City Sightseeing New Orleans HOHO Bus Tour & Bookable Extras

New Orleans reveals itself in layers, and this open-top bus tour gives you a useful first look at all of them. One loop links Jackson Square, the French Market, Tremé, the Garden District, the National WWII Museum, Mardi Gras World, the Arts District, and the riverfront, so you can get your bearings before choosing where to spend your time.

I like two things right away: the live English guide, who adds local stories instead of sending you through a standard recording, and the freedom to get off whenever a neighborhood catches your eye. The main catch is the schedule. Buses run every 30 minutes, but the final departures are early, with service ending by 5:30pm, and some riders have found the guide hard to hear from certain seats.

Key points to know before you board

• One loop takes about 1.5 hours: Ride the full circuit first if you want a clear picture of New Orleans before getting off.
• The live commentary is a major plus: Guides such as Linda, Ron, Chris, Bill, Mary, and Oreal have been praised for mixing facts, humor, and practical tips.
• The route reaches well beyond the French Quarter: You can visit Tremé, Bywater, the Garden District, the Warehouse District, and the riverfront.
• Two and three-day tickets add walking tours: The Garden District walk comes with the longer options, while the French Quarter walk is included only with the three-day ticket.
• Plan around the last bus: First departures from key stops are around 9:30am to 9:40am, and the last departure from any stop is at 4pm.
• Your voucher is date specific: Mobile and printed vouchers are accepted, but only on the date selected when booking.

Why this bus is useful on a first New Orleans day

I often find a hop-on hop-off route most useful at the start of a city visit, not the end. In New Orleans, that matters because the French Quarter, Tremé, Garden District, riverfront, and Arts District each have a different feel and set of sights. A single ride helps you see how they fit together.

The route is also practical if you are staying near the French Quarter but want to reach places that are not an easy walk away. You can use the bus for sightseeing, transportation between major areas, or both. Several passengers have used a three-day ticket to reach other activities, while others simply completed the loop and repeated selected sections with different stops.

The top deck offers the best views when the weather cooperates. You get a broad look at the city streets, old buildings, grand avenues, and commercial districts instead of seeing New Orleans through a side window. Bring protection from the sun and keep an eye on the weather, since an open upper deck is less useful in heavy rain or strong heat.

The route is narrated in English by a person on the bus. That gives the ride a more human feel than a prerecorded headset, and guides often add jokes, food suggestions, and small details about the city. Linda, known by some passengers as No Line Linda, Chris, Bill, Mary, Ron, and Oreal are among the guides and staff praised for their friendly delivery and local pointers. Guides change, so you should not book this expecting one specific person.

There is one practical weakness: sound quality can vary. A rider found it difficult to hear the guide on the bus, while another noted that the vehicle felt old and did not offer foreign-language translation. Sitting near the guide may help, and the live narration is still a strong feature, but this is not the best choice if you need commentary in another language.

Stop 1: Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral

The main starting area is at 700 Decatur Street, near Jackson Square. This is a sensible place to begin because you are close to some of the most recognizable parts of the French Quarter, including St. Louis Cathedral, beignets and café au lait, and the City Sightseeing ticket office.

Jackson Square is a natural first stop for orientation. From here, you can explore the cathedral and nearby streets on foot, then return to the bus when you are ready. The cathedral is described as the oldest continuously active cathedral in the United States, making it more than a photogenic backdrop.

This area can also be a good place to begin your day before the French Quarter gets busier. If you plan to eat at Café du Monde or visit nearby sights, check the bus timetable before wandering too far. The last departure from any stop is at 4pm, and the entire service ends by 5:30pm.

Stops 2 and 3: French Market, Esplanade Avenue, and Bywater

The French Market stop takes you to the market colonnade and flea market. You can browse local produce, souvenirs, keepsakes, and other stalls. It is an easy stop to combine with Jackson Square because both areas are close to the center of the French Quarter.

Stop 3 serves the Marigny and Bywater area, including Frenchmen Street music clubs, Crescent Park, JAMNOLA, and a Bywater brew pub. This section is useful because it takes you beyond the most familiar Bourbon Street circuit and toward neighborhoods tied to music, public art, and local nightlife.

