Terror And Tiaras

Congrats! You booked a tour in New Orleans! with nearly a decade of tour guiding experiewnce under my belt, i have learned what makes a bad tour, a good tour, and a great one. Sometimes, what actually dictates a good tour, is the guests themselves. Whether its haunted, or historical, here are some tips i’ve learned over the years on how to have the best tour experience, for yourself, for others, and your guide!

-First, and probably most important, please arrive EARLY for your tour, preferably 30 minutes before the tour starts but 15 minutes at minimum. Arriving at the start time of your tour actually means you are late and does not give us time for any adjustments or accommodations.

-If you need any accommodations for your tour, such as walkers, wheelchairs, service animals, hearing devices, etc please let them know at the time of booking. New Orleans is a 300 year old city and not what i would call ADA compliant. Some concessions can be made on tour and others cannot. Please inform the booking agent so no one is upset or disappointed.

-DO NOT ARRIVE DRUNK TO YOUR TOUR. I don’t care even if its a pub crawl, its not only rude, but unsafe and quite frankly an insurance liability. Please reschedule, even if that means you walk right up to us and rebook while standing on the street. We would rather EVERYONE be happy, safe and mostly sober.

-When you start your tour, please pay attention to the rules and introductions. Yes we do actually have laws to be tour guides in the city! This includes: Do not stand in the street, do not lean against or sit on the buildings (people do live there, please don’t be rude), stay together and do not encroach on other tours (we are supposed to be at least 50 ft from each other), wear the sticker/bracelet/wristband they give you, please throw away all your trash (to include the stickers), do not hassle/harass/heckle other guides and/or guests. Your safety is our top priority, and the safety of other guests.

-Please do not talk over the guide and try to keep interruptions to a minimum. We actually love questions but try and reserve them to the end of each story so we can give you our undivided attention. Any violation of these, or overt disturbance, can result in the early termination of your tour. Tour guides reserve the right to ask guests to leave the tour.

-PLEASE DO NOT FILM YOUR TOUR GUIDES. Pictures are fine but in the day and age of social media, it is very easy for content to get filmed and posted without our permission. If people can hop onto live streams and apps to watch our stories, they don’t book a tour. if they don’t book a tour, we don’t work and we don’t get paid. If we don’t get paid, we don’t eat. Remeber, exposure kills. If you INSIST on filming, please speak with your tour guide, ask permission first, and especially credit them

-Please prepare for the climate. Even though we wish we could, we do not control the weather. Most tours, mine included, will run regardless of heat, cold, rain or shine. If there is a chance of rain, please pack ponchos and or/umbrellas. If its cold, expect a windchill as well off the river, dress in layers, and wear hats, scarves, gloves, jackets and thick socks. During the summer, wear light colors, breezy layers, drink water, apply sunscreen and seriously consider a fan and parasol, even at night. The heat and humidity combo is OPPRESSIVE. Also most tours are walking tours, so please wear comfortable and appropriate footwear for uneven, sometimes unhygienic streets. (There’s a reason you hear us say no open toes.)

-BE RESSPECTFUL. New Orleans is a real place. This is not a film set or theme park facade or stage props. The neighborhoods you walk through are real homes with real people living in them. The cemeteries are ACTIVE burial sites with real funerals and real grief. These are real citizens with real lives, real beliefs, real work. You may come across lifestyles, habits, politics and practices that you may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with. If you cannot keep your opinions respectful, keep them to yourself. Any disrespectful or disruptive behavior may result in being asked to leave the tour. Any escalation from participants outside the tour should be addressed and handled by the guide. Once again, your safety should be our top priority.

-Please budget for tips on your tour. Yes we do get paid a wage, but tips are what truly keeps the lights on and keeps us afloat. The average in the current economy is roughly $5 per person per tour. Cash is still king in New Orleans (our internet and power is about as stable as we are) but most guides do take various apps such as Paypal, Venmo, CashApp and Zelle. If you have a conversion or currency question, please don’t hesitate to ask!

-Last but certainly not least, if you need to leave the tour for any reason, even if that reason is you no longer want to be there, politely and quickly inform the guide, then exit the tour quietly. We are also real people doing a real job, so there is no reason to escalate or cause a scene. Tour guides are also not responsible for any kind of refunds, especially while in the middle of performing a tour, so please handle all refund request and concerns with the company you booked with.

Hopefully some of this information was helpful and insightful, and by utilizing these tips and tricks, you, your friends, other guests, and your guide will have a safe, fun, memorable tour!

With all my love,

Moira