New Orleans: Millionaire’s Tombs of Metairie Cemetery Tour

Metairie Cemetery turns a walk among tombs into a vivid lesson in New Orleans history. On this two-hour tour, you’ll see lavish family mausoleums, a sphinx-guarded pyramid, and the resting places of figures ranging from mayors and mob bosses to novelist Anne Rice.

I especially like the focus on architecture and symbolism, not just names and dates, and the chance to hear these stories from local author and historian Sally Asher. One consideration: the route covers about two miles outdoors, with little shelter from sun or rain.

• Look closely at the monuments: Sally explains the imagery, materials, and ideas behind the tombs.
• Meet New Orleans characters: Stories connect the cemetery’s residents to city politics, crime, journalism, and Carnival.
• See memorable landmarks: The route includes Anne Rice’s tomb, Al Copeland’s tomb, and a pyramid guarded by a sphinx.
• Walk beneath old trees: The cemetery has almost 1,000 trees, offering shade along much of the route.
• Plan for the weather: The tour runs rain or shine, so bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes.

Why Metairie Cemetery tells a different New Orleans story

New Orleans history is often told through music, food, and the French Quarter. Metairie Cemetery offers another route into the city’s past: through its memorials, the people buried there, and the choices families made to mark their lives. Established in 1872, the cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The appeal is not simply that the tombs are large or ornate. Their designs can carry messages about faith, family, grief, status, and remembrance. With a guide pointing out details you might walk past, a monument becomes more than stonework. Its shape, decoration, and setting help open a window onto the people who commissioned it and the world they lived in.

That context is the tour’s strongest reason to book. Metairie is large, and its many monuments can blur together if you wander without a plan. A guided walk gives you a thread to follow, linking architecture to stories about city mayors, governors, Kings of Carnival, law enforcement, journalists, and mob figures.

Starting beneath the cemetery’s canopy

The tour begins at the Law Enforcement Memorial, to the right of the funeral home. If you are driving, there is parking in the lot; the directions also advise turning right at the stop sign and using any of the entry gates to reach the memorial. Check the meeting instructions before you set out, so you are not trying to orient yourself at the last minute.

From there, expect to walk for about two hours and cover roughly two miles. Almost 1,000 trees give the cemetery a shaded, park-like feel in places, though shade does not replace sunscreen or water on a warm day. The tour runs rain or shine, so bring comfortable shoes and clothes suited to the forecast.

The pace has been described as relaxed, with room for questions and attention to the group’s interests. That suits a cemetery tour. You want time to look at the details, not just keep up with a fast-moving parade of names and dates.

Reading the tombs, not just looking at them

Sally Asher is a local author, lecturer, and historian whose work focuses on New Orleans history. Her approach is central to the experience: she draws attention to architectural choices, symbols, and the stories that give each monument meaning. Instead of treating the cemetery as a checklist of famous graves, she helps you understand what you are seeing.

That matters most when a tomb’s design is unfamiliar. A carved figure, a particular material, or a striking window can prompt questions about the family’s beliefs and intentions. Sally’s explanations give those visual details a human context, making the cemetery more legible even if you have no background in architecture or funerary art.

You’ll also hear about burial practices in New Orleans. The supplied tour details do not promise a technical lesson on every custom, but the subject helps explain why a cemetery walk here differs from a stroll through a conventional lawn cemetery. The focus is on the city’s distinctive traditions, the people who shaped them, and the monuments that preserve their memory.

Millionaire’s Row and its extravagant memorials

The tour visits Millionaire’s Row, where grand tombs and mausoleums make wealth and family legacy hard to miss. The point is not only to admire expensive-looking structures. Sally connects their scale and design to the people behind them, giving the spectacle a story rather than leaving it as a display of stone and glass.

One stop is the tomb of Al Copeland, founder of Popeyes. Another is the resting place of Anne Rice, the New Orleans novelist known for her vampire fiction. These stops bring very different lives into the same walk: one tied to a familiar food business, the other to a writer whose work drew on the city’s Gothic mood.

The contrast is part of the tour’s appeal. A cemetery can hold civic leaders, business figures, artists, and people with darker reputations within a few paths of one another. Sally’s stories link those lives to the broader city, so the tour is not limited to the famous names you may already recognize.

