New Orleans Tours
New Orleans Garden District History and Architecture Walking Tour
5

New Orleans Garden District History and Architecture Walking Tour

By TOURS by STEVEN
Recommended by 99% of travelers
99% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Go back in time while exploring the Garden District during this walking tour. Listen to the stories and legends of the city and its above-ground crypts and graves. Stroll through beautiful streets lined with old Southern homes as you hear the history of the Garden District. Get insider tips from your guide on the best places to eat, drink, and be merry.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
  • Learn the history of New Orleans on this historic walking tour
  • Visit the famous the wealthy Garden District
  • Get insider tips from your guide on the best places in the city
  • Observe the different architectural styles of the city and their influences

  • Professional guide
  • Insider tips for local hangouts
  • Recommendations for food, music and fun
  • Garden District walking tour
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Lafayette Cemetery access - cemetery is closed to the public
  • Entry/Admission - Lafayette Cemetery No.1

Meet your guide at the Lafayette Cemetery, just one block from the historic St. Charles Streetcar Line. There is no public access to the cemetery, but from outside the gates you see graves and above-ground crypts while listening to stories and legends. Head to the Garden District to view the wealthy, well-preserved antebellum homes. Learn the different architectural and landscaping styles from the 1830s that can be seen throughout the city. Understand how the immigrants from a multitude of countries impacted the architecture, culture, and economy of the city as well as the country. Listen as your guide points out famous homes from past and present, including current celebrities’ homes.

Start:
  • 1427 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
    Meet ACROSS THE STREET from (Le Petit Blue) 1427 Washington Avenue at the gates of the Lafayette Cemetery #1. Your guide will be wearing a green shirt/jacket with the Tours by Steven logo. We also end our tour nearby. You can park anywhere around the cemetery but read all signage please.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23790P2

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • Dress code is smart casual
    • Tour is generally wheelchair accessible however be prepared for very uneven surfaces at the sites visited which may be difficult for those with mobility issues or using a wheelchair
    • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
    • A significant amount of walking is involved
    • The Lafayette Cemetery #1 is closed due to repairs and we cannot enter, but we do our cemetery portion of the tour from the iron gates, where you can see the tombs clearly.
    • If using RIDE SHARE, give the address: 1427 Washington Ave, New Orleans, La 70130 (Le Petit Blue). Then after drop off, walk across the street to the Lafayette Cemetery #1 to meet your guide. (wearing a green polo shirt, with the logo TOURS by STEVEN).
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23790P2

