Esplanade is one of the most beautiful streets in New Orleans, yet barely recognized by visitors as such. Because of the abundance of historical homes, Esplanade, which follows the ‘high ground’ of Esplanade Ridge, is known as the Creole St Charles Ave. Both streets are shaded by rows and rows of leafy live oaks, but whereas St Charles is full of large, plantation-style American villas, Esplanade is framed by columned, French Creole–style mansions.
©Fotoluminate LLC/Shutterstock
Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.95 MILES
Whatever happens in the French Quarter usually begins here in Jackson Square, at Decatur and St Peter Streets. It's a gentle, carnivalesque scene,…
0.51 MILES
Live oaks, Spanish moss and lazy bayous frame this masterpiece of urban planning. Three miles long and 1 mile wide, dotted with gardens, waterways and…
1.91 MILES
The former seat of government in colonial Louisiana now serves as the gateway to exploring the history of the state in general, and New Orleans in…
3.5 MILES
Of all the cemeteries in New Orleans, Lafayette exudes the strongest sense of subtropical Southern Gothic. The stark contrast of moldering crypts and…
1.89 MILES
One of the best examples of French architecture in the country, this triple-spired 18th-century cathedral is dedicated to Louis IX, the French king…
2 MILES
Royal Street, with its rows of high-end antique shops, galleries and potted ferns hanging from cast-iron balconies, is the elegant yin to well known…
2.58 MILES
The South has one of the most distinctive aesthetic cultures in the US artistic universe, a creative vision indelibly influenced by the region's…
Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
0.79 MILES
The sculpture garden that sits just outside the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park is a wooded quilt of streams, pathways, lovers' benches and, of…
Nearby New Orleans attractions
0.09 MILES
This pretty park, strung up with lights and lanterns and decked out with funky furniture, sits across the road from one of the most attractive stretches…
2. Our Lady of the Rosary Rectory
0.27 MILES
Built around 1834 as the home of Evariste Blanc, Our Lady of the Rosary Rectory exhibits a combination of styles characteristic of the region. The high…
0.28 MILES
Laid out in 1852, this is the third-oldest racetrack in the nation. During the Civil War, you could catch bear fights here. Today, besides horse races,…
0.34 MILES
This historic house was built by Evariste Blanc from 1816 to 1822 on land originally granted in 1720 to French Canadians. The once-swampy property was…
0.4 MILES
The Pitot House, perched prettily beside Bayou St John, is an excellent example of classical French New Orleans architecture. Constructed circa 1799, it's…
0.45 MILES
This long but compact cemetery was established in 1854 at the site of the old Bayou Cemetery and is worth strolling through for a few minutes (longer if…
0.48 MILES
Back in the day, this was a true bayou – an overgrown morass of Spanish moss and prowling alligators. Native Americans, fur trappers and smugglers would…
0.51 MILES
Live oaks, Spanish moss and lazy bayous frame this masterpiece of urban planning. Three miles long and 1 mile wide, dotted with gardens, waterways and…