City Sightseeing tour buses can be seen taking tourists on informative adventures through cities like Barcelona, New York City and now, New Orleans. The big red, double-decker buses started their engines in The Big Easy this month and are ready to take tourists and locals alike on an all-encompassing trip through one of America's most historic cities. 

This City Sightseeing bus exploring England is the same type that will now be serving New Orleans — Photo courtesy of ell brown

The buses are two decks high, with the top deck being open air. Riders are offered complimentary head sets which they can use to plug into the bus and listen to the prerecorded tour guide talk about the sights the bus passes and stops at. 

One of the most convenient parts of the company's service is the "hop on, hop off" nature of the bus. If there is a sight you want to explore further, you can get off the bus and check it out (many attractions offer discounted admission for City Sightseeing customers). When you're done, hop back on the bus (a bus comes by each location every 20 minutes) and continue your tour. Alternatively, stay on the bus the entire time and enjoy a 90-minute ride around New Orleans. 

Highlights of the trip include visits to the French Quarter, Harrah's Casino, St. Louis Cemetery #1 and the Audubon Aquarium. Passes are available for one, two and three days, and are an excellent transportation option if you want to hit all the sights but don't want to rent a car.