Join this two-and-a-half hour journey through 300 years of naughty New Orleans history. Begin in the 1700s, when French authorities shipped women from brothels and prisons to Ursuline nuns for 'correction', but many instead lit their red lanterns in back alleys and created an expansive pleasure district known far beyond city limits. Then, skip ahead a century or two and enter Storyville's palaces of sin where glitzy madams flaunted diamonds.
Learn the history of the vice and red light districts in New Orleans
Explore French Market, the most dangerous city years back
Listen to the story of Southern Decadence at the Golden Lantern
Visit May Baily’s Place, the first legal brothel in New Orleans
What To Expect
Old Ursuline Convent Museum
See the convent of the Ursulines nuns, the oldest building in the French Quarter (construction began 1727), and hear how the church and King Louis XV became sex traffickers to force more women to the colony, and had the nuns keep these “correction girls” in line with nude public lashings. But the girls were the ones with the problem?
• Admission Ticket Free
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar
Often we stop by this oldest building housing a bar in North America, and discuss its history as a smuggling front.
Although not one of our historic cocktail spots, we often take a break here and cool down in the heat.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Marie Laveau House of Voodoo
Actually we won’t see this shop on the tour, we’ll go to the real Marie Laveau’s birthplace, and discuss… “Wait, she doesn’t belong on this tour! She’s a voudou leader not a… ” High class madam?
Find out where she made most of her real money!
7 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Louis Armstrong Park
The decadent palaces thrown up in Storyville on Basin St. were replaced by the Iberville Projects. So we take you to the gorgeous Louis Armstrong Park that overlooks what once was Storyville, with enough seating and shade for guests to sit and view photos of this historic time period, see and hear about its wildest characters.
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Highlight
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Include
Alcoholic Beverages