Free Tours by Foot
Free Tours by Foot
5
Ghost & Vampire Tours • Bike Tours • Walking Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Food Tours
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9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
We are OPEN and running Covid-19 Compliant In-Person Tours. Free Tours by Foot is pleased to present the only name-your-own-price New Orleans tours. Learn much more than just Bourbon Street on our French Quarter Tour, about the well-heeled and their mansions on our Garden District Tour. Learn about New Orleans peculiar burial grounds on our St. Louis Cemetery #1 Tour. Foodies will love our food tours and everyone will get spooked on our New Orleans ghost tours. We now also offer bike tours and soon photography and bus tours. You decide what a tour was worth after the tour is finished. Pay-what-you-like tours are great tours for every budget.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2022
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(583 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
5,005 reviews
Excellent
4,457
Very good
440
Average
69
Poor
22
Terrible
17
Adam T
York, UK864 contributions
Mar 2023
I had read articles by Free Tour by Foot for other cities, so was interested to actually do one of their free tours. Our guide Sean took us around the Garden District for about 1h35m and we had a lovely time. Pushing our 10 month old in a stroller was not the easiest (though it isn’t anywhere in New Orleans) due to the horrendously cracked and bumpy pavements, but we just about managed. It didn’t feel like too much walking, with frequent stops to talk about the various sites, but it was quite a large group, so it was hard to hear our guide at times. The tour ended 1 block away from where we started, which is near to a great cafe called Chicory House if you need a drink before or after the tour.
Written April 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aanika
Tulsa, Oklahoma12 contributions
Feb 2022
I went on the following tours which I would highly recommend. I received an email the night before for each one with a picture of the tour guide and detailed information about what to know/expect ahead of time. All of the tour guides were upfront about appreciating any tips at the end but never pressured you in any way or even told you what amount to give throughout the tour.
These folks are truly passionate about sharing and educating tourists about their hometown. They were very open and generous regarding any questions asked of them and giving recommendations regarding restaurants/what to do/what to see.
I learned that if someone who signed up doesn't show up for the tour, the tour guide is expected to pay out of their own pocket for that reservation so please be mindful when you sign up (they aren't trying to swindle you by any means. or at least I never got that vibe from any of them). If you can't make it to the tour, email them ahead of time or even text the tour guide you can't make it.
Disclaimer: I didn't pay the optional booking fee when I made a reservation for any of the three tours I went on.
I found each of the tour guides to be professional, engaging, well informed, and hilarious in their own ways! They all started talking about historical facts first before mentioning any myth/folklore and was very neutral in letting others decide for themselves what to believe or not.
1. Nighttime Ghost Tour with Meri
2. Garden District Tour with Daniel
3. Priest Robi's Voodoo Tour
I found the FTF website to be very helpful and used it a lot to plan my trip and to compare different companies regarding services they offered/price.
Not 5 stars because of the following:
I signed up for the St Louis Cemetery 3 / Bayou St John tour well ahead of time but never received an email the night before from the tour guide. Therefore, I reached out via email to reservations to ask if they can confirm if the tour was still happening. I messaged another tour guide as well who was very responsive and tried to be helpful which I truly appreciated.
However, I didn't receive an email response back from someone named Sarah until 1 hour before the tour started the next morning forwarding me the email that the tour guide sent stating it probably went to my spam/junk. Obviously, I was disappointed I couldn't make it since the tour wasn't walking distance from where I was staying. Unfortunately, the tour got cancelled the next day it was happening as well.
These folks are truly passionate about sharing and educating tourists about their hometown. They were very open and generous regarding any questions asked of them and giving recommendations regarding restaurants/what to do/what to see.
I learned that if someone who signed up doesn't show up for the tour, the tour guide is expected to pay out of their own pocket for that reservation so please be mindful when you sign up (they aren't trying to swindle you by any means. or at least I never got that vibe from any of them). If you can't make it to the tour, email them ahead of time or even text the tour guide you can't make it.
Disclaimer: I didn't pay the optional booking fee when I made a reservation for any of the three tours I went on.
I found each of the tour guides to be professional, engaging, well informed, and hilarious in their own ways! They all started talking about historical facts first before mentioning any myth/folklore and was very neutral in letting others decide for themselves what to believe or not.
