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Garden District Walking Tour: Historic Lafayette
5.0
75 Ratings
New Orleans
Explore the rich history of Lafayette’s Garden District on a walking tour. Discover the diverse ethnic neighborhoods and learn about the area’s transformation from plantations to a vibrant community.
Explore the rich history of Lafayette’s Garden District on a walking tour. Discover the diverse ethnic neighborhoods and learn about the area’s transformation from plantations to a vibrant community.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Lafayette Cemetery No.1 - Situated in the Garden District, Lafayette Cemetery is among the oldest burial grounds in the city.
- Garden District - The Garden District is renowned as a former Confederate stronghold and the most affluent neighborhood in New Orleans. Visitors can admire both pre- and post-Civil War mansions, as well as homes of…
- Lafayette Cemetery No.1 - Situated in the Garden District, Lafayette Cemetery is among the oldest burial grounds in the city.
- Garden District - The Garden District is renowned as a former Confederate stronghold and the most affluent neighborhood in New Orleans. Visitors can admire both pre- and post-Civil War mansions, as well as homes of celebrities.
- Irish Channel - Fleeing the potato famine in Ireland, many Irish immigrants settled in what is now known as the Irish Channel in New Orleans. Numerous renowned architects who designed and constructed the initial homes in the Garden District were of Irish descent.
Join us to hear the stories of the Irish who contributed to the prosperity of the Garden District and more.
What's Included
- Cultural Ambassador
- Guided Tour
- Lagniappe (something extra in French)
- Native of NOLA - Licensed Tour Guide
- Cultural Ambassador
- Guided Tour
- Lagniappe (something extra in French)
- Native of NOLA - Licensed Tour Guide
What's Not Included
- Snacks
- Admission to Lafayette #1 Cemetery : Cemetery is temporary closedd
- Snacks
- Admission to Lafayette #1 Cemetery : Cemetery is temporary closedd
Additional Information
Designated as a National Historic Landmark District, Lafayette city was referred to as the American Sector, although it was commonly called the Garden District around the 1830s. This area included several plantations that were segmented, sold, and divided into smaller lots. These subdivided sections formed diverse ethnic neighborhoods, such as the…
Designated as a National Historic Landmark District, Lafayette city was referred to as the American Sector, although it was commonly called the Garden District around the 1830s. This area included several plantations that were segmented, sold, and divided into smaller lots. These subdivided sections formed diverse ethnic neighborhoods, such as the American sector, the Irish Channel, and a high-profile Jewish community, to name a few. Large African American and Creole communities also existed in close proximity to these neighborhoods, all comprising parts of the city of Lafayette.
- Tour operates with a minimum of 2 guest . We do not operate with 1 guest unless its a Private Tour, call for details.
- not recommended for travelers with difficulty standing long periods of time
Location
The Rink Shopping Center
Prytania Street
We will meet in front of the Rink by the historical Garden District Marker on the corner of Washington Ave. and Prytania Street.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(75 Ratings)
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Jennifer
Oct 3, 2025
Must-do Garden District tour!! - Robin gave us an excellent walking tour of the Garden District. We learned more than we could have imagined about the roots of New Orleans, the French Quarter, the Garden District and modern-day living in the city. She answered all of our questions and offered a variety of explanations. If you’re looking for a historical, informative, and fun tour with a super knowledgeable tour guide, book your tour now!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jamie_f
Sep 14, 2025
Great Tour - Treat Yo’ Self! - This was a wonderful experience that was a change from the French Quarter Vibes. Learning the history while also learning about the various historic homes and mansions of this area of New Orleans was so welcome and so fun!
Robin knew her stuff and delivered the history is a fun, interactive way! I’m sure this can differ, but I also noticed that our tour size was smaller than several others that were going at the same time.
Robin was very good about calling out tree roots, pot holes, etc. and sticking to the shade when possible, but if you have mobility issues, can’t stand for long times, or are sun and heat sensitive, do beware. New Orleans sidewalks and street are a bit like hiking so take that into account when deciding about any walking tours in this town :).
Review provided by Viator
Luvdrb
May 17, 2025
Highlight of our trip!!! - My husband and I enjoyed the tour, especially Robin and Harris! They are extremely knowledgeable and super friendly and FUN. We did a private Garden District Tour and loved it! We enjoyed our trip so much, we are going back to NOLA in June just to do the Jazz tour and Plantation tour!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Greg
Mar 27, 2025
A great tour with Robin - We had an excellent tour with Robin! She was very knowledgeable on the history of the area and provided a lot of great insight. Would definitely get a tour from her again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarah_s
Jun 17, 2024
Tour with an Old Friend - or So It Seems! - Harris was a true delight! From the moment he met us until he left us with a listing of incredible recommendations, we felt like he was an old friend just talking us on a walk through the district. The information he shared was wonderful and engaging, and his delivery was spot on. So glad I paid the extra few dollars to get the best guide there was versus the other options. His recommendations already have us planning our next trip!
Review provided by Viator
Treazures2024
Jun 15, 2024
Historic Garden District Walking tour - Oh my goodness where do I start! Our tour guide Mr. Harris Parson Was the real deal. A native of New Orleans, he has extensive knowledge of the city’s rich history and architecture and he shares it in the best way. I’m not one for a lot of history and didn’t know what to expect out of this tour at first but man oh man the way he speaks makes it very interesting also he is very personable. Me and my husband enjoyed the tour with him. 10/10 recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U3025bprickl
May 28, 2024
Spend an afternoon with Harris and learn a lot about the city. - Harris was a great tour guide for this 2 hour walking tour of the Garden District. His knowledge of 19th and 20th century history of the city is augmented by fun facts about modern personalities and happenings from the modern era. Anyone who can sprinkle in a little Nine Inch Nails with the events that lead to the founding of the Louise McGehee is the kind of guy you want to hang out with to learn about this historical area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Buckalanche
May 26, 2024
Beauty and the Best - The Garden District Walking Tour was phenomenal and our guide, Harris, was second to none with his knowledge of the district, city, and culture. Harris’ unique knowledge of the city of New Orleans, the Garden District, and first-hand experience with the New Orleans art scene and culture enabled him to weave great stories and answer any and all questions on a lively, informative tour of some of the most beautiful and historic homes in the city. Recommend to everyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N1977gpdavidw
May 23, 2024
Don’t Miss This Tour - Harris is AMAZING!! He has SO MUCH knowledge and is a wonderful storyteller! We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and wish we had done this tour on our first day in New Orleans! I highly recommend this tour, we learned so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joellens374
May 23, 2024
Homes with Harris - Marvelous time strolling the Garden District with Harris (aka the Historian!) with Tours By Steven. He was a delightful wealth of knowledge and brought the stories of the area to life. Wish the weather hadn’t been so warm, but when it was available, Harris found us shade in order to continue the narrative. VERY highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
