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Jackson Square, New Orleans Culinary & nightlife

Our most recommended Jackson Square, New Orleans Culinary & nightlife

New Orleans: Creole Queen Weekend Morning Jazz Cruise

1. New Orleans: Creole Queen Weekend Morning Jazz Cruise

Step back into the glamour and romance of the riverboat era with a cruise on the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen boat. On this river cruise, you will experience the vibrant and lively jazz notes of the amazing Sullivan Dabney Jr. There will be some time to dance to the music in the gorgeous dining hall.  Add the optional Creole-style brunch to complement the experience. After brunch, you can enjoy a classic New Orleans cocktail on the promenade deck looking out over the Mississippi River as the city slips past. On the way back to the city you will pass by Jackson Square and see the beautiful sights New Orleans has to offer. Weekend Brunch Menu Basket of seasonal fresh fruit Homemade Biscuits - Jellies & butter Caesar Salad - crisp romaine lettuce, fresh grated parmesan cheese, garlic croutons and creamy Caesar dressing Chicken & Andouille Gumbo with long grain Louisiana rice Eggs Benedict - English muffin topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce Belgium Waffles - fresh berries, syrup, and powdered sugar New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp & Creamy Cheddar Grits topped with fresh chives Stone Ground Creamy Cheddar Grits Home-Style Potatoes - Creole seasoned baby new potatoes with grilled peppers and onions Spinach Madeline - Fresh spinach folded with sauteed onions, milk, cream cheese, spices; topped with pepper jack cheese and baked Breakfast Sausage & Crispy Bacon Paddlewheeler Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Coffee & Iced Tea

New Orleans: Drunk History Walking Tour

2. New Orleans: Drunk History Walking Tour

Visit cultural landmarks and walk the streets of the Vieux Carre on this guided tour. Hear about the history of voodoo and ghost stories in New Orleans, and see where the Louisiana Purchase was signed, the famous St. Louis Cathedral, and other historical sites. As you walk around New Orleans, find out where the most predictable ghosts and vampires lurk. Visit the most haunted house in the city and hear stories about voodoo, ghosts, and vampires. Listen to your guide explain how the practice of voodoo came to New Orleans. Learn about Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen, and visit the property given to her as payment for her magic. You’ll also see locations where voodoo ceremonies were held. Then, check out some of the French Quarter’s friendliest and most historic bars. This tour passes dozens of bars at every turn. Feel free to stop in and refill your cup.  Have a blast on this tour especially if you are a boozer, history buff, or paranormal enthusiast. Rewrite history by putting your own spin on some of New Orleans’ most talked about historical events and haunted locations. If this is the case, the tour guide will wait outside by the door while the adults go inside to get refills on drinks.

New Orleans: Cocktails & Brunch Crawl in the French Quarter

3. New Orleans: Cocktails & Brunch Crawl in the French Quarter

Let your guide share their passion for food with you on this walking tour of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Enjoy several iconic dishes and drinks during the tour. Take a stroll by the Mississippi River Levee and Jackson Square. Admire the balconies in the French Quarter. Meet your guide at Bon's New Orleans Street Food and take your taste buds on an adventure. Experience the depth and complexity of local spices as you try a Creole and Cajun brunch sampler. Start your day off right with a traditional hurricane cocktail in hand.  Snap pictures of Instagram-worthy dishes that will leave your friends drooling. Soak in the vibe of the French Quarter as you walk past jazz clubs and vividly painted buildings with intricate cast-iron balconies.  View the natural beauty of the grand Mississippi river. See the stately Spanish Colonial style of Saint Louis Cathedral from Jackson Square. While on tour try many iconic dishes such as beignets, calas, boudin, frog legs, alligator, duck jambalaya and more. 

