Garden District walking tour New Orleans: architecture & cemetery

Walk past the plantation-style mansions and above-ground tombs that built New Orleans wealth

A two-hour guided walking tour of New Orleans' Garden District covers the neighborhood's architecture, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, and the homes of notable residents past and present. The tour includes a live English-speaking guide and visits to Commander's Palace Restaurant. Small groups depart from near St. Charles Avenue, and the pace suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Garden District history and architecture

• Walk through Garden District
• Learn about historic Lafayette city
• Discover various architecture styles
• See large gardens and plantation houses
• Visit historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
• Pass by Commander's Palace restaurant
• Pass by former ice rink shops
• Pass by Anne Rice's former home
• Pass by Musson house linked to Edgar Degas

The Experience

The Garden District sits just blocks from St. Charles Avenue, where oak trees line the street and the architecture shifts into something grander than downtown. A guide leads the group through two hours of the neighborhood's history—the styles that define it, the families who built it, and the stories attached to specific houses. You'll see where Anne Rice lived, pass homes connected to the Musson family (whose uncle was the French Impressionist Edgar Degas), and learn how the cotton trade shaped the district's wealth and design.

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, called "The City of the Dead," sits within the walk. The above-ground tombs and the cemetery's layout tell you something about how New Orleans handles water and burial. Commander's Palace Restaurant, the pride of the Brennan family and home to chefs like Emeril Lagasse, anchors another stop—you see the building and hear its place in the city's food history. The tour also passes a former ice rink now housing shops, another detail of how the neighborhood has shifted and held on at once.

Public transportation runs nearby if you're staying elsewhere in the city or arrived without a car. The group stays small, and the pace works for anyone who can walk for two hours at a normal clip. A live guide in English carries the whole thing, so the stories and the architecture connect as you move through the blocks.

What’s included

• Guided walking tour led by a live English-speaking guide.
• entry to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.
• exterior views of Commander's Palace Restaurant and historic homes in the Garden District.
• stories about the neighborhood's architecture, residents and history.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Destination Kitchen

Is this one for you?The tour starts near St. Charles Avenue and moves through the neighborhood on foot, so you don't need a car or have to arrange your own transport—public transit gets you to the meeting point, and the guide handles the rest of the day from there.

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Top questions

What is Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and why is it part of this tour?

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, known as "The City of the Dead," is a historic New Orleans cemetery featuring above-ground tombs that reflect the city's unique burial practices. It's included on the tour to show how the neighborhood's history and architecture connect to the way the city handles water and land.

Will I see inside Commander's Palace Restaurant, or just the outside?

The tour passes Commander's Palace Restaurant as an exterior stop, so you see the building and learn its significance as a James Beard Award-winning restaurant and home to celebrated chefs. You don't enter the restaurant itself on this walk.

How do I get to the starting point if I don't have a car?

The tour departs from near St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District, where public transportation options are available. You can reach the meeting point by bus or other transit if you're staying elsewhere in New Orleans.

What kinds of architecture will I see on this walk?

The Garden District features several architectural styles built during the neighborhood's development as a wealthy residential area. The guide explains these styles and how they reflect the families and eras that shaped the district.

Are there homes of famous people on this tour?

Yes. The walk includes past homes of notable figures like Anne Rice and the Musson family, as well as homes of modern-day celebrities and important people. The guide shares the stories behind these residences and their owners.