The French Quarter Literary History Tour
“Times are not good here. The city is crumbling into ashes. It has been buried under taxes and frauds and maladministrations so that it has become a study for archaeologists...but it is better to live here in sackcloth and ashes than to own the whole state of Ohio.” -Lafcadio Hearn.
Mondays and Saturdays at 10:00am, or private tour $200, up to six guests.
Departure Location: Lobby of the Hotel Monteleone Please tip your tour guide accordingly.
Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society shares in the proceeds. http://www.wordsandmusic.org/
The Hotel Monteleone, one of several accredited Literary Landmarks in the Vieux Carre, is our departure point. The tour meanders past others such as the Napoleon House, the Upper Pontalba, the Faulkner House, the Williams House and the Beauregard-Keyes Mansion, ending at Antoine's Restaurant two hours later.
You might be surprised at what you learn!
Highlights such as:
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer's! Private tours can start at your hotel and are tailored to your interests. A Bicycle option is available.
“Times are not good here. The city is crumbling into ashes. It has been buried under taxes and frauds and maladministrations so that it has become a study for archaeologists...but it is better to live here in sackcloth and ashes than to own the whole state of Ohio.” -Lafcadio Hearn.
Mondays and Saturdays at 10:00am, or private tour $200, up to six guests.
Departure Location: Lobby of the Hotel Monteleone Please tip your tour guide accordingly.
Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society shares in the proceeds. http://www.wordsandmusic.org/
The Hotel Monteleone, one of several accredited Literary Landmarks in the Vieux Carre, is our departure point. The tour meanders past others such as the Napoleon House, the Upper Pontalba, the Faulkner House, the Williams House and the Beauregard-Keyes Mansion, ending at Antoine's Restaurant two hours later.
You might be surprised at what you learn!
Highlights such as:
- The Hotel Monteleone, renown, credentialed Literary Landmark and pied-a-Terre for virtually every Southern writer.
- The Pontalba Apartments residence of Sherwood Anderson and site of his famous literary salons that included such luminaire as Gertrude Stein and Lyle Saxon.
- The Faulkner House on romantic Pirates Alley across from the St. Louis Cathedral's magnificently landscaped St. Anthony's gardens.
- The residences of Truman Capote in the lovely rue Royale and that of Tennessee Williams in the Avenue Orleans.
- Antoine's Restaurant, one of the world's oldest and finest family-owned restaurants, setting for many famous plays, short stories and novels.
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer's! Private tours can start at your hotel and are tailored to your interests. A Bicycle option is available.
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Private Tour
When Empires Collide: Creoles, Americans, Pirates,
and the War of 1812, a Louisiana History Tour.
"When the smoke had cleared away and we could obtain a fair view of the field, it looked, at the first glance, like a sea of blood. It was not blood itself which gave it this appearance but the red coats in which the British soldiers were dressed. Straight out before our position, for about the width of space which we supposed had been occupied by the British column, the field was entirely covered with prostrate bodies. In some places they were laying in piles of several, one on the top of the other."-from The Louisiana Historical Quarterly, Vol. IX, No. 1, January 1926.
Thursdays and Fridays at 10:00am, or private tour $250 up to six guests.
Departure Location: Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel.
Fare: $30. Photograph credit Roy Guste.
This 2-hour Louisiana History walking tour of the French Quarter. (The St. Louis I Cemetery is included in our Private Tour $250 Archdiocean Cemetery surcharge included, up to six guests) commemorates the 200th Anniversary of The Battle of New Orleans in 2015 and covers the transition from a European province to a proud state. The tour ends at the Hermes Bar at Antoine's http://www.antoines.com/
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer's.
Private tours are tailored to your interests and can start at your French Quarter hotel.
A portion of the proceeds of this tour is donated to The Historic New Orleans Collection.
Highlights:
When Empires Collide: Creoles, Americans, Pirates,
and the War of 1812, a Louisiana History Tour.
