10 Best Cemetery Tours in New Orleans in 2024

There are many great cemetery tours in New Orleans. At first glance, you might think that they are the same, but most of the tours are slightly different. Tours vary on what cemetery they visit, how long the tour is, and the time of day they take place.

The duration of a tour will depend on whether the tour is only visiting a cemetery or if they are also giving a tour of the city and the surrounding areas. 

Below we have all the cemetery tours you will want to look at and a quick explanation of each. We have been traveling the United States for years in order to help families make the most of their adventures. We highly recommend a cemetery tour and think your family will have a great time on a New Orleans cemetery tour. It can be an especially fun activity if you’re visiting New Orleans in October, around Halloween.

You will learn lots of New Orleans history as well as facts about the burial practices practiced in the area. For instance, family tombs are very common in this area, with many family members buried in the same tomb. You will only learn fun facts like this on a New Orleans cemetery tour!

Pro Tip: Keep in mind that many of the cemeteries in the New Orleans area require a licensed tour guide to enter. If you want to go inside the famous St. Louise Cemetery No. 1 you have to register for the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour. The other tours will not take you inside this cemetery but other nearby historic cemeteries. 

Quick Guide: New Orleans Cemetery Tours

10 Best Cemetery Tours in New Orleans  

1. New Orleans City and Cemetery Sightseeing Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 3 hours | Check Rates and Availability

The New Orleans City and Cemetery Sightseeing Tour takes you on a great overview of many different locations throughout the city.

The 3-hour tour will take you on an air-conditioned ride through the French Quarter, Jackson Square, the Garden District, Tulane University, Audubon Park, New Orleans City Park, St. Louis Park, St Louis Cemetery No. 3, Saint Charles Avenue, and Vue Orleans. 

We really enjoyed the Tour of the city and visiting the cemetery was awesome as well. The Tour Guide was very well informed about the places we saw.

– Arturo (Read more Reviews)

This tour will also take you to the best place to get beignets, Cafe du Monde. The tour does not include the purchase of beignets, but from experience, we can tell you that they are amazing! After you order a bunch you will probably decide you should order a bunch more because they are so good. 

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2. New Orleans Cemetery Tour

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 hours | Check Rates and Availability

The New Orleans Cemetery Tour is one of the more economical cemetery tours, but don’t let that fool you. This 2-hour tour is one of the highest-rated cemetery tours. The tour has hundreds of reviews, and very few of those are less than 5-star reviews.  

Enthusiastic, energetic and well versed tour guide! Highly recommend this tour, appropriate for all ages. Our family thoroughly enjoyed the experience (even the teenager)! Recommend bringing an umbrella for shade. Thanks for the excellent tour!

– Rachael (Read more reviews)

This tour is 2 hours of cemetery visits and a stop at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial. You will learn all about the above-ground burials, why they use above-ground burials, and loads more of New Orleans’ history.

You might even learn about the future tomb of Nicolas Cage that is in the area. If you love history-based tours like this, we recommend checking out a plantation tour while you’re in New Orleans as well.

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3. New Orleans Garden District & Cemetery Bike Tour

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 hours | Check Rates and Availability

The New Orleans Garden District and Cemetery Bike Tour is a great way to see the city. Highlights of the tour include St. Joseph’s Cemetery, the Irish Channel neighborhood, and the Garden District. On a bike tour, you will be able to explore more than you would on a walking tour, and the tour provides you with everything you will need.

The guided tour is highly rated and an enjoyable experience for many visitors. 

Great tour guide, interesting facts, nice ride through historical district. The tour length was just perfect.

– Tatyana (Read more reviews)

The Irish Channel neighborhood is a great location to see the different architecture in the city and the different styles. If you have not been to New Orleans, you will quickly see how the building styles, the houses, and the French Quarter have very different architecture than much of the rest of the United States.

We loved seeing how different the city is compared to all the other places we have traveled. 

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4. New Orleans Cemetery and Paranormal Investigation Bus Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 Hours | Check Rates and Availability

If you are looking for something a little more adventurous than your typical St Louis Cemetery tours, then the New Orleans Cemetery and Paranormal Investigation Bus Tour is the perfect tour.

On this New Orleans graveyard tour, you will visit many popular attractions in the evening while learning about all their haunting details. You will visit the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, St. Louis No. 3 Cemetery, the Holt Cemetery, and the Masonic Temple Cemetery No. 2. 

