Historic Metairie Cemetery Walking Tour by Save Our Cemeteries

Metairie Cemetery is less a quiet patch of graves than a 65-acre city of tombs, with live oaks shading monuments built to resemble temples, obelisks, and other grand structures. On this 90-minute walk, you’ll see the resting places of governors, Carnival kings, musicians, writer Anne Rice, and other New Orleanians while learning how local burial customs took shape.

I like two things in particular: the cemetery’s striking range of architecture, and a guide-led approach that puts people and local history ahead of spooky theatrics. If Glenn is leading your tour, expect an engaging guide with a clear interest in the cemetery and its families.

One consideration is the setting: this is a cemetery associated with many prominent and wealthy families, not a full survey of every New Orleans burial tradition. The paths are mostly flat, but the walk is outdoors, so the 10 a.m. start and the shade under the oaks can matter on a hot day.

What to know before you go

• A cemetery on a grand scale: Lake Lawn Metairie covers 65 landscaped acres and holds more than 9,000 people.
• Architecture is part of the story: Look for Greek temple forms, Gothic and Islamic-style tombs, obelisks, marble sculpture, ironwork, and stained glass.
• The names span New Orleans life: Nine Louisiana governors, seven city mayors, 49 Carnival kings, three Confederate generals, musicians, writers, and notorious local figures are buried here.
• A small group helps the stories land: The tour caps attendance at 16, allowing more room for questions than a large group walk.
• Plan for sun and heat: The route is mostly flat, but it is outdoors. Early morning offers a better chance to make use of shade.
• The tour needs a minimum: At least four people must be signed up 12 hours before departure, or the tour may be canceled.

A walk through a city of tombs

Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery is the sole stop on this tour, but it is large enough and varied enough to fill an hour and a half. You meet at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, then explore the cemetery on foot with a guide. The experience returns to the same meeting point.

The setting gives you a useful way to understand New Orleans burial traditions. The cemetery’s striking monuments are not just decorative architecture. They also tell stories about families, public status, faith, and the ways people have chosen to remember their dead. Your guide connects those details with the city’s history, so the walk is more than a look at elaborate stonework.

Expect a mix of visual stops and conversation. You’ll see large family tombs, sculpture, and monuments set among live oaks and landscaped grounds. The guide also shares stories about people buried here and explains aspects of local burial rites. There is no promise of a fixed sequence through the grounds, so the exact stops may depend on the guide and the group’s pace.

The cemetery holds more than 9,000 people across 65 acres. That scale matters: even with a guide, you will not see every grave or take in every detail in 90 minutes. Think of the walk as an introduction to the cemetery’s most telling features, not an exhaustive visit.

Architecture worth slowing down for

The monuments are a central reason to choose this tour. Lake Lawn Metairie brings together Greek temple forms, Gothic and Islamic-style tombs, obelisks, marble monuments, ironwork, and stained glass. The variety gives you plenty to look at, even if you have little prior interest in cemeteries.

The architectural differences also make the walk easier to follow. Rather than seeing row after row of similar markers, you encounter tombs with distinct shapes and decorative choices. Your guide can help explain what you are looking at and why a monument matters to its family or to the cemetery’s story. Take time to notice the details, especially the stonework and iron features that can be easy to pass by while listening.

The live oaks are more than a backdrop. Their shade can make the walk more comfortable, and their presence gives the cemetery a calmer, garden-like feel. Still, shade is not guaranteed at every stop. The route is mostly flat, but you are outdoors for the full visit, so bring water and dress for the weather.

The people behind the monuments

Metairie Cemetery is a resting place for people from many corners of New Orleans life. Its notable dead include nine Louisiana governors, seven New Orleans mayors, 49 kings of Carnival, and three Confederate generals. Other graves belong to musicians Louis Prima and Al Hirt, writer Anne Rice, and former Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson.

The names do not stop with public figures. The cemetery also holds the graves of madams and brothel owners, a reminder that the city’s past includes people whose lives do not fit neatly into official histories. A good guide can use those different biographies to bring the cemetery’s social history into view, rather than treating every tomb as a grand architectural object.

