New Orleans Pub Crawl, Party Bus or Club Night: Which Party Suits Whom
4 min read
The answer first
If the evening is about live music, book the Frenchmen Street VIP Live Music Pub Crawl: three hours of clubs and bars on Frenchmen Street, €43.92 per person, 4.8 / 5 from 303 reviews. If you want ghost stories with a drink in your hand, the Haunted Pub Crawl is a two-hour walk through the French Quarter. For a group celebrating something, the shared party bus is the option with a DJ on board. GetYourGuide lists 44 food and cocktail tours, from €13.46.
The three nights side by side
| Tour | What the booking page says | Length | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frenchmen Street VIP Live Music Pub Crawl | Walk beyond Bourbon Street to the clubs of Frenchmen Street, VIP entry, a cocktail demonstration, one specialty cocktail and one Booty Shaker Shot, the Frenchmen Art Market; meets at 507 Frenchmen St | 3 h | €43.92 | 4.8 / 5 (303 reviews) |
| Haunted Pub Crawl | Laid-back ghost tour with several bars, the Lalaurie Mansion and Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, group of up to 28 | 2 h | €22.97 | 4.5 / 5 (400 reviews) |
| Shared V.I.P. Party Bus Tour with Live Music | Shared bus through Treme, Uptown and the French Quarter, live music and a DJ on board, stops at local bars and street-art murals, group of up to 18; meets at 1407 Canal St | 1.5 h | €22.43 | 4.7 / 5 (147 reviews) |
What each night is like
Frenchmen Street. The page describes a street with more than 20 bars and clubs, and says the guide will help you be at the right place at the right time to hear jazz, brass bands, funk, blues, zydeco and more. The cocktail demonstration, one cocktail and one shot are listed on the page, along with VIP entry and the chance to skip lines. Check the booking page for what the price does not cover, such as further drinks, food and tips.
The Haunted Pub Crawl. The operator describes it as a ghost tour with a focus on haunted bars and restaurants, with true stories of French Quarter murder and mayhem. It also says that walking around with a drink is perfectly legal in New Orleans. The page invites you to enjoy your first cocktail, a to-go Hurricane, while the guide tells stories; ask the operator whether that drink is in the price. The route may change because of parades or construction.
The party bus. This is a shared ride, not a private one: several groups travel on one bus, and the page says there are different types of party buses. A private bus has to be arranged directly with the operator. Expect music and a DJ rather than a tour with detailed history, although the page says a local guide talks about the city’s culture. The page also warns that some of its buses have no traditional seating because they are built for dancing and moving around.
Age and ID
The Haunted Pub Crawl page gives a minimum age of 21 and asks you to bring a driver’s licence. The party bus page lists people under 21 and babies under one year as not suitable; it allows one small bottle of your own per person, and only guests over 21 with valid ID may drink. Both the Frenchmen Street and party bus pages ask you to bring a passport or ID card. For the Frenchmen Street crawl, ask the operator about age limits before you book with a group that includes younger people.
Our recommendation
For most visitors who want a night out, the Frenchmen Street pub crawl is the best fit: it is the longest evening and its page gives the clearest list of what you get. Choose the Haunted Pub Crawl if you would rather combine drinks with ghost stories, and the party bus if you are celebrating as a group and want the ride itself to be the event. If you want a quieter evening, the steamboat jazz cruises have live music on the river. See all food and cocktail tours or jazz and live music for current prices and dates.
