New Orleans: Movie and TV Show Tour

New Orleans has played itself, and plenty of other places, on screen. Within the first fifteen minutes of this two-hour French Quarter walk, you may encounter sites linked to NCIS: New Orleans, The Originals, Your Honor, Runaway Jury, The Big Easy, and even The Simpsons. The tour turns familiar streets into a movie set while still giving you a feel for the city itself.

I like the small-group format, which lets guide Trevor McQueen ask what you watch and adjust the walk around your interests. I also like the mix of film trivia, local history, architecture, celebrity homes, and ghost stories. The main drawback is that this is a proper walking tour on old streets, so heat, rain, traffic, and uneven walkways can wear you down.

Key points to know before you book

• Starts at the Supreme Court Building: Meet at 400 Royal Street, across from Brennan’s Restaurant.
• Covers famous and less obvious productions: Expect The Originals, Interview with the Vampire, Chef, The Pelican Brief, Renfield, Girls Trip, and many more.
• Trevor McQueen personalizes the route: Tell him your favorite shows early, and he can point out matching locations and avoid spoilers.
• Includes a halfway break: The pause is useful for a restroom stop during the two-hour walk.
• Costs $30 per person: That is fair value if you enjoy film, television, or New Orleans stories and want more than a simple sightseeing loop.
• Requires sensible preparation: Wear comfortable shoes and arrive 15 minutes early because French Quarter traffic can be unpredictable.

Why this New Orleans film tour works

Film-location tours can be hit or miss. Sometimes you walk past a building, hear a title, and move on before the connection means much. This tour has a better chance of landing because it uses the French Quarter as both a movie set and a living neighborhood.

You are not simply hunting for doors and windows seen on screen. The route takes in Jackson Square, the Old Ursuline Convent, St. Louis Cathedral, Royal Street, Chartres Street, the Napoleon House area, and the LaLaurie Mansion. These places give the walk a solid New Orleans shape even if you have not watched every production on the list.

Trevor McQueen is the guide most closely associated with the experience. He asks what films and shows interest you at the beginning, then works those choices into the route when possible. That matters if you are coming mainly for The Originals, the vampire stories, or NCIS: New Orleans. It also helps if you are traveling with people who have very different screen tastes.

The strongest part of the experience is the conversation. You can ask about the practical problems of filming in a busy, historic quarter, or about how a location was identified from its architecture. Trevor also adds city history, recommendations for the rest of your visit, and occasional ghost stories. I would think of this as a film tour with a local New Orleans walking tour built into it.

Starting at 400 Royal Street

The meeting point is on the steps of the Supreme Court Building at 400 Royal Street, across from Brennan’s Restaurant. Arrive about 15 minutes early. French Quarter traffic can be unpredictable, and arriving late is a poor way to begin a walking tour that depends on a small group staying together.

Starting near Royal Street puts you right into the old quarter’s grand facades, galleries, courtyards, and narrow sidewalks. The courthouse setting also fits the legal and crime productions connected with New Orleans, including Your Honor, Runaway Jury, The Pelican Brief, and NCIS: New Orleans.

The opening minutes are important. Tell Trevor which shows you have watched, and mention any you have not finished. One particularly thoughtful touch is his willingness to avoid spoilers for The Originals and other series. If you are a serious fan, bring a short list of favorite productions rather than expecting the tour to cover every title equally.

The group size can be very small. Some departures have had only two people, and others just a handful. That makes it easier to stop for questions and easier for Trevor to adjust the emphasis. The tradeoff is that the exact route can feel more conversational than scripted, which suits some people better than others.

Chartres Street and the Napoleon House area

From Royal Street, the walk heads down Chartres Street from the Napoleon House Restaurant. This part gives you a useful introduction to the French Quarter while the screen connections begin to pile up.

Chartres Street is an effective movie backdrop because it offers the visual cues many people associate with New Orleans: old masonry, ironwork, balconies, courtyards, and compact streets. The buildings are not just scenery. Trevor uses architectural clues to explain how he identifies locations and matches them with productions.

