Quick Orientation
The Garden District is a 2-square-mile National Historic Landmark neighborhood roughly 2 miles south-west of the French Quarter along the St Charles Avenue streetcar line. Built 1830s-1890s by newly wealthy Americans who refused to live in the French-and-Spanish-speaking French Quarter, it remains one of the best-preserved antebellum neighborhoods in the United States.
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Planning your New Orleans trip? Get a personalised budget with our free calculator — the Garden District is a $1.25 streetcar ride plus whatever you spend on brunch.
The defining visuals: 140-year-old live oaks dripping Spanish moss, cast-iron fences, Greek Revival and Italianate mansions, and front porches with ceiling fans. It is what most people actually picture when they imagine old New Orleans.
Getting There by Streetcar
The St Charles Avenue streetcar is both transport and attraction. Boarding it is the correct way to arrive.
- Board: Canal Street at St Charles. Green cars only (the red ones are the Canal line, different route).
- Fare: $1.25 exact change coin or cash, no change given. Pay the conductor on boarding.
- Day pass: $3 Jazzy Pass, buy via the Le Pass app. Covers streetcars and buses all day.
- Stops for the Garden District: Jackson Ave (stop 21) for the southern edge, Washington Ave (stop 19) for Lafayette Cemetery, Louisiana Ave (stop 17) for Commander's Palace.
- Journey time: 20-25 minutes from Canal.
- Seats: wooden benches, windows open, no air con. Part of the charm.
- Fun fact: in service since 1835 — the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world.
Sit on the right-hand side heading out from Canal. That is the side the best mansions are on.
Walking Tour Route
A self-guided 1.5-mile loop hits the greatest hits. Allow 90 minutes with photo stops.
- Start: Washington Avenue streetcar stop (St Charles & Washington).
- Walk south on Washington Ave to Prytania Street, turn right.
- Prytania Street is the single most photogenic street in the Garden District.
- Turn left on First Street — Anne Rice's former home (1239 First) and the Brevard-Rice House.
- Continue to Chestnut, turn left — the Sandra Bullock house (2521 Chestnut), the Payton Manning house in the area.
- Loop back north on Third Street toward Washington.
- Return to St Charles via Washington Avenue past Lafayette Cemetery #1.
- End: Commander's Palace on Washington & Coliseum for lunch, or streetcar back downtown.
The Garden District Historic District Survey (2023) lists 270 contributing buildings. A detailed self-guide map is free at the New Orleans Visitor Center on Canal St.
Famous Homes & Residents
| Address | Who | What |
|---|
| 1239 First St | Anne Rice (1989-2005) | "Mayfair Witches" model |
| 2343 Prytania | Brevard-Rice House | 1857 Greek Revival |
| 2521 Chestnut | Sandra Bullock (sold 2012) | Italianate Revival |
| 1448 Fourth St | Trent Reznor | Nine Inch Nails Studio in basement |
| 2707 Coliseum | Archie & Peyton Manning | Family home, sold 2024 |
| 2605 Prytania | John Goodman | Current owner as of 2025 |
| 1415 Third St | Colonel Short's Villa | Italianate, the "corn stalk fence" |
| 2504 Prytania | Our Mother of Perpetual Help | 1867, was Anne Rice's private chapel |
These are private homes. Photograph from the sidewalk only. Do not ring bells, do not step onto porches, do not peer through windows. Residents are used to tourists but only respectful ones.
Lafayette Cemetery #1
Founded 1833, Lafayette Cemetery #1 is the oldest city-owned cemetery in New Orleans and the most famous of the "cities of the dead." Above-ground vaults, whitewashed tombs and elaborate iron gates give it the look that every NOLA photoshoot is chasing.
- Location: 1400 Washington Avenue, directly across from Commander's Palace.
- Access (2026): closed to unguided entry since 2020. Open only to licensed tour operators for now.
- Save Our Cemeteries tour: $20 adults, 1-hour guided walk, funds restoration. Book via saveourcemeteries.org.
- GetYourGuide / Viator tours: $25-40 for small-group guided walks, book 1-3 days ahead.
- Visible from outside: the cemetery is bounded by low walls and open iron gates. You can see most of it — including the most famous tombs — from the public sidewalk.
