New Orleans Garden District Walking Tour & Buckner Mansion

Walking Magazine Street to the Buckner Mansion, where American Horror Story filmed its Coven season

You walk 1.5 miles through the Garden District with a guide who covers Louisiana history, Greek Revival architecture, and the enslaved labor behind the mansions. You stop at The Rink for refreshments, see the Buckner Mansion from American Horror Story: Coven, and view Lafayette Cemetery from outside its gates. The tour takes two hours and includes a professional guide. Everything else (food, drinks, tips) is on you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Garden District walking tour highlights

• Start outside PJs coffeehouse
• Learn Louisiana Purchase history
• Walk along Magazine Street
• Rest at The Rink with drinks
• Browse bookstore and gift shop
• Visit Buckner Mansion (AHS site)
• Overview Lafayette Cemetery gates

The experience

You start moving the moment you meet your guide outside PJs coffeehouse on Magazine Street. That's the spot where locals grab beignets before heading anywhere else in the Garden District. The walk itself covers about 1.5 miles over two hours, which means you're not rushing through it. Your guide walks you through the Louisiana Purchase and how that shaped the neighborhood, then moves into the architecture: Greek Revival mansions that still feel like they're holding something. The guide talks about who built them, who lived in them, and the enslaved people whose labor made them possible. It's not glossed over.

Around the midpoint you'll stop at The Rink, a neighborhood spot where you can grab a frozen lemonade or iced coffee if you need one (you pay for it yourself). There's a bookstore and gift shop there too if you want to browse for a few minutes. After that, the tour heads toward the Buckner Mansion, the one that got famous because American Horror Story: Coven filmed there. If you've seen the show, you'll recognize it: fans make a point to visit. The guide explains the filming and the building's actual history, which is different from what the show made it look like.

You'll also walk past Lafayette Cemetery, though there's no entry right now because of renovations. Your guide gives you the overview from outside the gates and talks about New Orleans burial traditions, which are genuinely different from anywhere else. The whole thing moves at a steady pace, and the guide throws in pop culture references and celebrity addresses along the way, so it's not just architecture and history if that's not your speed. By the end you're back on Magazine Street, and you've walked the neighborhood the way someone who actually lives there would show it to you.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a two-hour guided walk through the Garden District with a professional guide who covers Louisiana history, architecture, and local context.
• You'll stop at Magazine Street, The Rink (where you can purchase refreshments), and see the Buckner Mansion and Lafayette Cemetery.
• Food, drinks, and any shopping are at your own expense.

Information

Lasts 2h, runs every day at 10:30 and 14:00, from US$ 37 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 14 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30 and 14:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to1h before

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Two Chicks Walking Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to understand the Garden District's architecture and history without arranging their own route: the guide sets the pace and covers the context. The 1.5-mile walk over two hours is steady but not strenuous, though it's not recommended if you have spinal issues or cardiovascular concerns.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Garden District walking tour?

Two hours, covering approximately 1.5 miles at a steady pace.

Do we go inside Lafayette Cemetery?

No. The cemetery is currently closed for renovations, so your guide provides an overview from outside the gates and discusses New Orleans burial traditions there.

Is the Buckner Mansion included?

Yes. The tour includes a stop at the Buckner Mansion, known as Miss Robichaux's Academy from American Horror Story: Coven.

What's included in the price?

The two-hour guided tour and a professional guide. Food, drinks, and any purchases at shops are separate.

Where does the tour start?

Outside PJs coffeehouse on Magazine Street, a local spot known for beignets.

Is this tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. The walk covers 1.5 miles over two hours at a steady pace.

Can I get food or drinks during the tour?

Yes. You can buy beignets at PJs before the tour starts, and there's a stop at The Rink where you can get frozen lemonade or iced coffee at your own expense.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.