Add dates

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1: Our most recommended tours and activities

New Orleans: Garden District Walking and Storytelling Tour

1. New Orleans: Garden District Walking and Storytelling Tour

Start your 2-hour tour with a brief history of New Orleans and the Garden District. Walk along elegant tree-lined streets and discover the neighborhood's distinctive architectural style. Learn about the risk-takers, speculators and dreamers who established it as a wealthy suburb after the Louisiana Purchase. Peek inside the gates of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, which is currently closed to the public, where your guide will explain New Orleans' interesting above-ground interment customs. At the end of the tour, continue to explore the cemetery and the Garden District, or head over to Magazine Street for great shopping and fun dining and cocktail options.

New Orleans: Garden District Tour

2. New Orleans: Garden District Tour

Set off to admire houses and mansions of various styles, from the Italianate to the Gothic, Romanesque and Greek Revival. Marvel at the sweeping front porches, turrets, cast-iron balconies, colonnades, 30-foot columns and double-pitched roofs. Follow in the footsteps of the authors, poets, movie stars, artists and sports legends who have made the Garden District their home. Be mesmerized by the towering Southern live oak trees, magnificent Crepe Myrtles and stunning magnolias that can make walking through the neighborhood feel like walking through a fairytale. Learn the rich history of the area and how it fits into the overall story of New Orleans. Hear about the jealousy and mistrust that led to the "new money" of the "garish" Americans trying to show up the splendor and glory of the "old money" Europeans on the other side of town. Visit the city's oldest municipal cemetery at Lafayette #1 (outside only), and discover where so many famous movies and TV shows have been shot. Hear about the above ground burial practices of New Orleans, and join in some gossip about the dead.

New Orleans: Garden District Tour with Elms Mansion Access

3. New Orleans: Garden District Tour with Elms Mansion Access

Immerse yourself in the opulence of the Old South in this tour of New Orleans’ prettiest neighborhood with an expert local guide. Start your day on the sweetest of notes at a historic praline-makers shop, sample the confectionary treat as it comes straight out of the copper pot - a sweet introduction to southern culture. Stroll over to a nearby streetcar - a beloved icon of New Orleans life and roll your way down famed St. Charles Avenue as more and more stately mansions start to appear until you are right in the midst of the Garden District. Wander through the streets, as harmless insects buzz about, ferns sway on porches, and these southern belles lounge about. Stop by famed homes, as your guide not only shares the stories of their former and famed owners - but points out the particular articles of interest within their architecture. Passing through, peek into one of America’s most historic graveyards - Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 with its famous family plots and gray stone mausoleums. Here your guide will share some intriguing stories on the practical difficulties of building and maintaining a cemetery below sea level. As you return to the wide avenue of St. Charles, end your tour in front of the Elms Mansion, one of the best-preserved old Southern mansions in America. Reflect on the beautiful, often troubled history of New Orleans and celebrate the preservation to keep this special corner of the world intact.

New Orleans: Garden District Food and History Tour

4. New Orleans: Garden District Food and History Tour

Visit three food stops that highlight Cajun and Creole flavors and history on this guided walking tour of New Orleans. Delight your senses with a full meal of Cajun and Creole specialties that is spread out over 3 local eateries. Sip on a beverage with your food.  Start at the Lafayette cemetery, and listen as your guide tells you the unique funeral customs and traditions of New Orleans. Explore the architecture of the Garden District, home to historic mansions, colorful shotgun houses, and beautiful oak trees.  Check out local shops on Magazine Street before arriving at your first food stop which include an indulgent taste of Creole fusion and the multicultural influences that shaped the 300-year-old city. Learn about Cajun people and Find out what influence they had on the culinary culture of Louisiana. The first two food stops include either a choice from a menu of craft beers from local breweries, a cocktail, house sangria, a mimosa, or a non-alcoholic beverage.  Along the way, visit locally-owned shops and an art gallery before finishing on a sweet note at the dessert stop for specialty, filled beignets, and a cafe au lait. Finish with plenty of recommendations for local fun and flavors. 

