You’d be surprised how often a tourist asks me about whether or not they should take a bus tour in New Orleans.
It seems travelers are always curious about these things, and as a tour guide, that’s not surprising.
After all, there are many cities where a hop-on hop-off bus tour has certain benefits that make it one of the better ways to discover a city.
Even if that weren’t the case, there would still be plenty of reasons to consider one of these outings.
In this post, I cover both the unique factors that make a New Orleans bus tour worth the price and some lesser-known advantages of these services.
Afterward, I will compare the bus tours available in the Big Easy.
When writing this post, I reviewed opinions and suggestions from members of our New Orleans Travel Tips Facebook group.
This popular group of over 40k members consists of locals, regular visitors, and newbies to the city.
At the bottom of this post, you can see what they had to say about bus tours of New Orleans.
After you've read this post check our Facebook group for lots more tips from locals and tourists about visiting the Big Easy!
- What Makes a New Orleans Bus Tour Special?
- Hidden Benefits of Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours
- Comparing New Orleans Bus Tours
- Is There a Free or Cheap Alternative?
- Tips From Locals and Travelers
- NOLA Swamp Tours
- NOLA Plantation Tours
OVERVIEW
Most tours last approximately 3 hours and most companies focus on offering basic city overviews, such as the French Quarter, the Garden District, several other neighborhoods, City Park, and one or more cemeteries.
You can also take a tour specifically covering Hurricane Katrina and the city's revitalization or head out to the surrounding plantations and swamps.
Some offer hotel pick-up or allow young children to ride for free.
Many tours are also part of combination tickets or tourist passes, so see first if you can get a deal.
Keep in mind that none of these tours are substitutions for our pay-what-you-wish walking tours since they do not cover the same areas or topics.
WHAT MAKES A NEW ORLEANS BUS TOUR SPECIAL?
There are lots of ways to see the Big Easy without spending too much money, so it’s important to think about the value a New Orleans bus tour has to you.
Here are a few of the reasons our New Orleans Travel Tips Facebook group insisted that bus tours in NOLA are worth the price.
Less Complicated Than Public Transport
Although public transportation in New Orleans is perfectly adequate, it should be noted that the streetcars run only north of all the major French Quarter attractions.
If you want to get by using the streetcars, keep in mind that you might have to transfer to a bus at times, and you’ll probably end up walking a lot more.
One has to wonder, if you’re going to be using a bus anyway, and the hop-on hop-off tour is more convenient because it takes you to all the major tourist attractions, is public transport truly the better option?
This member of our Facebook group didn't think so.
It’s certainly the cheaper choice, and if you’re working with a limited budget, we highly recommend getting a public transportation Jazzy Pass instead.
Better Than Renting a Car
Okay, you might be able to rent a car for less per day than a hop on, hop off bus would cost, but when you factor in hidden costs such as insurance and gas, it’s cheaper and a lot less stressful.
While a car rental can take you wherever you might want to go in New Orleans, it’s not a great city for driving, and parking can be a problem.
Most tourists will likely find that a bus tour is much easier to use and more affordable, like this member of our Facebook group.
Easier Than Driving
Like I said earlier, driving around New Orleans can be difficult since a lot of the streets are narrow or one-way, and there isn’t a lot of room for cars.
Bus drivers are used to these roads and how to navigate them. They also know which routes to take to avoid traffic!
Some of our Facebook group members, like the one below, visit NOLA often. They take advantage of the parking offered by the hop on hop off company, which is affordable at $10 a day and very convenient.
As you can see, there are several great reasons to consider a hop on hop off bus tour in New Orleans.
These are factors that most travelers won’t know before arriving, so I hope the above gives you an idea of what to expect and why some visitors prefer these services.
HIDDEN BENEFITS
In addition to all the elements of a New Orleans Bus Tour that are unique to the city, there are also several other reasons you might want to consider one of these outings.
These examples are true no matter where you are in the world, so it’s important to keep these details in mind before deciding whether or not to take one of these tours.
