New Orleans’ Garden District Travel Guide
New Orleans’ Garden District Travel Guide
Plan Your Trip
This self-guided New Orleans Garden District walking tour takes you through one of the most beautiful and storied neighborhoods in America, past grand antebellum mansions, ancient live oak trees, and streets packed with more history than most cities see in a century.
Give yourself about an hour and a half to two hours if you want to stop for photos, and pair it with lunch or a coffee stop along Magazine Street.
Top Things to Do
1. Step inside Lafayette Cemetery No. 1—one of the oldest above-ground cemeteries in America, with roughly 7,000 people buried in tombs that look like tiny houses.
2. Eat at Commander's Palace—New Orleans' most iconic restaurant has been feeding this neighborhood since 1893, and the turtle soup is worth the reservation.
3. See the cornstalk fence at Colonel Short's Villa—the most photographed fence in New Orleans, built in 1859 for a homesick Kentucky wife.
4. Ride the St. Charles Streetcar—hop on at the end of the tour and ride the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world.
5. Photograph Buckner Mansion—the largest private home built in New Orleans before the Civil War, and the exterior of a school for witches on American Horror Story: Coven.
6. Walk the Seven Sisters—eight narrow houses with a legend attached, and a real story that's even more interesting.
7. Visit the Jefferson Davis House—where the only president of the Confederacy took his last breath in 1889.
8. Grab a crêpe at Le Petit Bleu—a casual, French-inspired café right across from Lafayette Cemetery, opened by the same family behind Commander's Palace.
Download the Complete Travel Guide
Includes:
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✓ Complete travel guide
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✓ Printable map
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✓ One-day itinerary
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✓ Hidden gems
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✓ Travel tips
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✓ Offline access
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✓ Bonus recommendations not included on this page
Our Self Guided Tour
Ready to see it all in order, with the full story behind every mansion, fence, and cemetery gate?
Take our New Orleans' Garden District Walking Tour, a self-guided audio tour that walks you through the neighborhood at your own pace while your guide fills in everything you'd otherwise miss.
Free Things to Do
1. Colonel Short's Villa—Admire the famous cornstalk cast-iron fence from the sidewalk, no ticket required.
2. The Seven Sisters—Walk past this row of eight historic houses and hear the story behind the name.
3. Buckner Mansion—View the exterior made famous by American Horror Story: Coven from the street.
4. Jefferson Davis House—Stand outside the home where the Confederate president died in 1889.
5. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1—Walk the perimeter and take in one of the oldest above-ground cemeteries in the country.
THINGS WITH ADMISSION FEES
1. Women's Guild Home—Toured by the Women's Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association on select days, with admission around ten dollars for adults. Check their schedule before you go.
2. New Orleans Fire Museum—A historic fire station turned museum with antique engines and gear. Check current hours and admission before visiting.
Food!
Commander's Palace
A Garden District icon since 1893 that launched the careers of chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. Reservations are strongly recommended, and men need a collared shirt.
Le Petit Bleu
A casual, French-inspired crepe and coffee shop right across from Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, opened by the Commander's Palace family.
Turkey and the Wolf
A divey, gourmet sandwich shop a few blocks off the route on Magazine Street, known for its fried bologna sandwich and deviled eggs.
Where to Stay
Budget
Garden District Hotel, Travelers Hotel New Orleans—both close to the start of the tour on Prytania Street. Roughly $120-$220/night.
Moderate
The Queen Anne Hotel, The Blackbird Hotel—centrally located Garden District stays known for charm and comfort. Roughly $180-$290/night.
Luxury
The Chloe, Henry Howard Hotel—upscale boutique stays a short walk or streetcar ride from the tour route. Roughly $280-$500/night.
1 Day Itinerary
1-DAY ITINERARY
Morning: Grab coffee near Prytania Street, then start the Garden District Walking Tour at The Rink Shopping Center.
Afternoon: Finish the tour at Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, grab a crepe at Le Petit Bleu, and walk over to Commander's Palace for a late lunch if you didn't book a dinner reservation.
Evening: Ride the St. Charles Streetcar back toward downtown and explore Magazine Street's shops and restaurants before dinner.
2-DAY ITINERARY
Day 2: Spend the morning shopping and eating your way down Magazine Street, then head into the French Quarter in the afternoon for a change of pace from the Garden District's quiet, tree-lined streets.
Extra Time: If the Women's Guild Home is open for tours during your visit, go inside for a look at how the mansion's interior compares to the grand exterior. Check Lafayette Cemetery No. 1's current hours too, since it was closed for repairs when this tour was recorded and may have reopened by the time you visit.
FAQ's
1. How long does the tour take?
The tour is about one and a half miles and takes roughly an hour of walking, depending on your pace.
2. Do I need to book anything in advance?
Most of this tour is viewed from the sidewalk with no ticket needed. If you want to go inside the Women's Guild Home, check their tour schedule ahead of time since it's only open select days. If you plan to eat at Commander's Palace, book a reservation in advance.
3. Where should I park?
Street parking is available along Prytania, Coliseum, and Camp Streets, though much of it is metered during the day. Arriving early or using a nearby paid lot near Magazine Street is the easiest option if street spots are full.
4. What should I bring?
Comfortable walking shoes, water, and sun protection. New Orleans humidity is no joke, even in the shade of the live oaks.
5. Is there anything I should plan for that isn't obvious?
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 was closed for repairs when this tour was recorded, so check its current status before your visit in case it has reopened. If you want to eat at Commander's Palace, men need a collared shirt, so plan your outfit accordingly.
6. Does the tour work without an internet connection?
Yes. Once you download the tour in the app, it works offline.
7. Is this tour good for kids?
Yes, though a few stops touch on serious history, including slavery and the Civil War.
8. Can I pause the tour or go at my own pace?
Yes. The tour is location-aware, so you can pause anytime and it picks back up automatically when you reach the next stop.
9. Where does the tour start and end?
It starts at The Rink Shopping Center on Prytania Street and ends at Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.
10. Is this a walking tour or a driving tour?
It's a walking tour. You'll need to be on foot and moving between stops for it to play correctly.
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