New Orleans Esplanade Ridge: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

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Highlights

  • Free People of Color Museum

  • The Luling Mansion

  • St. Louis #3 Cemetery

  • Ponce de Leon Promenade

  • Bayou St. John

Summary

Take a leisurely stroll back in time through the Creole Garden District

Tour info

Duration
1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Voucher Access Code: (6-99 years)
$4.99
Commentary
English
Meeting Point

2023 Esplanade Ave, Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116

Dropoff location

3202 Grand Rte Saint John St, Grand Rte Saint John St, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119

Why take this tour?

Welcome to the Esplanade Ridge, home to the Faubourg St. John, romantically referred to as the Creole Garden District. Beginning at the upper boundary of the musical Faubourg Tremé, the Faubourg St. John harbors a history and lore just as lush and enticing. The history of Esplanade Ridge begins in 1708, a full decade before Bienville founded the city of New Orleans. The faubourg grew from those proud French roots and is often hailed as the Creole response to the American incursion following the Louisiana Purchase.

From the elegant architecture to the Free People of Color Museum to the bustling Ponce de Leon Triangle to the quiet elegance of the “Sanctuary of Angels” built on the grounds of a one time leper colony, the Creole Garden District will enter your dreams and have you singing a few lines of Hoagy Carmichael’s “If you've never seen a quaint old Southern city, Just think of New… think of New Orleans. It will remind you of old fashioned lace, while a glass of wine will greet your smiling face.” So, how about it? Won’t you join me for a leisurely stroll through this Creole Garden District.

A video trailer for the walk, which includes some of the sights you'll see, can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/264607675

The tour takes you on a shaded stroll under 300-year old oak trees beginning at Ashton’s Bed and Breakfast, a black-trimmed, white mansion ensconced behind a classic French wrought iron fence and ending with a walk along the romantic and historical Bayou St. John to one of several  lushly tropical triangular parks that punctuate the route. Bordered by the romantically named Esplanade Avenue, Grand Route St. John, and the enigmatic Mystery Street, Fortier Park will provide a perfect spot to linger before hitting one of the nearby restaurants, coffee shops or street parties.

Start the tour in the app, put your phone in your pocket, and let your guide direct you. The total walking distance is approximately 2 miles and takes about 75 minutes including more than few respites under the shade of sycamores. But, you can pause the tour at anytime!  Most people will opt to stop for a snack or to take advantage of the many photo opportunities along the way.

A video trailer for the walk, which includes some of the sights you'll see and an old jazz standard crooned by one of New Orleans best Creole jazz singers, can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/EsplanadeVideoTrailerNOLA

Key landmarks include: 
 • The Edward Degas House 
 • Free People of Color Museum 
 • Ponce de Leon Promenade 
 • Café Degas 
 • The Luling Mansion, an elegantly decaying Renaissance-styled palazzo 
 • The Angel Cemetery -  St. Louis Cemetery #3 
 • Bayou St. John 
 • Spanish Custom House

The exact route can be seen upon downloading the tour or can be viewed at http://bit.ly/AudioTourEsplanadeNOLA.

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What’s included?

  • Lifetime access to this self-guided tour in English

  • VoiceMap App for Android and iOS

  • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

  • Smartphone

  • Transportation

  • Food/drinks

  • Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route

Things to know

Before you book

  • This is a self-guided audio tour.

  • Entrance fees to all attractions mentioned on the tour are excluded from the price.

Before you go

  • Install the VoiceMap app beforehand and use the code included with your ticket to download the tour.

  • Remember your headphones, unless you've booked a driving tour.

  • Charge your phone's battery. The way VoiceMap uses GPS to play audio automatically can be battery intensive.

Redemption information

    If this is your first VoiceMap tour, please take a moment to read the important notes below.
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    ⤓
    DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS:
    1. Install VoiceMap from the Apple App Store or Google Play
    2. Create an account
    3. Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes
    4. Enter the code below then select Download Now
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    #
    YOUR CODE:
    GARD8492
    This code can be used by every member of your party. If you have booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code. Codes are not case sensitive.
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    ⌁
    PLEASE ALSO NOTE:
    • You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date.
    • It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.
    • When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when your are at the starting point.
    • The download should only take a few minutes to complete. If it takes longer, please cancel the download, go to Account, select Purchased and download the tour from there.
    • Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour.
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    :email:
    SUPPORT:
    For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]
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VoiceMap makes audio tours easy and accessible. It has a beautifully simple tour app, a straightforward publishing tool, and a team of helpful editors.

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