Movie magic starts before you hit the first corner. This New Orleans Movie and TV Show Tour turns the French Quarter into a set, with filming locations you can spot early and often. I like that it’s built for real people—small groups guided locally—and that keeps the pace friendly.

What really makes it work is the way the guide connects screen moments to the actual streets. I also love that the tour can feel customized to your favorites, with film-and-TV trivia that hits plus practical New Orleans context along the way.

One thing to consider: it’s a 2-hour walking tour that runs rain or shine, and some walkways can be old and uneven. It’s also marked not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

Key Highlights to Know Before You Go

• First 15 minutes are loaded with show sightings, including NCIS: New Orleans, The Originals, Your Honor, Runaway Jury, The Big Easy, and even The Simpsons
• Small-group energy means you can actually ask questions and steer the conversation toward what you care about
• A clear French Quarter route: Royal Street → Chartres Street → Jackson Square → Old Ursuline Convent → LaLaurie Mansion → St. Louis Cathedral
• A halfway break is built in, so you’re not white-knuckling the whole walk
• A filming-season insider lens, including how productions deal with the French Quarter’s real-world challenges
• Lots of screen titles beyond TV and big franchises, from Princess and the Frog to JFK, Renfield, and The First 48

Starting Point: Royal Street Courthouse Steps and Brennan’s in View

The whole tour kicks off at 400 Royal Street, on the steps of the Supreme Court Building—directly across from Brennan’s Restaurant. It’s a great starting spot because you’re instantly in the French Quarter’s main orbit, with plenty to orient you before the walk even begins.

Do yourself a favor and arrive early. French Quarter traffic can be unpredictable, and you’ll want a calm minute to get settled, especially if you’re meeting other people or checking in after getting dropped off.

The First Big Payoff: What You’ll Spot in the First 15 Minutes

Here’s the fun part: you don’t ease into this tour with something vague. Within the first 15 minutes, you start discovering filming locations tied to popular productions—NCIS: New Orleans, The Originals, Your Honor, Runaway Jury, The Big Easy, and The Simpsons.

That early burst matters because it sets expectations fast. If you’re coming for your favorite shows, you’re not waiting around hoping the tour will eventually get there—you’re already connecting the screen to the street while you’re still fresh and walking steady.

This is also where a lot of the guide’s value shows. The tour isn’t only about “spot the place.” It’s about explaining why a location works on camera and what about the architecture or streets makes it recognizable.

Chartres Street to Napoleon House Area: Reading the Quarter Like a Set Designer

From the starting point, the route moves down Chartres Street, with the tour tied to the area around the Napoleon House Restaurant. Chartres is one of those streets where you can feel the layers—tourists, locals, history, and that very specific French Quarter look that shows up again and again in films.

This section tends to be where you start noticing patterns: window shapes, street angles, and block-to-block differences that producers can use to create a scene that feels like a world on its own. The guide’s job here is to help you slow down and look at the small details that most people walk right past.

You’ll also get more than screen trivia. The tour weaves in New Orleans culture and context along the way, so the walk feels like it’s about the city, not just about fandom.

Crossing Jackson Square: Where Famous Scenes and Real Life Coexist

Next you cross Jackson Square, which is one of the most recognizable public spaces in the French Quarter. It’s also the kind of place where the gap between what you think you know and what’s actually in front of you can be surprisingly big.

On this tour, the square works as a checkpoint. You stop long enough to make a mental picture of the cinematic perspective—where a camera likely sat, what kind of view it captured, and how the space can be staged to look different depending on the story being filmed.

This stop is also good for questions. If your favorite show includes a moment you’re still trying to place, you can ask and get a more grounded explanation than you’d get from a screenshot alone.

Old Ursuline Convent: When the Look of the Past Becomes the Point

From Jackson Square, you reach the Old Ursuline Convent. This is the kind of stop that helps the tour feel more “New Orleans” and less like a theme walk. The convent-area vibe carries weight, and that helps when the guide shifts from set details to the city’s older storylines.

Even if you’re not the type who usually cares about historical buildings, this stop usually lands because it connects atmosphere to filming choices. Buildings like this aren’t neutral backdrops—they bring a mood. And when a production wants that mood, the location choice becomes part of the storytelling.

The practical side: it’s a solid moment in the middle of the walk where you can regroup mentally before heading back into the “oh wow, that’s famous” zone.

Royal Street Loop and LaLaurie Mansion: The Haunted House Stop

After the convent, the tour loops back up Royal Street and hits the LaLaurie Mansion, often described as the city’s most haunted house. This stop brings a different kind of energy. The architecture and legends around the building create instant hooks for ghost stories and screen-style suspense.

You should expect a stronger focus here on eerie atmosphere and production storytelling—how scenes can be framed to feel more intense than what you can see with your eyes in daylight. The guide also shares real insight into how filming teams work around the Quarter’s constraints, so it’s not only about the legend. It’s about the mechanics of making it look dramatic.

