New Orleans is for lovers … beer lovers, that is. With over a dozen breweries in the city and a few more just a hop, skip and a jump away, beer lovers can’t go wrong in the Big Easy. However, with them all scattered throughout the city, it might pose a tough situation to visit more than one in a day while drinking – and driving – responsibly. That’s where Elizabeth Bates and her company the NOLA beer Bus come in. A hop-on, hop-off City Bus-like concept, Bates wanted NOLA Beer Bus to offer beer lovers and brewery visitors the opportunity to responsibly enjoy more than one location throughout the city without having to worry about transportation.
We asked Bates a few questions about the NOLA Beer Bus, its inception and if you can rent the bus for your own private beer tour.
- What is the NOLA Beer Bus?
Beer Bus is a hop on, hop off bus line that services New Orleans’ neighborhood craft breweries. We provide passengers a safe, flexible, affordable and fun way to explore our unique brewery scene, while local breweries of all sizes have an opportunity to introduce themselves to residents and visitors they may not have gotten to meet otherwise.
- How did y’all come up with this concept?
This idea originally came together from a desire to support friends who are working on opening a taproom in New Orleans East, and the challenge of getting there responsibly. Someone needs to be designated driver, or play rideshare roulette (and we’ve all likely been the victim of a canceled rideshare or surge pricing). Some of the breweries we want to get to are just too far away to make biking or walking realistic – especially in that special New Orleans heat, downpour, or arctic freeze. I thought, “there really just needs to be a bus line that goes to breweries…” and that’s where the adventure began! As a new mom, I have such a new appreciation for breweries as well – somewhere I can go have a couple drinks with friends, and have my kiddo with me? Yes.
- What are the logistics? How, when, where, etc.?
People can purchase passes (unlimited day pass, unlimited two-day pass, single ride pass) ahead of time, or just hop on when they see us at a stop! We have bus stop signs at each of our brewery stops so people know where to meet the bus. Our first bus holds twelve passengers at a time, with additional space for two wheelchairs. A full loop around our route takes approximately one hour, so wherever folks decide to hop off, they have an hour (or more if they’d like!) to hang out, drink a beer or two, and maybe even explore the neighborhood.
We roll 1-8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Sundays.
- How many location stops does the beer bus include?
We have two routes: Uptown and Mid City/Bywater. The Uptown route runs on Fridays and Sundays and has seven stops, while the Mid City/Bywater route runs on Saturdays and has five stops.
- Can you do private events – say for a bachelor/bachelorette party?
We offer a couple options for parties – groups can either purchase passes together and brewery-hop on our regular route potentially with other folks, or they can ‘buy out the bus’ for their own private party depending on availability. (Just email nolabeerbus@gmail.com to check pricing and availability!)
- Could a group customize a route?
If groups choose to ‘buy out the bus’, they can customize the route with current brewery stop partners for an additional fee.
- Anything else readers should know?
A few things! We have route schedules and live GPS tracking on our website, so you can plan around where we are – and if you have time for that second round or not. We are also kid-friendly, since the vast majority of our local breweries are as well. Lastly, don’t forget to ask for an “I like beer” sticker when you ride!
We absolutely love this concept for the native and visiting beer drinkers, or those who like the vibe and atmosphere of a local brewery or taproom. This is great for groups of people on a bachelorette/bachelor trip who don’t have a car, or maybe don’t want to rely on the unease of rideshare apps.
