New Orleans Sightseeing by Streetcar and Ferry
The cheapest sightseeing tour in New Orleans has a number on it: $1.25. That is a single RTA ride, and with a streetcar line, a bus network and a river ferry you can reach nearly every major sight without a car.
The fare ladder
A single ride costs $1.25, and the Jazzy Pass costs $3 for 1 day, $8 for 3 days, $15 for 7 days and $45 for 31 days. The pass is valid on streetcars, buses and the Canal Street ferry. Fares and the Le Pass app are explained on norta.com .
The St. Charles line
The green streetcar glides under live oaks from Canal Street through the Garden District to Loyola and Tulane. Hop off at Prytania Street for Greek Revival mansions and Colonel Short’s Villa, whose fence is cast in a cornstalk pattern. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 reopened on 1 October 2026 for guided visits only, led by the Preservation Resource Center in groups of 16 or fewer.
The Canal Street line and ferry
The red Canal Street streetcar reaches Mid-City. At the river end of Canal Street, the ferry crosses to Algiers Point for about $2 as a pedestrian, running every 30 minutes. Algiers Point has Victorian cottages, and the crossing gives a skyline view. The last boats leave around 20:45 on Sunday to Thursday and 22:45 on Friday and Saturday.
On foot from the river
Along the Moonwalk from Jax Brewery to Woldenberg Park, tugboats and container ships follow the bend of the river. Jackson Square sits a few blocks away with St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytère, the latter two about $11 each for adults. The Pontalba Buildings frame the square.
The Warehouse District
The National WWII Museum is within reach of the streetcar and opens at 9:00 daily. Adult general admission starts from about $37, and add-on theaters cost more. Allow at least half a day. Book a guided city tour with Viator if you prefer commentary over a map. The WWII Museum ticket page lists the tiers.
Reading the streets
Petty theft and street scams are the concern on Bourbon Street, around Jackson Square and on Canal Street. Violent crime against visitors in the patrolled Quarter is uncommon, yet empty side streets in the lower Quarter and Treme are best left alone at night. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 can be visited only on a guided tour from Basin Street Station.
Season notes
Hurricane season peaks from mid-August to mid-October. Mardi Gras parades roll on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street rather than Bourbon Street, with Mardi Gras Day on 9 February 2027. For tickets and tour formats, see attraction tours in New Orleans .
Buy a 1-day Jazzy Pass at your first stop and ride the St. Charles line end to end before choosing where to get off.