    From
    $35.00
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 1427 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
      Meet ACROSS THE STREET from (Le Petit Blue) 1427 Washington Avenue at the gates of the Lafayette Cemetery #1. Your guide will be wearing a green shirt/jacket with the Tours by Steven logo. We also end our tour nearby. You can park anywhere around the cemetery but read all signage please.
    • 1
    • 2
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • TOURS by STEVEN
      2,792
      New Orleans, Louisiana
      Joined in March 2014
    • Amy A
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Enjoyable
      Very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and humorous guide who was happy to share her city. Well worth it despite the unseasonable heat & humidity for October and downpour just as our tour was wrapping up. We learned the tour goes on rain or shine!
      Written November 2, 2024
    • gilliann750
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great walking tour of a beautiful neighborhood.
      Our tour was great; Angie was super engaging and kept me interested for the entire two hours. She is a wealth of knowledge about New Orleans and shared great stories and insights about the Garden District and cemetery. I highly recommend this experience.
      Written October 25, 2024
    • chuck b
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Garden District is our favorite!!
      Our guide Lee made it very memorable, along with his background in theater and his love for New Orleans.
      Written October 17, 2024
    • lmarnp
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Walking tour of the Garden District
      Our tour guide, Angie, was extremely knowledgeable about this area and New Orleans in general. She was friendly, funny and quite encouraging regarding questions and comments. I would highly recommend this guide and the tour.
      Written September 25, 2024
    • StephenH698
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Two hours in the Garden District NOLA 8/24
      Had a great 2 hours with Angie the tour guide. Very human, professional and with " the gift of the gab ", Overall very relaxing 2 hours stroll through NOLA's Garden District to see the classic American mansions.
      Written August 25, 2024
    • abigaylel2017
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Tours by Steve w LEE
      THE BEST. Tour guide LEE is amazing. He is informative, creative in his deliverance of information. We had the BEST time. Would highly recommend asking for LEE. Saw other tours on our way. Could tell, those guides were just reiterating information. Not LEE, he was excited to be able to share his knowledge.
      Written June 6, 2024
    • Ambassador776216
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best Ghost Tour
      Hands down the best ghost tour ever. Without giving to much away it is not your typical walking tour. I recommend this tour it is well worth the drive to Franklin.
      Written March 31, 2024
    • jerraboatnerr
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Walking Women's History of the French Quarter tour with Angie
      My Women's History Book Club read about some famous women in the French Quarter, and we wanted a women's history of the FQ tour. I reached out to Tours by Steven, and Angie was so excited to plan our tour. We learned sooo much, and the time and effort Angie put into planning our tour showed. She didn't read a script or anything, and it kept us captivated. We toured for almost three hours, had a great time, and took a lot of pics. Everyone kept raving about how much fun and how interesting it was. Highly recommend! Our group of 10 was the perfect size.
      Written March 28, 2024
    • fredricci411
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Harris Tour Guide
      Harris is an amazing guide. Very knowledgeable, personable and a great communicator. The tour flew by and he remained afterward for any additional questions.
      Written March 23, 2024
    • Chris L
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Take this tour!
      This was an outstanding walking tour of the Garden District. Angie provided an outstanding history of the Garden District while keeping it interesting and relevant by also sharing her extensive knowledge of botany and architecture in addition to adding in fun facts about current famous people who have lived-or still live- in this area of New Orleans. A great way to spend 2 hours. You won't be disappointed!
      Written March 6, 2024
    • THOMAS R
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      great guide
      A great toour. It was very informative with a biy of humor. I would highly recommend. We had a party of 6 and the tour had about 20 people.
      Written February 7, 2024
    • xxramxx
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good, Not Great
      Guide (Lee), very clear and articulate, but overly dramatic. Lots of interesting info, but seemed disjoint. I didn't come away understanding how it's name came about, how it developed over time, and how things are today. Saw and heard about lots of renovation & remodeling, but also saw a few run down houses. ???
      Written January 14, 2024
    • P7414MNkellyk
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      New Orleans Garden District Walking Tour
      We really enjoyed this tour and our tour guide was amazing!! He was so knowledgeable and very entertaining!!! I would highly recommend this tour!
      Written January 8, 2024
    • Jpea110
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Wonderful Experience!
      Harris was our tour guide and he was outstanding! He is a local resident who grew up in NOLA and as such, was very knowledgeable and able to answer every question our group asked, even those not relating to the Garden District. He called us part of his family and treated us that way. The tour was professional, well conducted, and full of interesting tidbits one would never know otherwise. This was the only tour I found that allowed me to bring my small, leashed pup, and I was very thankful for that! Harris shared much of the rich history of the GD, as well as NOLA in general. The best added bonus was the text he sent after the tour with additional information on everything we covered, restaurant and entertainment recommendations, and books to read about NOLA history! It was a treasure trove of information! We highly recommend Tours by Steven and Harris as your guide!
      Written January 6, 2024
    • DMO55
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Garden district comes alive
      Despite the dreary weather, Lee made our walk very entertaining and informative. I would love to come back and re explore in better weather and learn more about this richly historical area. The enthusiasm from the your leader was infectious! Word of warning, you cannot enter the cemetery but the background info is quite interesting.
      Written December 27, 2023
    See all 2,792 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles1,453 reviews
    Excellent
    1,382
    Very good
    58
    Average
    10
    Poor
    2
    Terrible
    1

    Ryan J
    Newport Beach, CA8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2020
    We had a fantastic tour which comprised of the perfect combination of historical information, legends/myths and botanical information.

    Our tour guide was Sara and HIGHLY recommend her. She has an incredible ability to weave together a ton of information in such an entertaining way. It's very obvious she does her homework and isn't scripted.