Learn About the City Before Visiting Attractions
If you’re still not sure which attractions you want to see, a hop on hop off tour provides commentary about New Orleans's history while driving by the most noteworthy landmarks.
Many of our Facebook group members firmly believe that one should buy a 2-day ticket, use the first day to get acquainted with the city and the second day go back to whichever attractions appealed to you from the first day.
However you decide to go about it, these tours are a good way to get an overview of the city and choose what locations and attractions you want to see, as this can help you plan your activities.
Great For Travelers With Limited Mobility
Since New Orleans is a city designed mostly for walking, it can be difficult to get around if you have a condition that limits your mobility.
Hop on hop off bus tours have wheelchair lifts and a railing to hold when boarding so it is easy to get on the bus.
While public buses have wheelchair ramps, figuring out which routes to take can be complicated.
If you want a convenient service that will pick you up and take you to the most popular attractions in the city, a bus tour is an excellent option.
Here are a few other reasons to consider a hop on hop off tour:
- Great way to avoid bad weather
- Buses have air conditioning on hot days
- Makes traveling with kids a lot easier
- Economical tour option for foreigners
COMPARING NEW ORLEANS BUS TOURS
There’s only one hop on hop off service in NOLA, but there are other companies that provide fully guided tours that don’t include as many stops.
A fully guided bus tour typically covers 50-60% of the city over 3 to 4 hours, which is quite a bit more than a standard hop on hop off outing.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to hop off at as many locations, so it’s not a great way to get around town.
That said, if you are looking for a more robust coverage of the city, fully guided tours are the way to go!
I’ll start this comparison by first comparing the single hop on hop off tour to every major fully guided tour, and then I'll provide a comparison of each type of guided tour.
| CitySightseeing (hop on hop off) | Cajun Encounters (fully guided) | Haunted History Tours (fully guided) | Hurricane Katrina Recovery Tour (fully guided) | |
| Price | 1-Day Ticket $46/Adults $10/Children 2-Day Ticket $49 - Adults $15 - Children Book this tour or learn more. | $57.99/ Adults (12 years and up) $40.99/ Children (4-11) Free for Children (0-3) Book this tour or learn more. | $55/Adults $45/Children, Seniors, Military Book this tour or learn more. | $59 per person Book this tour or learn more. |
| Duration | 1-2 Days | 3 hours | 2 hours | 3 hours |
| Hours | 9:30 am - 5:30 pm | 8:30 am, 11:30 am, and 2:30 pm | 7 pm and 9:30 pm | 10 am and 2 pm |
| Availability | Daily | Daily | Nightly | Daily |
| Extras | 2-Day Ticket includes Garden District walking tour | includes a free cemetery walking tour | None | None |
| Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor | 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor | 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor | 5 out of 5 stars |
CitySightseeing
There is only one traditional hop-on-hop-off bus service in New Orleans, CitySightseeing, a global sightseeing company with the familiar red double-decker bus.
- Buses operate daily every 30 minutes from 9:30 am until 5:30 pm (17:00).
- Each ticket is good for 1 or 3 days of riding.
- Live guide on each bus.
- Hop on at any of their 19 stops (map at the bottom of this page).
- Free walking tours of the French Quarter and Garden District + a self-guided tour of Lafayette Cemetery
Prices:
1-Day Ticket
- $46 - Adults
- $10 - Children
- This ticket is also included for free with the New Orleans Sightseeing Pass.
2-Day Ticket
- $49 - Adults
- $15 - Children
- Includes Garden District Walking Tour
TIP: If you use Tiqets, you can save an extra 5% off.
Recommended for: people who want to have transportation around New Orleans and want to explore on their own time or in conjunction with our neighborhood tours.
FULLY GUIDED CITY TOURS
The bus tours listed below are all general city sightseeing tours that usually operate with shuttle buses.
They visit various neighborhoods, including the French Quarter, Jackson Square, the French Market, the Riverfront, Harrah's Casino, Louisiana Superdome, Garden District, and the Central Business District among others.
They also make stops in at least one cemetery.
Not listed here are bus tours that cover ghosts and cemeteries as their main theme. Click on the link for information on these tours.
