Tour Orleans

A French Quarter tour company with walks and buses

Tour Orleans runs guided tours in New Orleans, Louisiana, on foot and by bus. Its office is at 620 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130, in the French Quarter, and the footer says "Tour Orleans is a DBA of New Orleans Ghost Adventures LLC." The about page says the company "was born out of a deep love for our hometown" and that "our team of native guides is passionate about their city." Its tours cover the French Quarter, the neighborhoods beyond it by bus, cemeteries at night, and, on the private list, the swamps. Prices are shown in US dollars.

The homepage calls Tour Orleans "the #1 Tour Company," and a review widget shows "Excellent" from "3760 Verified reviews." Those are the company's own claims and figures.

Ghost and dark-history walks

The ghost tours are the core of the range, and the site says they run as "a nightly walk through the shadows."

• New Orleans Ghost Adventures Ghost Tour: Go inside a location. The listing gives 2 hours, a group size of up to 28, and a price from $37. It is "a 2- hour walking tour led by licensed New Orleans tour guides" that takes in "Haunted locations investigated by real ghost hunters as seen on popular TV Shows," including the Lalaurie Mansion and "Laffitte's Blacksmith shop." The page promises "true stories of French Quarter murder and mayhem which have been passed down over the last three centuries."
• Voodoo, Vampire and Ghost Tour. 1 hour 30 minutes, from $32. It starts "in the heart of the French Quarter at the Jackson Brewery Building" and covers vampire, pirate, voodoo and witch stories.
• Haunted Pub Crawl, which the site calls "a drunken history tour" focused on "the cities most haunted bars and restaurants," with stops at the Lalaurie Mansion and Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith shop.
• True Crime Pub Crawl, which "digs into the city's most notable crimes as well as the corruption that plagues our past," visiting the sites of notorious crimes.
• Voodoo Queen Tour, on the history of voodoo in the city and the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.

The ghost tours page frames the subject bluntly: the city's history is "marked by murders, epidemics, suicides, and accidental deaths," layered with "legends of vampires, pirates, and voodoo queens." It asks guests to "bring your camera and your curiosity," and describes the guides as "locals and seasoned storytellers." The homepage also mentions "a spirits tour in St. Louis Cemetery" among its options.

The site shows no price or duration for the pub crawl, true crime and voodoo queen tours in its tour lists.

Bus tours

The bus tours page opens with "Beat the heat on one of our fully air-conditioned bus tours."

The Tour Orleans City Tour lasts 2 hours 30 minutes, has no group size limit, and costs from $59. It covers "the most important neighborhoods outside of the French Quarter, including the Garden District, Marigny, Bywater, upper 9th Ward, Treme, Central City, Irish Channel, Riverbend, Lower Garden District, Mid-City, Bayou St. John," promising "300 years of history, fun facts, and folklore." The site says you are "seated up high next to large windows," and the bus tours page adds that the city tour visits an above-ground cemetery. It pitches this as "the perfect way to spend your first day in New Orleans."

The Haunted Cemetery Bus Tour (Exclusive Access to the Cemetery) costs from $56. The listing calls it a "two hour Cemetery bus tour" that goes out to Mid-City and gives guests "the opportunity to visit a cemetery at night"; the bus tours page names it as the Odd Fellows Rest Cemetery.

Reviews on the homepage, chosen by the company, mention guides and drivers by name, including Cynthia, Carl, Karol, Shawn and Lea. One bus tour reviewer notes "there are only 2 short stops," another that the bus "departed and returned right on schedule," and one mentions stopping off for "Beignets at Cafe du mond." Others describe a guide with "charisma for days" and a pair who were "extremely knowledgeable and full of passion for the subject matter." One reviewer writes that they "didn't see a few major attractions," which is a fair reminder that a short overview tour has to choose.

Private tours

The homepage says guests "can book private tours," and that "our private tour options include cemeteries at night, haunted buildings, seafood boils, and private swamp tours!" The about page mentions "City Tours on luxury buses, Swamp Tours, Ghost Tours, and more," and a footer blurb mentions plantation tours. The site says your guide "will tailor your experience to give you the thrill of the full New Orleans treatment," whether you want a family-friendly tour or a cocktail tour.

Booking and terms

You can book through the Book Now buttons or call 504-332-9830. The FAQ answers a few questions briefly. On families: "Yes, our tours are family-friendly and suitable for all ages." On cancellation: "We offer a flexible cancellation policy. Please contact us for details." The FAQ also says the company offers "city views, adventure activities, and multi-day itineraries," though no multi-day product appears on the tour lists.

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The cancellation policy is called flexible but its terms are not spelled out. The pub crawls sit beside a FAQ line saying tours suit all ages, and the site does not state an age rule for the drinking tours. Meeting points are given for the Voodoo, Vampire and Ghost Tour but not for every tour on the list, and the site gives no start times. Prices for the private tours and several walks are not shown.

Its strengths are a wide choice of evening ghost and crime stories, published prices and group sizes for the main tours, and air-conditioned buses for visitors who would rather ride than walk in the heat. Tour Orleans suits first-time visitors who want a quick bus overview of the neighborhoods, and anyone looking for a ghost walk, a haunted pub crawl or a night visit to a cemetery.