Dark History Tour New Orleans: Unsolved Murders & Disasters

The stories that made New Orleans, told by someone who lived through them

A two-hour walking tour through New Orleans' French Quarter led by a certified English-speaking guide who lived in the city before Katrina, focusing on the unsolved murders, disasters, and legends that define the city's character. The guide is licensed pre-Katrina and a decades-long resident: the only company in the city featuring guides with this depth of local knowledge and firsthand experience.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. St. Louis Cathedral8m
2. Runyon Canyon Parkpassing by
3. Jackson Square8m

Explore New Orleans dark history

• Walk through Old French Quarter
• Visit St. Louis Cathedral
• Stop at oldest tavern for break
• See French period residence
• Pass by City Hall
• Visit Jackson Square

The experience

This tour moves through the oldest streets of the French Quarter on foot, stopping at landmarks most visitors never connect to the dark stories beneath them. You'll stand at Jackson Square (a place of absolute horror beneath its lovely design), and at the St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest in the United States, where the history runs deep and unsettling. The guide walks you past the oldest tavern in the city, one of the only French buildings still standing from the colonial period, and the former City Hall where Spanish and American rule left their marks. Every stop has a story the city council would prefer stayed buried.

The two-hour length means you move at a pace that lets the guide develop each story without rushing, and you finish with time left in your day for lunch or another neighborhood. The guide is a certified English speaker and a resident for decades, not someone reading from a script. These are the stories of people who lived through the city's worst moments and know the streets where they happened. Children from age one are welcome, and the entire route is wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Certified English-speaking guide.
• two-hour walking tour through the French Quarter.
• stops at Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest tavern in the city, and other historic sites tied to New Orleans' unsolved murders and disasters.

Information

Lasts 2h, runs Friday and Saturday at 17:00, from US$ 30 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDeparts at 17:00Another day? ›

GroupUp to 28

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 90 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Jonathan Weiss Tours

Is this one for you?Two hours is short enough to fit into a morning or afternoon without eating your whole day, but long enough for the guide to tell the stories fully: ideal if you want the dark history without committing to a full-day itinerary.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

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 kind of stories does the guide tell on this tour?

The tour focuses on unsolved murders, great disasters, restless spirits, and old legends: the dark history that shaped New Orleans and its people. All of it actually happened. The guide draws from real events and the city's documented past, not invented tales.

Is the St. Louis Cathedral included on this walking tour?

Yes, the St. Louis Cathedral (the oldest cathedral in the United States) is one of the main stops. You'll visit it as part of the French Quarter walk and hear its history from the guide.

How long does the tour take, and will I have time for other activities afterward?

The tour runs two hours, leaving you the rest of your day for meals, museums, or exploring other neighborhoods at your own pace.

Who leads this tour, and what makes the guides different from other tour companies?

The tour is led by certified English-speaking guides who were licensed before Hurricane Katrina and have lived in New Orleans for decades. This company is the only one in the city featuring guides with this pre-Katrina licensing and residency, giving them firsthand knowledge of the city's history and neighborhoods.

What's included in the tour price?

The walking tour and a certified English-speaking guide are included. You walk the French Quarter on foot, stopping at the major sites where the dark history unfolded.