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.

1. Swamp Boat Ride and Southern Plantation Tour from New Orleans

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.

2. New Orleans Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Walking Tour

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.

3. New Orleans Cemetery and Voodoo Walking Tour

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.

4. Photo Shoot in French Quarter

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.

5.

Although no battles were fought within the city of New Orleans, this French Quarter walking tour will cover some of the more important social, economic, and political activities that made New Orleans one of the most important cities during the Civil War. Departing from James Cohen & Sons, located at 437 Royal Street in the heart of the French Quarter, this walking tour covers prominent politicians from New Orleans, international diplomacy, domestic policy that led to the capture of the city, along with occupation by the United States and race relations in antebellum and wartime New Orleans. Not your typical Civil War tour, this walking tour will expose you to topics you might never have considered when thinking about the Civil War and how New Orleans played a role.

6. New Orleans Culinary Experience

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

7. Cemetery and French Quarter Horse and Carriage Ride

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!