- Temporarily Unavailable
- Thurs & Fri
- 3.5 hours
Imagine eating delicious dishes from the most famous chefs in New Orleans… all in THE SAME MEAL! This walking tour is a one-of-a-kind dining experience and is only offered through New Orleans Secrets!
Quick Details
Take a stroll in one of the oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods in the country — New Orleans’ stunning Garden District
Just a short streetcar ride from the Creole French Quarter, leave the city hustle and bustle behind and enter another world, surrounded by the graceful sway of sprawling oak trees, breathtaking mansions, and lavish landscapes.
During this Garden District walking tour, you’ll gain historical insight on the wealthy Yankees who first settled this area in the 1830s and 1840s as well as interesting architecture notes and see homes of several celebrities. Other sites include:
- Commander’s Palace Restaurant – where chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse cooked their way to fame
- John Goodman House (formerly Trent Reznor’s home)
- Sandra Bullock House – a life size Dollhouse and Swiss-style chalet
- Anne Rice House “Rosegate” – where her Mayfair Witches lived
- Romeo Spikes – an early form of property protection
- Archie Manning House – where Peyton Manning and Eli Manning grew up!
- Opera Guild House (and film site of Django Unchained)
- Benjamin Button House
…and more!
City of the Dead
Our New Orleans Garden District tour also visits the past residents of the neighborhood with a stop at Lafayette Cemetery #1. This is the third-oldest cemetery in New Orleans, and to many, it is the most beautiful New Orleans cemetery! You will uncover the science behind above-ground burials, jazz funeral customs, and the devastation of yellow fever. The cemetery is currently closed indefinitely for maintenance, but very wide gates allow for easy viewing and photos during our discussion (Spoiler alert: This above ground cemetery was *not* erected because of the high water table!).
Lafayette Cemetery #1 is where many TV shows and movies were filmed: The Originals, Vampire Diaries, American Horror Story, Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and Double Jeopardy – where Ashley Judd gets up-close-and-personal with an above ground tomb.
Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. We also recommend bringing a bottle of water in the summer. At least two people are needed to run this tour (may be booked separately).
Where Do We Meet?
We’ll meet near the stairs of The Rink shopping center; The Rink is located at the corner of Washington Avenue and Prytania Street at 2727 Prytania Street.
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The tour covers a little more than a mile with frequent stops; guests will be walking or standing throughout the entire two-hour tour.
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Our tours run rain or shine. If the weather is severe enough that it poses a danger, we will call you to explain our decision and discuss alternatives (this is why it’s very important to list a good cell phone number when booking online!). If we cancel a tour because of severe weather, all guests will be given a full refund.
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This tour is limited to 9 people. We pride ourselves on small group sizes so you’ll never be a part of one of those massive tour groups!
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While we will see some beautiful landscaping and small gardens on our tour, the Garden District Tour is primarily a history and architecture tour.
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The Garden District is a residential neighborhood, so access to a home, unfortunately, is not possible.
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This tour is approximately two hours long.
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Sure, but please keep in mind that some of the sidewalks can be quite bumpy/uneven, so please be prepared for that.
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If a two-mile (approx. 45 min) walk is no big deal for you, then sure! Most of our guests take a taxicab or Uber to the tour to ensure that they are there on time. (Please note: the streetcar is NOT recommended as it can often run late! Instead, most guests enjoy a pleasant streetcar ride back to the French Quarter AFTER the tour.)