Do not try to cover every listed attraction during a quick one-day ticket. Frenchmen Street alone can take more time than a short stop allows, especially if you plan to visit a club or eat. Think of the bus as a way to choose your priorities, not as a promise that each stop can be explored fully.

Stops 4 to 6: Tremé, Basin Street, and the French Quarter core

Stop 4 reaches Tremé and Lafitte, near St. Augustine Church and the Tomb of the Unknown Slave. Tremé is an important part of New Orleans, and this stop gives you a chance to see an area that many first-time visitors miss when they stay only around Bourbon Street and Jackson Square.

Basin St. Station is the next stop. Then the route returns to the central streets around Canal Street, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Chartres Street, and Canal Street hotels. This is one of the most useful parts of the loop if your main goal is to connect the French Quarter with the rest of the city.

Royal Street is especially good for a slower walk. The route description points to crafts, antiques, art objects, and museums, while Bourbon Street offers a very different experience centered on its famous nightlife strip. You can get off for either mood, but allow enough time to walk before the afternoon cutoff.

Stops 7 to 9: Caesars, Lafayette Square, and St. Charles Avenue

The Caesars New Orleans stop also serves the American Italian Cultural Museum and Italian Piazza. It links casino entertainment with a smaller cultural attraction, so you can choose according to your interests.

Stops 8 and 9 move toward Lafayette Square, Gallier Hall, and St. Charles Avenue. This is where the ride begins to shift from the dense French Quarter to broad avenues and grander civic surroundings. The bus is helpful here because the route covers several points along St. Charles Avenue without requiring you to arrange separate transport.

If you are using a one-day ticket, I would ride this stretch at least once even if you do not get off. It gives you a sense of the city beyond the postcard quarter and helps you decide if the Garden District deserves a longer visit.

Stops 10 to 15: Museums, Magazine Street, and the Garden District

Stop 10 is a strong choice for museumgoers. It serves the National WWII Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Contemporary Arts Center, and the Confederate Civil War Museum. Attraction admission is not included, so you will need to budget separately if you plan to enter any of them.

The National WWII Museum can easily become a major part of your day. If that is your priority, consider using the bus mainly as transportation and sightseeing around your museum visit. Do not assume you can see the museum properly in a short hop-off window.

The route then reaches Magazine Street at several stops, including 2727, 3137, and the Garden District area. This gives you more choice than a route with one generic Garden District stop. You can select the section that best fits your plans, though you should check the exact stop location before setting out on foot.

Stops 14 and 15 continue along St. Charles Avenue at Louisiana Avenue and St. Andrew Street. The avenue is one of the best parts of the ride for seeing New Orleans architecture and large residential streets from the upper deck. If you have chosen a two-day ticket, the included Garden District guided walking tour adds more value here. It lets you explore on foot rather than relying only on the bus commentary.

The three-day ticket includes that Garden District walk plus a French Quarter guided walking tour. Those additions make the longer passes more appealing if you want detailed walking time, not just transportation and panoramic views.

Stops 16 to 18: Mardi Gras World, the Arts District, and the riverfront

Stop 16 serves the Convention Center and Mardi Gras World. Mardi Gras World is one of the route’s more distinctive choices because it points you toward the city’s parade-art tradition rather than another general shopping or sightseeing district. Admission is not included, so check the separate cost before planning your stop.

The Arts and Warehouse District stop brings you near Julia Street, its galleries and shops, and the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk. This area pairs well with the museums at Stop 10 if you want a day focused on art and culture.

The final riverfront stop serves the Creole Queen paddlewheeler, the VUE Orleans Observation Deck, and the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. These are separate attractions, but the bus makes it easier to group them into a riverfront visit. The stop is also useful for ending your sightseeing near the water before returning to the French Quarter.

The loop drops off at 700 Decatur Street, the same general area as the main starting point. You can use that return point to finish near Jackson Square, but do not wait until the end of the day if you need a guaranteed ride. The last departure from a stop is at 4pm.

