Bus Tours

Bus tours are a major way to see New Orleans, with 117 options making up 17% of all tours in the city. These tours range from quick city highlights to full-day adventures that combine plantations and swamps, all with live guides and air-conditioned coaches.

Travelers book bus tours to cover more ground than walking allows, often combining city history with stops at cemeteries, parks, or the bayou. With 94% of tours rated 4 stars or higher, most visitors find them a reliable way to get oriented and see the city’s main sights.

Bus tours are more expensive than most New Orleans activities, with a median starting price of $125 compared to $63 for the city’s overall median. While only 3 tours come in under $30, there are 21 between $30 and $60, and a third of the category sits between $60 and $120. The top end—41 tours—runs over $250, usually for all-day or private experiences.

Despite the higher prices, bus tours remain popular: the most-reviewed has over 5,200 ratings, and several others draw thousands of reviews. For travelers who want to see more than just the French Quarter, these tours offer a way to reach neighborhoods, cemeteries, and even outlying plantations and swamps in one trip.

Compared to walking or food tours, which cluster around $63, bus tours are a bigger investment but cover much more ground and often include transportation to otherwise hard-to-reach sites.

For travelers on a budget, city overview tours and ghost bus tours start from $30–$59. These usually last 2–3 hours and include live commentary, stops at cemeteries or parks, and sometimes hotel pickup. The New Orleans City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour is the most flexible, letting you explore at your own pace for $51, though reviewers note that wait times and route coverage can be inconsistent compared to similar services in other cities.

If you want a deeper dive, tours in the $60–$120 range often add more stops, longer durations, or combine city highlights with cemetery visits and food breaks. These mid-range options, like the New Orleans Sightseeing City Tour, consistently earn ratings above 4.7 stars, with travelers praising knowledgeable guides and well-paced itineraries. For those interested in history, the New Orleans City Tour: French Quarter, Garden District & Cemetery stands out for its coverage and high satisfaction among family groups.

Full-day experiences above $100, such as the Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour, bundle transportation, guided visits, and multiple attractions. These are best for visitors who want to see both the city and its surroundings in one go. However, reviews note that lunch breaks may be short or skipped, so plan accordingly.

Most complaints in this category come from issues with guides’ behavior, lack of access to advertised cemeteries, or operational hiccups like unclear pickup locations or bus maintenance. For example, some ghost and cemetery tours have disappointed guests when cemeteries were closed or only viewed from outside, and several city tours received negative feedback about rude guides or missed pickups. These issues are not widespread—only 6% of bus tours are rated below 4 stars—but are worth noting when choosing among operators.