The number of travellers heading to New Orleans has been on the increase, with nearly 20 million visitors arriving in 2019, a 6.7% increase since 2018. One of America’s most unique cities, New Orleans is famous for its Mardi Gras celebration, mouth-watering Creole cuisine, European-style architecture and its music, from Jazz and blues to Zydeco and rock, which can be heard around nearly every corner.
Nicknamed ‘The Big Easy’, this buzzing metropolis offers such a wide array of things to see and do that it can be difficult to know where to start. The best introduction to the city is by taking a walking tour, which is a great way to get your bearings, whether you’re here on holiday, for business or are considering moving to the area and want to search for New Orleans houses for sale. Here’s why you shouldn’t miss the opportunity of a walking tour whilst you’re in town:
Local Knowledge & Insider Tips
Taking a walking tour in New Orleans will give you a better insight into the city, with information that you’ll be able to use throughout your trip. Local tour guides are insiders and their knowledge goes way beyond what you can find online. Not only will they show you the sights but you can ask them questions and get recommendations too. Maybe you want to know the best local haunt for listening to jazz, or where to find the tastiest beignets.
More often than not, those who lead walking tours are either born and bred locals, or they have lived long enough in New Orleans to know it inside and out. They’ve done all the hard work for you, spending lots of time visiting museums, historic sites and all the landmarks, both major and lesser known. They have the ability to make history come alive through entertaining stories to ensure you have a good time while learning. By the end of your tour, you’ll feel almost like a local yourself.
Diverse Sightseeing Tour Options
Walking tours to see the sights are popular, but there are many other options to suit just about every taste. Tours for foodies offer the chance for participants to sample some of the city’s most delicious cuisine. Or if you’re looking for something more “spooky” then a ghost tour will transport you through New Orleans’ haunted past, with tales of infamous crimes and voodoo practices throughout. The St. Louis Cemetery can only be visited on a guided tour that will take you to the graves of the famous while hearing about the cemetery’s history. Alternatively, take a walking tour of the magnificent antebellum homes and gardens in the Garden District.
There are special tours designed specifically for families with children too, like a French Quarter tour that will teach younger ones about pirates, jazz and Mardi Gras, and how kids lived and played in New Orleans throughout its history.
Meet Fellow Travellers
With visitors coming to New Orleans from across the globe, joining a walking tour provides a great opportunity to meet fellow travellers from near and far, some of whom may turn out to be life-long friends. Whilst this is a great way for anyone to enhance their travel experience, meeting others who probably have some of the same interests can be a big plus for solo travellers. For many traveling alone is fun and exciting, but it can get lonely occasionally. On a walking tour you might connect with someone else to experience the city together and find a travel partner for your future exploits in the process.
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This post has been written in collaboration with Redfin.