"When the smoke had cleared away and we could obtain a fair view of the field, it looked, at the first glance, like a sea of blood. It was not blood itself which gave it this appearance but the red coats in which the British soldiers were dressed. Straight out before our position, for about the width of space which we supposed had been occupied by the British column, the field was entirely covered with prostrate bodies. In some places they were laying in piles of several, one on the top of the other."-from The Louisiana Historical Quarterly, Vol. IX, No. 1, January 1926.
Thursdays and Fridays at 10:00am, or private tour $250 up to six guests.
Departure Location: Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel.
Fare: $30. Photograph credit Roy Guste.
This 2-hour Louisiana History walking tour of the French Quarter. (The St. Louis I Cemetery is included in our Private Tour $250 Archdiocean Cemetery surcharge included, up to six guests) commemorates the 200th Anniversary of The Battle of New Orleans in 2015 and covers the transition from a European province to a proud state. The tour ends at the Hermes Bar at Antoine's http://www.antoines.com/
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer's.
Private tours are tailored to your interests and can start at your French Quarter hotel.
A portion of the proceeds of this tour is donated to The Historic New Orleans Collection.
Highlights:
- Enter a Creole Townhouse, learn about the marvels of Placage, and it's very significant contributions to the World's music and food.
- Visit the French Mortuary Chapel built near the start of the American period to accommodate victims of the deadly "Yellow Jack". (Private Tour).
- Enjoy poignant and entertaining visits to the tombs of Jean Lafitte's associates and lover in the extraordinary St. Louis Cemetery 1, New Orleans oldest extant burial ground. (Private Tour).
- Observe and learn about the transitions architecturally, culturally, and politically that did (and did not) occur with the movement into the 19th century and statehood while inside the townhouse of one of Louisiana's most notorious families.
- Visit the magnificent 175-year old grande dame of Creole cooking and society, Antoine's Restaurant, a veritable microcosm of the history of New Orleans.
- Enter the site of 19th Century America’s largest slave market and learn about the nation’s domestic slave trade.
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Private Tour
The Twirl, a Gay Heritage and Drinks Tour
"Young, young man. Did anyone ever tell you you look like a young prince out of the Arabian Nights?"-B. Dubois
Saturdays at 3:00pm, or private tour $200, up to six guests. Departs Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel for the private tours. Fare: $30 per person or $200 per group. Please tip your guide accordingly. 2 hours.
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer’s, Virgin Atlantic, OutTraveler, and Curve, among many others.
"We are going on Glenn's tours! He has the real history and the best gossip!".
The History of Gay New Orleans, Cocktails Optional:
From Leaves of Grass to Interview with a Vampire, from Lee to Lee Harvey, Gertrude to Ellen; Billy and Bill, Truman and Rex; Tennessee, Cafe Lafitte in Exile, and Miss Dixie, New Orleans has much to boast of when it comes to la vie en rose! Bring a friend or meet someone. Ends at Good Friends, if we make it that far! www.goodfriendsbar.com
Highlights
"Young, young man. Did anyone ever tell you you look like a young prince out of the Arabian Nights?"-B. Dubois
Saturdays at 3:00pm, or private tour $200, up to six guests. Departs Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel for the private tours. Fare: $30 per person or $200 per group. Please tip your guide accordingly. 2 hours.
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer’s, Virgin Atlantic, OutTraveler, and Curve, among many others.
"We are going on Glenn's tours! He has the real history and the best gossip!".
The History of Gay New Orleans, Cocktails Optional:
From Leaves of Grass to Interview with a Vampire, from Lee to Lee Harvey, Gertrude to Ellen; Billy and Bill, Truman and Rex; Tennessee, Cafe Lafitte in Exile, and Miss Dixie, New Orleans has much to boast of when it comes to la vie en rose! Bring a friend or meet someone. Ends at Good Friends, if we make it that far! www.goodfriendsbar.com
Highlights
- Visit the homes of Tennessee Williams and other renown luminaries of the 20th century and find how why it wasn't just an accident that genius thrived in the Vieux Carre on the way to the lovely Hermes Bar and a special Cocktail du Jour created for you by a master bartender.