1. Nighttime Ghost Tour with Meri
2. Garden District Tour with Daniel
3. Priest Robi's Voodoo Tour
I found the FTF website to be very helpful and used it a lot to plan my trip and to compare different companies regarding services they offered/price.
Not 5 stars because of the following:
I signed up for the St Louis Cemetery 3 / Bayou St John tour well ahead of time but never received an email the night before from the tour guide. Therefore, I reached out via email to reservations to ask if they can confirm if the tour was still happening. I messaged another tour guide as well who was very responsive and tried to be helpful which I truly appreciated.
However, I didn't receive an email response back from someone named Sarah until 1 hour before the tour started the next morning forwarding me the email that the tour guide sent stating it probably went to my spam/junk. Obviously, I was disappointed I couldn't make it since the tour wasn't walking distance from where I was staying. Unfortunately, the tour got cancelled the next day it was happening as well.
Written March 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dmitriy P
New York City, NY94 contributions
Dec 2022
I recently took the Free Tours by Foot walking tour in New Orleans with Sandy as our tour guide. She was absolutely amazing! She had an abundance of knowledge about the history of New Orleans and she really brought the stories to life with her enthusiasm and humor. She was so funny, she had us laughing the entire time we were walking around the city. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking to learn more about the city and have a great time doing it. Sandy is an amazing tour guide and I would highly recommend her.
Written December 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raymond M
Mount Kisco, NY5 contributions
May 2023 • Family
At the end of our tour I heard our tour guide, Sandy, choking back with emotion, tell the group "My boyfriend's dying." I thought, "What a trouper!" She had just spent two hours giving my wife and two adult daughters an entertaining and humorous (dry) tour of the French Quarter. What a great interpreter of New Orleans history, culture and folklore that kept us wanting more. I turned to my wife and told her that Sandy was really amazing to do the tour while her boyfriend was dying. She looked at me strange and asked how I knew that, and I said she just said it to the group. My wife said, "You really need to remember to put your hearing aids in, she said 'My voice is dying.'" Sandy is still a great tour guide.
Written May 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glen H
1 contribution
Feb 2023
The French Quarter tour was so much more interesting than I expected. It was not "Look at this building, now look at that building," but a history of New Orleans through the buildings and stories that make the Quarter such a fascinating place.
Our tour guide, SANDY, was excellent. She kept our attention with her knowledge of the Quarter and her great sense of humor. She obviously has a deep appreciation for the city and its people.
Sandy kept us moving, not by hurrying us along but by wasting no time. Every story at every stop was relevant to the how and why of NO today. I'd do any tour with her again (which is good, because he's leading a tour we are on tomorrow!) She graciously and completely answered all the questions my wife had without ever losing the rest of the crowd, and took time at the end to share personal favorites regarding where to eat and what to do next. Very helpful, and much appreciated.
Our tour guide, SANDY, was excellent. She kept our attention with her knowledge of the Quarter and her great sense of humor. She obviously has a deep appreciation for the city and its people.
Sandy kept us moving, not by hurrying us along but by wasting no time. Every story at every stop was relevant to the how and why of NO today. I'd do any tour with her again (which is good, because he's leading a tour we are on tomorrow!) She graciously and completely answered all the questions my wife had without ever losing the rest of the crowd, and took time at the end to share personal favorites regarding where to eat and what to do next. Very helpful, and much appreciated.
Written February 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marley120
Greenville, SC1 contribution
Mar 2022
I booked the Garden District Walking tour then realized the hours that day would not work. There is an OPTIONAL booking fee that is NOT optional but refundable should you have to cancel. I have sent several emails the last 10 days and Sarah , nor reservations will even respond to my emails. I have another tour booked with them and I hope that tour even goes. I will never use this company again! The booking fee is only $2.75 per person, so that is not the issue. The issue is no one EVER responds!
Written March 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TaraRed13
Toronto, Canada19 contributions
Mar 2023
We took the walking tour of the French Quarter with Sandy. She was very knowledgeable of the area and had a great sense of humour. In the Garden District, we enjoyed the tour led by Sean. We definitely recommend Free Tours by Foot- This was our fourth city that we have explored with them and they never disappoint.
