Private New Orleans City Tour with Local Expert Guide
Description
We will explore the original suburbs of the old town… the hip Marigny, the funky Bywater and Bayou St John, the true gateway to New Orleans. We will ride through Tremé, the birthplace of Jazz, and so much more. Marc will cover the entire city, the American sector of uptown, and cities now turned neighborhoods of Lafayette and the Irish Channel. Your guide knows all the right people and has both relationships and insight into this rich culture. If you choose, we often get out and make a few stops while exploring New Orleans!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Just as important is Marc’s knowledge of the “real” New Orleans and the diverse neighborhoods that make up one of the world’s most eclectic cities. This experience is both impressive and engaging.
See the Bywater neighborhood, known for it's boho feel and unique artwork.
Drive through the Bayou St. John neighborhood, the gateway to New Orleans, home to many festivals and lots of outdoor activities.
Important landmarks in the French Quarter . If you choose, we often get out and make a few stops while exploring New Orleans!
We will pass by the Universities, Riverbend, Carrolton areas along the street car line. If you choose, we often get out and make a few stops while exploring New Orleans!
Tour includes the Garden District and St. Charles Ave.If you choose, we often get out and make a few stops while exploring New Orleans!
The tour includes a drive-by City Park
The tours passes beautiful Audubon park
We will travel down Magazine Street stopping at any location the guests' request. Magazine Street is considered the "street of dreams" with everything from shopping, galleries, to restaurants
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
All Nola Detours are Private and provide door-to-door transportation
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(141)
Mark was fantastic. I would highly recommend him to anyone wanting a behinds the seen tour of New Orleans. A++++
We cannot say enough good things about our experience and tour with Marc. His hospitality, knowledge and love for the city was great. He definitely went above and beyond to make out tour amazing!! Thank you Marc
A week or two prior to our tour, the operator asked us if we could reschedule due to a conflict on their end. We could not since we had no flexibility on that date. Then, the night before the tour, the operator canceled, saying they had a wreck and could not do the tour. We were given no alternatives. We did receive a refund. We would never use this tour group again. It appears Viator favors the tour operators. If the customer cancels less than 24 hours prior to a tour, the customer forfeits their money. However, if the tour operator cancels at the last minute, the customer has their plans ruined with no other options offered. Neither the tour operator nor Viator offered to help us find another tour. Buyer beware!
Mark, our tour guide, provided an excellent city drive through with detailed narratives of various neighborhoods and events. In addition, to his city narrative, he was flexible in the itinerary to accommodate my family ranging in age from 20-80 with riding and selected stops. I was raised in New Orleans and this tour hit the mark for providing the overview I was hoping to see for my family. I recommend this tour as a starting point for someone's first visit to see the city before delving into its historical richness.
We went on a very detailed private tour of the entire city. Stopped at multiple places and saw everything that was on our bucket list.
Good well-rounded tour of NO. We would definitely recommend it. The tour operator picked us up from our hotel and was flexible with the tour start time.
Experience was wonderful. We toured the entire city, were able to enjoy a coffee at the French Quarter in New Orleans. Tour Guide was very knowledgeable about the city history.
This tour is overpriced and highly dependent on which guide you get — something you won’t know until the day of the tour. I would not recommend it. We booked a private tour for four people. Our guide, Mark, picked us up in a rented van. While Mark was friendly and clearly passionate about his city, that enthusiasm unfortunately did not translate into a good tour experience. Despite our clear request for historical context, Mark provided almost no historical information about New Orleans. He also wasn't particularly engaging or dynamic. The tour consisted mainly of driving through different neighborhoods and pointing out local landmarks — a very basic experience that felt more like a casual drive than a guided tour. For nearly $700 (including tip), the experience was disappointing and lacked depth. Honestly, we would have gotten more insights from the hop-on, hop-off bus.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m genuinely sorry to hear that the tour didn’t meet your expectations, though I must respectfully clarify a few things - both for your benefit and for anyone reading this review. As a guide with a strong reputation for delivering rich, engaging, and enjoyable tours of New Orleans, I always strive to provide a well-balanced experience for the whole group. During your tour, one member of your party asked a continuous stream of questions many of them obscure and unrelated to the flow of the tour, which limited my ability to share the stories, culture, and local insight that most of my guests come to enjoy. While I always welcome curiosity, this dynamic unfortunately turned the experience into more of a one-on-one interrogation rather than a guided tour for the full group. I even made a stop at a historic hotel — that was meant to enhance the experience with an authentic local gem. I clarified that it wouldn’t cut into tour time, and while one guest took a seat and ordered a bite, I remained attentive and available, ensuring that no time was lost from the planned itinerary. Regarding the “rented” vehicle: We partner with Enterprise with a corporate lease fleet of vehicles to provide a range of safe, clean, and comfortable vehicles appropriate for different tour types — from rugged swamp adventures to luxury city experiences. The van used on your tour had just been picked up that morning, and unfortunately, I wasn’t made aware of a minor issue with the headrest ahead of time. I shared this information about the leased car with full transparency — not as an excuse, but as a courtesy. And I certainly wouldn't expect guests to frown upon having transportation partners I understand every guest has different expectations, but I believe it’s important to note that this review doesn’t reflect the typical experience we provide nor the one enjoyed by the vast majority of our guests, as seen in our many glowing reviews. I remain committed to offering the highest standard of service, and I’m always open to constructive feedback that helps me do just that. Wishing you all the best in your future travels. Marc Owner Operator
The driving tour is a must for anyone visiting NOLA! Marc was so knowledgeable, personable, and gracious. The van was clean and comfortable; the tour was thoroughly enjoyed by our family of 8, aged 24-85, visiting from 4 different states. Marc tailored the tour to our requests, planned stops strategically around our needs for coffee, hurricanes, beignets, restroom breaks and stretching. Seeing the city in this way truly should not be missed. It was a broad overview with detailed insights and a highlight of our week so far! Highly recommend!
Great way to see the City in a half day! Went to a local bar and restaurant, dessert included!!! Highly recommend