The tour was awesome. Tour Guide (forgot her name), was very friendly and informative. My teenage daughter loved it when we used the ghost equipment. We stopped and got a tasty Beignet. I would recommend this tour to anyone.

– Juhree_S (Read more reviews)

Masonic Temple Cemetery No. 2 is a historic cemetery with burials dating back to 1818. The cemetery was created for members of Masonic lodges and other fraternal orders, but later interments included members of other religions and diverse backgrounds.

On this tour, you will be looking for paranormal activity, and it is recommended to bring your cameras.

Do keep in mind some people prefer not to travel around New Orleans after dark due to safety concerns. If you are concerned, the 5 pm tour would be best, but it tends to sell out first. 

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5. New Orleans Small-Group City and Cemetery Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 4 Hours | Check Rates and Availability

The New Orleans Small-Group City and Cemetery Tour is going to be one of your longer cemetery tours in New Orleans, LA, because it is also a city tour. The small tour makes it great because you will only have 14 people max on the tour. But in reality, the majority of your cemetery tours and city tours are not going to have groups larger than this.

The cemeteries and the main attractions in the area are not suited for large tour groups.

This was an educational and emotional experience of a lifetime. Everyone children, young and old should have the opportunity to walk and see the past to appreciate the future.

– Elizabeth (Read more reviews)

Because the tour is a decent length, you will be able to explore a lot and learn a lot. Seeing the city while having someone else drive you around who knows what they are doing is super awesome.

On this tour, you are going to see the French Quarter, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, French Market, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, New Orleans City Park, The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA, Cafe Du Monde, Caesars Superdome, Bayou St John, Garden District, and Lake Pontchartrain. One thing to keep in mind on this tour is some of the sights you will pass by and not fully stop and explore. 

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6. New Orleans: Cemetery Bus Tour At Dark with Exclusive Access

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 Hours | Check Rates and Availability

The Cemetery Bus Tour At Dark with Exclusive Access is another great cemetery ghost tour. This New Orleans cemetery tour takes place at night. You will get to see the spooky aspects of New Orleans, hear haunted history tours, and explore one of its haunted cemeteries.

As you tour you will hear spooky stories from your guide and learn how to use paranormal activity readers.

This was the best tour we did in New Orleans. We visited two cemeteries, which were both completely different and unique. Our guide, Orion was knowledgeable, respectful, and a lot of fun without being corny. Our driver, Cory got us everywhere safely. They are a tour guiding power duo. Definitely book this tour. You won’t regret it.

– Verified Traveler (Read More Reviews)

You will visit St. Patrick Cemetery No. 1, Odd Fellows Rest, and the Charity Hospital Cemetery. You will pass by The Buckner Mansion and the Hurricane Katrina Memorial.

If you don’t happen to see any ghosts on your tour, you will see videos of ghosts from the several haunted locations that are on the tour. 

▶ BOOK New Orleans: Cemetery Bus Tour At Dark with Exclusive Access

7. New Orleans: Cemetery Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 Hours | Check Rates and Availability

The New Orleans Cemetery Tour is a walking tour that will get you inside New Orleans’ oldest burial grounds. The local guides are knowledgeable and professional. The tour will teach you about many of the important figures buried throughout the city. The tour has been shown on the Travel Channel, A&E, and the History Channel. 

I came to New Orleans for my birthday. I knew when i came that i wanted to do the cemetery tour. I had looked for things to do and that definitely caught my eye. I got so much more out of the tour than i had expected. The tour guide was wonderful and so knowledgeable on everything. I am so happy i chose to go on this tour and i would recommend it to anyone!

– Verified Traveler (Read more reviews)

Not only will you learn about the cemeteries on this tour, but you will also learn about the history of voodoo and how it is connected to the French Quarter and their unique burial rituals.

New Orleans is known for its practice of voodoo. Many people, including locals, will tell you about the voodoo stories and those who practice it today.

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8. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour – Enters the Cemetery

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 1 Hour | Check Rates and Availability

The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour is a great tour if you do not want a tour to take very long. This tour is the shortest tour, with a duration of only 1 hour or slightly less.

The tour is a walking tour, and it takes you into the frequented cemetery St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Many tours enter this cemetery because it is relatively easy to get into and it has some really great history.