That range is part of the appeal, but it is worth knowing what sort of place you are visiting. Metairie is especially associated with elaborate memorials and prominent families. If you want to focus on a more everyday or broadly representative picture of New Orleans burial traditions, this cemetery alone may not satisfy that interest. The tour does discuss burial rites and local culture, but the setting naturally emphasizes the people who could afford substantial monuments.

Stories, not ghost tales

This is a history-focused walk, not a ghost tour. The emphasis is on burial customs, local families, and the people connected to the cemetery. If you prefer grounded stories to spooky set pieces, that approach should suit you.

Guide Glenn is frequently praised for combining facts with an engaging manner, and for making the stories feel connected to real people. If he leads your tour, you can expect a strong interest in cemetery history and New Orleans families, along with room to ask questions. Guides can vary, so it is sensible not to treat one person’s style as guaranteed.

A small group can help here. The maximum is 16 people, which keeps the walk from feeling like a procession and gives you a better chance to hear the guide and ask about details that catch your eye. It also means the group still has to move together, so you may not be able to linger as long as you like at every monument.

Timing, comfort, and practical details

The tour starts at 10 a.m. and lasts about 90 minutes. That is a manageable length for most people, and it leaves much of the day free for other plans. The morning timing is useful in warm weather, though the cemetery is still exposed in places. Reviews of the walking conditions describe the grounds as mostly flat and point to shade as a welcome break.

Wear comfortable shoes for walking and plan for the heat. No special equipment is listed, but water and sun protection are practical choices for an outdoor visit. If you need assistance or have a question about the route, contact the operator before booking rather than assuming details that are not specified.

The tour is offered in English, uses a mobile ticket, and allows service animals. Most people can participate. It begins and ends at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, so plan your own transportation to the meeting point; transportation is not included among the tour’s listed features.

There is a minimum of four people signed up 12 hours before departure. If the minimum is not met, the tour may be canceled, with an email notification and an offer of another date or a refund. Weather can also affect the outing. If poor weather causes cancellation, you’ll be offered another date or a full refund.

Is $35 a fair price?

At $35 per person, you are paying for a 90-minute guided visit, not simply entry to a cemetery. The guide’s explanations are the main value: they help you connect the architectural details with local burial rites and the lives of people buried here. Without that context, you could still appreciate the monuments, but you would miss much of what makes the place useful as a window into New Orleans history.

The group limit of 16 is another plus. A smaller group can make a history walk more personal, especially when the guide is willing to answer questions and adjust where the group pauses. The tour is also run by Save Our Cemeteries, a nonprofit organization. Your ticket supports a preservation-focused cause as well as the guided experience.

The price makes the most sense if you enjoy architecture, local history, or thoughtful storytelling. If your main goal is a quick look at the grounds, you may feel that a guided 90-minute walk is more than you need. But if you want to understand what you are seeing and hear about the people behind the names, the guide adds real value.

Who will enjoy this walk most?

I’d recommend it to you if you like history that comes through buildings and individual lives. It suits couples, families, and friends who are comfortable spending an hour and a half outdoors and are curious about New Orleans beyond its best-known streets. The stories include public figures and less celebrated characters, while the setting offers plenty of detail for anyone drawn to sculpture and architecture.

It is also a good choice if you want a calmer outing away from the city’s busier attractions. The cemetery has birds, plants, shade, and space, though the main focus remains history and memorials. The tone is respectful, not theatrical.

You may want to choose something else if ghost stories are the main draw, if you prefer a tour centered on less elaborate burial grounds, or if heat makes outdoor walking uncomfortable. And if a specific guide is important to you, remember that Glenn’s presence is not guaranteed.

Should you book?

Book this tour if you want a guided, people-centered introduction to one of New Orleans’ most visually striking cemeteries. The combination of varied monuments, local burial customs, and stories about prominent and notorious residents gives the 90 minutes a clear purpose. At $35, the guide and the nonprofit preservation mission help make the price worthwhile.

Skip it if you want a ghost tour, a broad comparison of several cemeteries, or a self-paced visit with no set schedule. For the best chance of enjoying the walk, take the 10 a.m. start seriously, prepare for sun, and go ready to listen as well as look.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The guided cemetery walk lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard in New Orleans and ends back at the same meeting point.

What time does the tour begin?

The listed start time is 10 a.m.

How large is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 16 people. A minimum of four people must be signed up at least 12 hours before departure or the tour may be canceled.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.