A Guide to New Orleans’ Hidden Gems
New Orleans is like a miniature country in itself, with its own culinary tradition, special flair, 24-hour music culture and language – everything sounds better in Creole! Take the guesswork out of discovering the hidden gems worth uncovering on your visit with this curated list.
New Orleans is all about the memorable and the quirky. You can eat frog’s legs, toss beads and improvise a sax solo all on the same night, and no one would blink an eye. When even walking down the street can be exhilarating, it can be hard to uncover those truly hidden gems. From swamp boat rides to jazz cruises, hanging out with vampires to having your very own French Quarter photoshoot, you can taste-test, buggy ride and peacock your way across New Orleans’ best sights, both historic and modern, using this guide.
Tours
See a variety of wildlife on a swamp boat ride and explore an authentic Southern plantation on this tour from New Orleans. See alligators, egrets, raccoons and snakes during your ride around a private Louisiana swamp after taking a tour of Destrehan Plantation, the oldest documented French Colonial-style house in the Lower Mississippi Valley.
Tours
New Orleans is “The Most Haunted City” in the United States with rich paranormal history like no other place. Our Master storytellers will take you into the realm of Ghosts, Voodoo, Vampires & Witches. While on tour, you will visit our most haunted & featured location, the Lalaurie Mansion. Delve into the bone-chilling story of Madame Delphine Lalaurie…the most evil woman of New Orleans past. This is also where Kathy Bates filmed The American Horror Story. Please be advised that we do not enter any of the locations that are mentioned. This 2-hour tour covers every aspect of Ghosts, Voodoo, Vampires, & Witches satisfying your hunger for more of the dark side of New Orleans… Follow Us if You Dare! Please arrive 30 minutes prior to tour departure for check in. Tour departs on time. Refunds will not be issued for late arrivals. Each tour is unique and may or may not include all of the stops listed above or may stop at other locations not on this list.
Tours
The only tour with free shuttle from the French Quarter to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1! Follow the ghosts of the numerous characters of New Orleans’ mysterious past! Tour one of the city’s most haunted cemeteries, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, and visit the tomb of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau. Your guide will explain the unique above-ground burial custom and will give you an in-depth overview of the fascinating evolution of voodoo.
Activities
You will have a chance to see the most famous things in French Quarter, New Orleans, and have the recognizable city as your background for the shoot. I will make sure you have great pictures to take home—a unique souvenir of your time in New Orleans.
Activities
Participants will enjoy a cooking demonstration and feast on the demonstrated recipes for lunch. After lunch, you will have an hour of free time to shop and relax. Then meet your guide at Tujague’s Restaurant, 823 Decatur St at 1:30. (Tujague’s is 1 block past Jackson Square). Participants will tour historic restaurants and learn of and taste their culinary contributions – including the two oldest (Antoine’s and Tujague’s).Sample Menu:**Monday** Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice, Pecan Pie, Pralines **Tuesday** Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bananas Foster, Pralines **Wednesday** Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding, Pralines **Thursday** Corn and Crab Bisque, Shrimp Creole, Bananas Foster, Pralines **Friday** Shrimp & Artichoke Soup, Crawfish Etoufee, Bread Pudding, Pralines **Saturday** Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding, Pralines **Sunday** Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding, Pralines
Activities
This mule-drawn carriage tour is as iconic to New Orleans as a steamboat ride or a plate of beignets! If you are looking for a fantastic way to explore the French Quarter and learn about the fascinating history of this unique city, an authentic mule-drawn carriage tour is guaranteed to be the highlight of your trip! On this tour, you’ll enjoy a shared carriage ride on one of our larger group carriages. Our top-rated tour guides double as skilled carriage drivers. With the assistance of their trusted mule, you’ll cover way more ground than any 2-hour walking tour and see as much of the French Quarter as possible in just 1 hour. Instead of a boring history lecture, carriage drivers create fun fact-filled engaging tours for all to enjoy. You’ll see landmarks such as St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, The French Market, and so much more! With so much to see and do, make sure that a carriage ride is on your list!
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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