• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Curious to know more about New Orleans’s history? Join a local history expert on an insightful tour that will show you a side of the city that can’t be found in any book. This experience will open your eyes to the past and origins of New Orleans from a local perspective as you learn about Jazz Origins.

Destination

New Orleans, United States

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English

Included

• Private Guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Outside front entrance: Best Western Plus French Quarter Courtyard Hotel - New Orleans to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Jazz Origins

   Your history tour in New Orleans will focus on Jazz Origins. Learn the impacts, insights and hear stories related to this historic event from your knowledgeable host. Discover the city as you retrace history and go in-depth on the effects this part of history has on New Orleans

4. Historical Highlights

   Check out main landmarks related to the theme of your history tour and connect their relevance through fantastic stories and facts from your expert local host

5. Hidden Treasures

   During your tour, you’ll also uncover hidden gems that will show you a different perspective of history as you know it, something you can’t easily find in a history book!

6. Storytelling Journey

   As you discover the historical side of New Orleans, you’ll be able to go back in time thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Evelyne🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Holley)

11 November 2024

Holley is very knowledgeable and friendly. I enjoyed listening to her stories. Joyful rainy Sunday tour

Yorai🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Holley)

28 April 2024

Holly is a great guide, full of knowledge, interesting woman, and knows how to tell those stories. She is very clear, and being a singer herself, has a fantastic voice! We thoroughly enjoyed having this tour with her. The jazz scene

Maria 🇧🇷 Brazil

(About local Holley)

17 April 2024

Holly is an adorable person, she knows the history of music by heart. Extremmilly prepered since she is a misician herself and knows every musician in town. She showed us in detail and I highly recomend her tour. The best tour I´ve had in my life! Holly - a piece of history

Jada🇭🇰 Hong Kong

(About local Holley)

5 August 2023

Holley is a treasure trove full of history facts and stories of new Orleans music and jazz. Starting at Congo Square where it all started, she gave us an in depth cover of the origin of jazz and it’s revolution. We had a fabulous time walking with her. All her tips on music scenes are also amazing. Fun Walk with a Jazz singer + historian

Marci🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

11 May 2023

Holly was delightful! Her musical take on NOLA and charming personality made for a great afternoon.Fun Jazz tour!

Jill🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

9 April 2023

We had a great tour with Holley! She provided so much information about the history of music in New Orleans, along with the history of the city itself. She had lots of fun facts, anecdotes and even some singing. Holley is knowledgeable, engaging and fun. I would highly recommend this tour!Jazzy history

Sarah🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

26 March 2023

Holley met us at Congo Park because we happened to book the tour on the day of an outside music festival. She used the performances and the historic elements of the park (including a tree where offerings in the Voodoo tradition were left) to explain the culture and music of New Orleans. We then walked in the nearby neighborhood, listening to her great stories about jazz history. Our group included one current music producer and one former jazz dj; they both said they learned a lot in the tour. Holley was easy to talk to, full of anecdotes, and just rest to spend time with. Highly recommend! Holley is the Best

Pamela🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

18 October 2022

Holley was absolutely fabulous! She went above and beyond what a traditional guide offers. She a is wealth of knowledge and I highly recommend her.Fabulous

Roxali

(About local Holley)

3 October 2022

We booked this tour with Holley and couldn't have been happier we did. Holley has shown us many places of relevance to the history of New Orleans and its music. The tour was very personal and she gave us all these tips to make our stay in New Orleans even more special. Can highly recommend this tour.Awesome music tour!

Hugh🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Holley)

19 September 2022

What a thoroughly excellent experience my wife and I had yesterday evening. We had messaged Holley before we left UK as regards my wifes late father. He was a blues pianist from New Orleans and we wanted to see if we could get some closer information. Holley not only gave us a fantastic and in depth tour of N.O musical heritage but also information on Jack that we hadn't found ourselves. The experience of a sage blessing in memory of Jack around the tree in Congo Square was truly spiritual and humbling. We would Highly recommend Holley to anyone with or without an interest in music and history. Fantastic experience all round. Thank you Holley.Champion Jack Dupree

Andrea🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Holley)

15 August 2022

The tour with Holley was so interesting and fun! With her incredible passion for music and deep knowledge of history you can’t help falling in love with New Orleans, the people, the houses and of course the music. We come from Italy and we didn’t know anybody here, but Holley perfectly embodied the spirit of “with locals”, being a wonderful host for us and leaving us with the feeling of having a friend in the city :) A true New Orleans and music passionate

Carol🇺🇸 United States

(About local EMILY MARIE)

15 August 2022

We had a great jazz trip with Emily. She is very interesting, knowledgeable, flexible, and well caters to our interests

Gail🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

18 July 2022

Holley was not only knowledgeable, she was also very personable! She intertwined history, musical development and cultural impact into lively storytelling throughout our tour. We took part in local and historical traditions during our time with her, and visited some unique and hidden gems in the city. We also appreciated her willingness to recommend locations for dinner and performance venues throughout the city. She made our experience special and we feel like we left New Orleans with a new friend! If you are looking for a learning experience while in the city, we would highly recommend Withlocals and Holley!Personable, knowledgeable and fun!