New Orleans: Combo Cocktail and Food History Tour

4. New Orleans: Combo Cocktail and Food History Tour

Begin your walking tour at the award-winning Red Fish Grill in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans. Begin with alligator sausage and seafood gumbo, with freshly-baked French bread and homemade butter as you learn a bit about the colonial period of Louisiana’s history. Move four blocks down and enter Pepper Palace to discuss the Cajun influence and sample an unlimited variety of hot sauces, BBQ sauces, Buffalo Wings sauces, salsas, dry rubs, and more. Receive a free bottle of Louisiana-style hot sauce when shopping there.  Afterward, visit Leah’s Pralines, a 3rd generation family-owned candy store. Sample traditional pralines and their unique Bacon Pecan Brittle. Then, visit the iconic Napoleon House restaurant for two of their specialties — muffuletta sandwiches and a refreshing Pimm’s Cup cocktail. Arrive at the award-winning Dickie Brennan’s Tableau to sip your next cocktail: the French 75, a combo of fresh lemon, brandy or gin, and bubbles. After Tableau, visit the Creole Cookery for their slow-cooked red beans and rice. From there you pass through famous Jackson Square towards Café du Monde, then along the French Market area, ultimately landing at the James Beard Award-nominated Cane & Table. Sample their unique curry pork skins and a classic daiquiri.

New Orleans: Private City Lights Helicopter Night Tour

5. New Orleans: Private City Lights Helicopter Night Tour

Marvel at the sparkling lights and unparalleled views of New Orleans by night as you soar overhead on a private helicopter tour. Experience the tranquility of the night as you fly over the city that never sleeps.  This helicopter night tour takes off from New Orleans Lakefront Airport, only 15 minutes from the French Quarter. Choose between two different flight lengths. The 10-minute flight follows a 15-mile route that soars over the busy French Quarter. Experience the lights of Canal Street as well as the colorful Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The extended 20-minute flight features a 30-mile route where you can enjoy more time flying over the city with time spent over Uptown and the Garden District to see sights like Tulane University, Loyola University, and Saint Charles Avenue.

New Orleans: French Quarter Ghost and Legends Walking Tour

6. New Orleans: French Quarter Ghost and Legends Walking Tour

Descend into the dark history of New Orleans on a guided walking tour through the French Quarter. Feel a chill as you pass the sites of hauntings, including the Lalaurie Mansion. Hear the horrible tales behind each turn from your guide. Meet at Rev. Zombie’s Voodoo Shop and follow your guide to the darkest corners of the city. Delve deep into the terrible past of the French Quarter as you visit the locations of documented sightings. Pass historic buildings with dark roots, including the Napoleon House and the Lalaurie Mansion. Walk in the footsteps of sinister characters who call New Orleans home, and learn about the city's lesser-known history from your guide. Make a stop at a haunted bar and hear the story behind its chilling reputation.

New Orleans: Guided Sightseeing Bike Tour

7. New Orleans: Guided Sightseeing Bike Tour

Take in the vibe in New Orleans on this guided bike tour to city sights like Armstrong Park, Congo Square, and an above-ground cemetery. Admire the architecture in the French Quarter and the historic Faubourg Marigny district.  Meet your guide at the centrally-located office of the activity provider. Get fitted with a helmet and a high-quality bike. Take off on and adventure through the city. Ride to the part of the Mississippi River that overlooks Jackson Square. Visit the top landmarks in the French Quarter and learn about the rich history and incredible people that influenced the culture of the city. Experience the charm of the Faubourg Marigny district which dates back to the early 1800s and is home to the famous Frenchman Street. Peddle down Esplanade Avenue in the shade of old-growth oak trees with rows of the magnificent homes of the creole elite. Head to an above-ground cemetery and learn about New Orleans' funeral traditions. Roll around City Park, which is home to one of the largest mature live oak trees in the world. Keep an eye out for turtles and tropical birds along the way. Make a brief stop at Cafe Du Monde in the park where you have the chance to purchase some world-famous beignets (deep-fried pastry). Continue along the tranquil Bayou of St. John. Enjoy a peaceful ride through Armstrong Park to Congo Square, the heart of New Orleans’ jazz traditions. Return to your starting point at the end of your tour.

