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Your fabulous first day in New Orleans!
Discover the best of New Orleans in this expertly guided all-day, all-around the city tour by private car and on foot. Must-see sights -- French Quarter, Garden District, cemeteries -- as well as hidden away spots only locals know.
Meeting Point
At your French Quarter or downtown hotel, or requested meeting spot
The French Quarter
From your hotel, we set off on a leisurely two-hour walk through the historic heart of New Orleans...the world-famous French Quarter. Highlights include Jackson Square with its beautiful St. Louis cathedral and Spanish colonial Cabildo, the 18th Century Ursuline Convent (oldest building in the Mississippi Valley), and the elegant Creole townhouses and mansions along Royal Street.
Mississippi River, Hurricane Katrina and Battle of New Orleans
We proceed by car downriver along the Mississippi River, stopping to take in river and skyline views, followed by a drive through the Lower Ninth Ward still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. This leg of our tour concludes at Battle of New Orleans battlefield where in 1815 and against all odds, a small American force under General Andrew Jackson turned back the invading British army.
Lunch like locals
New Orleans has many moderately priced neighborhood restaurants serving traditional Creole or Cajun fare. Your guide will suggest several spots to lunch like a local.
City Park, Cemeteries
One of the largest public parks in the United States, New Orleans City Park features lush landscapes, thousand-year-old live oak trees, and internationally acclaimed cultural attractions such as the Wanda and Sidney Besthoff Sculpture Garden. The nearby "Cities of the Dead" are a collection of seven large cemeteries with tens of thousands of "residents." We'll visit two -- posh Metairie Cemetery with its marble statuary and above-ground tombs housing generations of the city elite, and humble Holt Cemetery with its paupers' graves decorated with handmade displays of grief and memory. Unforgettable!
St. Charles Avenue, Garden District
Continuing along St. Charles Avenue, the "Fifth Avenue" of New Orleans with mile after mile of imposing mansions, we reach the Garden District. This beautiful and historic neighborhood was once a vast sugar plantation which was subdivided in 1832 to provide homesites for the ultra-rich of antebellum New Orleans. Here on quiet side streets are the most fabulous homes of all, including the 21,000-square-foot Henry Buckner mansion, the setting for many movie and TV productions.
Your hotel or designated drop-off spot
Your highlights tour ends here. Thank you for asking this GoWithGuide to share our wonderful city!
Ending Point
At your French Quarter or downtown hotel, or requested drop-off spot
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Inclusions & Exclusions
Guide fee, hotel pick-up and drop-off, transportation via private car (2013 BMW X-3)
Lunch at moderately priced neighborhood restaurant @ $15 per person
Wanda and Sidney Besthoff Sculpture Garden admission @ $6 per person
Tour Important Information
For safety and comfort, the tour described above is designed for a maximum of three (3) guests in my BMW X-3 SUV. Larger groups can be accomodated at additional cost in rental minivans or chauffeured mini buses.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
New Orleans Tour Reviews
“Great day in New Orleans”
My family and I spent a full day with Arthur, starting out for a few hours on foot, then driving around to major sites outside of the French Quarter; and having lunch at an out-of-the-way place mid-day. We had a great day. Arthur's knowledge of the city and its history is encyclopedic, and is informed by both a love of the area and its culture, and real perspective about the forces that have influenced it, both past and present. We learned a ton both about how New Orleans was founded and how it evolved in its early years, and about what it's like today. Our time with Arthur gave perspective to our whole five-day visit, and he was helpful in suggesting activities for the rest of our stay. Highly recommended!
Arthur S.
(1 reviews)Hello Frank, thanks for the kind words above. I had a great time too and it was a pleasure to spend time with your beautiful family! With best regards, Arthur