- Catch a ride on the Carousel in the beautiful Hotel Monteleone with the perfect Hemingway Daiquiri, one of their most famous drinks and one of our very favorites! It's pink, after all! Did you know that Liberace was a headliner there?
- The Napoleon House has been a favorite watering hole of the artists and writers of the fabulous French Quarter for many years. Our cocktail offering there is the Pimm's Cup, quite possibly the only bit of British tradition ever to take hold in this Latin-Caribbean city!
- Walk the very streets and visit the same hang-outs walked and frequented by Capote, Hellman, Rice, Stein, Faulkner, and so many others who have made la vie en rose a la Nouvelle Orleans renown throughout the world. Find out about Miss Dixie and her All-Girl Jazz Band, and so much more!
- We are your Gay-owned and operated tour provider.
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Private Tour
Sacred Grounds: The World That Made New Orleans
“The first thing you notice about New Orleans are the burying grounds - the cemeteries - and they're a cold proposition, one of the best things there are here. Going by, you try to be as quiet as possible, better to let them sleep. Greek, Roman, sepulchres- palatial mausoleums made to order, phantomesque, signs and symbols of hidden decay - ghosts of women and men who have sinned and who've died and are now living in tombs. The past doesn't pass away so quickly here. You could be dead for a long time."
-Bob Dylan
Available Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, 9:30. $30.
Departure Location: Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel.
Private Tour Fare: $250, includes Archdiocesan Cemetery Restoration fees, up to six guests.
Please tip your tour guide accordingly.
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer's.
New Orleans has survived plagues, invasion, hurricanes, and managed to develop into a culture whose roots go far deeper than the Reformation or the settling of Jamestown. But, like everyone else, we lost more than a few of our people along the way. It's how we coped (and continue to do so) that's so extraordinary. 2 hours. Ends at the Hermes Bar, Antoine's http://www.antoines.com/
Highlights:
Religion, Music, Enslavement-The tour originates in an authentic Creole Townhouse, visits the site of 19th Century America’s largest slave market to learn about the nation’s domestic slave trade.and visits architecturally-significant and culturally-relevant landmarks as the former Bank of Louisiana, the home of Paul Morphy, America's first Grand Master Chess Champion, and the Irish Cultural Center before leaving the Vieux Carre to explore the Mortuary Chapel, and beyond to the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.
Unveil the secrets of our burial practices and the various types of tombs that make our cemeteries unique in America within the sacred walls of the St. Louis Cemetery.
Learn the truth about Marie Laveau, Voodoo, and the mysteries of Congo Square before leaving the beautiful Armstrong Park, home to New Orleans Opera and countless musical festivals.
Return through the picturesque French Quarter past Gallier-designed townhouses to the charming Hermes Bar at Antoine's Restaurant, the perfect spot for a casual lunch and a refreshing drink.
Private tours are by appointment and subject to availability. The Cemetery is open from 9-3:30 daily and 9-Noon on Sunday.
A portion of proceeds of this tour is dedicated to tomb restoration.
“The first thing you notice about New Orleans are the burying grounds - the cemeteries - and they're a cold proposition, one of the best things there are here. Going by, you try to be as quiet as possible, better to let them sleep. Greek, Roman, sepulchres- palatial mausoleums made to order, phantomesque, signs and symbols of hidden decay - ghosts of women and men who have sinned and who've died and are now living in tombs. The past doesn't pass away so quickly here. You could be dead for a long time."
-Bob Dylan
Available Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, 9:30. $30.
Departure Location: Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel.
Private Tour Fare: $250, includes Archdiocesan Cemetery Restoration fees, up to six guests.
Please tip your tour guide accordingly.
Recommended Highest Rating, Exceptional by Frommer's.
New Orleans has survived plagues, invasion, hurricanes, and managed to develop into a culture whose roots go far deeper than the Reformation or the settling of Jamestown. But, like everyone else, we lost more than a few of our people along the way. It's how we coped (and continue to do so) that's so extraordinary. 2 hours. Ends at the Hermes Bar, Antoine's http://www.antoines.com/
Highlights:
Religion, Music, Enslavement-The tour originates in an authentic Creole Townhouse, visits the site of 19th Century America’s largest slave market to learn about the nation’s domestic slave trade.and visits architecturally-significant and culturally-relevant landmarks as the former Bank of Louisiana, the home of Paul Morphy, America's first Grand Master Chess Champion, and the Irish Cultural Center before leaving the Vieux Carre to explore the Mortuary Chapel, and beyond to the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.