New Orleans: French Quarter Secrets and Bourbon Street Tour

8. New Orleans: French Quarter Secrets and Bourbon Street Tour

Your tour begins on Bourbon Street where you’ll meet your local expert guide. Set off to learn how this area developed from a seedy slum into one of the preeminent pleasure districts in the United States. You will also swing into a bar to learn about (and enjoy too if you wish) one of the many cocktails created in the French Quarter, before pausing on Royal Street to see some of the best street musicians in America and learn about the creation of Jazz music. From there, your guide will take you to Jackson Square where you’ll see landmark buildings like the Pontalba apartments (the oldest continually-occupied apartments in America), the St. Louis Cathedral, and the Cabildo (where the Louisiana Purchase was signed). You will then step inside the Presbytere for a guided tour of the interior, including exhibits on Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina. You can’t visit New Orleans without a close encounter with the supernatural, so your next stop is one of the most haunted buildings in the city, where you will take a tour of its interior which includes the infamous seance room. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, this is an experience not to be missed. After swinging through the old French Market and stopping at the best spot to take pictures of Jackson Square, you'll head down to the riverfront to watch the steamboats go up and down the mighty Mississippi River.

New Orleans: Haunted History Walking Tour with a Local Witch

9. New Orleans: Haunted History Walking Tour with a Local Witch

Join this fully uncensored, adults-only experience for true gore fans. This tour is not for the squeamish nor those easily offended. No "Karens" or children allowed! Follow your dedicated guide on a terrifying journey through New Orleans' most haunted spots. Hear all there is to know about each site through detailed and graphic retellings of the city's folklore and macabre history of Voodoo, ghosts, vampires, witchcraft, pirates, murder and more. This tour has a little bit of everything. We keep our numbers significantly smaller than large companies to allow a more personalized and intimate tour experience. Discover the horrifying stories and history revolving around the famous local Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, the pirate Jean Lafitte, New Orleans vampires, witchcraft, magic, murder, and the mayhem at the Lalaurie Mansion. Experience the supernatural and see photos of real ghosts taken by previous tour participants. Take a break from the frights with a visit to a local bar halfway through the tour. This is an adult tour after all, so drinks are welcome. All guides are practitioners or initiates into local Witchcraft, Voodoo, or the Vampire communities to allow a more intimate insider's perspective. We are passionate about what we do.

New Orleans: French Quarter Walking Tour

10. New Orleans: French Quarter Walking Tour

This 2-hour long walk through the historic French Quarter starts outside 529 St. Ann Street, former site of the Louisiana Welcome Center in the lower Pontalba Rowhouse adjacent to Jackson Square (left of square as you face river). Historically used as a parade ground, Jackson Square is now full of musicians, tarot card readers, and street performers. You will walk downriver along the old French Market to the Ursuline Convent. This is the oldest building in the Mississippi Delta from Colonial times and housed some very adventurous and courageous nuns who came here in the early 1700s. You will pass the house of famous jazz player, Danny Barker who is legendary among the city's jazz musicians. You will then come to one of the many former macaroni factories of the lower French Quarter, proof of the major role that Sicilian immigrants played in the city's history. You will come across the house of Vincente Nunez, a Spaniard, whose carelessness caused a fire that destroyed 80% of the city in 1788. You will then see several of the city's former slave markets and learn about Jean Francois Merieult, an influential and powerful Creole businessman and slave trader. After a stop at Preservation Hall, the city's holy grail of traditional jazz, the tour ends in Jackson Square with a story about the famous Madame de Pontalba, a French baroness and businesswoman with an eye for beautiful architecture.

Other Sightseeing Options in Jackson Square, New Orleans

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What people are saying about Jackson Square, New Orleans

Tour guide was awesome! Super friendly and knowledgeable. Food was great. Large portions so we were FULL. Drinks were delicious. All in all a great experience

Scott was very informative and, being a chef himself, provided some interesting insights into the how and why of the local cuisine. He's also kind of a nut!

Great tour - amazing food and a knowledgeable, friendly tour guide. Definitely the best tour we experienced on your recent visit!

This was the perfect experience to get a taste of New Orleans! I will do the same tour the next time I visit there.

Our guide was very entertaining and insightful! We had a blast but also learned something along the way.