New Orleans: Garden District Walking Tour & Filming Locations

Summary

Garden District stories, famous houses and quiet corners of New Orleans

You’ll snack on beignets outside PJ’s Coffee before wandering through New Orleans’ Garden District with a local guide. Expect stories about historic mansions, indigenous history, and movie locations—including Buckner Mansion from American Horror Story. There’s time for lemonade at The Rink and moments where you’ll just stand quietly under old trees, feeling part of the neighborhood for a little while.

What’s the experience like?

“You ever tried to say ‘beignet’ with a mouth full of powdered sugar?” That’s how our guide, Tasha, greeted us outside PJ’s Coffee on Magazine Street. She handed me a napkin before I even asked. The street was already humming—delivery vans, someone playing trumpet somewhere nearby. We started our Garden District walking tour right there, sticky fingers and all, and I felt like I’d stumbled into someone else’s routine morning.

Tasha didn’t rush us. She pointed out the way sunlight hit the ironwork balconies—little flecks of gold on black paint—and told stories about who built these mansions and who actually lived in them (not always the same people). There was this moment when she paused by a crepe myrtle tree to talk about the indigenous people who were here first. The air smelled faintly green and sweet, not what I expected from New Orleans in late spring. We walked maybe a mile or so—felt less because we kept stopping to look at things or just listen.

The Lafayette Cemetery gates were locked for renovations but we stood outside while Tasha explained burial traditions—above ground tombs, family names carved deep into stone. Someone across the street waved; she waved back like it happened every day. At The Rink, we cooled off with frozen lemonade (I got brain freeze instantly) and browsed through a bookstore that had more locals than tourists inside. The Buckner Mansion looked both ordinary and strange in real life—hard to believe it’s the same place from American Horror Story. A couple next to me whispered about seeing ghosts; I just liked how quiet it was on that corner.

I still think about that walk whenever I see wrought iron fences or hear jazz drifting out of an open window. You know how some places feel both grand and lived-in? That’s what the Garden District is like—never quite as tidy as postcards make it seem, but better for it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Garden District walking tour highlights

• Start outside PJs coffeehouse
• Overview of Louisiana history
• Walk along Magazine Street
• Learn about Louisiana Purchase history
• Stop at The Rink for break
• Browse bookstore and gift shop
• Visit Buckner Mansion exterior
• Discuss Garden District architecture
• Overview outside Lafayette Cemetery gates
• Explore local burial traditions
• Highlight pop culture and celebrity sites

Top questions

How long is the Garden District walking tour?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour start?

The tour begins outside PJ's Coffeehouse on Magazine Street.

Is entrance to Lafayette Cemetery included?

No, due to renovations you’ll only view Lafayette Cemetery from outside its gates.

What distance will we walk during the tour?

The route covers about 1.5 miles through the Garden District.

Are food or drinks included in the price?

No, snacks like beignets or drinks at stops are at your own expense.

Will we see any filming locations?

Yes, you’ll stop at Buckner Mansion and other addresses featured in TV shows and movies.

Are restrooms available during the tour?

Yes, there are restrooms available at The Rink stop along the route.

What’s included

Your day includes a two-hour guided walking tour through New Orleans’ Garden District with stops for snacks or drinks (at your own expense), expert commentary from your guide on local history and architecture, plus time to browse at The Rink bookstore before finishing up near Magazine Street again.