Longue Vue House & Gardens

Wonderful estate complex and gardens. I arrived too late for a house tour, but enjoyed exploring the gardens. There were several wedding photographers there taking photos of young couples. I'll have to return another day for the house tour.

We really loved the tour and was happy it was open on January 2nd when so many places (museums and historic locations) were closed. Liz? wait maybe Erica? from California was the best tour guide & answered all our difficult questions. Absolutely loved the house & the gardens

I love Longue Vue. I have been coming 6 years. Every time I come the staff is lovely and kind. And the food at the cafe is great. yes it has changed a couple of years ago to what I see as a vegan/vegetarian food options the food is still great and I specifically love their bagels!! I recommend 10/10! Garlic spread specifically. The gardens? GORGEOUS The staff? MARVELOUS The home? IMMACULATE The food? DELICIOUS For all the people giving one star because the gardens are 'unkempt' how would you like to keep up 16 different gardens across 8 acres of land? It is very difficult. I have become close with the Longue Vue staff for coming here so often. If you have an issue with how the gardens look please go and volunteer yourself to clean it up and make it look beautiful. However they are still beautiful and the gardens that are 'unkempt' to you, might actually be designed to look like that. Also, "As it is, at $3 more per person than the far superior botanical garden 10 minutes away, I do not feel I received good value for my money." somebody said this in a review. If you feel that way then just go there. As I have volunteered at Longue Vue before, we have a lot of staff and a lot of land that we need to work to keep it how it was previously. Also y'all understand what weathering is correct. Old things do get dirty and it is hard to get to everything. Don't be shallow as an adult.

Updated review: I saw on social media where they were offering the behind the scenes tour and had to jump on it. This was a very enjoyable tour. Amazing. I can not recommend this enough. I just love getting to peek behind the curtain to see the details. A whole room for lamp shades! Extravagant! What a lovely tour! Just took a tour of the house, but I will be back for the combination tour of the house and gardens. The history of this house was amazing. And to think that this was the second house erected here. I'm not sure where they moved the original house to, but I will Google. The tour guide was amazing and very informed. I am so glad to come and am considering the membership.

Visited in mid-May for just the gardens. We were disappointed with how unkempt the gardens were, as well as the limited range of plant species and wide-ranging water feature issues. All of that could be overlooked to some extent with a more reasonable price. As it is, at $3 more per person than the far superior botanical garden 10 minutes away, I do not feel I received good value for my money.

This is such a fantastic home to visit! The gardens are gorgeous and so well maintained, and the house itself it just beautiful. Our guide was so knowledgeable and funny, and ready to answer questions. You get to see several rooms of the home, and the ones you can't see are explained to you. It has amazing architectural details, and the gardens are meticulously organized. It was also fascinating to learn so much about the family who owned the home and all the equitable and impactful charity work they did. This was such a gem of a spot to visit, and we spend time sitting in the chairs along the oak-lined walk, which was just stunning.

Be in New Orleans my friend recommended me this beautiful place. That was very good choice to go for Longue Vue House & Gardens. Hous was so beautiful inside. The family who lived in this house left everything, so it is now a museum and you can see, watch and admire there exactly the same. Tour was very interesting with rich history. I do also enjoy amazing gardens what is good condition and well maintained. Everyone was so nice , very helpful and knowing history this house. Definitely I do recommend to see this place 👌 👌

We loved the house tour and the gardens. The hot chocolate was delicious as well as the pastry.

Overall I expected more than what was seen. At the time there was construction going on in the back and a wedding photoshoot being done. As well as some event taking place later on so tents were being set up in the garden area. Everything felt rushed having to try to be out of the way. I wish they would have just not allowed us to come so we could really enjoy the grounds.

Great house and garden tour. The house has a bunch of little secrets, such as a hidden radio behind a bookcase, walls that don't look doors but they are, rotating wall beds, buttons hidden in fireplaces to call staff and open window walls, lighting of the roof windows, etc. Love that they had a gift wrapping room and some art from Disney World back in the day. Also a ballroom where they hosted balls and a tennis court. The gardens were also very pretty to wander around in and take some photos. One of the designs of one of the waterfalls was from Portugal, so cool, and theres even a kids maze and area in the gardens. Super fun! Take a lyft or uber here and not the trolley because then you are basically by the interstate which is not safe. Better to uber for sure. This is right by the Metarie Cemetery so you could make a whole day of it!