Cajun Encounters City and Cemetery Tour
This tour begins on Canal Street and covers neighborhoods like the Central Business District, the French Quarter, the Treme, Frenchman Street, and Faubourg Marigny as well as the Garden District.
The tour also visits the Lower 9th Ward, where you will see some examples of post-Katrina revitalization.
It also visits St. Louis Cemetery #3 (where you will get off the bus and be guided through), City Park (where you will stop for a short refreshment), and finally, the Museum and Arts District, where you will see the National World War 2 Museum.
This is a great intro to the city and Cajun Encounters are probably the best-reviewed bus company in New Orleans.
- Tours depart 2 times daily at 11:15 am and 2:30 pm.
- 4:00 pm seasonal departures are sometimes available.
- Tours last 3 hours.
- Pick up at your hotel.
Prices:
- $59.75 - Adults (12 years and up)
- $38.75 - Children (4-11)
- Free - Children up to 3 years old
- Purchase your tickets here.
Cajun Encounters also offers swamp and plantation tours as well as combo tours that combine any 2 of 3 that save you $8/ticket.
Recommend for: people with mobility issues or those short on time. This tour is quality but is not a replacement for our walking tours as the only guided stop is in St. Louis Cemetery #3. The hotel pick-up is a nice touch.
Read our post reviewing all of Cajun Encounters offerings.
| Louisiana Tour Company | Grayline New Orleans “Super Tour” | New Orleans Adventures Tour | Southern Style Tours | |
| Price | $55/Adults $35/Children Purchase or learn more. | $56/Adults (13+) $26/Children (6-12) Free/Children 5 and under More information or to book. | $50/Adults $25/Children Free with a purchase of a New Orleans Pass. | $40/Adults $30/Children (under 12) Purchase tickets or learn more. |
| Duration | 3 hours | 2 1/4 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Hours | 9:30 am & 1:30 pm | 10 am and 2 pm | 10 am & 2 pm | 9 am and 2 pm |
| Availability | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily |
| Extras | A cemetery walking tour | 30-minute cemetery tour 30-minute Garden District tour | A cemetery walking tour | 15 minute cemetery tour |
| Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars | 4.7 out of 5 stars | n/a | 4.5 out of 5 stars |
Louisiana Tour Company
Much like the other companies on this list, the Louisiana Tour Company offers a bus tour around the city of New Orleans which includes a stop at St. Louis Cemetery #3.
What sets this service apart from others is the fact that they use a minibus rather than a coach bus.
This minibus tour is also a bit longer than others with an average duration of about 3 hours, giving them enough time to do a short guided cemetery walking tour.
- Price: $55/Adults | $35/Children
- Availability: Daily at 9:30 am & 1:30 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- Purchase or learn more.
This tour has a respectable rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Guests indicate that the bus tour itself is both informative and fun, providing a lot of interesting details about the city.
Customers note that the cemetery tour takes place at St. Louis Cemetery #3 and lasts for around 15-20 minutes on average.
Most reviewers appreciated the opportunity to learn more about burial practices in New Orleans.
Grayline New Orleans
Gray Line's Super City tour is similar to Cajun Encounters tour, but the bus tour is just a bit shorter - and a bit cheaper - without hotel pickup.
The tour makes three stops: St. Louis Cemetery #3 and Garden District (both of which include a 30-minute guided tour) and a City Park, where you can take a brief self-guided tour.
Gray Line has good reviews (for a bus tour company), and they offer several other tours for visitors to New Orleans.
- Super City Tour departs at 10:00 am
- Tours last 2 1/4 hours.
- No hotel pickup. The bus departs from Gray Line ticket office (map).
Gray Line also offers plantation tours, swamp tours, and riverboat cruises as well as combo packages that offer ways to save money.
Prices as of 2025:
- $56 - Adults (13 years and up)
- $26 - Children (6-12)
- Free - Children up to 5 years old
- More information or to book.
Recommended for: those looking to save money on a bus tour.
New Orleans Adventures Tour
Explore the major attractions of New Orleans with a last tour on an open-top bus.
