Best New Orleans Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours
If you go to the city of New Orleans, the tourist bus is your best ally when moving between the different neighbourhoods and attractions. Today I'll explain everything you need to know about the different alternatives available.
Tourist Buses | ©Ali Eminov
New Orleans is one of those cities that every traveller should explore at least once in a lifetime; it has a unique atmosphere that is hard to find in any other destination. Whether you visit for its renowned restaurants, its vibrant music scene or for its deep-rooted beliefs and traditions, New Orleans has a unique atmosphere that is hard to find in any other destination. New Orleans abounds with things to see, do and enjoy.
When planning your tours of the city, consider the tour bus options below. As with any major tourist-focused city, the options are varied and interesting so that every style of traveller can choose the one that best suits their needs.
1. The most complete option: the New Orleans Hop-on-Hop-off.
New Orleans City Sightseeing is a bus with pre-designed routes and free stops in the vicinity of all the major tourist attractions; including churches, museums and New Orleans' iconic cemeteries.
It is therefore the best way to get around the city, especially if you are visiting New Orleans for the first time and want to get a quick overview of your surroundings.
How New Orleans City Sightseeing works
The popular red double-decker bus operates in the city of New Orleans in much the same way as it does in other major cities in North America and Europe. You'll need to book your pass for the number of days you require, minimum 1 day and maximum 3 days; I recommend booking online a few days before your trip so you'll have everything organised before you arrive in the city.
- 1-day ticket: Approximately €38 for adults and €10 for children. Valid for 24 hours from activation.
- 2-day ticket: Approximately €47 adult ticket and €15 children's ticket. Valid for 48 hours from activation.
- 3-day ticket: Approximately €57 adult ticket and €19 child ticket. Valid for 72 hours from activation.
Timetable and tour duration
Timetable: This bus service operates every day of the week from 09:30 in the morning until 05:30. A new bus runs between each of the stops on the route in a space of about 30 minutes each.
If you buy your tickets for the tourist bus, take into consideration that the buses run all the stops in the first 30 minutes of the morning, i.e. between 9:30am and 10:00am. But for the afternoon I recommend that if you want to do the whole route you take the service at 4:00h at the latest.
Duration: The New Orleans Hop-on-Hop-off sightseeing bus route takes 1 hour 30 minutes to complete. During the tour you are assisted by a narrated audio guide who explains the highlights of the route; you can get off at as many stops as you wish and get back on the bus as long as your pass is valid and active.
Tour routes and stops.
New Orleans City Sightseeing is the most comprehensive resource for attracting more tourists as its route explores New Orleans' most famous neighbourhoods including the French Quarter, the Arts District, the Garden District, Treme, Marigny and more.
The designed route has a total of 19 stops scattered among these important locations. Below is the list of stops in the order established by the company.
- Stop 1: Jackson Square
- Stop 2: French Market
- Stop 3: Faubourgs Marigny & Bywater, Frenchmen Street Music Clubs
- Stop 4: Treme
- Stop 5: Basin St. Station Visitor Information Center / Great Car Park
- Stop 6: Canal Street
- Stop 7: Riverfront at Harrah's Casino
- Stop 8: CBD Poydras Street
- Stop 9: Louisiana Superdome - Hyatt Regency
- Stop 10: The National WWII Museum
- Stop 11: Magazine Street Shopping & Eateries
- Stop 12: Garden District
- Stop 13: Magazine Street Shopping & Eateries
- Stop 14: St. Charles Avenue & Streetcars
- Stop 16: Convention Center & Mardi Gras World
- Stop 17: Arts District
- Stop 18: Harrah's Casino on S. Peters Street
- Stop 19: Canal Place
2. Cajun Encounters Sightseeing Bus
Cajun Encounters is a local company with tours designed to showcase the rich history and cultural diversity of the city of New Orleans. The company offers visitors two historic tours which are explained below.
The City Bus Tour
The City Bus Tour is the traditional sightseeing tour that runs throughthe city's most famous neighbourhoods including the French Quarter, the Garden District and more. This option doesn't have any free stops but does have a live, personal guide who is ready to answer any of your questions.
Stops prearranged by the guide include: a quick walk through St. Louis Cemetery no.3 and a stop for an aperitif at the famous Café du Monde in City Park.