You will hear about newer television work alongside older films. The list includes The Big Easy, King Creole, Live and Let Die, The Cincinnati Kid, JFK, and Chef. More recent titles include Girls Trip, Renfield, and The Haunted Mansion. You should not expect a full scene-by-scene recreation of each film. Instead, the guide helps you see how a street, building, or view was used.

This is also where the tour works for people who are not film obsessives. You can focus on the French Quarter’s design, local stories, and filming challenges while your companion follows the movie details. If you want a tour built only around one production, tell Trevor at the start so he can give that show more attention where the route allows.

Crossing Jackson Square

The route continues across Jackson Square, one of the most recognizable public spaces in New Orleans. Here, the tour shifts from tight streets to a broader view of the quarter and its famous buildings.

Jackson Square is useful for understanding why filmmakers return to New Orleans. It gives productions a strong sense of place without requiring a large change of setting. The square also connects the film discussion to the city’s public life, architecture, and long-standing traditions.

The guide may point out locations tied to productions such as Interview with the Vampire and The Princess and the Frog. The appeal is partly visual and partly atmospheric. You can stand in a place you have seen on screen, then look around and notice that the real location is more layered, busy, and imperfect than the finished scene.

That difference is worth keeping in mind. A filming location may be recognizable only from one angle or may look different because of temporary sets, camera framing, or changes over time. If you want side-by-side images, bring your own screenshots. One useful criticism of the tour is that visual aids are not guaranteed, so people without a strong memory for movie scenes may find some locations harder to identify.

The Old Ursuline Convent and the halfway break

The walk reaches the Old Ursuline Convent before looping back toward Royal Street. This is one of the more distinctive stops because it brings a historic building into the film discussion rather than focusing only on famous streets.

You will have a chance to hear how the city’s older structures contribute to film atmosphere. The convent also helps break up the route, giving the tour a change of pace after the first stretch through the quarter.

A halfway break is included, and it is more useful than it may sound. Two hours in the New Orleans heat, with old pavement and frequent stops, can feel longer than two hours indoors. The break gives you a restroom opportunity and a moment to reset before the final section.

I would still use the toilet before meeting if you can, and bring water. The supplied advice calls for comfortable clothes and shoes, and that is not just boilerplate. Wear footwear with good support. Some walkways may be old or unstable, and the tour takes place rain or shine.

Royal Street, LaLaurie Mansion, and the final cathedral view

After the break, the route loops back up Royal Street and passes the LaLaurie Mansion, described as one of the city’s most haunted houses. This is where the tour’s film, celebrity, and supernatural threads come together.

LaLaurie Mansion is connected to the dark, gothic side of New Orleans storytelling and fits naturally with discussion of vampire productions and ghost tales. Fans of The Originals, Interview with the Vampire, and similar shows will likely find this section especially appealing. If vampires are not your thing, you can still follow the architectural and historical side of the stop, though the emphasis may not suit everyone.

The tour finishes at St. Louis Cathedral in the middle of the French Quarter. Ending here makes practical sense. You are left near Jackson Square and several central streets, so you can continue sightseeing, find lunch, or return to a hotel without arranging transport.

The finish also gives the route a clean shape: courthouse, Chartres Street, Jackson Square, the Old Ursuline Convent, Royal Street, LaLaurie Mansion, and the cathedral. It is a lot of ground for two hours, but the pace is described as reasonable rather than rushed. You should expect steady walking, not a leisurely stop at every building.

The shows and films you are most likely to enjoy

The tour covers a wide spread of productions, so your experience will depend on your viewing habits. It is especially well suited to fans of The Originals, Legacies, Interview with the Vampire, and NCIS: New Orleans. Trevor can focus on those interests and point out locations tied to them.

The list also reaches well beyond vampire dramas:

• The Big Easy
• Runaway Jury
• Your Honor
• Chef
• Now You See Me
• The Pelican Brief
• JFK
• Girls Trip
• Renfield
• The Haunted Mansion
• King Creole
• Live and Let Die
• The Cincinnati Kid
• The First 48
• The Simpsons

That range is one of the tour’s strengths. You may discover a film you had not connected with New Orleans and add it to your watch list for later. It also keeps the outing from becoming too narrow for couples or families with different favorites.