Love this place! I did yoga on the lawn with my girlfriends and then I went for Forrest Bathing and it was awesome! What a terrific day in a beautiful, serene setting. Highly recommend

One of the BEST house tour museums we've ever been to!! They have the families ORIGINAL furniture and household items, and the fact that the family traveled the world and were such pioneers architecturally, makes it a fully enjoyable immersive experience !! To say it's impressive- is an UNDERSTATEMENT. $25 gets you a docent led tour which makes it even more special. It was raining so we couldn't see the gardens, but they looked spectacular. It sounds like they were a family that tried to give back and make changes socially, and that also makes hearing about them so interesting. I would definitely go back !!!

Finally made it to Longue Vue. Honestly I didn't even know this place existed until a few years ago and yet it's minutes from downtown. So if you are local or visiting it's worth checking out. We did the full tour which actually was a private tour since nobody else was there. The tour guide was informative and showed us around the house and the gardens. Everything is very well maintained. I'd love to comeback when the gardens are at their peak.

Been coming here many times since I'm a card member of Audubon Nature Institute and they have museum month in August that I can use my pass to come here for free. Year round, on the first Sunday of each month, Longue Vue is open during the afternoon with free garden admissions for Louisiana residents. There is a fee for having a tour of the house which I highly recommend. I love it that we can pack some snacks and have a picnic around the lovely garden or just bring a book and enjoy the garden by yourself.

I wanted to find something I haven't done in New Orleans. Nice weather called for a stroll at a grand house and its gardens. The house had multiple types of gardens. I could tell the owners put a lot of thought into it. We started at the interactive garden designed for children, worked our way over the azaleas, passed some citrus trees, another section with a plot of veggies closer to the home, international inspired garden, to the courts, to the grand fountain, and then to the main house with its own tennis court. The grounds were very beautiful. I wish we took a tour of the house but opted to stick to the gardens. Maybe next time. We decided on a self tour but there is the option to have a guided tour of the gardens and the house. I don't remember how much we paid but the price ranged from $10-25 per person.

This is not your typical plantation house representative of suppressing a large segment of the population. The house that currently on the property, that the house tour is about, was built in the very early 1940's, but is significant because they (the owners) were very philanthropic. After the I was already home, I thought of a question. Under the Code Noir, Jews were not legally allowed to live in the area, and the husbands family was well established in the area, so I wonder the history. Anywho. The house is beautiful. The front entrance is into a circular foyer, and even the door is curved, part of the circle instead of being rectangular and bringing you out of the circle. The air conditioning vents blending in with the designs at the top of walls, the very modern bathrooms for each bedroom, the his and hers restrooms. All very impressive. I would love to come back for each season to see the changes in the gardens and so forth. Just amazing. Another bonus is that this is located on the back edge of the country club, and on the edge of their gold course. I look forward to coming back.

I loved my visit here. The staff was very nice and friendly. The grounds were beautiful!!! I cannot emphasize that enough. It was dreamy and shady and gorgeous everywhere. There were many nooks and crannies to explore with flowers and trees everywhere. Great for a photoshoot or picnic with friends. Kids (and adults) would love the interactive discovery garden. I will definitely come back.

Longue Vue House and Gardens in Metairie, LA is a tranquil oasis that captivates with its beauty. The meticulously manicured gardens and stunning architecture create a serene escape from the bustling city. Discover the perfect harmony between nature and art at this hidden gem. Perfect place for a unique date or day activity in New Orleans.

Chelsea was very informative and gave a detailed tour. I came not knowing much about the property and left feeling inspired. Beautiful property.

Beautiful house with a beautiful story. Extensive gardens. Get the tour of the house and gardens. The tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and a good storyteller. Peaceful and stately estate. Well worth a break from the French Quarter.

We arrived just before 4pm which is when the last tour of the day starts. Since we wanted to see both the house and gardens in a short period of time and we were the only people, the tour guide was very accommodating and gave us a shortened combo tour of both. He was very passionate and friendly- I wish I could remember his name. Absolutely stunning architecture and grounds, built in 1939 by a prominent philanthropic couple. The property has no history of a plantation which was nice to know. I loved seeing the traditional architectural style without the dark history. Would love to return!

Just off Metairie Road near the parish line, down a bamboo lined street (Bamboo Road), then up the pebbled trail, there is plenty of parking way around back to the left of the property. If you want to tour the house you have to locate the gift shop ( and you want to locate the gift shop!!) I love to bring my visitors to see the LOVELY gardens that surround the Longue Vue House. The great examples of a huge variety of beautiful trees, English-Style Gardens with ponds and fountains, pathways and seating nooks, a japanese koi pond and garden, so much lovely foliage to experience. The house is pretty cool example of how rich folks spent their money in the middle of the last century and I especially loved the collection of Modern art. And don't skip the gift shop! It has some great finds for you or fun gifts for others. Overall a great place to spend some time exploring, but if you are short on time, don't skip the gardens (and that part is FREE)!!