- Anne Rice mentions: Lafayette #1 features heavily in "Interview with the Vampire" and the Mayfair Witches series.
If Lafayette #1 is closed during your visit, St Louis Cemetery #3 (Esplanade Ave, near City Park) is the best open alternative.
Magazine Street runs 6 miles parallel to St Charles and is the Garden District's retail and dining spine. The best 20-block stretch runs from Jackson Avenue to Louisiana Avenue.
- Vintage and antiques: The Brass Monkey, Jean Bragg Gallery, Bush Antiques.
- Local fashion: Fleurty Girl (NOLA-themed gifts), Trashy Diva (1940s dresses), Perlis.
- Bookstores: Garden District Book Shop at The Rink (Anne Rice's favourite).
- Coffee: Still Perkin', Mojo Coffee House, Pilot Coffee.
- Po-boys: Parasol's (by appointment / pickup) or Tracey's Irish Channel Bar for the classic roast beef po-boy, $13.
- Ice cream: The Creole Creamery — 24 rotating flavors, $5 single scoop.
Walk north from Washington Ave to Jackson Ave for the densest concentration of good shops. A full Magazine Street walk is 2-3 hours.
Commander's Palace
The turquoise Victorian mansion at Washington Avenue and Coliseum Street has served Creole cuisine since 1893. It is the Brennan family flagship, training ground for Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme, and consistently ranks as one of America's most awarded restaurants.
- Jazz Brunch (Saturday + Sunday 10am-1:30pm): $55-75 per person, live brass band strolling between tables, 2-course menu.
- Weekday Lunch: signature 25-cent martinis (3-martini limit), 2-course lunch $30-45.
- Dinner: $80-120 per person for 3 courses plus wine.
- Dress code: "smart casual" — collared shirts, closed shoes, no shorts at dinner.
- Reservations: essential. Book via OpenTable 4-8 weeks ahead for weekend brunch.
- Best order: turtle soup with sherry (the classic), bread pudding soufflé (the finale).
If Commander's is fully booked, Upperline Restaurant (1413 Upperline St) offers similar quality Creole food in a quieter setting, often easier to reserve.
Quick Orientation
The Garden District is a 2-square-mile National Historic Landmark neighborhood roughly 2 miles south-west of the French Quarter along the St Charles Avenue streetcar line. Built 1830s-1890s by newly wealthy Americans who refused to live in the French-and-Spanish-speaking French Quarter, it remains one of the best-preserved antebellum neighborhoods in the United States.
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Planning your New Orleans trip? Get a personalised budget with our free calculator — the Garden District is a $1.25 streetcar ride plus whatever you spend on brunch.
The defining visuals: 140-year-old live oaks dripping Spanish moss, cast-iron fences, Greek Revival and Italianate mansions, and front porches with ceiling fans. It is what most people actually picture when they imagine old New Orleans.
Getting There by Streetcar
The St Charles Avenue streetcar is both transport and attraction. Boarding it is the correct way to arrive.
- Board: Canal Street at St Charles. Green cars only (the red ones are the Canal line, different route).
- Fare: $1.25 exact change coin or cash, no change given. Pay the conductor on boarding.
- Day pass: $3 Jazzy Pass, buy via the Le Pass app. Covers streetcars and buses all day.
- Stops for the Garden District: Jackson Ave (stop 21) for the southern edge, Washington Ave (stop 19) for Lafayette Cemetery, Louisiana Ave (stop 17) for Commander's Palace.
- Journey time: 20-25 minutes from Canal.
- Seats: wooden benches, windows open, no air con. Part of the charm.
- Fun fact: in service since 1835 — the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world.
Sit on the right-hand side heading out from Canal. That is the side the best mansions are on.
Walking Tour Route
A self-guided 1.5-mile loop hits the greatest hits. Allow 90 minutes with photo stops.
- Start: Washington Avenue streetcar stop (St Charles & Washington).
- Walk south on Washington Ave to Prytania Street, turn right.
- Prytania Street is the single most photogenic street in the Garden District.
- Turn left on First Street — Anne Rice's former home (1239 First) and the Brevard-Rice House.
- Continue to Chestnut, turn left — the Sandra Bullock house (2521 Chestnut), the Payton Manning house in the area.
