Frequently Asked Questions: Full-Day New Orleans Bike Tours

Things to do in New Orleans: Bicycle Tours, Kayak, Swamp, Plantation - Home Page

FAQ - Full-Day New Orleans Bike Tours

Can you tell me a little more about your full-day bike tours?

We offer two city bike tours, one plantation bike tour and one country roads bike tour (on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain).

City Bike Tours: The city bike tour offered Monday through Friday takes you through the Faubourg St. John neighborhood, the French Quarter, across the Mississippi River via ferry to the Westbank, then back across at a different point for a ride through the Garden district. This tour can be as short as 22 miles and as long as 38 miles. The weekend city bike tour also takes you through the Faubourg St. John neighborhood, then through City Park, the Lakeview neighborhood and along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. In the afternoon we ride through the mid-city neighborhood, the university district, Audubon Park and the Garden District. This tour can be as short as 27 miles and as long as 45 miles.

Destrehan Plantation Bike Tour: On this tour we ride through the university district and Audubon Park to the paved levee bicycle path. We ride along this path with the mighty Mississippi River on your left and historic River Road on your right to Destrehan Plantation. We tour Destrehan Plantation, a 1787 Creole plantation beautifully restored with period furnishings, outdoor kitchen, slave cabins and other out buildings. This bike tour can be as short as 32 miles and as long as 52 miles, depending on where we end the tour.

St. Tammany Trace / Country Roads Bike Tour: From Laid Back, take transportation across to the North shore of Lake Pontchartrain to old Mandeville. Ride the Trace (a rails-to-trails bike path) to Abita Springs. After a short break, cycle the scenic country roads past horse farms in a loop around the outskirts of this beautiful little town. Eat at a small town restaurant. This tour can be as short as 36 miles and as long as 50 miles.

How far do you ride on the full-day bike tours?

Our full-day bike tours vary widely in mileage depending on the tour you choose and mileage you and the group wants to ride. Each of our tours can to be modified to ride more or less depending on the groups desire. We never put riders together who desire wide differences in mileage. Most tours cover between 22 and 52 miles, and these high and low mileages may be changed on request.

What is the price of the full-day bike tour?

The price of each full-day city bike tour is $95 per person. The plantation bike tour is $110 p/p plus transportation, if needed, from the end of the tour. The entry fee/tour of Destrehan Plantation is $10 ($9 with a AAA card). The country roads bike tour is $135 p/p plus round-trip transportation, if needed, to the North shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

What do we do for lunch?

All of our full-day bicycle tours include lunch at one of our great local restaurants. Each person pays for his or her own lunch.

What is included in the price of the bike tour?

Bike tours include a helmet, your choice of bicycle (hybrid, mountain bike, or recumbent), a 20oz bottle of water and a licensed local guide. You need only bring comfortable clothing, sunglasses, shoes (preferably sneakers or bike shoes), and sunscreen.

How many people will be on the tour?

All of our bike tours are very small groups, 3 person minimum, 12 person maximum. One or two persons booking alone are many times put together with another small group, but never more than 12 people (except for special group tours which can be as large as 30 persons).

When are your bike tours offered?

We operate tours on request 7 days per week, year-round except that we are closed between July 1st and August 15th. Times and dates are flexible and are scheduled by request. Most full-day bike tours start between 9:00am and 9:30am.

How do I reserve a bike tour?

We require advance reservations held with a credit card (Visa or Master Card). If you plan to charge your tour using your credit card, please bring it with you. We do not charge your card until you arrive. Do not send your credit card information via email. Please call to make your reservation.

What happens if it rains or there is bad weather?

A half hour before the tour is scheduled to begin, if it is raining or too cold or too hot, you may cancel the tour without charge, but you must call. We do not usually cancel tours based on weather forecasts since they are wrong nearly half of the time. We also apply a test of "reasonableness". For example 90 degrees in August in New Orleans is not considered too hot because it is not unusual. Once the tour is underway, you may cancel the tour due to "bad weather" and get a "rain check" for a future tour.

What is your refund/cancellation Policy?

There is no charge for a full-day bike tour if canceled within 48 hours of the tour start time. A cancellation fee of $25 p/p will be charged for a tour if canceled in less than 48 hours. The full amount for the tour will be charged for a no show, no call.

Where does the bike tour start?

All full-day bike tours start at our shop on 625 Hagan Ave. which is less than 2 miles from the French Quarter or the Central Business District.

How do I get to your shop?

By Streetcar: Take the Canal Streetcar from the French Quarter or Warehouse District. Note that you'll be taking the streetcar going away from the Mississippi River. Get off at N. Jeff Davis Parkway (in front of a Walgreen's pharmacy) and stay on that side of Canal St. Walk down N. Jeff Davis Parkway (along side the Walgreen's parking lot) for three blocks. You will cross a set of railroad track and see the street narrow to a single lane. This single lane street is Hagan Ave. In 1 1/2 blocks you will see our shop (625 Hagan Ave.) with a large "Laid Back Bikes/Tours" sign.

Driving/Taxi From Canal St.: Take Canal Street from the French Quarter or Warehouse District for about 1.5 miles. Turn right at N. Jeff Davis Parkway (at a Walgreen's pharmacy). Stay in the right lane. If you make no turns, N. Jeff Davis Parkway will become Hagan Ave just past a set of railroad tracks. In 1 1/2 blocks after the railroad tracks, you will see our shop on the left (625 Hagan Ave.). This is the front of our shop.

Driving/Taxi From Esplanade Ave: Take Esplanade Ave. from the French Quarter (away from the Mississippi River) for about 1.5 miles. You will see a Circle K convenience store on the right. At this point, turn left onto Grand Route St. John and drive to the end. You will be looking at Bayou St. John and Moss St. Turn left on Moss St. After you drive through a light, start looking to your left. You will see our shop with double yellow doors and a very large "Laid Back Bikes/Tours" sign at the back of a parking lot. This is actually the back of our shop.

What temperature can I expect in New Orleans?

Month	Avg. high	Avg. low	Avg. precipitation
January	62° F	43° F	5.1 in.
February	65° F	46° F	5.5 in.
March	71° F	52° F	5.3 in.
April	78° F	58° F	4.8 in.
May	85° F	66° F	4.9 in.
June	89° F	71° F	5.6 in.
July	91° F	73° F	6.6 in.
August	90° F	73° F	5.9 in.
September	87° F	70° F	5.4 in.
October	80° F	60° F	2.8 in.
November	71° F	50° F	4.5 in.
December	65° F	45° F	5.3 in.

Please call if you would like to book a tour, or call/email if you need further information.

Call us at (504) 488-8991
E-Mail us at info@laidbacktours.com