About this Experience
duration: 3 Hours meeting_point: 400 Toulouse St New Orleans, LA 70130 US description: Enjoy a city sightseeing tour, a cemetery stop, and a guided Garden District stroll!
This three hour city sightseeing tour covers 25 square miles of iconic New Orleans neighborhoods through three centuries with ample opportunities to experience the beauty and history of New Orleans at a walking pace.
You’ll start in Jackson Square with some French Quarter history and continue along Esplanade. This elegant French Avenue, lined with large Victorian houses, leads you from the French Quarter to City Park.
Before you arrive at City Park, you’ll stop at St. Louis Cemetery #3, where you’ll learn about our above ground burial system and the culture of our jazz funerals. Cross Bayou St. John into City Park, where you can purchase café au lait and beignets at Café du Monde or set out to find your own “Instagrammable moment.” The park’s museums, attractions and sculpture gardens are nestled among picturesque lagoons, bayous and groves of ancient live oaks, some more than 800 years old.
Hop back on the bus to travel along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, past a post-Katrina pumping station, seafood restaurants, marina and a historic lighthouse with the 24 mile long Causeway Bridge in the distance. Although called a lake, Lake Pontchartrain is actually one of the largest brackish estuaries in North America at 630 square miles (1600 km2) fed by fresh water rivers and connected to the Gulf of Mexico.
Continue on to St. Charles Avenue, home to Audubon Park and lined with elegant mansions, churches and schools, including Loyola and Tulane Universities. Follow the route of streetcars and Mardi Gras parades to the Garden District, for a guided stroll through one of the most well-preserved living neighborhoods in the United States. Your guide will point out historic architectural styles and features and share the stories of those who have lived behind these grand facades. what_is_included: - 25 square miles of iconic New Orleans neighborhoods - Learn about the tradition of above ground burials as you explore St. Louis Cemetery #3 - Free time under the oaks at City Park with option to purchase beignets and coffee at Café du Monde - Travel along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, one of the largest brackish estuaries in North America - Guided stroll through the Garden District, one of the most well-preserved neighborhoods in the USA - Optional tour of Vue Orleans (bookable online only) what_is_not_included: - Tour guide gratuity (optional) - Food & drinks - Optional beignets, coffee, juice or soda at the City Park location of Cafe du Monde check_in_details: Please display your barcoded voucher as your ticket 15 minutes in advance of your tour time at our Lighthouse Ticket Office at Toulouse St. and the Mississippi River. All tours and cruises depart from here, at the Steamboat NATCHEZ dock (400 Toulouse St. New Orleans, LA 70130), directly behind the JAX Brewery. If you have any questions, please contact us by email at tours@glnosc.com or by phone at (504) 569-1401. restrictions: Paved pathways through the Besthoff Sculpture Garden are wheelchair accessible. A wheelchair accessible bathroom is located at Cafe du Monde. Some sidewalks along the Garden District Stroll are uneven and require caution. Those with limited mobility may choose to remain on the bus at any stop. extras: Upgrade your experience by adding on a 1-hour tour of Vue Orleans for a view unlike any other (available online only).
10am City Tour = 1pm Vue Orleans Admission
- 2pm City Tour = 5pm Vue Orleans Admission*
Our bus will drop off directly at Vue Orleans for those who have purchased the upgrade.
Located 33 floors above downtown New Orleans where Canal Street meets the Mississippi River, Vue Orleans immerses visitors in a multi-sensory 4-D experience with nine original films, seven interactive exhibits and the city's only rooftop 360-degree panoramic viewing platform. The attraction uses different technology at every turn to celebrate the art, music, food and history of New Orleans in a way that connects popular culture with its historical foundation.
In the central gallery touchscreens and hologram technology bring to life the influential characters who formed and flavored the New Orleans we know today. Order up at the counter of the digital Story Cafe where local foodie icons Kevin Belton and Poppy Tooker entertain you with the origins of New Orleans culinary and cocktail classics. A musical exhibit places the visitor in the oversize bell of a gramophone, with options to select 27 curated song clips showcasing seven different music genres, from jazz and R&B to bounce. Take a seat in the panoramic Vue River Theater where Irma Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans, narrates the story of the Mighty Mississippi as animated Van Gogh style paintings swirl all around you. Even the elevators are an immersive, colorful and musical experience designed to help you “feel” the power of the Crescent City!
disclaimers: PASSENGER TICKET CONTRACT TERMS 1. The Companies (Gray Line & New Orleans Steamboat Company) do not assume liability for attraction/service provided by an independent entity not affiliated with the Companies. The Companies make no representations regarding qualifications of attraction/service and make no representations as to whether attraction/service is bonded or insured.
NO REFUNDS 2. Any lawsuit against New Orleans Steamboat Company, the vessel and/or their agents, officers, crewmembers or underwriters for personal injury and/or loss of life must be filed within one (1) year from the day the loss of life or injury occurred, in accordance with 46 U.S.C. §183b, and all claims must be filed within six months from the date the passenger traveled on and/or visited the vessel. faqs: - Confirmation will be received at time of booking. - Guests must arrive 15 minutes prior to departure at 400 Toulouse Street and check in with a ticket agent at the ticket office. - In order to help preserve the French Quarter from vehicular traffic, it is requested that you please walk, if possible, to the convenient tour departure point - just a short stroll from most downtown hotels. - Please dress comfortably as this tour includes a guided Garden District Stroll!