8 Live Music Tours in New Orleans That Repay the Ticket

1.New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 7,533 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $58Our pick

Board the Steamboat NATCHEZ at Toulouse Street Wharf for a three-hour evening experience, including one hour dockside and a two-hour Mississippi cruise. Hear the calliope, explore the engine room, enjoy live jazz from the Dukes of Dixieland or another New Orleans jazz group, and add a Louisiana-style buffet with gumbo, crawfish étouffée, fried chicken, and bread pudding.

“Incredible time with friends. The food was really good and plentiful. The service was exceptional. The jazz musicians were really good and the calliope at the beginning was fun. The ride was so smooth you forgot you were on a boat.”

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2.New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,334 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $43Best value

Board the Steamboat Natchez at Toulouse Street Wharf for a roughly two-hour paddlewheel cruise on the Mississippi. You’ll hear live jazz from the Steamboat Stompers, listen to commentary about New Orleans and the Battle of New Orleans, and pass the Chalmette Battlefield. Add the Southern-style buffet lunch if you want a full meal on board.

“Good time with a nice meal. Very informative while on the river and the band was great to listen to.”

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3.Evening Steamboat Jazz Cruise + Optional Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4,548 reviews · 2 hours · from $58

Board at 6 p.m. for a 7 to 9 p.m. cruise from the French Quarter. You’ll hear live jazz from the Grammy-nominated Dukes of Dixieland, listen to a captain’s narration, explore four decks, and see New Orleans from the Mississippi. Add the Creole buffet if you want dinner onboard. The Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS currently replaces the NATCHEZ on evening cruises.

“Loved this trip.. very informative , loved hearing all the history along the river and views on night were spectacular. Band were amazing too!”

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4.Daytime Steamboat Jazz Cruise + Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4,164 reviews · 2 hours · from $43

Spend two hours aboard the Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS, currently filling in for the Steamboat NATCHEZ. Hear the Steamboat Stompers, listen to live narration, inspect the paddle wheel and engine room, and move between four decks. Add a plated Creole lunch with catfish, red beans and rice, jambalaya, spoon bread, and bread pudding.

“This was so much fun! My wife and I took our niece for the lunchtime riverboat cruise, and we have a wonderful time. The weather was perfect, and the jazz band was excellent. Lunch was traditional NOLA style, fried catfish, red beans and rice, and bread pudding. Highly recommend!”

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5.Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Dinner Cruise in New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,469 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $107

Spend about two hours on the Mississippi aboard the paddlewheel Creole Queen. The evening includes live jazz, a promenade deck, and an optional Creole buffet with gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, seafood pasta, brisket, and bread pudding. Boarding begins at 6:30 p.m. for a prompt 7 p.m. departure from 1 Poydras Street.

“Very nice, food was good, service good, music good, we enjoyed it very much.. We walked on deck seen many ships /boats, the bridge that crossed the river was lit up with red and green very nice! Good float!”

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6.Evening Jazz Boat Cruise with Optional Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,024 reviews · 2 hours · from $60

Spend two hours aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, listening to Sullivan Dabney Jr. and the Muzik Jazz Band while New Orleans slips past. Choose the dinner option for a Creole buffet, then dance, order a cocktail, and watch Jackson Square and the lit bridges from the river. Boarding begins at 6:00 PM at the Poydras Street Dock.

“wonderful staff...great food .. awesome music...just an amazing experience”

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7.Sunday Steamboat Jazz Cruise + Optional Brunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 470 reviews · 2 hours · from $43

Spend two hours aboard the Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS, or the returning Steamboat NATCHEZ on select dates, with live jazz, captain’s narration, river views, and full-service bars. Add the Creole brunch for gumbo, shrimp and grits, cinnamon rolls, king cake, and other Louisiana favorites.

“The ship was beautiful and the food was very good. We loved being able to just watch the scenery go by and learn about the great Mississippi River. All while listening to awesome jazz. Totally recommend!!”

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8.‘Court of Two Sisters’ Jazz Brunch Buffet

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 409 reviews · 1 day · from $51

Head to Court of Two Sisters on Royal Street, show your voucher to the hostess, and settle into the courtyard for an all-you-can-eat brunch with live jazz and one mimosa. The buffet runs from breakfast dishes into lunch favorites, including gumbo, grillades, shrimp étouffée, carved ribeye, bananas Foster, and bread pudding.

“Really great venue and atmosphere. Really busy but well organised.”

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