I will start this with a disclaimer. We all know what COVID has done and is doing, how scary it is, and how highly contagious it is. A lot of people have died and more have gotten sick; it's both sad and scary. There is also the other side of the coin, millions of people who have lost their jobs, their livelihood, their business, everything. This is also sad and scary. I don't have the right answer. We try to do the best we can to do things where people are socially distanced and everyone is wearing masks. Everyone's comfort level is different. These are the best things we did in New Orleans, during COVID, that we were comfortable with. We were there in December 2020 and the below is from that date, things are subject to change so please check in to find out current COVID safety measures each place is taking.
We can't wait to go back to New Orleans once things are safe to do all of the other things we can't wait to do! Now, without further ado.
The Five Best COVID Friendly Things to do in New Orleans
1. Haunted AF French Quarter Tour
If you do one tour in NOLA, make it the Haunted AF French Quarter Tour. They are located in a cute little area of the French Quarter called Pirates Alley. You will be given a drink to bring on the tour with you and there is a stop halfway through for another drink and a bathroom break if you so choose. Brian, the tour guide, is quite possibly the best tour guide I have ever had. Before the tour starts, he will ask you what your interests are. Ghosts? Vampires? Zombies? He mixes in your interests with the real history of not only New Orleans, but also how some folklore was started. Want to know how stories about vampires started? What about Zombies? Don't even bother looking it up, Brian will tell you in the most entertaining way possible. Brian is a born storyteller. When you mix that with all of his knowledge of the history of New Orleans and his energizing personality, you have the perfect combination. You will walk away from this laughing and talking about the stories for days to come. This was quite possibly some of the best money we spent in New Orleans. Don't like swearing? Well, come on, check out the name itself. If you don't like it, this tour isn't for you. For us, it was half of the fun.
COVID CONSIDERATIONS - The entire tour is limited to small groups and is entirely outside. Everyone is required to wear a facemask, and Brian wears a mask and a face shield. You will get a sealed pair of headphones to keep with a portable receiver to plug them into. This means you will be able to hear Brian through your own set of new headphones and can social distance even from the small group you are in. We also stayed away from any busy areas while on the tour. There were many tours that didn't have the COVID considerations we had so in my opinion, we not only got the best tour but also the safest one.
2. Hermann-Grima House Tour
The Hermann-Grima House is a restored French Quarter home that was built in 1831. The house itself is stunning and the tour guides do an amazing job of walking you through this home's incredible history while taking you through the different decades in the house. A lot of home tours do not let you take pictures but this one does! Incredibly, over 40% of the furniture was the actual furniture used by the families that lived there. The house also still has a working open-hearth kitchen where they give cooking classes in non-COVID times.
COVID CONSIDERATIONS - Each tour has a maximum of 4 people. The house and the rooms are so big that it is extremely easy to stay very far away from everyone. Masks are required, and I really appreciated it when our tour guide asked someone to pull their mask up over their nose (seriously people, why is this still happening?). The cost for the tour is so reasonable that even if you have less than 4, buy out the 4 tickets and go for it. It's worth it.
There is also the Gallier House but that is currently closed. Due to the house's style, they didn't believe they could properly social distance.
3. Bayou Tour
We choose Cajun Encounters for our bayou tour. Since coming back from our trip, I have read some crazy things about bayou tours and how they treat the animals. I have to tell you, if half of what I read online is true, it would be very upsetting to me. Since we went on our tour in December when alligators hibernate, the only animals we saw were turtles, birds, and a raccoon. Our tour guide did feed the raccoon protein pellets but no marshmallows or anything like that. He was involved in wildlife rehabilitation and even takes care of raccoons at his home while they get better. All of this to say, our trip was mostly a tour of the bayou itself and not the animals and we felt comfortable with how any animals we saw were treated. This may not be your experience, especially if you go during a different time of year. So, do your research.
As mentioned, our tour guide was involved in wildlife preservation and he had so many interesting facts to tell us about the vegetation and the wildlife in the bayou. He even explained how willow bark is used as an alternative to aspirin, who knew?! He also brought us to an area of housing on the bayou. Some were very well kept and others had deteriorated beyond repair. Somehow all of it fit so perfectly together. Overall, we really enjoyed our tour and saw so much beauty in the bayou.
COVID CONSIDERATIONS - We called in advance to book a private tour. We were able to do so by paying just a little bit more per person than if we had just booked the tour on their website and going out on the earliest tour of the day. Everyone was required to wear masks and there is also a divider between the two sides of the boat. However, some of the other boats were very full and you do have people sitting very close to you on your side. It's possible all of the other tours were large groups that were all together, but not likely. If you can't swing a private boat, check to see if they would at least give you your own side of the boat so that partition blocks you from other parties. If not, probably best to wait to do this until it's a little safer.
4. Stuff Your Face
At this point, everyone knows I was a fan of the food in NOLA. Check out my blog post on New Orleans' Best Restaurants for some of the best places we found while in the city.
COVID CONSIDERATIONS - Every place is different. My advice? Eat outside when you can. When you can't scope out the situation ahead of time. Are different parties close together or are they spread out? Are there dividers between tables? Do the employees keep masks on? If you don't feel comfortable, don't go. Take out is a great option also!
5. Explore on Foot
The architecture in New Orleans is incredible. As much as the city has a French history, a lot of the architecture in the French Quarter is Spanish style. Throughout the city, there is a Creole Style which was developed in New Orleans and is a mix of French, Spanish, and Caribbean. There are so many different areas to walk through from the French Quarter with Bourbon Street, neon, and the nightlife to the shops around Jackson Square and the French Market. Magazine Street also has 44 blocks of shopping and The Lakefront Trail which is a walking path along Lake Pontchartrain. You can't go wrong.
New Orleans does not have an open container law, meaning, you can drink on the street as long as your drink is in a plastic cup. Not finished with your glass of wine at that fancy restaurant? Ask them to pour it into a cup and take it with you. This leaves endless possibilities for walking and having fun in NOLA.
COVID Considerations You're outside! Bring your mask, stay away from crowded areas like Bourbon street at night. While definitely not foolproof, this is likely the safest route to go.
Bonus!
Make Your Own American Horror Story (Season 3 - Coven) Walking Tour
I don't need to re-write the playbook here, so many already have great blogs on this. The best one I found is the American Horror Story Coven Location Guide from Deep South Mag. Super fun if you are a fan of the show.
Stay safe out there! Until next time.
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