New Orleans Garden District Tour

5. New Orleans Garden District Tour

The New Orleans Garden District is a beautiful and ornate neighborhood with gorgeous, historic houses and mansions dating back to the antebellum days of the Old South. This historic neighborhood is comprised of the world’s largest collection of 19th-century southern-style mansions, some of which are still known by the names of families that built them. This whole area was once a number of plantations, eventually sold off in parcels. Originally the Garden District was developed with only a couple of houses per block, each surrounded by a large garden, giving the district its name. Bring your camera! This two hour walking tour is best enjoyed on foot in order to fully enjoy the exquisite examples of quintessential New Orleans architecture: white columns, scroll work of a cast iron fence, or a romantic Romeo and Juliet style gallery. You'll also go by Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, a historic 19th-century cemetery with above-ground tombs & statuary characteristic of the area.

New Orleans: 2-Hour Homes of the Rich & Famous Walking Tour

6. New Orleans: 2-Hour Homes of the Rich & Famous Walking Tour

No trip to New Orleans is complete without a walk around the elegant Garden District, home to many celebrities and local icons. Originally built in the 1800's to rival the architectural splendor of the French Quarter, this gorgeous neighborhood has been the backdrop to many famous movies and television shows for decades. Walk down the oak-lined streets and hear stories and scandals of the many colorful characters from our history. This neighborhood is of one of the most scenic areas in New Orleans. Hear the fascinating history and learn of the architecture and plant life that gave way to the Garden District's name. This area is one of the most photographed in the entire state. Stroll under the shade of the majestic live oak trees, while you bask in fragrance of flowers. Marvel at the lush foliage while you view the stately mansions of the Garden District. See the homes of New Orleans’ rich and famous, including the former homes of Anne Rice and Nicholas Cage, as well as your favorite movie sites. Don’t be surprised if you walk right onto a film set. You will see locations from such popular shows as American Horror Story and CSI New Orleans and many others. See the locations that inspired Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches. Hear about celebrity gossip and scandals. This original American sector of New Orleans is so park like that you'll forget your in the city. Throughout this leisurely stroll you will get a compelling narration by friendly guides, all licensed by city authorities for their depth of knowledge and high standard of service. This 2-hour walking tour gets to the heart of the neighborhood starts at 2727 Prytania Street at the corner of Washington Avenue in front of The Rink shopping mall. The tour is offered rain or shine. There is on street parking available in this neighborhood as well as public transportation nearby. Arrive early to grab a beverage or use the restroom at the coffee shop. Recommended by Travel Channel as a must-do attraction in New Orleans, this tour will uncover some of the city’s most remarkable treasures and give you a unique perspective on this city’s fascinating history. This tour is truly unforgettable.

New Orleans: Garden District Walking Tour

7. New Orleans: Garden District Walking Tour

Enjoy a totally unique walking tour through New Orleans' Garden District and marvel at the opulent 19th-century mansions that are so common in this area. With your experienced guide, you will learn about the history behind these magnificent homes, the former owners, visitors and about the city of New Orleans in general.  Get to witness mansions that so often tell the story of wealth found and sometimes lost, during the second half of the 19th century. Marvel at the homes, designed with a love of Greek Revival and Italianate building styles, with some of them reminiscent of grand plantation mansions.  Your leisurely walk starts by visiting two iconic mansions, the Bosworth-Haus and, the Burnside Mansion. The former owners, one a successful ice-magnate, the other a plantation owner lived in decadent homes with stunning architectural features, all of which you will get to admire during this tour.  After a stop at the oldest municipal cemetery where you will learn about the city's above-ground burial traditions, you will get to visit Commander's Palace, one of New Orleans' most famous restaurants. Culinary stars such as Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse trained here under the watchful eyes of other master chefs and its owner, Ella Brennan. The tour's next stop is the Eustis-Haus, which was built for the daughter of a cotton factor and is now the home of Hollywood movie actress Sandra Bullock, who purchased it for $2.25 million. Nearby you will get the chance to see the Lonsdale house on Prytania Street. His house is the oldest in the Garden District and today belongs to a wealthy local tea and coffee importer. The walk ends at the Rink, a former skating rink that today houses a local coffee shop, an independent bookstore, and small boutiques.

