This picturesque neighborhood is best experienced on foot, and options run the gamut from historical tours to cultural tours. Garden district tours typically feature popular highlights such as the historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, famous antebellum houses, and the eclectic shops and restaurants of Magazine Street. If you sign up for a ghost tour, expect your tour guide to recount paranormal tales of the neighborhood. You'll quickly understand why scary films such as Interview with a Vampire and Dracula 2000 and TV show American Horror Story: Coven were shot here. Some New Orleans bus tours, including hop-on hop-off options, include stops in the Garden District.
This neighborhood is a must-visit for history buffs and first-time visitors to New Orleans.
Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to spend a few hours walking.
Guided walking tours generally involve 2–3 hours of walking and begin at a central meeting point in the neighborhood.
The area is wheelchair accessible for the most part.
For a particularly fancy meal, head to Commander's Palace at 1403 Washington Ave, which has been serving the Garden District community since 1893.
The easiest and most historic way to get to the Garden District from the French Quarter is by joining a tour or taking the St. Charles Streetcar (which also stops at Tulane and Loyola universities and the Audubon Zoo, part of the Audubon Nature Institute). It's also possible to reach the area on foot and via the Magazine Street bus.
Visit between February and May, when the weather is more comfortable. The calendar this time of year is packed with events, including Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Expect a lot of heat and humidity if you visit between June and September.
This live oak–shaded neighborhood is no stranger to celebrities, and a number of them have homes in the area. While strolling through the neighborhood, you might spot the houses of Archie and Peyton Manning, John Goodman, Sandra Bullock, and the late Anne Rice.
