St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour
The official tour, and the only way for visitors to get insideGo inside St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the oldest cemetery in New Orleans (1789) and the resting place of Marie Laveau. It's closed to the public, so a licensed guide is the only way in. Small groups of 20 or fewer, about 55 minutes. It's a daytime history tour, not a ghost tour.
Tour Highlights
- ✓Go inside St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the oldest cemetery still standing in New Orleans (1789)
- ✓Stand at the tomb of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans
- ✓See where Homer Plessy of Plessy v. Ferguson is buried, and the white pyramid tomb Nicolas Cage bought for himself
- ✓Learn why New Orleans buries its dead above ground, from family vaults to society tombs
- ✓The official tour with a licensed local guide, the only way visitors can get inside
An active, sacred burial ground
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is an active, sacred burial ground, and cemetery staff enforce its rules. Stay with your group from start to finish. Don't touch, sit or lean on tombs, fences or ledges, and don't mark or rub them. Don't leave anything behind, including candles, coins, beans, shells, rocks, figures or pictures. No food or alcohol; drinks need a cap or lid. No pets except certified service animals. Children 2 and under need an infant ticket.
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About This Tour
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 has been burying New Orleanians since 1789, and it's the most famous cemetery in the city. It's also closed to the public. The only way through the gates is the official guided tour, led by a licensed local guide and run in partnership with New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries, which owns and cares for the grounds. This is that tour.
Over about 55 minutes, your guide walks a small group along the winding paths between the whitewashed above-ground tombs and old ironwork. You'll find out why New Orleans buries its dead above ground when almost nowhere else in the country does, how Creole and Catholic burial customs shaped the cemetery, and what it takes to keep a burial ground standing for more than two centuries. Then there are the residents: Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, Homer Plessy of Plessy v. Ferguson, Civil War generals and jazz musicians. One tomb is still waiting for its owner: the white pyramid Nicolas Cage bought in 2010 for his own burial. Film fans will know the marble Italian society tombs from the 1969 movie Easy Rider. And yes, you'll stand right in front of Marie Laveau's tomb. Photos are welcome the whole way.
If you've read about Marie Laveau, or you just want to stand inside the oldest cemetery in New Orleans with a guide who can tell you whose tomb you're looking at, book this one. Tourism revenue helps pay for the cemetery's restoration work, so your ticket does some good too. Each departure is capped at 20 guests and walk-up space is rare, so reserve ahead.
What's Included
- ★About 55-minute guided walking tour with a licensed local guide
- ★Cemetery entry wristband
- ★Small group of 20 guests or fewer
Not included in this tour+
- —Transportation to the meeting point
- —Guide gratuity
What to Bring
- ●Comfortable walking shoes
- ●Water in a bottle with a lid
- ●Sunscreen and a hat or umbrella (there's very little shade)
- ●Camera (photos welcome, video isn't)
When & Where
Departure time
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily
Meeting point
Next to the cemetery
Address provided in confirmation email
- •Check in at the cemetery tour desk, a short walk from the French Quarter, 15 minutes before your tour time to pick up your entry wristband. Tours leave promptly.
- •We'll email you your ticket with a QR code, plus a link to the waiver the cemetery requires you to sign before check-in.
- •Your booking is under your name either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I visit St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 on my own?+
No. The cemetery isn't open to the public. Entry is limited to the official guided tour and to families with loved ones buried there who hold a Family Pass. This tour includes your entry wristband.
Is Marie Laveau really buried here?+
Yes, and her tomb is on the tour route. You'll stand right in front of it.
How long is the tour and how much walking is involved?+
About 55 minutes of walking and standing outdoors. The paths are uneven in places, and there's no seating and very little shade inside the cemetery, so bring water and sun protection.
Where do we meet?+
At the cemetery tour desk next to the cemetery, a short walk from the French Quarter. The exact address is in your confirmation. Check in 15 minutes before your tour time. Tours leave promptly.
How do I check in?+
After you book, we'll email you your ticket with a QR code. Bring it on your phone to speed things up. The cemetery also requires a signed waiver before check-in, and we'll send you the link with your ticket.
Is this a ghost tour?+
No. It's a daytime history tour of an active burial ground, so the focus is on the people buried here and the city's burial customs, not ghost stories.
Looking for ghost stories? Our Haunted Cemetery Shuttle Tour is a night visit inside a different New Orleans cemetery.
Are there rules inside the cemetery?+
Yes, and cemetery staff enforce them. Stay with your group, don't touch, sit or lean on any tomb, and don't leave anything behind, including the candles, coins and X marks people used to leave for Marie Laveau. Photos are welcome. Video isn't.
What happens if it rains?+
Tours go ahead in light rain, and there's no cover inside the cemetery, so bring an umbrella. If a departure is cancelled for unsafe weather, you'll be offered a new time or a refund.
Have more questions? Visit our FAQ page
Important Information
Cemetery rules: no marking, no offerings • Never mark or rub a tomb. No X's, no writing and no rubbings, and that includes Marie Laveau's tomb. Vandalism is illegal. • Leave nothing behind. No candles, coins, beans, shells, rocks, figures or pictures. Leaving gifts at Marie Laveau's tomb was a custom for years, and it is not allowed now. • Don't touch, sit or lean on tombs, fences or ledges. • Guests are held responsible for any damage they cause.
Activity Level
About 55 minutes of walking and standing outdoors on paths that are uneven and cracked in places. There's no seating and very little shade inside the cemetery.
Availability at a glance
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour
From $35 per person · About 55 minutes
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