Attractions on the tour include the World War II Museum, City Park, the Aquarium, French Street and of course St. Louis Cemetery.
USEFUL INFORMATION
- Duration of tour: You will need to set aside about 2 hours of your itinerary for this experience.
- Timetable: The company offers three daily tours in this format. The first at 08:30h, the second at 11:15h and the last at 14:30h.
- Price: Approximately €52 per adult and €36 per adult ticket.
Ghost Bus Tour
The Ghost Bus Tour is a night tour of New Orleans, designed for those who want to see the dark side of New Orleans. A city famous for its connection to the paranormal and the horrific tragedies that tarnish its past.
From cemeteries to haunted houses, get ready for a spooky night filled with stories of ghosts, witches, vampires and lots of voodoo!
USEFUL INFORMATION
- Tour Duration: You will need to set aside about 2 hours of your itinerary for this experience.
- Timetable: The company offers this tour at two different times. The first at 18:30h and the last at 21:00h.
- Price: Approximately €52 per adult and €36 per adult ticket.
3. Louisiana Tour Company Tour Bus
Louisiana Tour Company is another local company that offers numerous sightseeing experiences in the city of New Orleans. These include a tour of the city's highlights aboard a tour bus.
You'll travel around the city aboard an air-conditioned bus, which is a welcome sight if you're visiting New Orleans in the summer when the temperature gets very hot. Highlights you can expect to see on the tour include: the areas devastated by Katrina, the St. Louis Cathedral, the Old City Hall, the City Hall and many more.
Facilities include the accompaniment of an expert guide who explains to travellers each of the important monuments or historical sites you will see along the route. The company also includes a tour of the downtown area where most of the city's hotels are located.
Useful information.
- Duration of tour: You will need to set aside about 3 hours of your itinerary to do the full tour.
- Timetable: Varies depending on availability.
- Price: Approximately €52 per adult ticket.
4. Advantages and disadvantages of tour buses
Hiring the services of a tour bus is one of the best alternatives for first-time visitors to the city, as they stop at the most important sights and you don't need to worry about finding transportation options.
It's especially useful if you're visiting the city for a short trip, for example if you only have 3 days or less to see New Orleans, as the buses include a tour guide (either in the form of an expert guide or a recording) designed to explain to travellers the different sites or attractions you'll see along the way.
Guides included as an additional, free-of-charge service are usually offered in several languages. An English-language guide makes it much easier to understand the urban environment and the history of the city, if you do not have a very good command of English.
Additionally, the tour bus is a great option for travellers who may have mobility issues, for example if you are travelling to New Orleans with children the walking distance is considerably reduced.
It is also a fabulous alternative for those visiting the city in the colder, rainy months of winter in New Orleans.
5. Tips for visiting the city on a sightseeing bus
As you've probably noticed, a city sightseeing bus pass will save you hours of planning and effort. However, if you want to have the best experience during your trip, pay attention to the following tips.
Pay attention to the schedule
If you plan to enjoy the nightlife of New Orleans, which I highly recommend, be aware that the tour buses do not operate at night and you will most likely need to arrange your own transportation back to your hotel.
Some experiences in the city, such as the New Orleans ghost tours, may include a ride in a ghost vehicle, but most tours are actually walking tours of the French Quarter so transportation is not included in the price.
Organise your itinerary if you want to get the most out of your investment.
A two-day tour bus ticket can cost around €50 per traveller, which is a considerable monetary investment; consequently you should organise your travel itinerary to get the most out of it.
I recommend focusing part of your trip on activities such as guided tours of New Orleans (you'll find a lot around the city) and then dedicating 1 or 2 days to visiting the most emblematic attractions, at which point the bus services will be used to their full potential.
A 2-day pass is usually enough.
While it's true that this point depends a lot on your travel itinerary, it's also true that a two-day sightseeing pass is usually enough for most travellers.
If you're a traveller with the time and budget to organise numerous adventures, I recommend a full-day visit to the Plantations from New Orleans. In my experience it's one of the best things to do in the city.
Take advantage of the staff to ask for directions.
Whether you use the Hop-On Hop-Off or other similar services, the staff who operate these services are usually very friendly and helpful.
Looking for directions to places to eat in New Orleans, where to find a bar or a small art gallery, don't hesitate to ask! An additional tip for sampling the best of the local food is to take afood tourof New Orleans with an expert guide.