    Our group was across the board so this works for families, couples, friends...a real testament to Sara's depth of knowledge of a number of subjects and ability to adapt to each person on the tour.
    Written March 6, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    lulul
    15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I loved the Garden District Walking tour with Sarah. She captured our attention and made us laugh as soon as we started. Sarah was easy going but super knowledgeable and had a very good sense of humour. Having lived in Nola for many years, she was also able to give is lots of tips and shared many interesting stories from the city's past and present. The tour information was easy to follow, we had enougg time to take pictures and were encourages to ask as many questions as we wanted. The tour wasnt rushed and Sarah took a genuine interest in making our time and money worth. I will definitely look to go on other tours by this company when I am in the city next.
    Written January 3, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for your lovely review of our Garden District Walking Tour! Sarah really does have the best sense of humor and loves creating a mix of fun and facts for her guests. She has such a passion for this city and loves sharing it. We here at TOURS by STEVEN really do hope to see you again the next time you are in town!
    Written February 17, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Family Traveler
    Dublin, Ireland3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2022
    We took this tour with Harris in late February 2022 and it was a highlight of our trip. We are a family of 5, with 3 kids ranging from elementary school age to late teens, and Harris made the tour incredibly interesting for everyone (adults included). His depth of knowledge was impressive, and it was evident that he knows NOLA history and was enthusiastic sharing it. We really enjoyed learning about not only the history of the immediate Garden District, but the city as a whole, why certain neighborhoods developed, and the interesting architecture of the houses. Although not planned, one of the more fascinating aspects of our particular tour was when the owner of one of the houses came out to leave and provided personalized history of their property (that didn't quite meld with Harris' version , but we are pretty sure they were trying to sanitize their version). Regardless, that added a lot of local flavor as the owner said their house had been in their family since the 1850s! If you're looking for a great way to spend a couple of hours and gain a better appreciation for the city and its people, I'd strongly recommend this tour.
    Written February 28, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We're so happy you enjoyed your Garden District tour with Harris! He is a terrific asset to the Tours by Steven family and we are lucky to have him! Thanks very much for leaving a fantastic review and supporting a Louisiana small business. We'd love to take you on tour again the next time you visit Louisiana!
    Written August 24, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    yodma
    Archbold, OH1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2020 • Friends
    Terry did a great job giving insights into the Garden District and the residents that built it as well as some current residents. It was a comfortable walking pace (but be careful on the sidewalks, many uneven areas). Would be challenging for someone with mobility issues or a scooter.
    Written February 3, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    CAM1202
    Toronto, Canada575 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020
    We took the Garden District Tour on our recent trip to New Orleans. Unfortunately, the day we went it was teeming down rain - not just a little but pouring down buckets. Despite that, the tour was so good that we really enjoyed it. The Garden District is gorgeous and is not to be missed when visiting NOLA. The tour itself was very interesting and we learned a lot from our guide. She was really good and was not phased by the bad weather. We had no idea that so many celebrities lived in that area as well. I can't imagine how good the tour would have been in the sunshine, given how well received it was in the pouring rain. Hats off to this company - very good job indeed.
    Written January 10, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed exploring the Garden District. The historic homes, history, and architecture are so unique and not to be missed. Thank you so much for your kind words, and we here at TOURS by STEVEN would love to show you around some more next time you are visiting!
    Written February 17, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Danielle K
    13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2020
    We had a great time on this tour. You could tell our tour guide (whose name I unfortunately can't remember) was a history buff and wove his general knowledge about the city and the district into the tour. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time!
    Written March 11, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    leerobinson345
    Stratford, Canada11 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2023 • Friends
    The garden district tour was well done. Colin was knowledgeable about the district and was quite entertaining. The tour was about 45 minutes long. I can't remember the stop off the Hop on bus. Maybe stop 11.
    The cemetary tour was good. Mary was very knowledgeable and could answer most of the questions asked of her. Only a couple complaints. The group was too large. Half the group couldn't hear what Mary was saying. She started speaking before everyone in the group was within hearing range. At $25.00 a person for a 45 minute tour it could have been a better experience. The cemetary has some interesting tombs.
    The Cemetary Tour is stop 9 on the Hop on Bus. Quite far from the Garden District Tour.
    Written February 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, you must have taken someone else tour, we are not HOP ON, we are TOURS by STEVEN. Thanks!
    Written February 9, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Ariel C
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2020 • Friends
    I live in New Orleans and use Tours by Steven to book tours when I have visitors in town. I’ve had Sarah, Chad and most recently John. Thank you all so much! All guides exceed in delivery, content and being kind and fun guides. The lower garden is a low key 2 hr walking tour, easy for any age group. This tour gives visitors a really great look at history of cemeteries in the city and walk through of beautiful garden district homes.
    Written February 3, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    nvrsettle
    Amarillo, TX18 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2020
    Interesting tour in the beautiful Garden District. Tour Guide was knowledgeable and nice, he was very excited about history and provided details that perhaps other tour guides would not have known, I think his name might have been John (I am terrible with names). However, overall I think I expected something more...but that was no fault to this tour company, I think i just had a the wrong of idea of what I was going to see. The tour is a great way to see beautiful homes and learn the history, it's a great cheap way to spend a morning or afternoon away from the party scene of the quarter.
    Written February 19, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Summerlanding
    Fenwick Island, DE78 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020
    Sarah the tour guide for our group was WONDERFUL! She was absolutely engaging, inclusive, very witty and full of a ridiculous amount of history to share with us. Her enthusiasm for this city, NOLA, could not be more infectious. You'll want to spend the rest of your vacation with her! I could not have been happier in what I wanted in learning the history of the Garden District. It is a troubled history to be sure, but so is the entire city of NOLA. Personally I find that part hard to get past, but yet, I'm from the northeast of the US. She does not sugar coat the past and fully accepts it has a difficult past but the architecture is beautiful and symbolic of that time in history for New Orleans. She was a great representation of this tour group!!
    Written February 7, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    New Orleans Garden District History and Architecture Walking Tour provided by TOURS by STEVEN

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