The limitation is just as clear. A large share of the most memorable discussion appears to center on vampire or supernatural productions. If you do not watch those shows, some portions may feel less relevant. The guide does include older films, crime shows, celebrity homes, and New Orleans history, but you should book with the understanding that gothic New Orleans is part of the tour’s flavor.

What the guide adds beyond filming locations

A good guide makes the difference here. Trevor’s role is not just to name a production and point at a wall. He explains filming details, tells stories about production teams working in the French Quarter, and uses architectural clues to locate scenes.

The local context gives the film material more value. You learn how a real neighborhood becomes a controlled movie environment, and why a production may choose one facade or street over another. You also get historical facts and recommendations for places to see after the tour.

The personal approach is a major plus. If you love The Originals, say so. If you are still midway through a series, say that too. If your group prefers classic films, legal dramas, or celebrity history, make that clear. Trevor has tailored the walk to individual interests, including solo departures, rather than canceling when attendance is low.

The pace also suits questions. Several parts of the tour are built for conversation, so you can ask about a location instead of just taking in a prepared speech. For international visitors, the guide has been described as speaking slowly enough to follow, and the tour is conducted in English.

Price, timing, and practical value

At $30 per person, this is a reasonable buy for a two-hour small-group experience in the French Quarter. You are paying for a guide, a planned route, film research, local context, and the chance to shape the content around your interests.

The value is strongest if you already enjoy movies and television. A casual visitor who wants only a broad introduction to the French Quarter may get more from a standard history or architecture walk. Here, the film connections are the reason to choose this outing.

For a couple or small family, the price can be worthwhile because you are not simply following a large crowd. A small group gives you more access to the guide and makes it easier to ask for specific locations. Solo participants may receive an especially personal experience when attendance is light.

The activity lasts two hours and includes a halfway break. Check the available start times when booking, since the precise departure time is not fixed in the information provided. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the tour, and you can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your New Orleans schedule is still shifting.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, but the same information warns that it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments and that some walkways are old or unstable. Treat that as a point to clarify before booking. The route is outdoors, subject to traffic and weather, and requires sustained walking.

Who should book this French Quarter walk

I would choose this tour if you can name at least one New Orleans production you want to see. Fans of The Originals and Interview with the Vampire are the clearest match, but the broad film list gives classic movie fans plenty to work with.

It also suits you if you want a local guide who can mix entertainment with city facts. The ghost stories, celebrity homes, architecture, and filming problems add variety, so you do not need to be a movie expert to enjoy the route.

I would hesitate if you dislike walking, need a fully smooth route, or want detailed visual comparisons at every stop. Bring screenshots of favorite scenes if that will help you recognize locations. Also avoid booking at the end of an exhausting sightseeing day. New Orleans heat, rain, and uneven pavement can turn a good two-hour outing into a tiring one.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a personal, film-focused way to see the French Quarter and you value a guide who responds to your interests. Trevor McQueen’s flexibility, local knowledge, spoiler awareness, and willingness to offer further city tips are the main reasons to choose it.

Skip it if your group has no interest in movies or television, or if mobility and weather make a steady outdoor walk difficult. For everyone else, $30 buys a lively route through some of New Orleans’s most recognizable streets, with enough history and local character to make the tour useful even after the cameras disappear.

FAQ

Where does the New Orleans Movie and TV Show Tour begin?

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

How long does the tour last?

The walking tour lasts two hours and includes a halfway break.

Where does the tour finish?

The route finishes at St. Louis Cathedral in the middle of the French Quarter.

Which movies and shows are covered?

The tour can include NCIS: New Orleans, The Originals, Your Honor, Runaway Jury, The Big Easy, The Simpsons, Interview with the Vampire, Chef, Now You See Me, The Princess and the Frog, Live and Let Die, King Creole, Girls Trip, The Pelican Brief, JFK, The Haunted Mansion, The Cincinnati Kid, Renfield, The First 48, and others.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The live tour guide speaks English.

Can the guide tailor the tour to my favorite show?

Yes. You should tell the guide about your favorite movies or shows at the beginning. The route can then include matching locations where possible, and the guide can avoid spoilers for shows you have not finished.

What should I wear and bring?

Wear comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes. You should also plan for changing weather, traffic, and old or uneven walkways.

Can I cancel or pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve your place and pay later.