There are many tour possibilities in New Orleans. We strongly recommend the tour of the French Quarter offered by the Friends of the Cabildo. Only the tours offered by the National Parks Service are free but they limit the numbers to only to a small few who first arrive for a morning tour. The Friends tour takes as many as show up and the numbers can be broken up into separate tours if numbers warrant it. The Friends of the Cabildo group supports the Louisiana State Museums and the Cabildo is the main museum that focuses on New Orleans and is located right on Jackson Square. The Friends tour starts at the 1850 House Museum Store (523 St. Ann Street) which is also on Jackson Square. The tour lasts for two hours and runs daily except for Mondays at 10:00 and again at 1:30. You do not have to reserve a spot way ahead of time but you should be there 15 minutes early to pay and make sure you will be included. The cost was $15 for adults, $10 for teens, and younger children are free if accompanied by an adult. The tour was terrific and so was the guide, at least on our tour. There are many guides so I cannot promise that all are as good as ours who filled us in on much of the history of the French Quarter and also taught us much about the local architecture. The tour takes you into Jackson Square and then around the Quarter and then winds up back in Jackson Square. Of course the Quarter is too large for every single bit of it to be included but you might continue to wander on your own after the tour. The 1850 House Museum store does have a number of items for sale including books, CDs of New Orleans music, and other souvenirs. They also have free bathrooms in a back area.