How to choose between one, two, and three days

The one-day ticket is best for a first look. Ride the full 1.5-hour loop early, listen to the guide, and then get off at one or two areas that match your interests. At $51 per person, the value depends on how much of the route you use. It is easier to justify if you would otherwise pay for separate rides between the French Quarter, museums, Garden District, and riverfront.

The two-day option gives you more time to combine sightseeing with actual visits. You can use one day for the French Quarter, French Market, Tremé, and Bywater, then use the second for the Garden District, Magazine Street, museums, or the riverfront. The included Garden District walking tour adds a clear benefit.

The three-day option is the most relaxed choice. It includes both the Garden District and French Quarter guided walks, so it suits you if you prefer a slower schedule or want a guide to explain the city on foot. It may be excessive if you plan to spend most of your trip inside one compact part of the French Quarter.

The ticket is not an all-attraction pass. Food, drinks, hotel pickup, and attraction entry are excluded. Its value comes from access to the route, transport between neighborhoods, live commentary, and the walking tours attached to the longer options.

Timing, boarding, and small details that matter

Buses begin leaving key stops between 9:30am and 9:40am. Service runs every 30 minutes, which is fairly easy to manage, but a missed bus can cost you half an hour. Allow extra time when walking back from a market, museum, meal, or music venue.

The last bus leaves each stop at 4pm, and the full service ends at 5:30pm. On selected dates around February, April, November, December, and other listed event periods, the schedule changes or the service does not operate. Stops 1 through 4 also close on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 April. Check the operating calendar carefully if your visit falls near a festival, holiday, or major city event.

You can show either a mobile voucher or a printed paper voucher. Vouchers can be redeemed at any stop along the route, but they are valid only on the date selected at booking. Bring cash and a passport or ID card, as requested in the tour information.

The buses are wheelchair accessible. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Meeting points can vary with the option booked, so confirm your first boarding location rather than assuming every ticket begins at 700 Decatur Street.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience, and a reserve-now-pay-later option may help if your plans are still moving. These policies are useful, but the date-specific voucher rule still matters.

Who will get the most from this New Orleans bus tour

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a broad look at the city without arranging several separate rides. It also suits families, older visitors, and anyone who prefers to limit long walks in heat or humid weather.

The route works well for repeat visitors who want to reach a particular district, especially the Garden District, Magazine Street, museums, Mardi Gras World, or the riverfront. Music fans can use it to reach Frenchmen Street, while architecture fans will appreciate the St. Charles Avenue section.

It is less suitable if you want a late-night activity. The service ends early, and the route is designed for daytime sightseeing. It is also not ideal if you need commentary in several languages or want guaranteed quiet audio. The live guide is a strength, but you may need to sit close and listen carefully.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you are new to New Orleans and want to see far more than the French Quarter in a manageable way. Start early, ride the full loop, then use the bus to return to the neighborhoods you want to explore. The two-day ticket is the best middle ground if you want both transport and a Garden District walk, while the three-day ticket suits a slower visit with both guided neighborhood walks.

Choose the one-day pass if your schedule is tight and you will use several stops. At $51, it is not the cheapest way to move around, but the live narration and broad route can make it worthwhile. Skip it if your plans center on one walkable area, if you want evening transport, or if attraction admission and a fully guided private tour are your main goals.

FAQ

How long is the complete bus tour?

The full bus tour lasts about 1.5 hours without getting off.

How often do the buses run?

Buses run approximately every 30 minutes.

What time does the first bus leave?

The first departures from Stops 1, 5, 6, and 17 are between 9:30am and 9:40am.

What time is the last departure?

The last departure from any stop is at 4pm, and the final tour ends at 5:30pm.

Is a guide included?

Yes. The tour includes a live English-speaking guide.

Are attraction tickets included?

No. Entry to attractions, food, and drinks are not included.

Does the two-day ticket include a walking tour?

Yes. The two-day ticket includes a guided walking tour of the Garden District.

Does the three-day ticket include both walking tours?

Yes. The three-day ticket includes guided walking tours of the Garden District and French Quarter.

Can I use a mobile voucher?

Yes. Both mobile and printed paper vouchers are accepted.

Are the buses wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The buses are wheelchair accessible.