Neighborhood & Cultural Tours

Tours must be purchased ahead of time. Tours that do not have pre-purchased tickets, may be canceled. Day of tickets can be purchased below for the tour.

Garden District Tour

Saturdays (9:30 AM): February 22, 29
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 General Admission 
Departure Point: 1452 Jackson Ave. (riverside corner at Prytania St.)

Most residents and visitors alike know of the Garden District as a stunning neighborhood full of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture, bounded by Jackson, St. Charles, and Louisiana avenues, and Magazine Street. But do you know who established the Garden District? What part did the NO & Carrollton Railroad play? Why do we always hear tour guides reference “Lafayette” and “Livaudais?” Discover the answers to those questions and more when exploring the Garden District with the Friends of the Cabildo. As we unveil the Garden District’s incredible architecture, and the influence of culture, climate, political events, and famous figures on the area, you will see these grand residences as more than just beautiful houses; they are the enduring statements of mid-nineteenth century Americans in New Orleans

Esplanade Ridge Tour

Thursday (10 a.m.): February 27
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 General Admission 
Departure Point: Pagoda Cafe (1403 N. Dorgenois St.)

Discover the Creole splendor of Esplanade Ridge! This is a unique tour of geographic history and architectural highlights. Esplanade Avenue was designed in the French style of grand boulevards as a garden suburb for the wealthy Creoles escaping the “old city”. It was extended block by block from Fort St. Charles at the Mississippi River to modern day City Park despite objections from Bayou Road landowners whose houses were often in the way. Esplanade grew to intersect colonial and pre-colonial Native American pathways that are still present in the tangled street grids of today. Come enjoy these beautiful tree-lined streets and learn about a neighborhood that broke the mold for the development of the city and now serves as one of the most celebrated areas of the city.

South Market District Tour

Thursday: March 12 | 10 a.m.
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 General Admission | 2.5-Hour Tour
Departure Point: Pythian Market (234 Loyola Avenue, corner of Girod)

A booming area of revitalization at the intersection of the Central Business District, Medical District, and the sports/entertainment corridor of downtown, the South Market District is experiencing a renaissance placing it squarely in the up-and-coming areas of the city. But what was the historical significance of South Market before the construction projects? What are the stories behind the buildings being redeveloped as apartments, condominiums, hotels, and restaurants?
Join the Friends of the Cabildo as we examine the fascinating mix of adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and new construction in the “Old CBD.” This tour of rapidly transforming South Market will provide a unique snapshot of techniques used to resurrect this district while preserving its historic character.

Treme Cultural Tour

Monday (10 a.m.): March 16
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 General Admission 
Departure Point: Treme Coffeehouse (1501 St. Philip Street)

This walking tour of Treme provides a rich, detailed perspective on one of the city’s oldest and most storied neighborhoods. Originally known as “back of town,” the old Creole feel of Treme makes it easy to imagine the early 1800s multicultural community formed by immigrants, free people of color, and refugees from Saint-Domingue. An important center of the city’s African-American and Creole culture, Treme is the cherished home of fourth and fifth generation residents who strive to maintain the area’s cultural and social traditions. We will trace the origin and development of Treme through the amazing nineteenth century architecture (including Creole cottages, townhouses, and shotgun houses), geography, and urban influences dating from the subdivision of this land by Claude Treme in the 1790s to the present day.

Bywater Tour (New Tour)

Tuesday: March 3 (10 a.m.) | Monday: March 23 (10 a.m.)
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 General Admission | 2.5-Hour Tour
Departure Point: Hotel Peter and Paul (2317 Burgundy Street)

The Bywater, previously known at the Upper Ninth Ward, lies on natural high ground along the Mississippi River. In the 300 years of urban growth, the desirable riverside location transformed from colonial plantations to an important industrial area linked by railroads and river transport to national and international shipping. The dense working class community that grew up alongside is rich in historic houses – colorful Creole cottages and ornamented shotgun dwellings – and has been transformed since Hurricane Katrina floods into one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods. The industrial riverfront has been replaced by a linear urban park, and many warehouses have become restaurants, artist studios and home to a variety of creative industries. The one way tour will start at Hotel Peter & Paul, a recent and acclaimed adaptive reuse of a closed Catholic church complex of buildings and end at the Piety St. entrance to Crescent Park, with optional guided walk back to the Crescent Park entrance at Elysian Fields.

Yoga at the Cabildo

Designed for all levels of practice, for travelers and residents alike, Yoga at the Cabildo is set in a light-filled gallery of one of the city’s most beautiful and historic buildings. Due to exhibit construction at the Cabildo all classes will be at the Presbytere (751 Chartres Street). The building opposite side of the cathedral from the Cabildo.

Tuesday, Thursdays, Saturdays
8:30am to 9:30am at the Presbytere

$15 Donation (includes admission to Cabildo Museum) $10 FOC/LMF members

Mats are provided