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New Orleans Cocktail History Walking Tour in the French Quarter
Recommended for your New Orleans trip
Free Cancellation
up to 24 hours in advance
3 hours (Approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Keeping you safe during COVID-19
What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
Overview
Indulge in New Orleans liquid culture on this insider cocktail tour of the historic French Quarter! With an expert guide and fellow drinks enthusiasts, journey beyond the hubbub of Bourbon Street and visit four historic local haunts for a sampling of iconic cocktails. At each legendary venue, admire the mixology of notable bartenders, discover the origins and truths of centuries‐old spirits such as absinthe, and sip on a Sazerac (or two).
- Cocktail tour in the French Quarter with expert local guide, from New Orleans
- Includes four cocktails on visits to four bars
- Savor a Sazerac in a former icehouse that once supplied ice to many New Orleans bars
- Visit the elegant bar at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, which was a convent in the 19th century
- Soak up the atmosphere at two of New Orleans’ establishments
- Learn why absinthe drinking was banned for decades in the US and Europe
- Hear fascinating and informative commentary on cocktail history in The Big Easy from your native guide
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Your night of cultured imbibing begins as evening arrives in the French Quarter. Head to Tiki Tolteca to meet your lively guide and start your tour with a cocktail in the restaurant’s intimate courtyard. Sip on a southern classic, such as a French 75 or a Mint Julep, as you get an intriguing introduction to New Orleans drinking culture. Pace yourself, as your tour includes four cocktails at four different venues – and more at your own expense.
Your second visit will be to SoBou, a local favorite that’s part of the acclaimed Commander’s Palace family. There, try one of two versions of the classic Sazerac, a recipe attributed to a Creole apothecary in the 19th Century – when cocktails constituted medicine! Then head Tujague’s, the oldest authentic Creole restaurant in New Orleans, serving loyal locals since 1856. Sample a sweet, minty Grasshopper – invented here! – or a French 75: brandy and Champagne with lemon and simple syrup.
Your final stop is at Bourbon “O” Jazz Bar to sample the obscure yet beloved Roffignac cocktail, a nod to the city’s last French‐born mayor. If you’re in need of some tasty nibbles, stay on (where you tour ends) or head to the hip Faubourg‐Marigny quarter nearby.
Along the way, learn fascinating histories including the controversy around absinthe, and the cocktail‐related tales of (unexpected) venues such as the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and Napoleon House.
Please note: Some bars have a dress code. Men are discouraged from wearing tank tops.
Your second visit will be to SoBou, a local favorite that’s part of the acclaimed Commander’s Palace family. There, try one of two versions of the classic Sazerac, a recipe attributed to a Creole apothecary in the 19th Century – when cocktails constituted medicine! Then head Tujague’s, the oldest authentic Creole restaurant in New Orleans, serving loyal locals since 1856. Sample a sweet, minty Grasshopper – invented here! – or a French 75: brandy and Champagne with lemon and simple syrup.
Your final stop is at Bourbon “O” Jazz Bar to sample the obscure yet beloved Roffignac cocktail, a nod to the city’s last French‐born mayor. If you’re in need of some tasty nibbles, stay on (where you tour ends) or head to the hip Faubourg‐Marigny quarter nearby.
Along the way, learn fascinating histories including the controversy around absinthe, and the cocktail‐related tales of (unexpected) venues such as the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and Napoleon House.
Please note: Some bars have a dress code. Men are discouraged from wearing tank tops.
Itinerary
Meet your guide upstairs at Tiki Tolteca, a hidden tiki-themed oasis, to start your tour. Your local guide presents a fun and fascinating introduction to New Orleans’ and the world's cocktail culture as you sip your first drink. The tour begins with a refreshing, rum-laced Mai Tai inspired by the English sailors working in the 1600's Indian spice trade.
Duration: 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Next, turn the corner to visit SoBou, where you sample the official cocktail of New Orleans: the Sazerac, a drink that comes from a 19th-century recipe. Additionally you will be served another pre-Civil War libation known as the Brandy Crusta: a potent concoction of brandy, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice and bitters.
Duration: 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Then step into Tujague’s, the oldest continuously operating stand-up bar in the United States. Serving food and drink since 1856, Tujague’s invented your next drink: the Grasshopper Cocktail from 1919. Sip one of the sweet, velvety Grasshoppers, or possibly try the French 75 cocktail, another pre-Prohibition drink featuring brandy, champagne, lemon juice and homemade simple syrup.
Duration: 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Then continue to your final destination of the tour: the luxurious Bourbon "O" Jazz Bar, located inside the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. Your beverage here is the little-known Roffignac highball cocktail. Made from a 19th-century recipe, the Bourbon "O" Bar makes their refreshing Roffignac with raspberry liqueur and brandy.
Expect to walk about one mile during your 3-hour tour in a friendly social atmosphere inspired by your entertaining guide. Four cocktails are included, one at each stop. Your tour ends at the Bourbon "O" Bar, which features nightly live jazz at 8pm as well as a limited food menu. Or you can move on to explore the lively nightlife of nearby Frenchmen Street on your own (or with your new friends!).
Duration: 35 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Traveler Photos
Traveler Tips
- "Highly recommended and the perfect start to a great evening." See review
- "If you want to learn all about the history of alcohol, and specifically in the French Quarter of NOLA, definitely take this tour." See review
Reviews
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Product code: 6484FRQCK
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