New Orleans French Quarter: Voodoo History & Jackson Square Walking Tour

Marie Laveau's House & the Voodoo Stories Hidden in New Orleans' Streets

You walk through Congo Square and Marie Laveau's neighborhood, past Bourbon Street and Preservation Hall, ending at Jackson Square. The guide, a Master Storyteller, connects voodoo history, the slave trade, music traditions, and Louisiana politics across 105 minutes, leaving you able to navigate and understand the Quarter on your own. All fees and taxes are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Congo Square10m
2. Bourbon Streetpass by
3. Preservation Hall10m
4. Court of Two Sisters15m
5. Voodoo Authentica15m
6. Jackson Square15m

Explore French Quarter and Voodoo history

• Visit Congo Square and learn voodoo history
• See Marie Laveau's former residence
• Walk along Bourbon Street and hear its history
• Visit Preservation Hall and learn music traditions
• See State Supreme Court building and political stories
• Explore Voodoo Authentica cultural center
• Visit Jackson Square and surrounding historic sites

The experience

The drum sounds first. You hear it before you see Congo Square, where enslaved people once gathered on Sundays to trade, sing, and hold onto pieces of home. That's where the walking tour starts, with your guide laying out the real history of voodoo in New Orleans, not the Hollywood version. The slave trade, the indigenous peoples who were here first, the way African spirituality mixed with Catholicism and survival. It all happened in these blocks, and it shaped everything that came after.

From Congo Square you move through the French Quarter itself, stopping at Marie Laveau's former home on Bourbon Street. She wasn't just the infamous Voodoo Priestess people whisper about. She ran a safe house there, sheltering orphans and Choctaw vendors when the city had nowhere else for them. The guide walks you past the Old French Opera House too, explaining why Bourbon Street became what it is and why locals have such a complicated relationship with its reputation. After 105 minutes of walking, you'll know the Quarter's layout well enough to navigate it on your own for the rest of your trip, which is the whole point.

You also stop at Preservation Hall, one of America's most respected music venues, where the guide explains the musicians and the work being done to protect New Orleans' actual jazz traditions. Then there's the State Supreme Court building at the Court of Two Sisters, where you hear about Louisiana politicians like Huey P. Long and the landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson. Jackson Square closes the tour: the cathedral, the Cabildo, street artists, musicians, tarot readers, the layers of history stacked so thick you can almost feel it. The guide is a Master Storyteller, which means the facts land differently. They stick because they're told like they matter, which they do.

What’s included

Your tour includes 105 minutes of narration by a Master Storyteller, visits to Congo Square, Marie Laveau's former home, Bourbon Street, Preservation Hall, the Court of Two Sisters, Voodoo Authentica, and Jackson Square. All fees and taxes are covered, no hidden charges.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:00

AgesAdult (18 to 62 years) · Senior (63 and older) · Youth (8 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.Operator's directions: “Enter from the Orleans street side of the building and you will see our ticket office - it says TICKETS in neon above our window”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h 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 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by French Quarter Phantoms

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand the French Quarter's layout and history before exploring it alone, and you'd rather not piece together voodoo, music, and Louisiana politics from a dozen different sources. The Master Storyteller format is what makes the facts land.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 17 years); Child (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.

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 24h before the start.

How long is the New Orleans French Quarter walking tour?

105 minutes. The pace is suitable for all fitness levels.

What is included in the tour?

Narration by a Master Storyteller, all fees and taxes. No additional charges.

Do we visit Marie Laveau's home?

Yes. You see the site of her former residence on Bourbon Street, where she ran a safe house.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces in the French Quarter portion are wheelchair accessible, and infants can ride in a stroller.

What neighborhoods or streets are covered?

Congo Square, Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, and the surrounding French Quarter. You also pass Preservation Hall and the Court of Two Sisters.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are welcome on the tour.

Is there public transportation nearby?

Yes. Public transportation options are available near the French Quarter.