Glamorous Garden District Tour

8. Glamorous Garden District Tour

New Orleans’ Garden District is one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in the nation, next to it is bustling Magazine Street. If you’re looking to explore outside of the French Quarter area, and see how people live and have lived, this excursion is perfect for you or your group. After that, a stop in Lafayette Cemetery, the oldest city-owned cemetery. You’ll learn the burial practices and traditions that make the cemeteries unique. Then, during the tour, you’ll set eyes on the current residences of New Orleanians Anne Rice, Sandra Bullock, and John Goodman. You’ll see houses featured in movies such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the Buckner Mansion of American Horror Story fame. Included in this tour is a stroll along beautiful Magazine Street, historically the line between the rich and working class of NOLA. Walk a few blocks from Magazine into the Irish Channel where you’ll see the famous “shotgun houses.” The Garden District was founded in 1832, between St. Charles Avenue, First Street, Magazine Street and Toledano Street. Originally its own city, it was annexed by New Orleans in 1852. You’ll learn more about this and other historic facts as you see the neighborhood’s gorgeous mansions and their notable large, opulent lawns.

New Orleans Garden District Tour

9. New Orleans Garden District Tour

Enjoy a guided tour of the New Orleans Garden District, considered by many to be one of the best-preserved collections of historic mansions in the United States, and admire the amazing Antebellum architecture which makes the area a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Later, we will walk pass one of New Orleans’ oldest cemeteries - Lafayette Cemetery. Continually popular with travelers, the cemetery has a unique approach to burials: namely, the above-ground, multiple-burial techniques used. Then, continue on for a view of one of the most striking buildings in all of New Orleans: Commander’s Palace. Host to a myriad of wedding receptions and dinners throughout the year, this eye-catching, turreted Victorian building is one of the most well-respected upscale restaurants in the entire country. Next, take a stroll past more gorgeous homes, some with famous Hollywood connections. Later, visit the working-class area known as the Irish Channel which developed in the early 1800s when the city’s shipping, alcohol, and brewing industries drew workers from all over the world, especially from Ireland. Your guide will then take you back to the streetcar line, where your Garden District tour ends.

New Orleans: Garden District Guided Walking Tour

10. New Orleans: Garden District Guided Walking Tour

Get an insider’s view of New Orlean's most stylish neighborhood on a walking tour of the Garden District alongside a local guide. See the homes of celebrities, Lafayette No. 1 Cemetery, and filming locations from hit television shows and movies. Begin your urban walking adventure by meeting your guide at Gracious Bakery on St. Charles Avenue. Catch views of Lafayette No 1 Cemetery, one of the city's oldest cemeteries, as you stroll through the neighborhood's oak-lined streets. Reenact scenes from your favorite movies and television shows with stops at filming locations from American Horror Story Coven, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Interview with the Vampire. As you stroll, your local guide will tell you interesting facts and anecdotes about the city’s past and the rich and famous people who call the Garden District home. See the homes of Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, and gothic author Anne Rice. Your guide will be happy to point you in the direction of the nearest subway station or bus stop. Or feel free to ask them for local recommendations on great places to eat or drink nearby. 

Other Sightseeing Options in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Want to discover all there is to do in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 719 reviews

Best tour of New Orleans I’ve done… and I’ve done dozens! Walking tour of the Garden District with James. He’s lived here 30 years and it shows. He knows everything about the area, the buildings, the history and so many lovely tid-bits. There are so many tour options when coming to NOLA, but this one blew them all out of the water. It’s clear James has a passion and sincere interest in this magical place. Would absolutely recommend!

James our guide was excellent. He gave us plenty of time to take pictures, explained the history of the area in depth and with pictures which was a great help. He answered all our questions, and my husband asks a lot of questions.

The garden district tour was awesome. Orion was an amazing tour guide. He was fun and very knowledgeable of the area.

The guide, Richard was awesome, super dedicated, and with plenty of anecdotes and interesting facts to share.

Excellent guide! Very knowledgeable of the Garden District.