New Orleans Cocktail Walking Tour: French Quarter Drinks

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1/17

Duration2h–2h 30m

GroupUp to 28

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

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.

2h–2h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

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.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair 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.