Crawl New Orleans with a Pirate!
Start Your Evening with a Pub Crawl with a Pirate!
When the sun dips behind the wrought-iron balconies of the French Quarter and the gas lamps flicker to life, the streets of New Orleans come alive with music, laughterâand legends. If youâre looking for one of the top things to do in the French Quarter, nothing compares to stepping into the world of rum, rogues, and rebellion with the Pirates of the Quarter Pub Crawl.
This is no ordinary bar tour. Itâs a journey through history, humor, and the dark, delicious stories that shaped New Orleans. Led by real pirates (yes, actual historians with swords, wit, and swagger), this crawl blends storytelling with sipping, turning your night out into a voyage through centuries of scandal.
Drink Where Pirates Once Stood
New Orleans has always been a city of sin and survivalâwhere smugglers traded more than sugar and sailors left more than their pay behind. During the early 1800s, pirates like Jean and Pierre Lafitte ruled the Gulf Coast, smuggling goods through the bayous and selling them right here in the French Quarter. Their black-market empire stretched from the bayous of Barataria to the backrooms of Bourbon Street.
Your pirate guide leads you through the same cobblestone alleys where Lafitteâs men once walkedâarmed not with cutlasses, but with cocktails. Each stop along the crawl reveals a new layer of the cityâs intoxicating past. Youâll learn how rum was more than a drinkâit was currency, medicine, and often, the reason for a good sword fight.
Stories of Torture, Treachery, and Temptation
This isnât a sanitized history lesson. New Orleans was built on brutal realities, and your pirate wonât shy away from them. Hear the grisly tales of 18th-century torture, where captured prisoners faced the gallowsâor worse, the wheel. Discover how the city of New Orleans kept its citizens in check.
Learn about brothels, walking the plank, and exotic entertainment. Youâll even hear about the ghostly remnants of these encounters, said to still haunt the Quarterâs streets and shadowy courtyards.
Each bar along the way has its own history, and some, its own spiritsâboth in bottles and in the air.
Sword Fights and Scandal in the Crescent City
New Orleans was a place where honor was defended with steel. Dueling was not only legal but expected. Gentlemen fought over insults, women, and wagers, and pirates were never ones to back down from a challenge. Your pirate host brings these stories to life with swagger, illustrating how a well-timed slash or shot could settle disputes faster than the courts.
In those same streets, pirates and privateers caroused with soldiers, politicians, and courtesans. The cityâs underbelly thrived on contradictionârefinement by day, revelry by night. Itâs this blend of elegance and debauchery that makes New Orleans unlike anywhere else in the world.
The Best Crawl in New Orleans
Why choose the Pirates of the Quarter Pub Crawl over any other New Orleans bar tour?
Because this one doesnât just show you the barsâit shows you why they matter.
Youâll drink in places that predate Prohibition, where whispers of piracy echo beneath the jazz. Your guides are professional storytellers, historians, and comedians all in one. They donât just share factsâthey paint scenes so vivid you can smell the sea salt and gunpowder.
Whether youâre traveling solo, with friends, or as part of a group celebration, this crawl delivers an unforgettable night of laughter, learning, and libations. Guests consistently rank it among the top things to do in New Orleans, and the reviews prove itâs a five-star experience that blends education with entertainment.
From Rum Runners to Royal Rebels
The French Quarter was once the playground of pirates, politicians, and prostitutesâall of whom helped shape its wicked charm. Youâll trace the footsteps of pirates, and other Lafitte allies who fought not just for gold, but for glory.
 Their storiesâtold with humor and a hint of scandalâgive the cityâs history a pulse thatâs impossible to ignore.
A French Quarter Experience Youâll Never Forget
Each stop on the crawl offers time to grab a drink, mingle, and absorb the surroundings. You might sip a dark rum where Lafitte once made deals, or raise a pint in a tavern that hosted pirates long before neon signs lit the Quarter.
Your guide keeps the pace lively, the jokes sharp, and the history shockingly real. Thereâs laughter, camaraderie, and more than a few moments thatâll make you raise your glass to the ghosts of New Orleans.
By the end of the evening, you wonât just have had a few drinksâyouâll have stepped straight into a chapter of history, told by those who live and breathe it every night.
Perfect for Travelers, History Lovers, and Party Seekers
If youâre searching for things to do in the French Quarter at night, look no further. The Pirates of the Quarter Pub Crawl is part history lesson, part stand-up show, and all New Orleans spirit.
Itâs ideal for:
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Travelers wanting a deeper, more authentic New Orleans experience
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Couples seeking a fun and unforgettable date night
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Groups looking for a party with personality
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Locals eager to rediscover the legends hiding in the streets of the French Quarter.
Bring your curiosity, your sense of humor, and maybe your sea legsâyouâll need them!
Book Your Adventure
Tours fill up quickly, especially on weekends and festival nights. To guarantee your spot, book your Pirate Pub Crawl in advance through PiratesoftheQuarter.com.
Your adventure begins near Jackson Square, in the heart of the French Quarter, and winds through the cityâs most infamous streets and taverns. Expect about two hours of laughter, lore, and libations, led by pirates who know every secret alley and scandalous story.
Donât just visit New Orleansâlive it.
Join the crew, raise a glass, and experience why this pirate-led adventure is consistently rated one of the best crawls in New Orleans and among the top things to do in the French Quarter.