The Longue Vue House is a stunning place to visit with a lot of interesting history to learn about along the way. Our tour guide Bob was incredibly knowledgeable and very friendly. He shared so many details about the house and pointed out the "why" behind everything. He also did an excellent job of sharing about the Sterns, their kindness, and the contributions they made to the city.

Best $12 you can spend!!! How amazing is this place?! The tours of the house are every hour and about 30 minutes. It's so beautiful inside and in its original state (furniture and all!) what a treat! The gardens are beautiful - 22,000 sq ft of land with 16 gardens. Just beautiful! Definitely stop by when visiting Nola!

Very lovely plantation tour. Spend the money to go inside and hear the history. First home in the area to have air conditioning!

We had our small wedding ceremony with family, and it was perfect. Laren was very helpful. We loved it. The day was perfect. We would not have changed it for anything!

What an interesting tour! Not a typical house history tour. Here you are given a window into a life of a more modern family. The house was donated exactly intact as the day the owner left. The architecture and hidden details of the home were fascinating. Wilma our tour guide was informative and well versed in the history of the family and home. Definitely worth the visit!

Gorgeous gardens and beautiful home. Such attention to detail and innovative ideas built in the house. Tour guides are knowledgeable and show southern hospitality in making you feel welcome.

Beautiful house and gardens. Words cannot begin to describe how wonderful it is to walk through. Definitely recommend. Also included in the city pass for New Orleans. Would love to go again.

Absolutely Stunning. I love historic Homes/Mansions that offer tours (worked at the Winchester House In California when I was younger) and ever since, I'm always looking for house tours of large old houses. This was a highlight of my Mardi Gras/New Orleans trip last year in February and I already want to check it out again. The house is VERY modern for its time and the history behind it is intriguing. I found the term "servants cottages" (located in the front) to be a bit of a lie, but... hey, we all want to make History work in our favor. Highly Recommend.

This place is STUNNING!! These gardens are very well maintained, have a variety of plants that are healthy and fun to gaze at and wonder what they are plus the staff is attentive. We visited on a Wednesday evening to check out the jazz show. You pay $10 and bring your own food, booze and blanket. Perfect! The weather was great, everyone wore a mask and distanced and the band was super pumped to be back to playing music. You could tell by their energy level. .The gardens are very clean so please take your trash with you!!

We were welcomed with great directions from the front door to the parking lot. This property is the most elegant gardens in Metairie. Our tour guide, Lily was so enthusiastic and explained the history and the storyline to what this place has and will always carry. We are so grateful for having Lily as our private tour awaits. I highly recommend this place. It's peaceful here today and I'm going to remember stepping foot throughout the map that is provided. I am definitely going to bring more tourists to this area. #maskOn

Beautiful (+cheap admission!) mansion + grounds that's much closer to downtown NOLA than the famous plantations in the area. Also this wasn't a plantation so you know, no slavery history. The staff were exceptional. We missed a scheduled tour due to misunderstanding the instructions on the ticket, and they found someone to give a tour to just our party anyways so we wouldn't miss out. Lots of interesting historical & political tidbits made the place stand out from typical other old mansions I've seen. (House was built by a Jewish family who were very involved socially, politically and philanthropically in the community and they try to continue that mission today.) Some of the non-tour staff were working in the garden during our tour and pointed out different interesting plants to us, even offered to let us eat one of the flowers that was supposed to be spicy (it was). All the staff were incredibly nice. DEFINITELY recommend a visit.

This is one of the most romantic places in the city. Please, take a take a date here. I was lucky enough to take a reasonably priced sushi class here. Every one was so nice and we learned alot. You are given all the materials you need (rice, imitation crab meat, asparagus, avocado, smelt roe, etc.) The teacher is a chef at a local sushi restaurant and he gave plenty of attention to everyone and explained things in detail. I had a great time and loved the ambience.

Spectacular! Beautiful, peaceful and lovely story, great tour guide, as a matter of fact every single person working there was amazing, very friendly, professional and informative. Gardens and house are very well maintained, garden views are breathtaking. The kids garden is beautiful and practical, the spices area was delightful, lavender aroma was incredible. The owners story very inspiring. Amust see place when in the big easy.

