Built on Water, Tested By Storm: Before & After Katrina

1 Review 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 1 traveler reviews collected by Cool New Orleans and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 100% of reviewers | New Orleans, USA

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 25 (0) days in advance.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Instant confirmation
Offered in: English

Overview

Step into New Orleans’ layered history and its complex relationship with water on this 2 hour guided walking tour exploring New Orleans’ history, resilience, and sustainability in relation to water.

Through honest storytelling and expert context, your guide traces floods, engineering decisions, Katrina’s devastation, and the city’s ongoing sustainability efforts.

The tour weaves together culture, policy, and lived experience to reveal how natural forces and human choices shaped the city’s vulnerabilities and innovations.

By the end, you will have a clearer sense of what happened, why it matters, and what the future of New Orleans demands.

What's Included

  • Follow up information if desired
  • Licensed tour guide
  • Environmentalist guide
  • Gratuities
  • Food or Beverages
See 2 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

768 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116, USA

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your activity begins.
Read more

Safe & secure • Easy breezy • Hassle-free

Mississippi River Heritage Park

New Orleans and the Mississippi River are extricably linked. Tourism, trade and commerce are all powered by the river, lakes and the gulf that surrounds it. But the very thing that powers the city’s economy also makes it vulnerable to catastrophic floods. We will discuss this in detail
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Latrobe Park

This park was named after Benjamin Latrobe who built New Orleans' first water system
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Woldenberg Riverfront Park

This area used to be flood walls, warehouses, and industrial that ran along the Mississippi River. The area was transformed into a public park complete with lush greenery, bricked walkways, and public art, and it opened to the public before the 1984 World’s Fair, which the city hosted that year. The park was named for philanthropist Malcolm Woldenberg, who contributed to the park’s creation.
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jackson Square

Jackson Square, or the Place d’Armes, as it was originally known, began to take its shape in August 1721, when French engineers laid out a plan for the new colonial capital of La Louisiane. We will discuss the histroy as we view this gorgeous square.
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

French Market

In 1791, this French Market originated as a Native American trading post along the Mississippi River. From there it continued to evolve into a cultural and commercial hub for New Orleans, as French and Spanish colonists opened the market up to ships and traders from all over the world. Over the next three centuries, immigrants from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean began to open their own venues at this French Quarter market, offering everything from Italian butcheries to African coffee and Choctaw spices.
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

French Quarter

This was the original city. When the French created a permanent colony here they initiated a century’s-long effort to pin the Mississippi within its banks by building man made levees on top of the natural ones. But the Mississippi river was not easily tamed. Even Mark Twain said “The Mississippi River will always have its own way; no engineering skill can persuade it to do otherwise. And he was right. No matter what man did to try to control the river, floods plagued each generation of New Orleanians.
Read more

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Show 5 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Not recommended for anyone with mobility issues
  • Tours run rain or shine

Frequently Asked Questions

(7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Built on Water, Tested By Storm: Before & After Katrina?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the activity start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the activity start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the activity local time (CDT).This activity requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-400627P6

Reviews

5.00
1 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 1 traveler reviews collected by Cool New Orleans and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
1
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 25 (0) days in advance.

Similar Tours & Activities

New Orleans Self-Transport Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Take a short drive from New Orleans to visit Honey Island Swamp, a wildlife preserve that is one of the last protected wetlands in Louisiana,...

2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
5.0 (3,391)
from
$43.15
New Orleans Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Looking for a way to turn New Orleans into a giant game board? Urban Adventure Quest has created an interactive scavenger hunt that combines the...

2 daysFree Cancellation
2 daysFree Cancellation
2 days • Free Cancellation
3.3 (8)
from
$49
Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO District Guided Walking Tour
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Discover the Marvels of the Brooklyn Bridge! Begin your adventure at the Oculus, where our expert guide introduces the tour’s themes. As you walk toward...

2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
4.8 (43)
from
$24
Private 3-hour City Tour of New Orleans with driver and guide - Hotel pick up

When one thinks of New Orleans, one of the first things that pops into our head is Mardi-Gras and Jazz. But this is not only...

3 hoursHotel pickup offered
3 hoursHotel pickup offered
3 hours • Hotel pickup offered
4.0 (1)
from
$229.75

Travelers Who Bought This Activity Also Bought

New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Board your riverboat to the delightful tunes of the Steam Calliope. Experience the sights and sounds of river life that enchanted characters of history and...

2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
4.4 (5,054)
from
$36.98
Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Historic Mississippi River Cruise
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Join us for the only Riverboat in New Orleans with an excursion! Take a 2 hour, 30 minute cruise down the great Mississippi River aboard...

2 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation
2 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation
2 hours 30 minutes • Free Cancellation
4.5 (1,992)
from
$35.25
City Tour of New Orleans with Pickup

Go beyond the typical city tour experience and see New Orleans like a local. Relax in an enclosed air-conditioned minibus and get a great introduction...

2 hours 30 minutesHotel pickup offeredFree Cancellation
2 hours 30 minutesHotel pickup offeredFree Cancellation
2 hours 30 minutes • Hotel pickup offered • Free Cancellation
4.7 (2,485)
from
$40
The National WWII Museum Admission Ticket New Orleans

Designated by Congress as the official WWII museum of the United States, The National WWII Museum is located in downtown New Orleans on a six-acre...

2 to 3 hoursFree Cancellation
2 to 3 hoursFree Cancellation
2 to 3 hours • Free Cancellation
4.9 (2,295)
from
$38.86

What's Included

Activity name

  • Follow up information if desired
  • Licensed tour guide
  • Environmentalist guide
  • Gratuities
  • Food or Beverages

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with mobility issues
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Not recommended for anyone with mobility issues
  • Tours run rain or shine
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Report Product Issue

Activity name

Language
Currency

Site Settings

Activity name

Currency

Activity name

Activity name

Free Cancellation

100% refund
No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the activity start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the activity start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the activity local time (CDT).
  • This activity requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This activity requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Sorting, ranking, and search results

Activity name

Cool New Orleans wants to make your searches as relevant as possible. That's why we offer many ways to help you find the right experiences for you.

On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You'll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.

If you see a Badge of Excellence label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through Cool New Orleans over a 12-month period.

The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We're always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.