French Quarter LGBT Tour
New Orleans Upstairs Lounge fire plaque

“New Orleans was like that. A live-and-let-live attitude was ingrained into the fabric of the city; no one cared who you were or what you looked like - you had a place, and everyone respected that.” ― Laura Lane McNeal, Dollbaby



We are one of the first tour companines in New Orleans to speak about the history of the Gay and Lesbian experience and history in New Orleans. While the LGBT community has enjoyed a very accepting and tolerant attitude in the French Quarter for decades, this was not always true.


Since the city's founding and into the 1970s, the LGBT community often faced social ostricisation and politcal oppression. Psychologists called them sick, legislators called them criminals. While they have seen their "sin" face special attention from religious institutions, the LGBT community has also seen support from numerous ministers and more accepting church groups in New Orleans.


The French Quarter, due to it's live-and-let-live attitude, has been seen as a haven for the LGBT community.
IF YOU ARE VISITING NEW ORLEANS AND THE FRENCH QUARTER ON VACATION, THIS TOUR IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE QUARTER AND GAIN INSIDER SECRETS FROM YOUR LOCAL GUIDE.
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Our LGBT-friendly guide will take you to the places where the local LGBT community gathered, loved, suffered and sometimes died because of their sexual orientation. We will tell you the stories of those who fought so that all could live in peace in the French Quarter. Among the many locations you will visit is the French Quarter's first gay-friendly bar, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, and learn the secret signals that were used to avoid detection by the local authorities. You will also visit the location of the UpStairs Lounge where 32 people, mostly homosexuals, were murdered in the city's worst arson attack. We are especially indebted to Royd Anderson whose film documentary, The UpStairs Lounge Fire, provided critical and unique content for this tour.

See where both Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote called home and wrote some of their most famous works. Walk the French Quarter's "Fruit Loop," and find out which bars cater to the LGBT crowd. With our local guide you will witness the outlandish and the heart-wrenching, and learn of the many ways the LGBT community has added to the rich history of the New Orleans.

LGBT Royal Tours sign
CONTROVERSIAL AND EDUCATIONAL, TOUCHING AND HUMOROUS! DON'T MISS ROYAL TOUR'S UNIQUE LGBT TOUR IN THE FRENCH QUARTER.

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This tour lasts about 1-1/2 hours and consists of about 1 mile in walking distance. Bring your curiosity and bring your camera, and you'll understand why...

BEING ON TOUR WITH ROYAL TOURS IS LIKE HAVING A NEW BEST FRIEND IN THE FRENCH QUARTER!
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