Groups can hire a brass band for a private second line, a moving street parade that's a New Orleans tradition. It's become a signature bachelorette and birthday booking.

Airboat and pontoon tours through the bayous outside the city, with alligators and guides who know the area. A half-day trip that works for nearly any group.

Hands-on or demonstration classes covering gumbo, jambalaya, and pralines, and you eat everything at the end. Good for groups that want a shared activity that isn't drinking.

Evening walking tours through the French Quarter that mix history and ghost stories. Easy and fun, and a good start to a night out.

Frenchmen Street is where locals go for live music, with several jazz clubs close together. Less chaotic than Bourbon, better music.

A Mississippi River cruise on a paddlewheel steamboat with live jazz, with dinner or brunch options. A relaxed group outing with a view.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the city's best-known cemetery and can only be visited with a licensed guide. Tours cover its above-ground tombs and history.

Walking food tours through the French Quarter cover po'boys, beignets, and Creole classics in one afternoon.