Steven🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

22 June 2022

Holley covered the key New Orleans influences on the development of jazz. She was a wealth of information and local insights. Very friendly, interesting and informative. Great walk with Holley

Bethany🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

2 June 2022

Our tour with Holley was wonderful. It was a hot and sunny day and we were able to keep in the shade. Her knowledge and own musical talents are impressive yet down to earth. This was our first time visiting New Orleans and I highly recommend this tour with Holley!Jazz History Tour with Holley

Paul🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

21 February 2022

Holley was wonderful. Incredible knowledge of the history of jazz as well as the history of New Orleans. Listening to Holley, times when young Louis Armstrong was sneaking out to Storyville to listen to the music come alive. Thanks to her we've got a lot more understanding of the origins of jazz. She was telling stories about famous musicians while showing us buildings associated with them (every once in a while beautifully belting out some tune). Holley also gave us a lot of great tips on local restaurants, jazz clubs and places to see. It was a real joy spending time with her. I very highly recommend her tour.A wonderful guide, experience not to be missed

Kristine🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

5 January 2022

Thank you WithLocals for having Holly be our tour guide. We three agreed she is by far one of the most outstanding guides. First because it’s a private tour Holly made us feel like we were her personal guests. Her knowledge of the history of jazz as well as the city culture exceeded all expectations. An educator, a talented musician and historian all wrapped up into one person. Besides the tour Holly also let us know some great places to go to listen to true quality New Orleans Jazz. Thank you Holly for a 10 plus plus tour! Visual and historical treat!

Simon🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Holley)

16 December 2021

What a great tour. Holley's jazz history insights are so worth getting this tour for. Then you also get some insight into Holley's own jazz heritage, she may even include a few bars while in Armstrong Park. And if that wasn't enough reason to do this tour then there is Holley's wonderful bubbly personality. Oh and her tips on where to go for some good jazz were very well received. Thank you Holley, you are a star!Good Golly, Miss Holley!

Jeanne🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

8 December 2021

We met Holley after a couple days in New Orleans and a week long cruise on the Mississippi. Her tour for us about Jazz History was a terrific capstone for our vacation. Holley knows so much about jazz and New Orleans, was very entertaining, and had a well planned presentation. Her background as a teacher and as a jazz singer seemed to make her skills perfect for guiding this tour. The weather was grand so we walked in Louis Armstrong Park and in the French Quarter to see relevant sites. She was very considerate of our energy level, finding places to sit as we went. We ended the tour with some time listening to live jazz - mid-day on Sunday. Our small group included jazz aficionados as well as some rather more ignorant and her tour satisfied everyone. We highly recommend her!Great jazz tour with Holley.

Adam🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

12 May 2021

Holley is a great guide. She has a lot to share about Jazz and NOLA that you wouldn't get on a standard tourist trap tour (where the guides don't know anything about NOLA/Jazz/History beyond their script). We finished at Cafe Beignet and the band playing there recognized Holley joined the band and sung "The Basin Street Blues". It was a very magical moment for all of us on the tour and something we will never forget! Finally, we had about 5 different constraints/changes to our tour (location, timing, walking abilities, etc) and Holley made it work. Not your run of the mill tour experience.

Julia🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Pavanjot)

23 October 2022

Pavanjot was an excellent food tour guide! She was knowledgeable and passionate about NOLA. Her warm and welcoming personality and food choices were wonderful! We loved our time with her!

Kyle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pavanjot)

22 October 2022

Our guide Ms. Kaur was lovely. This tour was so much more than we expected. She gave us not only information about the food but of the whole city. It was really wonderful.

Harvey🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Pavanjot)

16 October 2022

This tour is the best way to see the beauty of New Orleans Plantations, and Pavanjot is the guide to go with! She is extremely knowledgeable and has a strong interest in history and architecture. She took us to places we would never have discovered on our own. We'd want to thank Pavanjot once again; it was great experience! Had so much fun 🤩

Lesedi🇿🇦 South Africa

(About local Sarahjen)

15 October 2022

Loved the amazing trees! I enjoyed hearing about this place and its people. Sarahjen was a fantastic host who was extremely knowledgeable. Thank you, Sarahjen.

Natalia🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Pavanjot)

12 October 2022

We decided to go on this tour as we wanted to experience something different on our trip to New Orleans. Pavanjot was fantastic, even checking in the day before to ask about special requests. We enjoyed everything the explanation of places, her tips and mostly the stories of Pavanjot. We would definitely recommend it to anyone. 5 stars!