A hidden gem in New Orleans! A bit off the beaten track (fortunately), Longue Vue is an oasis of beauty and calm and we had no trouble getting back and forth using Uber/Lyft. A very knowledgeable docent gave a tour of the house and highlighted the interesting history of the family, the furnishings and the decoration and the advanced (1940's) technology employed there. Truly a unique story. The gardens are also lovely and show the creativity that goes into designing many types of spaces that take you on a journey around the botanical world. The gift shop is also elegant and has great prices! Will definitely go here again as there is too much to take in on one visit. Well "worth the detour," as they say!

I loved this place, it was the first real quiet and garden area we had been to in New Orleans and it was magnificent. I highly recommend the house tour.

My husband and I had a few minutes to spare. We didn't go inside the house we just enjoyed the gardens. From what we saw it was very a very peaceful, tranquil place. If you are in the area and have a fifteen to a half hour to spare I would definitely visit. Also seemed like the kind of place to enjoy a cup of joe and a good book next to the lighthouse. Enjoy!!

This place is such a gem!!! I have been visiting New Orleans off and on for decades, and I cannot believe I am just finding out about this place. The gardens are beautiful, and the staff is so curious. Our tour guide Tess was incredibly informative and funny! This is truly a hidden gem. I recommend booking an earlier tour to save you from the heat!

Dennis was our tour guide for the combo tour! Very well informed. Made the tour!! Thanks!

When you've finally had it with the fracas of the French Quarter, THIS is the place you want to visit for an unforgettable step back in time and a cool, quiet respite. The house is completely fascinating, full of the kinds of details and period pieces you hope for when visiting a place like this. Each room is a gem that delights the eye and imagination. One can't help but wonder what it would have been like to live in this spectacularly appointed manse. The family that owned it left most everything intact, so you're looking at a vast amount of authentic rooms and pieces, rather than a warehouse of recreations. It's simply beautiful and charming, moment after moment. Amazingly, the family who lived here from 1939-1942 had the foresight to install central air conditioning to the house at that time, so it's cool and comfortable, even in July when I visited! Following the house tour, you're free to roam the gardens, which are every bit as graceful and pastoral as one could hope for. For my part, I was in heaven! Big kudos to our gifted tour guide, Sue Barton, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of this home and the family who lived there, but who never comes off as pedantic or insincere. She's a total charmer, a shining example of the delightful hospitality for which New Orleans is known.

My girlfriend and I had a fantastic time here! We did the version with the house tour, which I would definitely recommend to others. Our docent/tour guide Sharon did a fantastic job. It was also just us on our tour, so she was able to talk directly with us and answer our individual questions. It made for a very personalized experience. The whole thing really exceeded our expectations.

Beautiful property to tour in the outskirts of New Orleans. NOT a plantation home. Took a very informative 45 minute tour with Sue. House was air conditioned and has lots of interesting trinkets inside. They let you go in most of the rooms. No photos. :/ I wish it were self-guided but they rarely are. Grounds were probably the best part; be sure to make time for them.

The Longue Vue House is absolutely gorgeous! It is free to walk around the gardens but you have to pay for a tour of the home and it is totally worth it! One can tell the Sterns whom lived there were delightful and a fun couple to be around in the 40s. The architecture is unique and features a circular theme. My favorite was the modern art gallery room featuring a large handful of eclectic pieces. Mr. Stern loved his gadgets and the home is full of neat technology that was way before its time. Our guide was knowledgeable and made our tour quite enjoyable. Be sure to roam around the gardens after your tour!

Wilma was such a great tour guide! And the gardens are really well done. I could sit by the fountain for hours.

What a gem! To think I've lived here 8 years and it took me just as long for me to discover this place despite seeing the sign for it EVERY DAY I got off the ramp at City Park Avenue/Metairie Road exit. Do yourself a favor and set aside an hour, to two hours and get your butt over to the Longue Vue House and Gardens. Guided tours within the house are $12 and tours of the gardens and estate are self guided and free. This is a wonderfully educational experience, and gives us a chance to tour one of the more modern homes here in New Orleans/Metairie which was built in the 1920's. The house in itself is unique because they had the foresight to construct this home with central air and heat, a basement (whaaaaa?) AND an elevator. The house was built intentionally so that each room has a view into a different garden on the estate. I really could go on an on about this place, but I think it is best that you go and take advantage first hand.

I came here while on vacation and I'm so glad I did. My tour guide was Wilma who did an amazing job. She told us about the house and the people in it. She answered every question and was extremely knowledgeable. The mansion itself is gorgeous! Every piece of furniture is the same one from when the house was built and in exactly the same spot. It is definitely worth a visit!

