Hidden History of New Orleans' Garden District
Description
New Orleans' Garden District is a steeped in history and charm, with landmarks that tell stories of its rich heritage. Our small group walking tour brings you through the neighborhood for an unforgettable experience for history, architecture, and culture enthusiasts. The Italianate architecture of historic homes, with ornate brackets and grand porches, captures the grace of a bygone era. We'll see ornate ironwork, antebellum homes and hear the stories of how this part of New Orleans developed and what makes it unique still today. These landmarks, ranging from opulent mansions to time-honored cemeteries, tell vivid stories about the city's vibrant past and the people who shaped its identity. We will see the home of football royalty, the Mannings, and author Anne Rice's home. Well talk about Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, one of the city’s oldest cemeteries. Though currently closed for maintenance, its cultural significance endures.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will stop at over 10 homes discussing the architecture and historical elements of one of the United States' most memorable neighborhoods.
Built in 1884, the Rink was once the largest roller skating rink in the world.
We will discuss the architectural concepts of this transitional home as well as filming that occurred here.
This Second Empire home is one of the buildings included in this historic school's property.
This Cemetery will be discussed at the gates, as it is currently closed. As the most filmed cemetery in the city, there is quite a bit to discuss.
The location of Anne Rice's "Witching Hour" novels. We will discuss this authors prolific career and how she has added to the mystique of New Orleans.
At this famous Brennan's restaurant, we will talk about the development of Creole and Cajun cuisine in Louisiana thanks to famous chefs like Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. We'll let you know the best times to visit and make reservations.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(22)
Sarah is exceptional. I'm a seasoned journalist with a lot of knowledge about New Orleans and its history. That said, I learned more about this city than I ever knew on a 2-hour tour with Sarah. Storytelling is a gift, and an art. And Sarah is truly gifted. She cares about facts, truth, responsible narratives and the community here. She is also able to gauge how to deal with different nationalities and expectations of people who have never been to this city. That's pretty exceptional. I can't sing her praises enough. Book her before she realises she should be writing a book instead of moonlighting as a tour guide. :)
Thanks so much! Sarah will be honored by your words—her passion and storytelling truly set her apart!
Our guide Lisa was friendly and informed. She was responsive to the welfare of her customers, and sensitive to the pace of the tour. She showed real interest in her tour subject, and was able to provide both historical fact and celebrity news.
Thank you for the kind words! We're glad you enjoyed the tour with Lisa—she truly cares about her guests and brings great energy and insight to every tour.
Matthew was our Garden District tour guide and he was amazing, knowledgeable, and entertaining. I highly recommend taking his tour.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had a great time with Matthew—his knowledge and enthusiasm really bring the Garden District to life. We appreciate your recommendation!
Matthew was great and so knowledgeable on the garden district history. Pace was comfortable and answered all questions
Thank you for your kind words! We're glad you enjoyed the tour with Matthew and appreciated his knowledge and pacing. Hope to see you on another tour soon!
The Tourbwas wonderful for families. It gives you another look at New Orleans, not only the typical French Quarter area. Our tour guide, Andrew, explained every architectural style in detail, allowing for plenty of photographs and even suggesting special angles. Perfect length for a walking tour with a good pace. At the end, Andrew stayed to answer more questions not only about the Garden District, but also about New Orleans in general.
Thank you for the lovely review! We're so glad you and your family enjoyed exploring the Garden District with Andrew. It's great to hear his insights on architecture and photography made the tour even more memorable. We appreciate your kind words and hope to see you on another tour soon!
Matthew led our small group on a two-hour informative and entertaining tour of the Garden District's grand houses and the cemetery. Lots of great stories and I learned some things.
Thanks for the great feedback! We're so glad you enjoyed exploring the Garden District with Matthew—he really knows how to make the history come alive. Hope to see you on another tour!
Sarah was funny, personable, and very knowledgeable. The tour did not at all feel scripted! She added so many interesting facts about the culture, customs, with a little harmless local gossip sprinkled in. Highly reccomend💕
So happy you enjoyed the tour with Sarah! She’ll love hearing this—especially the part about the local gossip. Thanks for the lovely recommendation!
Matthew was a fantastic tour guide. Great explanations and descriptions of all the historical places. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much! We’re glad you had a great time with Matthew—he’s awesome! Hope to see you again soon.
this tour took us around the district and gave us both history and local insight on how NO has evolved. So interesting to listen to the way politics has shaped the city and how the traditions and celebrations continue today. certainly made the rest of our trip fun using the info. Sarah also gave us great tips for restaurants to try every one was marvelous!
Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed the tour and Sarah's great recommendations. Hope to see you again!
We had the best tour of the garden district with Sarah! She was a fantastic story teller! She was knowledgeable about the history as well as added insider details, like sayings and customs. She was funny, warm, and welcoming. This was definitely a highlight of our friend trip to New Orleans. I highly recommend it!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad Sarah made your tour memorable with her stories and insights. We appreciate your recommendation!