Christopher 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sarahjen)

2 October 2022

We enjoyed spending the day with Sarahjen on a personalized trip since we wanted to explore some specific places in New Orleans. She was very flexible to our interests. She included every places we wanted to visit plus some other awesome places. We traveled everywhere in a private van, which made getting from one destination to another so easy and convenient. She showed us several great restaurants, bars, and other fun stores while we were heading back to our hotel after the trip. Sarahjen has a lovely personality and she is very adorable. Spend the day with her; you'll have a blast. We really appreciate Sarahjen taking us around and letting us taste some different foods!Exceptional Host

Gracey🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Sarahjen)

30 September 2022

The entire experience was absolutely worthwhile, especially with Sarahjen as our fantastic host! She had so many interesting places to point out along the trip and so many interesting stories. We were impressed by the beauty of the plantation, and we had such a nice time on the visit that we didn't even notice how quickly the time passed.Highly recommended

Bryan🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sarahjen)

28 September 2022

Our tour was made fun and educational by our wonderful host, Sarahjen. The transportation to and from the plantation was smooth and well-organized. Sarahjen shared a lots of knowledge with us about both the plantation and New Orleans. After the tour, she gave us some recommendations for what to do next and other locations to visit. The places she suggested were wonderful. In the future, whenever we think of New Orleans, we will surely remember her. Highly recommended.

Amilia🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Pavanjot)

27 September 2022

What a delicious experience!!!…. I'd recommend it to anyone visiting New Orleans who wants to taste local cuisine! Our tour host, Pavanjot was informative and entertaining. Along with learning about the food, you also receive a cultural lesson.

Steven🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sarahjen)

21 September 2022

Our experience was wonderfull. We went on the historical plantation trip. The plantation was well-maintained, and the trees were lovely. This trip taught us some fascinating historical facts about New Orleans. All thanks to Sarahjen. She is such a lovely person; we loved spending time with her and connecting with her and her conversations. Her understanding of the city and its history is astounding. Anyone wishing to have a fantastic time in New Orleans should contact her.Wonderfullll Experience

James🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pavanjot)

20 September 2022

We went to historical plantation tour of New Orleans with Pavanjot. She was incredibly knowledgeable about local history and culture. She was friendly and went above and beyond to make sure we had a good time on the tour. The information given by Pavanjot was extremely helpful. A wonderful experience of the life of a Plantation.Plantation Tour New Orleans

Rob🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Sarahjen)

7 September 2022

Sarahjen was very polite and full of knowledge. She gave us warm hospitality throughout the tour and made our trip to New Orleans even more memorable. The way she guided us in tour, I must say that she has an excellent understanding of New Orleans’s culture and history of jazz. She also gave us several restaurant recommendations, and we tried two of them. We loved the restaurants she recommended. Thank you Sarahjen and Withlocals for this amazing experience.History of Jazz Origins Private Tour

Mariya🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pavanjot)

18 August 2022

Pavanjot, our tour guide, was a wonderful person. She has a talent for telling stories and enjoys sharing her knowledge of New Orleans history and the evolution of music. On this tour, we had a lot of fun with her. I'm happy I went on this tour. The tour was perhaps the finest I went on while I was in New Orleans.

Sarah L🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

6 August 2022

Holley was both knowledgeable and lots of fun! My two granddaughters are not too sure if ghosts are real or not after touring the streets of New Orleans!Ghosts of New Orleans

Jane🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

4 June 2022

We had a great private ghost tour with Holley. She was fun and knowledgeable and flexible depending on our interests. Great tour with Holley!

Andrea🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

5 July 2021

We very much enjoyed our ghost tour with Holley. She was lovely to spend time with and was a font of knowledge. We wanted to go at a slower pace than most folks, so it was greatly appreciated that she ran our tour accordingly. We plan to do her jazz tour the next time we're in town.Fabulous tour with Holley.

Nancy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Holley)

1 May 2021

We had a great trip to Destrehan Plantation with Holley. She was prompt in picking us up at our hotel and we shared great conversation on our way to and from the plantation. She has a long history of being in New Orleans and knowledgeable on a number of subjects. The plantation tour was very good and with an excellent onsite guide to share the plantation's history. Holley also chose a great small local spot for us to have seafood lunch before returning to our hotel. We would definitely contact With Locals and use Holley's services again. We could not have asked for a more compatible and sweet New Orleanian to share out time with.Destrehan Plantation and Great Local Lunch

Jack

(About local Shane)

21 February 2020

Shane's Jazz tour was a lot of fun. We went to a really cool neighborhood pub before hanging out on Jazz Street. I am a jazz drummer myself, and with his guidance I managed to get on stage and play a song with the band. Highly recommended! Highly recommended!

Laura

(About local Suzy)

20 February 2020

I’m a blues lover. But blues and jazz are part of each other. Ask for Suzy. She knows about music because she is a musician . Suzy really knows her music!

Darcy

(About local Suzy)

19 February 2020

When you want a great day out choose Suzy! She knows how to tell a story. Great job! Thank you Suzy!

Keilah

(About local Shane)

18 February 2020

Shane gave us a very fun, informative tour. We learned how to navigate the city, and shaped the rest of our vacation around his recommendations. We had the best time! Very fun tour!!

Jose

(About local Shane)

13 February 2020

We really enjoyed the tour with Shane. We ended up hanging out for longer than the time of the tour and he gave us lots of insight. We really enjoyed hanging out with you! Thank you Shane!