A trip to New Orleans would not be complete without a visit to the Garden District, a neighborhood known for its beautiful 19th century homes and gardens.
Here are our tips for planning your visit to the Garden District of Nola and some of the iconic homes in this neighborhood that you should not miss.
Organizing your visit to the Garden District
How to get in the Garden District ?
The neighborhood is easily accessible by streetcar from Canal Street and along St. Charles Avenue.
Where is the Garden District ?
The Garden District is located in the city of New Orleans. It is bounded by Jackson Avenue, Magazine Street, St. Charles Avenue and Louisiana Avenue.
What is the best way to visit the Garden District?
The best way to discover the Garden District is definitely on foot! You can book a guided tour *, which allows you to learn more about the houses, or go by yourself with this itinerary.
What do you need to bring to visit the Garden District?
- Sun protection: hat, sun cream, sunglasses
- Bottle of water
- Good walking shoes
Where to stay in New Orleans?
We recommend that you stay in or near the French Quarter, so that you can easily visit (and walk to) most of the attractions. See our hotels suggestions *.
Read our article 4 days in New Orleans: what to see and do, where to eat and where to stay.
Map with the location of the houses in the Garden District
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Located on Washington Avenue, Lafayette Cemetery is a good place to start your visit. Unfortunately, it is temporarily closed to the public for maintenance and reparation.
Because of the swampy soils and the fact that New Orleans is below sea level, the graves are built above ground.
The heat favors the decomposition of the bodies and because of the lack of space, these tombs can sometimes accommodate more than thirty bodies of the same family.
It is the 3rd oldest cemetery in the city and among all the gothic tombs and old graves there are several that stand out, including the grave dedicated to the orphans of the Society for the Relief of Destitute Orphan Boys.
The houses of the Garden District
After the visit of the cemetery, it is time to walk the streets of the Garden District.
Here are some of the emblematic houses of this district.
Commander’s Palace Restaurant (1403 Washington Ave)
It’s hard to miss this beautiful turquoise house.
It is one of the most stylish restaurants in the city.
Benjamin Button House (2707 Coliseum St.)
Moviegoers may recognize the house where much of the film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was shot.
The house at 2523 Prytania St
Note the chapel on the left of the house.
The Women’s Opera Guild House(2504 Prytania St.)
Toby’s Corner (2340 Prytania St.)
It is one of the oldest houses in the neighborhood.
1331 First St.
The house is said to have served as a model for the haunted house found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
It is said to be haunted for real too!
The house where Anne Rice stayed (1239 First St.)
This house was the home of Anne Rice for many years.
The 1134 First St.
This is where Jefferson Davis died on December 6, 1889.
Sandra Bullock’s house (2627 Coliseum St.)
Here is Sandra Bullock’s house, well hidden behind the trees.