Longue Vue is awesome! The gardens are amazing, the house is really cool, and they have really great programs that not enough people take advantage of. I'm hoping to help spread the word! They have a discovery garden for kids, tours of the house, art exhibits, yoga classes in the gardens (from time to time), and other special events. My favorite event at Longue Vue, though, is Taste & Pair. It's a 5-course tasting menu hosted at Longue Vue but featuring great chefs and sommeliers from restaurants and wine shops across the metro area. The most recent one, on August 20, featured chefs Amarys Herndon (resume: Arnaud's, Bayona, and The Old Portage) and Jordan Herndon (Ralph's On The Park) and the wine was by Carly DiCosola. Each course was amazing, but I particularly loved the chilled corn soup, the pickle plate, and the peach with ice cream and poppy seed cookie crumble. With such great food and wine, this is a steal at just $45! They usually have one once as season, so I'm already looking forward to the fall one. Perhaps if the weather is nice it will be held out on one of the gardens again, like the spring one was. It's fun to come with friends but it's also nice to mingle with new people that you're seated with. I've always enjoyed the company of my table-mates. I'm sure you will too -- especially if you're at my table. :)

This is now one of my favorite places in the whole world. Longue Vue is a small mansion with lovely furnishings that is both elegant and homey at the same time. The guide (Tess?) was great - she was knowledgeable about the house, the stylistic periods, and obviously loved her job - a real pleasure to learn from her. I had a lot of fun wandering through the gardens on a misty fall day - and really enjoyed being in such a beautiful property. Truly a pleasure and I feel very lucky homes like this exist.

Went with my parents on a Saturday. I was surprised how not crowded the place was, but this worked to our advantage. The tour group was just me and my family so we had the full attention of the tour guide. She was great. She responded to my parents many, many questions (they love home tours). And we felt like VIPs. The gardens were very pretty. Good for some photo opps.

This really is a hidden gem. The gardens are beautiful and my kids really love the discovery garden. The watering can sculpture is pretty awesome. The staff is super friendly and one time the head gardener even took the time to give my daughters a guided tour of the gardens. I gotta admit here I've never been inside the house because I have little kids and am fearful of them breaking something. I'm planning on it when they're older. They have a iphone and android app with a tour. They also participate in free museum day. Mommy notes: Stroller friendly, outside snacks ok, plenty of shady spots, kids under 3 are free.

I took advantage of Free Museum Day this year with a long overdue trip to Longue Vue. This place has been on my list for years and I can't believe I just now took advantage of a quiet morning spent in the lovely gardens of this estate. Turning down Bamboo Rd. from Metairie Rd, I knew I was in a for a treat. I spent about 45 minutes going through the Discovery Garden (so cute, can't wait to bring my nieces!), to the wild garden (reminder to self to go back when the irises bloom) and the impressive Spanish Court. Luckily, I was just finishing my garden foray when a tour of the house was starting. Wow. The history of the family who lived here was impressive. Not only do you get to peek into what their life was like, but the lady of the house was a collector of modern art and so it was like a gallery visit on top of the house tour. Our guide was also super knowledgable and I feel like I got a history lesson on politics, New Orleans oddities, river commerce and more. Highly recommended.

The Longue Vue House and Gardens is a spectacular place to take yourself and visitors. There are plenty of beautiful gardens to walk through, fabulous architecture, great old trees, and don't forget to take the time for the tour of the house itself! Gorgeous.

We were staying in New Orleans and decided to drive out of the way to see Longue Vue. It was well worth the little drive! The historic house was beautiful and our guide was great! The gardens are spectacular and I could have spent all day wondering around!

A little gem tucked away in the city! The grounds and gardens are beautiful. I've never gone in the house, but I plan to one day. The best part for me are the children's preschool programs. Little Masters and KinderGarden are great. I highly recommend taking your little ones to any of the programs they offer. After the program, you are able to walk the grounds.

Came for American Horror story, stayed for the lush gardens, beautiful architecture, superb engineering and technology. Behind the doors of this old house you don't expect much, but you'll be pleasantly surprised by it's beauty and engineering. The gardens are perfect to walk around on a sunny day (albeit we went on a rainy, gloomy day and it was still beautiful). Don't miss the tour of the house! It is stunning. Only reason I'm giving it four stars is because there is absolutely no photography inside the house.

The gardens were so incredibly beautiful. The house was closed but the workers were very nice and gave us maps, directions, and took group photos of us. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting New Orleans.