New Orleans Original Craft Cocktail Walking Tour
Description
Enjoy French Quarter courtyards, classic cocktails, and entertaining history! Did you know that the word “cocktail” originated in New Orleans? In a city that fosters creativity and breathes inspiration, it’s no wonder the history is so closely entwined with a culinary culture. On this small group tour you’ll drink in the rich history of the city as you explore the French Quarter, where the hour is always happy. If you don’t finish your drink, ask for a “to go cup.” This is not a bar crawl. It's history… with a twist!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Embark on your exploration of New Orleans’ cocktail culture from the Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office, right on the Mississippi River in the city’s French Quarter. Your group of like-minded 21-and-up revelers will travel the neighborhood’s historic streets, ducking in and out of watering holes and restaurants in buildings that still stand as beautiful examples of French and Spanish Colonial Architecture. While it’s easy to get lost in the history of your surroundings, the real stars of the tour are the cocktails. Listen in as your guides reveal the stories behind each inventive libation and the characters that brought them to life. Learn the story of the Sazerac, which dates back to 1850.
Enter the Court of Two Sisters’ Carriageway Bar through the charm gates, wrought in Spain and blessed by Queen Isabella. Now a restaurant world-famous for its jazz brunch and courtyard canopied by a 130-year-old wisteria vine, the block has maintained a lively history since 1726.
At the intersection of two cobblestone alleys in the shadows of the St. Louis Cathedral, is a legendary pirate hangout. There you’ll meet the “green fairy” known as Absinthe, the mystical herbal elixir that induced intoxicating creativity in many authors, artists, poets, and musicians.
Relax in the former residence of Antoine Peychaud, the Creole apothecary who prescribed and dispensed his patented herbal Peychaud’s Bitters, which would later become the key ingredient in the Sazerac, America’s first cocktail and the official cocktail of New Orleans.
*UPGRADED EXPERIENCE ONLY* - There’s nothing like soul-stirring jazz to raise your spirits. Your tour ends on a high note at Fritzel's, not your typical dive bar. This jazz pub features the who’s who of New Orleans jazz, drawing jazz aficionados from around the world. You're welcome to stay for the show, then walk to dinner at one of many fine French Quarter restaurants nearby.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- In order to help preserve the French Quarter from vehicular traffic, it is requested that you please walk, if possible, to the convenient tour departure point - just a short stroll from most downtown hotels.
- Due to the historic nature of the tour, some venues are not accessible to guests traveling in wheelchairs. Special arrangements can be made with your tour guide at the beginning of the tour.
- Minimum age is 21 years
Reviews(680)
Brandy was very personable, friendly, and informative. I would highly recommend booking with Brandy!! Let her know Tri-Pod sent you! Trish says hi!
How precious - we will certainly share with Brandy. Thank you for recommending this true New Orleans tour.
Robi did a fantastic job weaving together the history of New Orleans with the way the different described drinks interacted. We had a great time and would highly recommend.
Your high recommendation means so much to us, and especially to our guide Robi!
It was a fun, informative experience! Our group was easy and Val, our tour guide was knowledgeable and super personable!
Thanks so much for the great review on the tour and your guide Val.
After so many great Viator tours, this one missed the mark totally. We had a cocktail tour in the past in NOLA and was 5-star. The tour took us to 4 bars. For the “VIP” package, which cost an addition a $40, you got two drinks at 2 of the bars, and the other 2 bars were pay as you go, or cash only. The tour was excessively lengthy, running over its 2hour timeframe by 40 minutes, making us late to dinner. The bars were all over the place and we did a fair amount of walking with a group of 12. Lots of history shared , but unbalanced with time allowed and purpose of tour. The last cocktail tour was very well made drinks in glass , this tour was sloppy made drinks in plastic cups- definitely not worth $20 a drink!!!! Overall, not well organized, and no value.
We certainly are disappointed to learn that your tour did not meet your expectations. Your comments will be discussed with the tour manager. The tour is posted at 2hr and 30minutes, so that would be 10 minutes over. Plastic cups do allow guests to leave with their cocktails, but glass containers are not allowed on the street. That is for everyone's safety.
We really enjoyed the history lesson of NOLA and the French Quarters. Cocktails at Peychauds were really good!
We always enjoy the reviews of this particular tour. It is an intimate look at the French Quarter after dark. Thank you.
Everyone in our group upgraded to the VIP package with three full size cocktails. The jazz club at the end is the real deal…great music. The tour guide Katherine was interesting and shared a lot of New Orleans history. Based on the tour description, we expected to go to three bar/restaurants and the jazz club. We actually went to five, which was excellent, however cocktails were cash and carry at the extra two establishments. We weren’t expecting to pay more during the tour. We could have chosen not to partake, but when in Rome… Be sure to eat and carb up before you go! Enjoy!
It sounds like an evening to remember! Katherine wants to not only inform and entertain, she wants to be certain that you leave with a smile and a song in your heart. Thanks so very much for all the details.
Very well organized! There was quite a bit of walking but we had 5 breaks with a chance to sit at each location. The drinks were great and Val was really good at keeping the conversation going. She really knows her NOLA history.
The Cocktail Tour is an interesting combination of Tales of the City, true history, and introduction to the drinks born in New Orleans. Val is an expert at sharing all of that and more.
Robi was a tremendous tour guide. Fun, very informative and interesting. Learned things about NOLA history and cocktails I hadn’t heard before. Had a great time.
If you had a great time then Robi and Gray Line met their goals. Sharing cocktails with new friends and stories of French Quarter for hundreds of years should keep you spell bound.
Our guide Kimberly was great! Very passionate about the city and its history. Great activity to do at the start of your trip to get yourself acquainted with NOLA and pick up a ton of recommendations.
Val was a wonderful tour guide; she was extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to interact with. However, I would like to note that some of the bars may only accept cash, and this information is not mentioned on the website.
Kyla, we are pleased to read your review of the Cocktail Tour with Val. Thank you for the note on the cash-only policy at some bars. We will clarify and update the information.
