Things to Do in Garden District and Uptown
Grand homes, live oaks and the oldest streetcar line in the city.
See top-rated activities »About the Garden District
After the Louisiana Purchase, Americans arriving in New Orleans settled upriver from the Creole French Quarter, and by the 1840s and 1850s the wealthiest of them were building large houses on generous lots in what became the Garden District. Greek Revival and Italianate mansions with wide galleries, cast-iron fences and gardens of magnolia and camellia still fill the blocks between St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street. Almost all are private homes, so the neighborhood is best seen from the sidewalk on a guided or self-guided walk.
Getting there is part of the experience. The St. Charles streetcar line, running since the 1830s in one form or another, rattles along under the oaks in its olive-green cars from Canal Street through the Garden District and past the universities to the Carrollton neighborhood. The windows open, the ride is slow, and it costs very little; sit on the river side for the best view of the houses.
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, at the heart of the district, is a walled city of above-ground tombs dating to the 1830s. It closed for a long restoration in 2019 and reopened in October 2026 for guided tours booked through the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans; check the current rules before you go. A block away, Commander's Palace, in its turquoise Victorian building, is one of the city's best-known restaurants.
Magazine Street runs for about six miles parallel to St. Charles, with antique shops, boutiques, cafes and po-boy shops. At the upriver end of the streetcar line, Audubon Park has a path around a lagoon under old oaks, and Audubon Zoo, with its Louisiana swamp exhibit, sits between the park and the river. Between the Garden District and downtown, the Irish Channel and the Lower Garden District have their own corner bars, restaurants and rows of smaller shotgun houses, and they make a good walk on the way back.
Don’t Miss
A slow, scenic ride in historic green cars past the mansions of St. Charles Avenue. Buy a day pass through the transit agency to hop on and off.
The district's mansions and gardens are private, so a guided walk is the best way to learn whose house is whose and why the neighborhood looks the way it does.
An 1830s cemetery of above-ground tombs that reopened for guided tours in October 2026 after a long restoration closure; tours are arranged through the Preservation Resource Center.
About six miles of shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants in older storefronts and converted cottages.
A large park with a walking loop under live oaks, and a zoo known for its Louisiana swamp area.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in the Garden District
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 31, 2026. See & Do New Orleans may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »the Garden District — FAQ
Can you go inside the Garden District mansions?
Most are private homes and are not open to the public. Walking tours explain the architecture and history from the sidewalk, and a few historic houses elsewhere in the city offer interior tours.
How do I ride the St. Charles streetcar?
Board at Canal Street or any stop along St. Charles Avenue and pay the fare with exact change or a transit pass. A day pass is the easiest option if you plan to get on and off.
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