French Quarter History Tour

This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: French Quarter, New Orleans, LA

Make your own way to Musical Legends Park to meet your guide for your walking tour. After introductions, stroll a short distance to the banks of the Mississippi River where you learn how levee construction transformed the swamp into fertile farmland, making New Orleans an important hub in the region.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: French Market, 1008 N Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70116-3406

Continue by walking through the French Market, the oldest open-air market in the US.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Old Ursuline Convent Museum, 1100 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70116-2505

Stand outside the Mississippi River valley’s oldest building, the Ursuline Convent, whose history provides a window onto early colonization efforts in Louisiana.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Jackson Square, 701 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Next, you will head to Jackson Square, the heart of the French Quarter

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Cabildo, 701 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

See important sites including the Cabildo - built between 1795 and 1799 - this building once housed the center of government in New Orleans and it is now the Louisiana State Museum.

Duration: 15 minutes

Pass By: The Presbytere, 751 Chartres Street Jackson Square, New Orleans, LA 70116

See the Presbytere - built in 1791 to match the Cabildo is a fascinating museum with 2 permanent exhibits telling of both the cities resilience and celebration.

Pass By: Pontalba Buildings, 700 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116-3372

Learn about these block-long buildings which form two sides of Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Stop At: St. Louis Cathedral, 615 Pere Antoine Aly, New Orleans, LA 70116-3291

Your guide takes you inside St Louis Cathedral and shows you where the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788 started, explaining how rebuilding post-fire resulted in what is now considered the classic architectural style of the French Quarter.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Pirates Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA

Next, step into a lush Creole courtyard and learn about the complexities of Creole society and slavery in South Louisiana. Walk to the balcony of the former Quadroon Ballroom while your guide explains the former lives of Creole mistresses and the system known as 'placage.'

During your tour, your guide points out film sites and literary haunts such as the building where Tennessee Williams wrote ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’ You'll enter William Faulkner’s home before you stop at Pirate's Alley, where your guide recounts local legends about prison escapes and dueling. Also, enjoy the tunes of talented street musicians as you stroll.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Mississippi River, Louisiana, USA

Choose from a morning or evening tour and expect to walk about 2 miles (3.2 km) at a leisurely pace before wrapping up near the Mississippi River levee.

Duration: 15 minutes