Jazz Fest 2026: What to Do When You're Not at the Fairgrounds
April 24 – May 4. Swamp tours by day. Ghost tours after dark. Fill your non-fest days with the best of New Orleans.
Jazz Fest is a marathon, not a sprint. Most people come for the full week or close to it, and nobody spends every single day at the Fairgrounds. You've got mornings before the gates open, weekdays between the two weekends, and evenings after the music stops.
That's where we come in. A morning airboat ride through the Louisiana swamps is the perfect break from festival crowds. And after a long day of music and food, a ghost tour through the French Quarter is one of the best ways to spend an evening in New Orleans.
Daytime Adventures: Swamp Tours
Morning departures get you out to the bayou and back before Jazz Fest gates open at 11am. About 30 minutes from the city, a completely different world.
Family FriendlyNew Orleans Super-Sized Airboat Swamp Tour
The 30-passenger Super-Sized Airboat packs the most powerful engine on the bayou. Fast, loud, and thrilling, it delivers serious thrills at the best airboat price in New Orleans.
Best ValueSignature 16-Seat New Orleans Airboat Swamp Tour
Our Signature 16-seat airboat is the #1 choice for New Orleans swamp adventures. The perfect balance of thrills, intimacy, and value. It's our most-booked tour and the one we recommend to first-time visitors.
Family FriendlyNew Orleans Covered Pontoon Boat Swamp Tour
The swamp tour for everyone — no age limits, no weight limits, no restrictions. Our covered pontoon is the most comfortable ride on the bayou: shaded from the summer sun, and if a light shower rolls through mid-tour, you’re in the driest seat in the swamp. At $37, it’s the most affordable swamp tour we offer.
After Dark: Ghost Tours & Pub Crawls
Evening walking tours through the French Quarter, most starting at 8pm. Real history, real locations, real stories. The best post-fest activity that doesn't involve Bourbon Street.
Most PopularFrench Quarter Ghost & Vampire Walking Tour
A walking tour through the supernatural French Quarter. Visit haunted mansions, hear vampire legends, and discover locations featured on American Horror Story and Ghost Adventures.
18+ADULTS ONLY Ghost & Vampire French Quarter Walking Tour
The Ghost & Vampire tour, uncensored and adults-only. Explicit stories, intimate groups of just 16 guests, and a bar stop midway. The stories guides can't tell when families are around.
21+Apparitions & Libations Haunted Pub Crawl
A 21+ walking tour through four of the French Quarter's most haunted bars. Your guide shares tales of murder, crimes of passion, and the paranormal. Ghost stories, dark history, and an adult atmosphere.
21+Uncensored No Karens or Kids Allowed 5 in 1 Wicked History Tour
No kids. No filters. Absolutely no Karens. Real occult practitioners, mid-tour bar break, and five topics on one walk: ghosts, vampires, voodoo, witchcraft, and true crime.
Your Jazz Fest Week, Sorted
Morning (before 11am)
The first swamp tour departs at 9:45am (hotel pickup at 8:30am). You'll be back around 12:30pm, in time for the big afternoon acts. A completely different start to your day.
Afternoon (11am – 7pm)
You're at Jazz Fest. Eat the crawfish bread. See the Acura Stage headliner. We'll be here when you get out.
Evening (after 8pm)
Most ghost tours start at 8pm and last about two hours. Walk through the French Quarter hearing stories you won't find on a Google search. Then go find dinner.
Non-Fest Days (Mon – Thu)
The days between the two Jazz Fest weekends are wide open. Do a swamp tour in the morning and a ghost tour that night. That's a full day of New Orleans right there.
Jazz Fest Tour FAQs
What is Jazz Fest?+
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is one of the biggest music and culture festivals in the country. Jazz Fest 2026 runs April 24 through May 4, with two weekends of music at the Fair Grounds Race Course (plus the weekdays in between). It features hundreds of artists across multiple stages, along with incredible local food and crafts.
Can I do a tour on a Jazz Fest day?+
Absolutely. The first swamp tour departs at 9:45am and gets you back by 12:30pm, so you make it to the Fairgrounds after gates open at 11am. Ghost tours run in the evening after the music wraps up. You won't miss a thing.
How far is the swamp from Jazz Fest?+
The swamp tour launch sites are about 30 minutes south of New Orleans, in the opposite direction from the Fair Grounds. The 9:45am departure (8:30am hotel pickup) gets you back around 12:30pm, so you can still make it to Jazz Fest that afternoon.
What should I do the night after Jazz Fest?+
A ghost tour is the perfect way to wind down after a long day at the Fairgrounds. Most start at 8pm and last about two hours. You'll walk through the French Quarter hearing real history and local legends. Way better than just stumbling into the first bar you see (though we won't stop you from doing that too).
Do tours sell out during Jazz Fest week?+
Yes, especially the smaller boats and the more popular ghost tours. Jazz Fest brings tens of thousands of visitors to New Orleans, and the ones who plan ahead get spots. If you know your dates, book now.
Why Choose Gators & Ghosts?
We're locals, not a faceless booking site. Every tour is curated by experts who actually live in New Orleans.
3,000+ Five-Star Reviews
Real guests, real reviews. Thousands of families and groups have trusted us with their New Orleans trip — and told their friends about it after.
Family-Owned Since 2008
Aunt and nephew team — not a corporate chain. We'll give you an honest recommendation even when it means suggesting a less expensive tour.
One-Stop Shop
Swamp tours, ghost tours, plantations, city tours — one place to compare, book, and ask questions instead of juggling a dozen browser tabs.
Talk to Local Experts
Not sure which tour to pick? Chat with us or call (504) 226-5433 — real locals who'll point you in the right direction.
French Quarter Location
Walk in, say hi, ask us anything at 728 St. Louis Street. If plans change day-of, we're right here in the Quarter — not in another state behind a 1-800 number.
Curated by Insiders
Every tour on our site is hand-chosen. We know the operators, we've done the tours, and we only sell what we'd recommend to friends.
Don't Wait Until Jazz Fest Week
Tours fill up fast when the festival is in town. Lock in your spots now and you'll have the best parts of your trip already handled.