NOLA Tours is a woman-owned team of historians, preservationists, and born storytellers who believe the spirit of New Orleans is best read in its bricks and balconies. Since 2014 founder Katrina Horning and her licensed guides hav...
NOLA Tours is a woman-owned team of historians, preservationists, and born storytellers who believe the spirit of New Orleans is best read in its bricks and balconies. Since 2014 founder Katrina Horning and her licensed guides hav...
If you're looking to really understand New Orleans beyond the surface level, these architecture walking tours come highly recommended by visitors who sound genuinely impressed with what they learned. The guides get mentioned by name repeatedly, which tells you something about the personal touch here. Caroline (who goes by "Phant"), Allison, Janet, Angela, Sandy, and Sean all receive glowing praise for being knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the city's architectural history. People consistently mention walking away with a deeper understanding of the French Quarter, Garden District, and Marigny neighborhoods, with one honeymooning couple calling it the best tour of their weeklong visit. The two-hour format seems to hit the sweet spot, giving enough time to cover ground without wearing people out. What stands out is how thoughtful the guides are about the details. Multiple reviewers mention that their guides made sure to keep the group in shade during hot weather, used helpful visual aids, and even followed up with restaurant recommendations after the tour. The walks cover both well-known and hidden spots, touching on history, culture, and architectural styles across different time periods. There's also a Jewish history tour option that received enthusiastic feedback. The terrain is described as flat and easy to navigate, making it accessible for most visitors. Several people say the experience enriched subsequent exploring on their own, which might be the best endorsement of all.
On Sunday Aug 23, my best friend and I had the pleasure of taking a walking architecture tour in the garden district with Eva. To our pleasant surprise, our tour was just my best friend, Eva and myself. As we walked in the unforgiving summer heat of New Orleans, we learned about the rich history of the garden district and bits and pieces of the city itself. Learning about the decisions behind each house detail, to the trees that line the streets themselves, Eva was so well informed on every bit and piece of the architecture throughout the district. As an architectural designer myself, I got to ask and give my truthful opinions on the architectural choices as well as talking with Eva in detail, which was the highlight of my tour. Had such an amazing time and cannot wait to visit NOLA again and take another tour with NOLA tours. Best part of my trip 10/10 experience!
Megan Emralino
September 3, 2026
On Sunday Aug 23, my best friend and I had the pleasure of taking a walking architecture tour in the garden district with Eva. To our pleasant surprise, our tour was just my best friend, Eva and myself. As we walked in the unforgiving summer heat of New Orleans, we learned about the rich history of the garden district and bits and pieces of the city itself. Learning about the decisions behind each house detail, to the trees that line the streets themselves, Eva was so well informed on every bit and piece of the architecture throughout the district. As an architectural designer myself, I got to ask and give my truthful opinions on the architectural choices as well as talking with Eva in detail, which was the highlight of my tour. Had such an amazing time and cannot wait to visit NOLA again and take another tour with NOLA tours. Best part of my trip 10/10 experience!
Megan Emralino
September 3, 2026