New Orleans bike tour: French Quarter to bayou with guide

Ride through three centuries of New Orleans on tree-lined streets and historic waterways

A 3-hour small-group bike tour of New Orleans starting in the French Quarter and moving through Mid-City to the bayous, with a professional guide, bicycle, helmet and bottled water included. The route covers Faubourg Marigny, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, City Park and Congo Square, stopping to learn about the city's burial practices, jazz origins and early settlement. Minimum age is 13 and all riders must be at least 4'11". The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy or poor cardiovascular health.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each4 stops

1. Runyon Canyon Park15m
2. Faubourg Marigny15m
3. St. Louis Cemetery No. 320m
4. Congo Square15m

Explore New Orleans by bike

• Start at French Quarter location
• Stop at oldest city building
• Visit Frenchmen Street and Faubourg Marigny
• Bike through Mid-City area
• Learn at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3
• Ride through City Park and break at Cafe du Monde
• Ride along historic waterway
• Discover origins of Jazz at Congo Square
• End tour at shop

The experience

The tour starts at the shop in the French Quarter and moves through the oldest neighborhoods in the city on a leisurely pace. Your guide leads you down tree-lined streets to Faubourg Marigny, where Frenchmen Street holds the heartbeat of the city's music and culture, then into Mid-City where the bulk of the ride unfolds. Along the way you stop at the oldest building in the city and learn how the settlers who founded this port city shaped what stands today.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 is where the tour explains the district's unique burial practices: a window into how New Orleans has always done things differently. You then ride through the largest urban park in the city and stop for a 10-minute break at Café du Monde's City Park location before heading to Congo Square, the sacred location where jazz was born. The final stretch follows a natural and historic waterway that Native Americans and early French settlers once traversed, and the tour ends back at the shop.

The ride is steady but not rushed: three hours total, with water and a helmet provided. Closed-toed shoes are preferable (flip-flops are prohibited for safety), and you'll want to dress for the weather. The guide speaks English and keeps the pace conversational, so you're learning as you ride rather than racing through stops.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English.
• bicycle and helmet.
• bottled water.
• 10-minute break at Café du Monde in City Park.

Information

Lasts 3h, runs Monday to Saturday at 13:30, from US$ 55 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 13:30Another time? ›

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Under 13: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Physically demandingPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Flambeaux Bicycle Tours

Is this one for you?The guide delivers commentary in English at a conversational pace, so the tour works for anyone who can sustain a steady bike ride for three hours and wants to learn the city's history without stopping and starting constantly. If you need high fitness or have any spinal, cardiovascular or pregnancy concerns, check the operator's notes before booking.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years). Children under 13 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What neighborhoods and landmarks do I actually ride through on this New Orleans bike tour?

The tour moves from the French Quarter through Faubourg Marigny, then into Mid-City, stopping at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, City Park and Congo Square. You also pass the oldest building in the city and ride along a historic waterway that early settlers used.

How long does the New Orleans Creole Odyssey bike tour take?

The tour runs 3 hours total, including a 10-minute break at Café du Monde in City Park.

What's included with the bike tour, and what do I need to bring?

The tour includes a professional guide, bicycle, helmet and bottled water. You need to wear closed-toed shoes (sandals with heel straps work, but flip-flops are not allowed), and you should dress for the weather.

Is this bike tour suitable for teenagers or younger riders?

The minimum age is 13, and all riders must be at least 4'11" tall. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy or poor cardiovascular health, and participants should have a high level of physical fitness.

What makes Congo Square significant on this New Orleans tour?

Congo Square is where the origins of jazz took root in the city. The guide explains its sacred place in New Orleans culture as part of the tour's final stretch before returning to the shop.