Cemetery tours take visitors to New Orleans' historic burial grounds.
Some of the Big Easy's "Cities of the Dead" date back to the 18th century, such as its three St. Louis cemeteries. The above-ground crypts are the final resting places for some of New Orleans' most famous--and infamous--citizens, such as voodoo queen Marie Leveau. Several New Orleans tour companies offer affordable walking tours of the city's oldest cemeteries.
Haunted History Tours
Haunted History Tours, well known for its ghost tours, offers daytime walking tours of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans' oldest. The two-hour tour includes a visit to the tomb of Marie Leveau. Haunted History Tours offers cemetery tours at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. each day (no afternoon tours on Sundays, as the cemetery closes early), departing on foot from Rev. Zombie's Voodoo Shop in the French Quarter. Despite the tour company's name, the cemetery tour is not a "ghost" tour, but an academic look at New Orleans' oldest graveyard. As of March 2010, tour prices were $20 for adults, $17 for students and seniors, and $10 for children under the age of 12.
Haunted History Tours
97 Fontainebleau Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125
504-861-2727
hauntedhistorytours.com
New Orleans Spirit Tours
New Orleans Spirit Tours offers a walking tour of the historic St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 that includes a stop at the Marie Leveau tomb and a look at the history of voodoo in New Orleans. The tour includes a stop at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple on Rampart Street. Tours are available Monday to Saturday at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., and at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Prices were $20 for adults and $10 for children as of March 2010.
New Orleans Spirit Tours
c/o Royal Blend Coffee and Tea House
621 Royal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-314-0806
neworleanstours.net
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Tour
New Orleans writer and tour guide Robert Florence, author of "New Orleans Cemeteries" and "City of the Dead," leads this walking tour of the St. Louis cemetery, providing a wealth of information about the city's history. Like other cemetery tours, visitors will see the Marie Leveau tomb. This tour also includes visits to the city's Louis Armstrong statue, Congo Square, and the former location of Storyville, the city's red light district in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tours are available at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday. As of March 2010, prices were $20 for adults and $7 for children ages 6 to 12 (free for children under 6).
Historic New Orleans Walking Tours, Inc.
P.O. Box 19381
New Orleans, LA 70179-0381
504-947-2120
tourneworleans.com
Save Our Cemeteries Tours
The Save Our Cemeteries association dedicates itself to the preservation of New Orleans' historic cemeteries, which it regards as "the city's oldest outdoor museums." The association offers walking tours not only of the St. Louis cemeteries, but also the Lafayette Cemetery in the city's Garden District. The cemetery dates back to the 1830s and shows a diversity of tomb styles. Save Our Cemeteries tours of Lafayette are at 10:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Prices were $10 for adults and free for children under 12 as of March 2010. St. Louis Cemetery tours are at 10 a.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. As of March 2010, prices were $12 for adults and free for children under 12.
Save Our Cemeteries Inc.
P.O. Box 58105
New Orleans, LA 70158-8105
504-525-3377
saveourcemeteries.org
