Garden District Gate
Come explore the Garden District, a stunningly beautiful area of New Orleans.
For the History Buff...
- The Van Benthuysen-Elms Mansion is an exquisite mansion located on St. Charles Avenue in the historical Garden District. The mansion was built in 1869 and displays furnishings from that period. The scenery includes lovely gardens and patios that are absolutely breathtaking. The mansion offers tours that will teach you about the history of New Orleans.
- Nottoway Plantation is one of the largest plantation homes in the South boasting over 53,000 square feet of space. The mansion was built in 1859 and displays an unusual, irregular floor plan. The Plantation was one of the first to feature indoor plumbing and both hot and cold running water, which were not common in the time of it's completion.
- Oak Alley Plantation is located between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The 1839 plantation features Greek-revival style architecture. This National Historical Landmark is located on 25 acres of sprawling grounds where you can find civil war re-enactments. The grounds also feature a gift shop and Oak Alley Restaurant.
- You can tour both Nottoway and Oak Alley with the River Road Plantations Tour. This tour is seven and a half-hours long and will take you past many of the antebellum plantation homes and you can relax and enjoy lunch on the grounds of Nottoway.
For the Vampire and Voodoo Enthusiast...
- When visiting New Orleans, plantations are not the only sights you'll want to see. You'll also want to visit the world-famous aboveground cemeteries.
- St. Louis Cemetery #1 has been referenced in the books of famed author, Anne Rice. New Orleans is located below sea level and there is a high water level throughout the area. Due to this fact, bodies must be buried in aboveground crypts. There are many famous and infamous people buried in this cemetery including the famous Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
- The Cemetery and Gris Gris walking tour will take you on a narrated tour of this cemetery and you will get to take home your very own gris gris bag.
For the Family...
- At The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas you will find more than 1,800 of the world's rarest animals.The aquarium displays animals such as otters, sharks, sea horses, and jellyfish in their natural habitats. The Audubon Zoo is one of the country's top-rated zoos. You will find a huge array of exotic animals from all over the world. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the lush gardens and see animals in exhibits replicated their natural habitats. You can get admission to both of these attractions with one of many Audubon Adventure Passports.
- And let's not forget the swamps and bayous that make the area famous to those seeking the thrill of seeing live alligators in their natural habitats! There are numerous tours available that will let you get up close and personal with the habitants of New Orleans' swampland. Try the Cypress Swamp Cruise, the Swamp and Bayou Tour or the combination Swamp/Plantation Tour.