With options for free cancellation, wheelchair access, and a "ways to save" booklet, this public transportation service offers comfort and convenience.
Tailor your travel date, frequency, and time period to catch the latest timings, the first tour of the day, or even a full tour duration experience with live English commentary.
The itinerary is essentially the same as what is listed in the last 3 tours.
The biggest thing of note is that this tour is included for free with a purchase of a New Orleans Pass.
This company also has a good review profile, but they do not have as many reviews as the other companies.
- Tours at 10 am and 2 pm.
- May offer hotel pickups.
- Bookings are taken over the phone.
Prices:
- $50 - Adults
- $25 - Children
- free with a purchase of a New Orleans Pass.
Recommended for: those considering purchasing the New Orleans Pass.
Southern Style Tours
Mini-coach, 3-hour city tours similar to what has already been mentioned.
This company often has a Groupon deal. Like the other tours, this company gets good reviews on TripAdvisor.
- 9 am and 2 pm daily departures.
- Hotel pick-up is available.
- Includes a 15-minute cemetery tour
Prices:
- $40 - Adults
- $30 - Children (under 12 years old)
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Groupon deal ($31 for 1, $57 for 2, $103 for 4)
Recommended for: those looking for a city tour and are on a budget.
City Segway Tours
If you are just after a set of wheels to whisk you around New Orleans, then you might even consider a Segway Tour.
HAUNTED BUS TOURS
New Orleans is known for being one of the most haunted cities in the United States, and there are a few companies that currently offer bus tours covering the spooky history of NOLA.
Explore the haunted corners of New Orleans with specialized bus tours, such as the "New Orleans Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour."
Enjoy the eerie ambiance with live commentary, flexible access, and a full loop of the city's most chilling sites, including local eateries and the mysterious riverfront.
This section covers some of the most well-respected haunted bus tours in the city.
Haunted History Tours
This is another company offering a haunted bus tour in New Orleans, and their service is fairly similar to what competitors offer.
During this 2-hour bus tour, you'll cross one of the most notorious streets in America and attempt to photograph actual paranormal activity on haunted grounds.
If you've ever wondered why New Orleans is often considered one of the most haunted cities in the US, this tour will show you why.
- $50/Adults | $40/Children, Seniors, Military
- Availability: Nightly at 7 pm and 9:30 pm
- Duration: 2 hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
| NOLA Ghost Riders | Tour Orleans | |
| Price | $40 per person Purchase tickets or learn more. | $55 per person Purchase tickets or learn more. |
| Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Hours | 8 pm & 11 pm | 7 pm & 9:30 pm |
| Availability | Nightly | Nightly |
| Extras | includes strolls at several cemeteries | includes a stop at a cemetery |
| Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars | 4.6 out of 5 stars |
NOLA Ghost Riders
This company offers several tours in and around New Orleans, and this is just one of their very well-rated services.
Over 2 hours, you'll see and learn about some of the most notorious sites in NOLA, including stops at multiple cemeteries and access to the Hurricane Katrina Memorial.
This bus tour will also take you to the Mid-City and City Park neighborhoods to discover some of the most haunted sites.
You'll also stroll through several cemeteries.
- $45 per person
- Duration: 2 hours
- Availability: Nightly at 8 pm and 11 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Tour Orleans
Like every other haunted bus tour in New Orleans, this service lasts for approximately 2 hours and covers a variety of creepy subjects and locations.
This tour includes a stop at a notable cemetery, tales of the darker history of this city, details about voodoo, and other interesting ghost stories.
You'll also visit the Coven House from American Horror Story for a quick picture before the tour ends!
- $55 per person
- Duration: 2 hours
- Availability: Nightly at 7 pm and 9:30 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
HURRICANE KATRINA TOURS
Many people are interested in seeing the areas of New Orleans that were affected by the great storm of 2005, including the famous levee breaks, and taking in the rebuilding efforts.
The city has discouraged large bus tours into these areas, and in our opinion, for good reason.
However, you can still take a small group tour. Most of the bus companies listed above include parts of a Hurricane Katrina tour in their city tours, and for many people, this will be sufficient.
