The French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the city's oldest neighborhood, celebrated for its live jazz, ornate ironwork balconies, and vibrant street life.
The French Quarter, known locally as the Vieux Carré, was established by French colonists in 1718 and later shaped by Spanish rule, which explains the wrought-iron lacework that defines so many of its facades. The neighborhood survived fires, floods, and centuries of change while retaining a streetscape unlike anywhere else in North America.
Jackson Square anchors the neighborhood's heart, where St. Louis Cathedral presides over portrait artists, fortune tellers, and street performers. The surrounding Pontalba Buildings, among the oldest apartment buildings in the country, frame the square with red-brick grandeur.
Food is central to any visit. The French Quarter is home to some of Louisiana's most storied restaurants, serving dishes rooted in Creole tradition, from rich gumbo to delicate trout meunière. Smaller lunch counters and po-boy shops offer equally satisfying, unpretentious meals.
By evening the Quarter shifts tone, with live brass bands spilling onto sidewalks and the air thick with music. Few places in the world concentrate so much history, flavor, and sound into so compact a space, making the French Quarter genuinely irreplaceable.
Visit during the early morning hours when the streets are quiet and the architecture is easiest to appreciate without the crowds.
Try a cup of café au lait and a fresh beignet at Café Du Monde, a French Quarter institution open around the clock.
Bring comfortable, closed-toe shoes since the historic cobblestones and uneven sidewalks can be hard on your feet.
Catch live jazz on Frenchmen Street rather than Bourbon Street for a more authentic, local music experience.
Explore the side streets off Jackson Square, such as Pirates Alley and Exchange Alley, for hidden galleries and quiet corners.
Pedal through early New Orleans history with a licensed guide
See key New Orleans neighborhoods by air-conditioned minibus
Eat your way through the French Quarter with 6–7 tastings and local history
Prepare iconic Jambalaya, barbecue shrimp, and dessert in a hands-on French Quarter kitchen.
Explore New Orleans' haunted history with a master storyteller in an intimate 15-guest walking tour.
Ride an e-bike through New Orleans’ early history with an experienced guide
Sip 3 classic cocktails on a small French Quarter walking tour
Explore haunted French Quarter streets and experience augmented reality encounters on a two-hour guided evening walk.
Discover Cajun culture and spot wildlife on a guided pontoon cruise through Louisiana's cypress swamps
French Quarter walking tour focused on Marie Laveau and New Orleans voodoo history
Explore New Orleans' darkest legends on a gritty after-dark walking tour exclusively for guests 21 and over
Explore the French Quarter after dark as an expert guide shares chilling ghost, voodoo and vampire stories
Walk the French Quarter and hear stories of Marie Laveau and voodoo history
Visit Whitney Plantation and trace Black history from plantation grounds to city streets
Bike the French Quarter, City Park, and Bayou St. John with a local guide
Ride an electric cruiser from the French Quarter to City Park and Congo Square
See New Orleans highlights by air-conditioned vehicle with a licensed guide
Sample iconic dishes at up to five stops as you uncover New Orleans' culinary heritage
Walk the French Quarter for historically sourced ghost stories
Walk the French Quarter with local stories passed down through generations
Hear ancestral witchcraft stories from descendants on a guided French Quarter walk
Cycle from the French Quarter to City Park and Bayou St. John with a small group
Bike through New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods with a small group guide
Explore at your pace with 24/7 return, secure storage, helmet and ABUS lock included
Enjoy flexible cruiser rentals with 24/7 return, plus lock, helmet, and handlebar bag
Walk the French Quarter with your own guide on a private haunted history tour
Tour Oak Alley Plantation, then ride a mini-bus through New Orleans highlights and cemeteries
Tour Oak Alley Plantation, then ride a 9-passenger airboat swamp tour
Walk the French Quarter at night for ghost stories and true crime
See French Quarter, Garden District, and City Park by private driving tour
Eat your way through the French Quarter and learn the stories behind Cajun and Creole cuisine
Paddle Bayou Bienvenue at your own pace, minutes from the French Quarter
Walk the French Quarter and explore Voodoo, witchcraft, and haunted history
Ride a night bus tour to New Orleans “Cities of the Dead”
Drink your way through the French Quarter as a pirate guide shares New Orleans' darker history
Private French Quarter carriage tour from Jackson Square, for 2–4 passengers
Book a private French Quarter shrimp boil with live music for your group
Dine on a French Quarter shrimp boil with live cabaret and jazz
Walk the French Quarter in a small group with stories behind the landmarks
Walk to 5 French Quarter tastings with a guide
Taste local classics on a 3-hour French Quarter walking food tour
Cook Creole classics with a chef in the French Quarter
Make shrimp and grits, eggs Benedict, and praline bacon in a hands-on brunch class
Master gumbo, étouffée, and Bananas Foster in a fun, hands-on kitchen
Cook vegetarian Cajun and Creole favorites in a hands-on French Quarter class
Ride a minivan tour from the French Quarter to Bayou St. John and City Park
See New Orleans neighborhoods beyond the French Quarter in 2.5 hours
Adult-only French Quarter walking tour focused on Storyville after dark
See top New Orleans neighborhoods plus St. Louis Cemetery #3 in an air-conditioned bus
Walk the French Quarter with a storyteller and dig into New Orleans history
Walk the French Quarter and finish with Café Du Monde beignets
Cruise Bayou Bienvenue on a party boat with possible alligator and wildlife sightings
Haunted French Quarter pub crawl with drinks and local ghost stories
Taste New Orleans favorites, then join a hands-on cooking class
Walk the French Quarter with a guide and pick up local tips in 2 hours
See French Quarter highlights fast, starting at Jackson Square
See Garden District mansions and peek into Lafayette Cemetery #1 gates in 45 minutes
Board the Steamboat NATCHEZ for an 11am jazz lunch cruise on the Mississippi
Cruise the Mississippi with a plated Creole lunch sampler and live jazz
Cruise the Mississippi with a Creole buffet and live jazz on the Steamboat NATCHEZ
Ride the Steamboat NATCHEZ with buffet dinner and live jazz (2nd seating)
See New Orleans from the Mississippi on a 2-hour jazz cruise
Ride a 2-hour jazz cruise on the Mississippi with live music and skyline views
See New Orleans by bus, on foot, and by riverboat in 6.5 hours
Cruise the Mississippi with live jazz and a Creole brunch buffet
Enjoy live jazz and a Creole brunch on a 2-hour Mississippi River cruise
Bike the French Quarter with a licensed guide and find hidden local spots
Walk New Orleans’ Warehouse District and learn its architecture with an expert guide
Tour Whitney Plantation, then ride a narrated small airboat swamp tour
Walk the French Quarter in a small group and hear haunting, true-crime history
Walk the haunted French Quarter with guide Jeffrey
Ride a minivan by night to haunted Bayou St John and voodoo lore
Start your morning with breakfast and a guided French Quarter walk
French Quarter Vampire VIP walking tour with speakeasy access