New Orleans Cocktail Walking Tour: French Quarter Drinks

The Sazerac, the green fairy, and the apothecary's bitters: three drinks that shaped a city.

A guided cocktail walking tour through New Orleans' French Quarter that stops at three iconic bars to taste classic drinks and hear the history behind each one. The tour departs from the Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office on the Mississippi River, lasts around two hours, and includes a local guide, three cocktails with tax and gratuity, and access to historic courtyards and colonial-era buildings. Minimum age is 21. A VIP upgrade option adds a fourth drink and ends with live jazz at Fritzel's.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Runyon Canyon Park2h
2. St. Louis Cathedral

Explore New Orleans French Quarter and cocktails

• Start at Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office
• Walk historic French Quarter streets
• Visit Court of Two Sisters’ Carriageway Bar
• See pirate hangout near St. Louis Cathedral
• Learn about Peychaud’s Bitters residence
• Optional jazz at Fritzel's jazz pub

The experience

The tour starts at the Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office right on the Mississippi River, where your guide meets your group: capped at a size that keeps the pace manageable through narrow French Quarter streets. You'll walk cobblestone alleys past wrought-iron gates and Spanish Colonial facades, stopping at three establishments that each hold a piece of New Orleans cocktail history. The first stop is the Court of Two Sisters' Carriageway Bar, a restaurant that's stood on the same block since 1726, now famous for its jazz brunch and a 130-year-old wisteria vine that canopies the courtyard.

At the second stop, near the shadows of St. Louis Cathedral, you'll meet Absinthe: the "green fairy" herbal elixir that once fueled the creativity of authors, artists and musicians in a legendary pirate hangout tucked into the intersection of two cobblestone alleys. The third stop takes you to the former residence of Antoine Peychaud, the Creole apothecary whose herbal bitters became the key ingredient in the Sazerac, America's first cocktail and New Orleans' official drink. Your guide reveals the story of the Sazerac itself, which dates back to 1850. Each stop includes a classic cocktail. If you don't finish your drink, you can ask for a to-go cup: a New Orleans custom the tour encourages you to use.

The standard tour wraps after two hours. If you book the VIP upgrade, you'll add a fourth cocktail and the experience ends at Fritzel's, a jazz pub that draws aficionados from around the world for live performances. You're welcome to stay for the show or walk to one of the many restaurants nearby. The tour is wheelchair accessible, though some historic venues have limited access. Your guide can arrange alternatives at the start if needed. Public transportation stops are nearby, and most downtown hotels are a short walk away.

What’s included

• Three classic cocktails with tax and gratuity included.
• a guided walking tour led by a local expert.
• access to three iconic French Quarter bars and historic courtyards.
• the stories behind the Sazerac, Absinthe, and Peychaud's Bitters.
• a VIP upgrade option that adds a fourth cocktail and live jazz at Fritzel's.

Options for this experience

2 options

4:00pm TourGuide in English · 16:00This option includes one full cocktail, and you can buy additional drinks during the tour. Not included: the Fritzel's stop. Duration: 2 hours.

Upgraded tour at 4:00 pmGuide in English · 16:00This option comes with three full craft cocktails plus an extra 30-minute stop at Fritzel's European Jazz Pub, where live music is performed. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 2h–2h 30m, runs every day at 16:00, from US$ 28 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 16:00Another time? ›

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 to1h before

AgesAdult (21 and older) · Under 21: 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 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 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearby

Operated by Gray Line New Orleans

Is this one for you?Book the standard 4:00pm tour if you want the core history and three signature drinks in a two-hour window that fits a typical evening. Choose the VIP upgrade if you have time for a fourth cocktail and want to end the night with live jazz. It's the option that turns the tour into a full French Quarter evening.

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Top questions

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's the story behind the Sazerac, and where do I drink it on this tour?

The Sazerac dates back to 1850 and is America's first cocktail and New Orleans' official drink. Your guide tells its full history at Antoine Peychaud's former residence, the third stop on the tour, where you'll taste it as one of your included cocktails.

How many cocktails do I get, and what's the difference between the standard tour and the VIP upgrade?

The standard 4:00pm tour includes three classic cocktails at three historic bars. The VIP upgrade adds a fourth cocktail and ends with live jazz at Fritzel's, a jazz pub in the French Quarter where you can stay for the show or head to dinner afterward.

What is the Court of Two Sisters, and why is it a stop on this tour?

The Court of Two Sisters is a restaurant on a block that's been active since 1726, now world-famous for its jazz brunch and a 130-year-old wisteria vine that shades the courtyard. It's a stop because its Carriageway Bar holds significant history in New Orleans' cocktail culture.

Do I need to be able to walk long distances, and are there accessibility options?

The tour covers the French Quarter on foot over about two hours, so you'll be walking cobblestone streets and alleys. It's suitable for all fitness levels. Some historic venues have limited wheelchair access, but your guide can arrange alternatives at the start of the tour if needed.

Can I bring my drink outside the bars, or do I have to finish it inside?

You can ask for a to-go cup if you don't finish your drink. It's a New Orleans tradition the tour encourages. This lets you sip your cocktail as you walk between stops and hear the stories behind each one.

What time does the tour start, and where do I meet my guide?

The tour departs at 4:00pm from the Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office on the Mississippi River in the French Quarter. Most downtown hotels are a short walk away. Public transportation stops are also nearby.