|
|
 |
|
 |
There
is a bewildering variety of tours of New Orleans,
from whistlestop jaunts in air-conditioned buses
to preposterous moonlit ghost-hunts; stop by the
Welcome Center to see the full range.
Walking tours are especially
popular - notwithstanding the possibility of showers
and, in summer, debilitating heat and humidity.
Those led by Le Monde Creole, stopping
at French Quarter sites featured in the true-life
saga of a Creole family, are superb.
|
|
They set off from their store at
624 Royal St. The Bienville Foundation 's French
Quarter walking tours emphasize "alternative"
history, while those led by the Jean Lafitte
National Historic Park Service give scholarly
and accessible overviews. Collect a pass from
the NPS visitor center, 419 Decatur St, after
9am on the day. In addition, some of their cultural
programs include short, themed strolls around
the Quarter.
If the weather's bad, or too hot,
you may prefer to take a bus tour. Gray
Line (tel 504/569-1401 or 1-800/535-7786)
offers trips around the city, to the nearby plantations,
and the swamps. New Orleans Tours
(tel 504/592-0560 or 1-800/543-6332) are similar,
but fractionally cheaper.
Many visitors, especially with
kids in tow, take a narrated trot through the
Quarter in one of the mule-drawn carriages
that wait behind Jackson Square on Decatur. These
can be fun, though you should take the "historic"
commentary with a pinch of salt. Rates range from
$10 to $12 per person for a trip of between 30
and 45 minutes. Another pleasant way to while
away a few hours on a steamy afternoon is on a
river cruise . The Natchez
steamboat is by far the best.
Leaving from behind Jackson Brewery, it heads
seven miles or so downriver before turning back
near the Chalmette battlefield (2hr; daily 11.30am
& 2.30pm; $15.75 or $21.75 with lunch and
live jazz; tel 504/586-8777). The John
James Audubon riverboat allows
you to combine a cruise with a trip to the aquarium
or the zoo, or both. It leaves daily from the
aquarium at 10am, noon, 2pm and 4pm, and from
the zoo an hour later (1hr one-way; $11.75 one-way,
$14.50 round-trip, children half-price; tel 504/586-8777).
The only boat that stops at Chalmette, site of
the Battle of New Orleans, is the Creole
Queen (10.30am & 2pm; 2hr
30min; $16, $22 with lunch; tel 504/524-0814),
which leaves from the Plaza d'España. Tickets
for all cruises are sold at booths behind Jackson
Brewery and the aquarium.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stroll historic neighborhoods look at the architecture
and businesses, and people watch in the French Quarter,
Uptown, Carrollton
Streetcar rides Saint Charles Avenue (green cars)
is classic; the Canal Street route (red cars) was recently
restored to service
Riverboat cruise - short or long cruises, some
of which have quite good jazz bands on board.
River ferry - the budget alternative to riverboats,
take the free pedestrian ferry from the foot of Canal
Street across the Mississippi to Algiers Point and back
for a great view of the river, downtown, and the Quarter
Walking tours including voodoo, jazz history,
French Quarter, or Garden District ones
Casino gambling at the Flamingo Casino on the riverfront
or at Harrah's next to the Quarter in the Warehouse
District
Antique shopping up & down Royal St in the
Quarter or Magazine Street Uptown
Cooking Classes - learn how to cook meals like
a local when you return home
Day trips outside of town
Swamp tours - those with a car can make an easy
day trip to the Jean Laffite Nature Preserve, a free
park, with as good a view of local swamp flora and fauna
as various pay tours
Plantation tours - the River Road between New
Orleans and Baton Rouge has several fine plantations,
"Laura" (a Creole Plantation) and "San
Francisco" are of special interest.
Battle of New Orleans Site - Battlefield history
fans will want to visit the site famous battle where
Andrew Jackson defeated the British at the end of the
War of 1812. It didn't actually happen in New Orleans,
but in the nearby community of Chalmette, Louisiana.
Drive there or take a riverboat.
|
|
Tour Operator
Cajun Critters - Swamp tour operator on Bayou Segnette; offers photos, pricing, a description of the sights on the tour and contact information.
Chef's Table - Arranges exclusive VIP dinners at celebrated local restaurants including tours of the kitchen, meeting chefs and special tasting menus. Includes a schedule of upcoming events, links to local food related websites and a contact form.
Cobblestone Small Group Tours - Offering tours to the Basque Country, Catalan Spain, Portugal, and Sicily.
Good Old Days - Local tours via horse drawn carriage, bus and airboat with descriptions and photos.
Gray Line - Private bus company offering a variety of sightseeing opportunities in metro New Orleans as well as bus charters.
Hotard Motor Coach - Providers of New Orleans sightseeing tours, airport transportation, convention shuttles and group bus charter packages.
Kajun Kadillac - Describes a typical swamp tour aboard the Kajun Kadillac, an airboat which speeds across bayou and marsh at up to fifty miles per hour. Offers photos and a sample tour timeline.
Louisiana Swamp - Guided rides into the swamp by pontoon boat and airboat as well as tours to plantations and sport fishing charters. Site offers tour details including photos, pricing, departure times, directions and contact information.
Nature Tours - A wholesale tour operator specializing in travel to Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama.
New Orleans Tours - Local charter bus services for conventions, personal and group tours.
Steam Boat Natchez - Local Mississippi River cruises from the French Quarter to the Audubon Zoo. Contact information, reservation information and details about specialty cruises are provided.
Steppin' Out - Guided motor tours of New Orleans for small groups.
Tour-New-Orleans.com - Offers tours by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide including walking tours of the historic Garden District, cemeteries, and French Quarter. Also motor coach tours of mosques, synagogues, temples, churches, shrines and cemeteries.
Tours by Isabelle - Guided New Orleans, plantation and swamp tours for small groups.
Your Friends in New Orleans - Offers fun, relaxing, entertaining and informative walking tours (small groups) of the historic districts.
Your Sound Promenade - Sells recorded
audio cassettes for self guided tours of the New Orleans French Quarter.
Walking Tours
Eclectic Tours - Custom historic tours for small groups. Includes tour information and links.
Friends of the Cabildo - Guided walks of New Orleans' French Quarter which support the Louisiana State Museum system. Site offers tour info in seven languages, a map of the French Quarter, a response form and local links.
Ghost Tour - Guided evening walks of the French Quarter highlighting tales of ghosts and hauntings. Site offers a bio about the tour host, an online coupon and some legends about local hauntings.
Haunted History - Guided walks of the French Quarter, the Garden District and an above ground cemetery which are themed towards the occult, ghosts and vampires. Site includes photo gallery, online gift shop, reservations form and virtual coupon.
Sin City - Personalized walks of the French Quarter and St. Louis Cemetery #1 in groups of up to ten people. Site offers contact information and basic details.
Spirit Tours - Walks featuring cemeteries, voodoo, ghosts, vampires, and local history. Web site offers short ghost stories submitted by online visitors along with testimonials, links and a virtual coupon.
Voodoo Crossroads - Voodoo related tours of the French Quarter as well as sales of voodoo products; offers historical information, online gift shop and descriptions of topic related services.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