It’s a highlight for movie-and-TV fans, but it’s also a great stop even if you’re more into the city’s lore. New Orleans loves mixing history, drama, and entertainment in the same breath, and this is one of the clearest places you’ll feel that.

St. Louis Cathedral Finish: Closing the Loop With the Quarter’s Anchor

The tour finishes at St. Louis Cathedral, right in the middle of the French Quarter. This ending spot is smart. You’re closing at a landmark that feels stable and central after a walk that shifts through different streetscapes and moods.

By the time you reach the cathedral, you’ve usually built a working map in your head: where the Quarter’s “camera angles” tend to be, where the classic views come from, and how the city’s buildings shape what you see on screen.

It’s also a good place to start thinking about what you’ll do next. The guide often offers recommendations, and if you’re the type who wants to keep exploring after your tour ends, this is the moment to ask for the best follow-up ideas in the surrounding area.

Price and Value: Why $30 Works for a Set-Spotting Walk

At $30 per person for a 2-hour walking tour, the value comes from what you’re actually buying: time with a guide who connects screen locations to real streets, plus the walk itself through some of the most recognizable parts of the French Quarter.

Here’s how I’d frame the value:

• You’re getting a focused route through top filming-friendly areas, not a long ramble.
• You get a guide-led explanation at each stop, which is the hard part to do on your own unless you already know where to look.
• The halfway break helps make the price feel fair, because your energy stays up for the full loop.

And because the tour runs in small groups, the money often turns into better conversation. That’s not a small thing. In a crowded bus-style tour, you might just listen. In a small walking group, you can ask questions and tailor the focus.

How the Guide Personalizes It (Without Turning It Into a Spoiler Party)

A standout detail is how often the guide asks what you’re into. Many guides on this tour (including Trevor McQueen, when he’s leading) start by asking your favorite show or franchise so they can point out the most relevant spots as you go.

That personalization is especially valuable if you’re watching something ongoing or newer, because it can keep the tour fun even if you’re caught up on the series. One smart touch noted is that the guide is careful about spoilers, so you don’t accidentally get plot details you didn’t ask for.

This tour also tends to mix new and older productions, so it won’t feel stuck in just one era. Along the route, you might hear about everything from NCIS: New Orleans to Your Honor, plus older big titles like Runaway Jury and The Big Easy—then pop into newer hits like Girls Trip or Renfield.

Practical Tips: Wear Shoes, Expect Rain, and Use the Quarter’s Reality

This is a rain-or-shine walk. The tour runs whether it’s dry or wet, and some walkways taken during the route may be old and unstable. That means comfortable shoes aren’t a nice-to-have. They’re your ticket to finishing with good legs.

Also plan for weather and traffic. French Quarter street life can be unpredictable, and the tour asks you to be ready to move through real pedestrian and vehicle conditions.

Two more practical ideas:

• If you’re bringing show references, consider saving screenshots on your phone before you go. Some people find it harder to compare without still images during the walk.
• If you need a slower pace, mention it early. Since the tour is designed for small groups, the guide can often adjust the rhythm in ways bigger tours can’t.

Who This Tour Fits Best (and Who Should Think Twice)

This tour is a great fit if:

• You love TV and movies and want to see the French Quarter through that lens
• You like walking but you also want a clear plan instead of wandering
• You enjoy guides who connect filming locations to the city’s real culture and architecture

It may be less satisfying if:

• You don’t enjoy the tour’s strong slice of vampire-and-haunted-house vibes. Some stops skew toward that mood, especially with productions tied to the supernatural and spooky legends.
• You need a side-by-side photo experience to feel the connection. The tour focuses on walking, stories, and guidance, not on projecting still images for instant comparison.

Should You Book This New Orleans Movie Set Walk?

If you want a French Quarter tour that feels like it’s built around what you watch on your couch, this one is worth booking. The mix of recognizable filming locations, a route that actually makes sense on foot, and a guide-led conversation in a small group is the main reason to choose it.

Book it if you’re a TV/movie fan who enjoys street-level details and you’re comfortable with a two-hour walk in rain or shine. Skip it or pick a different style of tour if you’re chasing minimal walking, require lots of photo-based comparisons, or know you’ll be turned off by the supernatural-heavy feel.

If you’re game to look at New Orleans like a set, this walk delivers real screen magic—without losing the city’s own personality.

FAQ

How long is the New Orleans Movie and TV Show Tour?

It lasts 2 hours.

Where do I meet for the tour?

Meet on the steps of the Supreme Court Building at 400 Royal Street, across the road from Brennan’s Restaurant.

Is the tour only run in good weather?

No. The tour runs rain or shine.

What should I wear or bring?

Wear comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

The activity is marked wheelchair accessible, but it is also listed as not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

What kinds of films and shows will I see on the tour?

You’ll see filming locations connected to productions including NCIS: New Orleans, The Originals, Your Honor, Runaway Jury, The Big Easy, The Simpsons, plus others such as Interview with the Vampire, Princess and the Frog, JFK, and The First 48.