Longue Vue House and Gardens

Longue Vue House and Gardens, at 7 Bamboo Road in Mid-City, New Orleans, Louisiana, is a historic estate of about eight acres, built in the 1930s for Edgar and Edith Stern. The Classical Revival house was designed by William and Geoffrey Platt, and the gardens were created by the landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman, with later work by Ruth Dodd and Robert Rolfe Kiefer. Together they form a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can tour the house, which contains period furnishings, decorative arts and an important collection of pearlware and other ceramics, and walk the gardens, which include the Spanish Court with its fountains and tile, the Wild Garden, the Walled Garden, the Canal Garden and the Discovery Garden for children. The grounds feature azaleas, camellias, iris and seasonal blooms, and the design links formal rooms with garden spaces. A visit typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Admission to the gardens is about $15 to $20, with house tours at extra cost, and the estate is generally open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, though house tours are scheduled, so checking longuevue.com is wise. Crowds are usually light, with weekends and spring bloom the busiest times. Spring mornings are particularly rewarding, as the azaleas and camellias reach peak bloom in late winter and spring, and the light is soft. For photographs, the Spanish Court fountain, the long canal vista and the house facade are popular. The estate is reached by the Canal Streetcar to Metairie Road, followed by a ten-minute walk, though rideshare is an easy option. It pairs well with a visit to the nearby City Park and NOMA, and the estate hosts seasonal events, garden talks and a gift shop. Summer humidity is high, so water and hats are helpful.