Locals can help you avoid rip-offs, hassles and other hazards for travelers.

Another area where New Orleans is legendary is the music scene. We have at least a half dozen neighborhoods that are full of venues, and lots more individual places featuring our miraculous styles of music: jazz, blues, boogie woogie, hip hop, Dixieland, reggae, and more. Our folks can clue you in on the real local clubs and joints, so your experience is genuine.

New Orleans has a sign at the airport that says “Welcome to America’s Most Interesting City.” Whether this is true or not is a fun debate, but let’s face it, there’s a lot of freaking stuff here to see, hear, smell and experience in our “Paris in the Swamps.” When you arrive, you want to be assured you’re immersed and thrilled by as much as you can blissfully handle. You want to experience New Orleans with a local.