Unveil the secrets of our burial practices and the various types of tombs that make our cemeteries unique in America within the sacred walls of the St. Louis Cemetery.
Learn the truth about Marie Laveau, Voodoo, and the mysteries of Congo Square before leaving the beautiful Armstrong Park, home to New Orleans Opera and countless musical festivals.
Return through the picturesque French Quarter past Gallier-designed townhouses to the charming Hermes Bar at Antoine's Restaurant, the perfect spot for a casual lunch and a refreshing drink.
Private tours are by appointment and subject to availability. The Cemetery is open from 9-3:30 daily and 9-Noon on Sunday.
A portion of proceeds of this tour is dedicated to tomb restoration.
Book Now
Buy a Gift
Private Tour
French Quarter Stroll History Tour
"The houses are massed in blocks; are austerely plain and dignified; uniform of pattern, with here and there a departure from it with pleasant effect; all are plastered on the outside, and nearly all have long, iron-railed verandas running along the several stories. The deep, warm, varicolored stain with which time and the weather have enriched the plaster. It harmonizes with all the surroundings, and has as natural a look of belonging there as has the flush upon sunset clouds." -Mark Twain.
Sundays at 10:00am. Private tour every evening Sunday through Friday at 4:00, or by appointment.
Recommended Highest Rating Exceptional by Frommer's.
Departure Location: Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel.
Fare $30 Please tip your tour guide accordingly.
A portion of the proceeds of this tour is dedicated to the preservation of the Vieux Carre.
This tour is a fun and casual walk through the Vieux Carre starting near Jackson Square, ending at Cafe Amelie. http://www.cafeamelie.com/
It provides a broad overview of the history and culture.2 hours. Private tours on your schedule $200, up to six guests.
Highlights:
"The houses are massed in blocks; are austerely plain and dignified; uniform of pattern, with here and there a departure from it with pleasant effect; all are plastered on the outside, and nearly all have long, iron-railed verandas running along the several stories. The deep, warm, varicolored stain with which time and the weather have enriched the plaster. It harmonizes with all the surroundings, and has as natural a look of belonging there as has the flush upon sunset clouds." -Mark Twain.
Sundays at 10:00am. Private tour every evening Sunday through Friday at 4:00, or by appointment.
Recommended Highest Rating Exceptional by Frommer's.
Departure Location: Antoine's Annex Cafe 513 Royal Street or your hotel.
Fare $30 Please tip your tour guide accordingly.
A portion of the proceeds of this tour is dedicated to the preservation of the Vieux Carre.
This tour is a fun and casual walk through the Vieux Carre starting near Jackson Square, ending at Cafe Amelie. http://www.cafeamelie.com/
It provides a broad overview of the history and culture.2 hours. Private tours on your schedule $200, up to six guests.
Highlights:
- Gather in the Courtyard of a gracious Creole Townhouse and learn of the mysteries of provincial life.
- Hear remarks on the influence of women while studying Spanish 18th century and fashionable 19th century architecture along storied Toulouse and Royal Streets.
- Hear of Napoleon, the garçonniere, and placage along the banquettes of the lovely rue Chartres all the way to Jackson Square, the Pontalba Apartments, and the stunningly beautiful St. Louis Cathedral.
- Slip down picturesque Pirates Alley to the homes of William Faulkner, Truman Capote, and Tennessee Williams, as well as the newly- landscaped St. Anthony's Garden, playground of a young Lillian Hellman.
- Enjoy an introduction to the Cabildo, the Presbytere, and Madame John's Legacy, as well as many other highlights such as the Beauregard-Keyes Mansion and the Ursuline Convent, New Orleans' oldest building, before culminating at the charming Cafe Amelie.
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Buy a Gift
Private Tour