My tour was with Zelda and she is the best! She had so much knowledge about this place and she was very nice. She had an answer for every question and she took care that we are felling good. It was very hot so the cemetery had tents and water sprinkler. I would come back!

– Kimberley (Read more reviews)

The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest cemetery, and it takes up an entire city block with over 700 grave tombs. This tour is not considered a haunted cemetery tour in New Orleans, but the graveyard you enter is considered the most haunted in the area.

This is the only tour that goes inside of this graveyard. All the others just pass by the graveyard.  

▶ BOOK St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour

9. New Orleans French Quarter, Voodoo, and Cemetery History Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 Hours | Check Rates and Availability

New Orleans French Quarter, Voodoo, and Cemetery History Tour have almost 3,000 reviews, with thousands of visitors giving it a 5-star review. We loved seeing the cemeteries and learning about voodoo and the history of the city.

You will love taking a cemetery tour and learning about the voodoo queen Marie Laveau. This tour will take a slightly different path than some of the others. This tour goes through the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Louis Armstrong Park, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (pass by), Voodoo Authentica, and Jackson Square

Took a voodoo trip with William, he had lots of information about voodoo, music and architecture, any questions asked was answered, not too big a group so you could easily hear what was being said.

– Jane (Read more reviews)

One important thing to keep in mind is that these tours will not stop for bad weather unless the weather is unbelievably bad. Amidst rain, shine, and hail, these tours are a go. Do remember that this area is slightly more accustomed to wind and hurricanes, so unless it is a hurricane or something intense, the tour is probably a go.

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10. Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour in New Orleans

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 Hours | Check Rates and Availability

If you are looking for a BYOB tour, Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour in New Orleans this is the tour for you. The tour is very lively and energetic. The tour guides make for an exciting and lighthearted tour that is so fun for those enjoying the area. 

We were celebrating my daughter’s birthday this was the one tour she wanted to do !!! Trish was our tour guide, she was knowledgeable, gregarious and she made the occasion even more memorable! We had the chance to visit local cemeteries of New Orleans as well as learn a little history of this beautiful city! I high Recommend this tour and thanks to Trish for the ghost ride! 5 star trip!!!

– Lisa (Read more reviews)

This tour is typically later in the day, starting around 8 PM, so it also tends to be on the scarier side for tours. They also offer a super late tour that starts at 11 PM. Keep in mind this tour can get rowdy, and you have the possibility of having a number of drunk participants. 

▶ Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour in New Orleans

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can You Tour Cemeteries in New Orleans? 

Yes, you can tour cemeteries in New Orleans. Many of the cemeteries require you to enter with a licensed guide. This includes the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. If you want to see the cemeteries in New Orleans, you should go with a guide. 

Can You Visit New Orleans Cemeteries Without a Tour?

There are some cemeteries that do not require a tour, but in general, it is recommended that you go with a licensed tour guide. 

What is the Best Cemetery Tour in New Orleans?  

The most famous cemetery to tour is the St. Louis No. 1 cemetery. This is probably the best cemetery to visit just because it is the oldest and considered the most haunted.

However, depending on the experience you are looking for, this might not be the best cemetery for you to tour. The tour of this cemetery is fairly short and is only offered during the day. 

How Long is the Cemetery Tour in New Orleans? 

Cemetery tours range from 1 hour to 4 hours long. The longer tours often add additional city stops, like a stop at the delicious Cafe Du Monde, or they add city and architectural components to the tour. 

What is the Most Iconic New Orleans Cemetery Tour? 

There is not one tour that is overly iconic. However, there are iconic cemeteries that people desire to tour. The most famous is St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, but there is only one tour for this cemetery, and it is a short tour. You only tour the cemetery, and that is all. Many people like the other tours because they offer more robust tour options.

Conclusion

You are going to love these New Orleans tours of a cemetery. They are so informative, and the history you will learn by taking a cemetery tour in New Orleans, Louisiana, is amazing.

Some people prefer to take cemetery tours in New Orleans at night, but if you are traveling with kids, we do not recommend taking a night tour. Walking around the city during the day can be an eye-opening experience. After talking with the locals, we did very little adventuring after dark.

However, if you are in a group without kids, a night tour could be really fun, and many people enjoy them. 

If you’re looking for other fun tours to do in New Orleans, be sure to check out the delicious food tours, an exciting airboat tour, and a fun river cruise on the Creole Queen. It’s a great place to visit year-round, but there’s something special about New Orleans in September!