Listed below, however, are the tours that are specifically designed to cover this topic.
Several tour operators are offering daily Katrina-themed guided tours, including the options below.
Hurricane Katrina Recovery Tour
- Daily at 10 am and 2 pm
- Duration is 3 hours
- Ticket prices
- $49 - Adult
- $25 - Child (6-12)
- Free - Children 4 and younger
- Get more information or purchase tickets
TIP: Many standard city bus tours will also cover Hurricane Katrina sights. If you have a car or bike, be sure to consider our self-guided tour.
IS THERE A FREE OR CHEAP ALTERNATIVE?
Bus tours are just one way to get around Nola, but there are free and cheap alternatives.
However, the purpose of a tour is for you to get to know the city as well as to go from place to place.
If you are looking only for transportation, here are the free and cheap options.
Walking
Working for a walking tour company, I admit I am biased towards walking to get around town. But I also enjoy it in my free time as well.
New Orleans is a very walkable city and there’s so much to see along the way. It’s free and enjoyable.
I should warn you that walking long distances in the summer humidity is not fun. If you are sightseeing and staying within a neighborhood, you’ll be fine. Just stay hydrated!
Public Transportation
We have a post dedicated to using public transportation in New Orleans, but here is an overview.
Streetcars
With five routes, the streetcar system offers both a scenic view and inexpensive travel. It is only $1.25 one-way and an additional $0.25 for transfers between lines. Find out more here.
In the video below, our local tour guide Andy explains how to use the streetcars.
Buses
Also just $1.25, the bus is a great way to get around the city as more than 30 bus lines provide expansive coverage.
Saving Money on Bus and Streetcar Fare
You can save a bit of money if you plan to take multiple one-way rides in a day. The Jazzy Pass gets you unlimited rides for a flat cost.
It comes in increments of 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and 31 days. Read about the Jazzy Pass here.
Taxis and Rideshare Services
For long distances, neither a taxi nor a rideshare service (Uber or Lyft) will be a cheap option.
But, if you need to travel a short distance, the cost is not prohibitive. If you have a lot of luggage or are exhausted after a long day seeing the city, you may want to take a taxi or an Uber/Lyft.
Note that taxis in New Orleans are a little bit more expensive than using Uber/Lyft. Read more here.
NEW ORLEANS BUS TOUR WAYS TO SAVE
It's very common for companies to list combinations. The combinations are varied.
You can combine the city bus tour with a swamp tour, plantation tour or even a riverboat cruise. The savings can add up.
We've summarized some of the companies' packages below, as well as other ways to save money on New Orleans Bus tours.
Get a Tourist Pass
If you are planning on taking in many of New Orleans's most popular attractions like City Sightseeing New Orleans, then the New Orleans Pass may make financial sense for you.
You might also want to consider the New Orleans Sightseeing Pass, which includes a few bus tours like hop-on hop-off city tours.
Here are all of the bus tours included with these passes:
- City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour | New Orleans Sightseeing Pass
- Adventures in New Orleans Bus Tour | New Orleans Pass
Read our full analysis of how to save with tourist attraction passes.
Combo Packages
Cajun Encounters provides concessions on their combo packages by $8/person and Gray Line offers 10% off the price of the individual products.
Sites to save money
Lastly, you should check out Groupon and Living Social for any offers that might be available.
TIPS FROM LOCALS AND RECENT VISITORS
Here are some thoughts on New Orleans bus tours from members of our New Orleans Travel Tips group on Facebook.
You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and advice.
So when you are done reading this post why not have a look? Perhaps even ask some questions yourself!
When considering taking a bus tour, these three members have some good reasons why a bus tour might be right for you.
These members had smart advice on how best to use a hop-on, hop-off bus tour -- ride a full loop for an overview of the city, then ride it again as a hop-on, hop-off service.
As for reviews of different companies, Citysightseeing generally gets good reviews, like this one.
Cajun Encounters was very popular with group members and the numerous reviews sounded a lot like these two.
Nola Ghost Riders was highly recommended by many group members, Here are a couple of reviews.
