New Orleans Street Art Tour: Bywater & Murals with Artist Meet

Beyond the French Quarter: Where New Orleans Street Artists Actually Paint

You walk through Bywater, St. Roch, and Faubourg Marigny with a guide who knows the local artists and the history behind the work. You get a break at St. Roch Market with access to food and drinks, see Laurel True's mosaics and work by the city's best-known street artists, and finish at a Banksy piece on the French Quarter's edge. You leave with artist contact information so you can follow up on work that interests you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Runyon Canyon Park45m
2. Faubourg Marigny45m
3. French Quarter20m

Explore New Orleans street art districts

• Meet at St. Coffee on St. Claude
• Walk through 9th, 8th, and 7th Wards
• Learn local art history in St. Roch District
• Take break at St. Roch Market
• View mosaic art by Laurel True
• Visit murals in Faubourg Marigny
• See Banksy's artwork in French Quarter

The experience

You probably think New Orleans street art means the French Quarter, right? That's what most visitors assume. But the real work (the pieces that matter to the people who live here) happens in the Bywater Historic District, across the 9th, 8th, and 7th Wards, where the tour actually starts at St. Claude Coffee before heading into neighborhoods most guidebooks don't mention. Your guide walks you through the blocks where local and traveling artists work in different mediums, and you get introduced to the people behind the pieces instead of just photographing them from the sidewalk.

The route moves through St. Roch Historic District next, where you'll stop at the 149-year-old St. Roch Market (a real neighborhood gathering spot, not a tourist trap) to grab gourmet snacks, a drink (craft cocktails, beer, wine, or cold water), and catch your breath. From there it's into Faubourg Marigny, where you'll see the shimmering mosaic work by international artist Laurel True and walk a stretch of road that holds more than two dozen public artworks. The guide talks through the local art history and what each piece actually means to the community, which changes how you see it. Then you loop back toward the French Quarter's edge to find one of Banksy's remaining works in New Orleans and hear about how it landed and what it did to the neighborhood when it appeared.

The whole thing takes a few hours of walking. Nothing strenuous, and the tour is wheelchair accessible if you need it. You leave with artist information afterward, so if you see something that sticks with you, you can follow up. It's the kind of tour where you end up understanding why people actually care about what's painted on these walls, instead of just collecting photos of colorful buildings.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a guided walk through Bywater, St.
• Roch Historic District, and Faubourg Marigny with stops at street art installations and murals by local and international artists.
• You get a break at St.
• Roch Market with access to gourmet snacks, craft cocktails, beer, wine, and cold water.
• The tour covers Laurel True's mosaic work, pieces by well-known New Orleans street artists, and a Banksy artwork on the French Quarter's edge.
• You leave with post-tour artist information so you can follow up on work that interests you.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except WednesdayDepartures at 10:00 and 15:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years): free

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish

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

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by NOLA Art Walk

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see where New Orleans street artists actually work instead of the tourist version of the French Quarter, and you'd rather have someone explain what you're looking at than figure it out alone.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): 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 24 h before the start.

Where does the tour start and how long does it take?

It starts at St. Claude Coffee in the morning and covers the 9th, 8th, and 7th Wards through Bywater, St. Roch, and Faubourg Marigny. Plan for a few hours of walking.

Is there a break during the tour?

Yes. You stop at St. Roch Market, a 149-year-old neighborhood spot, where you can buy gourmet snacks, craft cocktails, beer, wine, or cold water, and use clean bathrooms.

Will I meet any artists on the tour?

You're introduced to local and traveling artists as you walk through the neighborhoods. After the tour, you receive artist information so you can follow up if you want.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It's a walk through neighborhoods at a relaxed pace with a break built in.

Will we see Banksy's work?

Yes. The tour ends at one of Banksy's remaining works in New Orleans, on the edge of the French Quarter, and the guide discusses its impact on the community.

Is this tour different from other New Orleans art tours?

This is the first and only tour in New Orleans created specifically for street art and graffiti. It focuses on contemporary work in neighborhoods outside the French Quarter, not historical architecture or gallery art.

What should I bring?

Bring water, comfortable walking shoes, and a camera if you want to photograph the art. The tour includes a stop where you can buy drinks and snacks.