- Loop back north on Third Street toward Washington.
- Return to St Charles via Washington Avenue past Lafayette Cemetery #1.
- End: Commander's Palace on Washington & Coliseum for lunch, or streetcar back downtown.
The Garden District Historic District Survey (2023) lists 270 contributing buildings. A detailed self-guide map is free at the New Orleans Visitor Center on Canal St.
Famous Homes & Residents
| Address | Who | What |
|---|
| 1239 First St | Anne Rice (1989-2005) | "Mayfair Witches" model |
| 2343 Prytania | Brevard-Rice House | 1857 Greek Revival |
| 2521 Chestnut | Sandra Bullock (sold 2012) | Italianate Revival |
| 1448 Fourth St | Trent Reznor | Nine Inch Nails Studio in basement |
| 2707 Coliseum | Archie & Peyton Manning | Family home, sold 2024 |
| 2605 Prytania | John Goodman | Current owner as of 2025 |
| 1415 Third St | Colonel Short's Villa | Italianate, the "corn stalk fence" |
| 2504 Prytania | Our Mother of Perpetual Help | 1867, was Anne Rice's private chapel |
These are private homes. Photograph from the sidewalk only. Do not ring bells, do not step onto porches, do not peer through windows. Residents are used to tourists but only respectful ones.
Lafayette Cemetery #1
Founded 1833, Lafayette Cemetery #1 is the oldest city-owned cemetery in New Orleans and the most famous of the "cities of the dead." Above-ground vaults, whitewashed tombs and elaborate iron gates give it the look that every NOLA photoshoot is chasing.
- Location: 1400 Washington Avenue, directly across from Commander's Palace.
- Access (2026): closed to unguided entry since 2020. Open only to licensed tour operators for now.
- Save Our Cemeteries tour: $20 adults, 1-hour guided walk, funds restoration. Book via saveourcemeteries.org.
- GetYourGuide / Viator tours: $25-40 for small-group guided walks, book 1-3 days ahead.
- Visible from outside: the cemetery is bounded by low walls and open iron gates. You can see most of it — including the most famous tombs — from the public sidewalk.
- Anne Rice mentions: Lafayette #1 features heavily in "Interview with the Vampire" and the Mayfair Witches series.
If Lafayette #1 is closed during your visit, St Louis Cemetery #3 (Esplanade Ave, near City Park) is the best open alternative.
Magazine Street runs 6 miles parallel to St Charles and is the Garden District's retail and dining spine. The best 20-block stretch runs from Jackson Avenue to Louisiana Avenue.
- Vintage and antiques: The Brass Monkey, Jean Bragg Gallery, Bush Antiques.
- Local fashion: Fleurty Girl (NOLA-themed gifts), Trashy Diva (1940s dresses), Perlis.
- Bookstores: Garden District Book Shop at The Rink (Anne Rice's favourite).
- Coffee: Still Perkin', Mojo Coffee House, Pilot Coffee.
- Po-boys: Parasol's (by appointment / pickup) or Tracey's Irish Channel Bar for the classic roast beef po-boy, $13.
- Ice cream: The Creole Creamery — 24 rotating flavors, $5 single scoop.
Walk north from Washington Ave to Jackson Ave for the densest concentration of good shops. A full Magazine Street walk is 2-3 hours.
Commander's Palace
The turquoise Victorian mansion at Washington Avenue and Coliseum Street has served Creole cuisine since 1893. It is the Brennan family flagship, training ground for Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme, and consistently ranks as one of America's most awarded restaurants.
- Jazz Brunch (Saturday + Sunday 10am-1:30pm): $55-75 per person, live brass band strolling between tables, 2-course menu.
- Weekday Lunch: signature 25-cent martinis (3-martini limit), 2-course lunch $30-45.
- Dinner: $80-120 per person for 3 courses plus wine.
- Dress code: "smart casual" — collared shirts, closed shoes, no shorts at dinner.
- Reservations: essential. Book via OpenTable 4-8 weeks ahead for weekend brunch.
- Best order: turtle soup with sherry (the classic), bread pudding soufflé (the finale).
If Commander's is fully booked, Upperline Restaurant (1413 Upperline St) offers similar quality Creole food in a quieter setting, often easier to reserve.