New Orleans City Tour: History, Architecture & Stories

Glen Henley drives the same route for every group, but the stories change based on what you want to know.

A private New Orleans city tour in a luxury Lincoln Navigator SUV with Glen Henley, the owner-operator since 2016, covering the French Quarter, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, Bayou St. John, Lake Pontchartrain, the Garden District and more over 4 to 5 hours. The tour is custom-paced and designed around your group's interests (history, architecture, food, local culture, Hurricane Katrina's impact) with several photo stops and usually a lunch break (at your expense). Transportation, an experienced English-speaking guide, and room for up to six adults with luggage are included. Minimal walking is required, and mobility aids can be arranged.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Jackson Square15m · entry included
2. St. Louis Cemetery No. 320m · entry included
3. Garden District15m · entry included

Custom-paced New Orleans city tour

• Stop and observe the River
• Drive through French Quarter
• Discuss Saint Louis Cathedral and Cafe Du Monde
• Drive along French Quarter and Treme neighborhoods
• Walk through St. Louis Cemetery No. 3
• Drive through City Park
• Drive along Bayou St. John
• Drive along Lake Pontchartrain
• Drive by largest marina and optional seafood stop
• Visit World Record pumping station and Katrina flood area
• Drive along Saint Charles Avenue and see universities
• Drive around Garden District
• Stop at World War 2 museum
• Drive back to hotel

The experience

You get picked up at your hotel and travel in a comfortable SUV with Glen, who has been guiding since 2012 and knows the city's layered history: colonial settlement, Creole culture, jazz, the Civil War, the 2005 hurricane and recovery. The route moves through the French Quarter and Treme, stops at Jackson Square to discuss the cathedral and the Battle of New Orleans, and walks through St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, where the city has buried its citizens above ground for 200 years. You'll see why that matters when Glen explains the water table and the architecture of the tombs.

The second half takes you past 200-year-old live oak trees in City Park, along Bayou St. John where he defines what a bayou actually is and talks about Cajun history and Louisiana's wetlands, and then out to Lake Pontchartrain to see the world-record bridge and the pumping station that kept the city from drowning. You drive through neighborhoods that took 9 to 12 feet of floodwater during Katrina, then head uptown past the mansions on Saint Charles Avenue, Tulane and Loyola universities, and the Garden District. The tour usually includes a lunch stop (coffee and beignets, a restaurant, or ice cream), where you pay separately. Glen drops you back at your hotel after four or five hours.

The SUV fits six adults comfortably with luggage, and the pace is yours to set. If you want to linger at a cemetery or ask more about the Civil War, the tour adjusts. Wheelchairs and walkers can be accommodated, and the walking is minimal. Most of the day is spent in the vehicle or at stops where you can stand and listen.

What’s included

• Transportation in a luxury Lincoln Navigator SUV.
• Glen Henley as your private, English-speaking guide.
• several photo stops throughout the day.
• usually a lunch break (food and drinks at your expense).
• room for up to six adults with luggage.
• wheelchair or walker accommodation if needed in advance.

Options for this experience

3 options

4-hour private tour for 1 to 3 peopleUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English · 09:30Stop for lunch plus four other stops. Knowledgeable and entertaining guides. Duration: 4 hours. Food and drinks are at the guest's expense; lunch stop is usually included in the tour. Customizable tour covering all of New Orleans, showing and sharing stories about this unique and historic city. "We guarantee you will laugh and learn." Luxury customized van: a conversion van with an extended roof that comfortably seats 6 adults. Pickup is included.

5-hour private tour for 4 to 6 peopleUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English · 09:305-hour private tour for up to 6 people: lunch stop is included, while food and drinks are at the guest's expense. All-inclusive tour of New Orleans, luxurious and very comfortable. Duration: 5 hours. Includes a lunch stop, with an optional stop for drinks at the guest's expense. Covers the entire city of New Orleans. Luxury conversion van. Pickup is included.

Two plantations along the riverUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00Two plantations along the river: a 6-hour tour in total, covering transport and visits to 2 plantations. Food, drinks and plantation admission are not included in the price. Private tour: travel to the plantations and learn about wetlands, history, cultures, slavery and more. Duration: 6 hours in total, including transportation to and from the plantations. Food, drinks and admission are not included in the tour price. Along the river, out of NOLA, in a customized van. Tickets are not included in the price. 6 hours total, including transport, 2 plantations and information. Tickets and food or drinks are not included in the tour price. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 09:30

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Henley's Private Tours - Guest say "Best New Orleans Private Tour"

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in New Orleans for the first time and want someone who knows the city's full story, not just the French Quarter highlights, but the bayous, the lake, the neighborhoods that flooded, and the wealth and history that shaped them. The custom pace means you're not rushed through stops, and Glen adjusts what he emphasizes based on what your group actually wants to hear about.

Traveler reviews

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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 is St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 and why do you stop there?

St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 is one of the most iconic cemeteries in the world, where New Orleans has buried its citizens above ground for the past 200 years. You walk through it and learn how the city's unique water table and soil made above-ground tombs necessary and shaped the architecture you see.

How long does the tour take and what neighborhoods does it cover?

The tour runs 4 to 5 hours and covers the French Quarter, Treme, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, City Park, Bayou St. John, Lake Pontchartrain, the uptown area with Saint Charles Avenue, and the Garden District. Most travel is by SUV. Walking is minimal.

Is food included, and where do you eat?

The tour usually includes a lunch stop for coffee, beignets, a restaurant meal, or ice cream, but all food and drinks are at your expense. Glen can suggest places or adjust the stop based on your preferences.

Can I customize the tour based on what interests me?

Yes. The tour is custom-paced and designed around your group's specific needs and interests, whether that's history, architecture, food, local culture, or the lasting impact of Hurricane Katrina. Glen adjusts the depth and focus as you go.

What if I have mobility issues or need a wheelchair?

Wheelchairs and walkers can be accommodated on the tour, and minimal walking is required since most of the day is spent in the SUV. Let Glen know when you book so he can arrange what you need.

Who is Glen Henley and how experienced is he?

Glen Henley is the owner and operator of Henley's Private Tours, a licensed tour guide since 2012 who started the company in 2016. The tour company has over 250 five-star reviews.