Garden District Tour: Explore Historic New Orleans
4.9
361 Ratings
New Orleans
Embark on a captivating two-hour Garden District tour in historic New Orleans. Discover architectural gems, delve into Louisiana history, and explore pop culture references. No access to Lafayette cemetery due to renovations.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Magazine Street - The adventure starts on famous Magazine Street, known for its amazing shopping and dining options. Your friendly and knowledgeable guide will start the tour outside of a great place for a pre-tour snack (at own expense). Learn about the history of the Louisiana Purchase and how it affected the area.
- Garden District - The first stop of the day will be on First Street, to the address where Jefferson Davis died. Civil War history is delivered through the lens of the Garden District. Then, continue on to the Brevard-Rice Mansion, the former home of well-known author Anne Rice. Next up is the picturesque Buckner mansion and the former home of Peyton and Eli Manning. Continue wandering to the Opera Guild House, Colonel Short’s Villa, the fictional Benjamin Button’s house and the home of actress Sandra Bullock.
- The Rink Shopping Center - Upon arriving at The Rink, take a break and relax with a frozen lemonade or iced coffee (at own expense). Restrooms are available here, and there is also a popular bookstore and gift shop that’s great for browsing.
What's Included
- Guidance from a professional guide
- Possible limitation on Lafayette cemetery access (Feb 23 - Mar 3) due to carnival celebrations
What's Not Included
- Drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
Your journey commences at PJs coffeehouse, an esteemed local establishment boasting beignets.
The expedition’s main focus is the historic Garden District, spanning two hours and a distance of around 1.5 miles.
An experienced guide will give you a brief summary of Louisiana’s past before shedding light on the architectural masterpieces within the district. Discussions will include historical contexts such as the indigenous peoples, the slave-driven economy, the mansion owners and the architects. Reflections on local burial traditions will occur OUTSIDE the boundaries of the historic Lafayette cemetery. Lastly, the tour includes several cultural references and addresses associated with celebrities, including a special stop at the Buckner Mansion, recognised by American Horror Story (AHS) enthusiasts as the Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies.
**Due to the ongoing renovation of the Lafayette cemetery by the City of New Orleans, access within the cemetery is not possible and an outline will be given from OUTSIDE the gates.
- Dress code is smart-casual
Location
2140 Magazine St
Magazine Street
In front of PJ's Coffee shop
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(361 Ratings)
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Steve_p
Apr 22, 2024
Great Tour Around Garden District - Very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. Saw a wide variety of houses and a wide variety of great stories
Review provided by Viator
Sadiejak
Apr 21, 2024
Wonderful Walk! - We had a fantastic time exploring the Garden District with Betsy! Informative, humorous and very engaging, Betsy led us all around the District’s streets, telling us interesting stories about the houses and their historical inhabitant's. We really enjoyed learning about the different architectural styles, New Orleans history and culture. Stopping for drinks along the way was lovely, and I loved the small group size compared to other tour companies we saw in the neighborhood. Highly recommend Two Chicks and would definitely do another tour next time we visit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Triciaphilli
Apr 17, 2024
Excellent Garden Districts Highlights Tour - Karen was an excellent and very informative guide. She kept things interesting, lively and fun and was very considerate of the group by stopping in the shade to tell her quirky stories. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dereksb7695kk
Apr 17, 2024
Excellent tour, great experience! - My wife, my parents, my brother and I all thoroughly enjoyed the two chicks Garden District tour. Our guide, Karen, was super knowledgeable about the area and the city at large. She went out of her way to make sure everyone in the group was comfortable and enjoying themselves. Karen always had an answer ready to the many questions from the group and was quick with a joke. She was on time and even offered lunch suggestions, which we took her up on and ran into her in the po' boy line! Would recommend Two Chicks to anyone traveling to NOLA!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Niki_m
Apr 13, 2024
Great time - This was a wonderful tour of the beautiful homes. Karen was very knowledgeable about history, architecture, and a bit of gossip. She had a great sense of humor. Loved it!
Review provided by Viator
20nikim
Apr 13, 2024
Great time - It was a wonderful tour of the beautiful homes.. Karen was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor…history and gossip! Loved it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maren
Apr 9, 2024
One of the highlights of our trip! - Betsy led us on a fabulous tour of the historic and beautiful Garden District. Balancing historical background with local lore, she kept us engaged and entertained. We left wanting to learn more about the fascinating history of New Orleans. Betsy sets just the right pace, and we could have walked with her all day. She even provided travel tips that enhanced the rest of our trip in NOLA. Thank you for a fabulous morning!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adfranks25
Apr 5, 2024
10/10 recommend — lovely tour of the Garden District - We had a wonderful tour of the Garden District with Betsy. Betsy was knowledgeable, engaging and just a lot of fun to tour with. She knew the Garden District, its history and architecture, backwards and forwards and generally was a wealth of knowledge about New Orleans and the surrounding area. My wife any I really enjoyed this tour. We’d recommend it to anyone and will definitely be going back to Two Chicks (and hopefully Betsy) for a tour of the French Quarter.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joanna_d
Apr 5, 2024
Amazing!! - Amazing tour! Wonderful information in an interactive way. Enjoyed seeing the beauty of garden district.
Review provided by Viator
Windy_h
Apr 3, 2024
Great tour! - Betsey was a great tour guide and we enjoyed her stories and history of the Garden District immensely. I would highly recommend the tour if you want to know more about the area!
Review provided by Viator
