Garden District

This picturesque neighborhood is best experienced on foot, and options run the gamut from historical tours to cultural tours. Garden district tours typically feature popular highlights such as the historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, famous antebellum houses, and the eclectic shops and restaurants of Magazine Street. If you sign up for a ghost tour, expect your tour guide to recount paranormal tales of the neighborhood. You'll quickly understand why scary films such as Interview with a Vampire and Dracula 2000 and TV show American Horror Story: Coven were shot here. Some New Orleans bus tours, including hop-on hop-off options, include stops in the Garden District.

• This neighborhood is a must-visit for history buffs and first-time visitors to New Orleans.

• Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to spend a few hours walking.

• Guided walking tours generally involve 2–3 hours of walking and begin at a central meeting point in the neighborhood.

• The area is wheelchair accessible for the most part.

• For a particularly fancy meal, head to Commander's Palace at 1403 Washington Ave, which has been serving the Garden District community since 1893.

The easiest and most historic way to get to the Garden District from the French Quarter is by joining a tour or taking the St. Charles Streetcar (which also stops at Tulane and Loyola universities and the Audubon Zoo, part of the Audubon Nature Institute). It's also possible to reach the area on foot and via the Magazine Street bus.

Visit between February and May, when the weather is more comfortable. The calendar this time of year is packed with events, including Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Expect a lot of heat and humidity if you visit between June and September.

This live oak–shaded neighborhood is no stranger to celebrities, and a number of them have homes in the area. While strolling through the neighborhood, you might spot the houses of Archie and Peyton Manning, John Goodman, Sandra Bullock, and the late Anne Rice.

Yes, the Garden District is worth seeing. It's full of beautiful old mansions, many with sprawling verandas and lush gardens filled with trees and flowers. Most also have intricate wrought-iron work on their fences and balconies. It's also home to the Lafayette Cemetery No.1, one of the city's prettiest historic cemeteries.

St. Charles Avenue is the most famous street in the Garden District and among the best-known streets in the city. Many of the most spectacular mansions in the neighborhood, including the Elms Mansion, are right on the avenue, and it’s a great place to experience Mardi Gras parades.

Yes, you can drive through the Garden District. However, if you're driving, you'll need to keep your eyes on the road, and you'll miss much of the area's beautiful architecture. Instead of driving, join a guided tour or hitch a ride on the St. Charles Streetcar instead.

The best time to visit the Garden District, outside of the Mardi Gras period, is during the spring, when the temperatures are warm but not too hot, and flowers are in full bloom. After temperatures and humidity have dropped, the later part of fall is equally pleasant, weather-wise.

Tours of the Garden District vary, though you can expect to see lots of beautiful architecture while you learn about the area's history from your local guide. Many tours also include visits to the famous Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, except when it’s closed for maintenance or restoration.

Yes, you should book Garden District tours in advance. Tours sell out, so it’s worth securing your spot to avoid disappointment. Some tours make it easy to cancel up to 24 hours before your departure time, so you can get a full refund if your plans change.