Written March 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy M
Oregon City, OR8 contributions
Oct 2022 • Solo
I took the Ghost Tour with Andrew Simoneaux. He did a really excellent job. He was able to speak loudly enough to be heard over all the noise in the Quarter and told engaging stories. I learned so much and had a great time!
Written October 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elscoot57
Dimondale, MI96 contributions
May 2021
We used Free Tours by Foot for a couple of tours and would highly recommend the voodoo tour, especially if Robi is your guide (highly interesting and entertaining). The Ghost Tour was less entertaining compared to Robi, but was nonetheless informative and worthwhile (though we didn't see any actual ghosts). Tip what you felt the tour was worth at the end, so you set the price (be generous!). NOTE: I've chosen Family (teens) here out of necessity, though in our case, these are daughters ages 18 and 22.
Written May 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amosct
Plano, TX4 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
We did multiple tours with this company during our trip, and they are fantastic! Our Garden District tour with Andrew Farrier was sublime! He and all the other guides are so knowledgeable and entertaining! Sandy Hester guided us on the French Quarter and Voodoo tours, and she was wonderful, too, especially on the voodoo tour. She displayed a marvelous knowledge of African history and culture that was so interesting! Watch the company’s YouTube videos like we did before our trip to get a feel for the guides’ historical knowledge and skill. Note that this company allows you to set your own price for the tour, and we paid each guide $30-$35 per person (so $60-$70) total, which they more than earned.
Written August 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
we want to reserve 2 tickets at 1:30 pm on June 3, 2022 in New Orleans for walking with andrew in the Garden district.
Lisanne B
Lewiston, ID3 contributions
Are the walking tours ADA accessible for someone in a motorized scooter?
BusinessTraveler2006
Arlington, VA90 contributions
I would check directly with Tours on Foot.
Karen S
6 contributions
What was the cost of the tour and where do you find this tour?
lourdesrunners
Rochester, MN48 contributions
I googled walking tours of NOLA and booked on line. You pay (tip) whatever you think the tour is worth. I looked at what other tours were charging so I had an idea of what would be appropriate. I would do this again in a heartbeat for two reasons 1)there's no cost or credit card required to make the reservation. If something comes up and you need to cancel it is polite to let them know. 2) you pay what you think it is worth and I actually paid more than what other places were charging as I felt the tours were extremely well done.
Holidaymad
Brentwood, UK593 contributions
Are you no longer doing the Frenchmen Street and the Marigny Tour as I cannot see it on the schedule on your website?
We are temporarily not providing it. I suggest taking the Music Tour. It covers much of the same ground and goes to the Marigny and Frenchmen St.
Marian
Cancun, Mexico184 contributions
hola queria saber si el tour que tomaste es en castellano.
gracias
KP_London101
London, UK16 contributions
Is it possible to book the tours at short notice? I am visiting NOLA for four days. I want to do three of the tours but really want to try one then decide whether to book the others. It means I would need to book the same day or night before. Do they usually sell out in advance or is it possible to book at such short notice? Thanks in advance.
Vik
Toronto, Canada10 contributions
Yes. I booked mine the day before, but you could probably do it the day of as well. But for sure you can book them the day/night before.
SI33D
Nashville, TN12 contributions
How do we request a specific guide? Everyone keeps recommending certain people by name and I’d love a “sure thing” with the right guide.
Ione A
Lima, Peru21 contributions
One of the guides said that it's possible to ask for a specific person. I tried doing it for the reservation website, but I couldn't.
I would recommend to get in contact with them by the email you receive when you finish booking.
Kathy T
San Francisco, CA4 contributions
Hi IamRizzbiz,
Will be going to NOLA in February and would like to do the Foot Tour. I would like to know where you should meet up and are there are times besides the 9 AM? Is there a someone who we could talk to? Name, contact number? Basically, I need the details on how to get a hold of someone and to arrange this.
Thank you!
Kathy
Michele H
Bellingham, WA401 contributions
when you book online, they give you information on where and when to meet
Jessica6311
Swindon, UK36 contributions
Hi,
How much should we pay? It says “pay what you think”
L A
1 contribution
It depends on how much I enjoyed the tour guide. I would give in the range of $10 to $20.