The monuments themselves are worth taking time over. The tour makes a point of visiting extravagant family tombs, and you may find that the details become more interesting once you know what to look for. Keep your eyes open for carved decoration and architectural features; some of the most memorable moments come from noticing a detail you would otherwise have passed without a second glance.

The sphinx-guarded pyramid

A pyramid guarded by a sphinx is one of the cemetery’s most striking sights. It is an unusual form, and the tour explores its history and symbolism rather than leaving you with the simple question of why it is there. That interpretive layer is useful: monuments can look mysterious, but a good explanation helps you see how design communicates ideas.

The pyramid also shows why this tour works best for people who enjoy looking closely. You are not only moving from one famous grave to another. You are being asked to read the cemetery as a collection of deliberate choices, each with a past behind it.

The landmark is a natural pause point on the walk, but it is not the only unusual piece of architecture. The route also includes a tomb with jewel-toned stained-glass windows and an Islamic-inspired limestone tomb built by a Confederate general for his daughter. Those details broaden the experience beyond a single style or story.

Stories of power, ambition, and private grief

Metairie Cemetery’s residents include public figures and people whose lives connect with the city’s more complicated history. You can expect stories involving mayors, governors, Kings of Carnival, mob bosses, law enforcement, and pioneering journalists. The range gives the tour texture: civic pride and family memory sit alongside crime, political influence, and personal loss.

The story of a tomb built by a Confederate general for his daughter offers a more intimate counterpoint to the grand public monuments. Its Islamic-inspired design and limestone construction invite questions about family, taste, and remembrance. Rather than seeing the cemetery only as a parade of the powerful, you also get glimpses of private choices and relationships.

Sally’s storytelling is a major part of the value. She is known for drawing on years of work with New Orleans history and cemetery culture, and for sharing stories gathered through conversations with families, friends, historians, and local people. That kind of background can make the walk feel less like a recitation and more like an informed conversation, with room for questions and details that match the group’s interests.

The tone need not be solemn from beginning to end. Cemetery history can be strange, funny, and surprising as well as moving. The tour’s mix of architecture, folklore, and real people gives it a lighter touch without reducing the cemetery to a collection of spooky anecdotes.

Is $35 a fair price for the experience?

At $35 per person, this is a solid value if you want more than a self-guided walk. Entry to Metairie Cemetery and Lake Lawn Metairie is included, along with a two-hour guided tour and local tips on food, music, and culture. The main thing you are paying for is the guide’s interpretation: the symbols, context, and stories that help you notice what is there.

You could walk through the cemetery on your own, but you would likely miss many of the connections between design and history. If cemetery architecture, New Orleans personalities, or local storytelling interest you, the guide can make the price worthwhile. If you mainly want a brief look at a few famous tombs, two hours may feel like more time than you need.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so you must make your own way to the meeting point. The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, but it still involves about two miles of walking. If that distance or the outdoor conditions raise questions for you, check directly with the provider before booking.

Who will enjoy this cemetery walk most

I’d put this tour high on the list for anyone curious about cemetery art, New Orleans history, or the people who shaped the city. It is especially suited to visitors who like to ask questions and take time over visual details. You do not need to be a cemetery enthusiast: the stories about writers, politicians, business owners, and notorious figures provide plenty of ways into the subject.

It also makes a good change of pace from the city’s more familiar attractions. Instead of focusing on food or nightlife, you get a quieter outdoor walk and a closer look at how New Orleans remembers its dead. The shade from the trees helps, but the weather remains part of the deal, so plan your clothes and water accordingly.

If you are travelling with someone who dislikes cemeteries, consider their comfort before booking. The setting is the whole point, and the route is not a quick drive-by. For anyone intrigued by the place, however, the combination of architecture and personal stories is more engaging than a simple list of notable graves.

Practical details before you go

The tour is in English and lasts two hours. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately. Starting times depend on availability.

Bring comfortable shoes, water, sunscreen, and clothes suited to the day. The walk takes place rain or shine, and there is no hotel transfer included. The tour also provides insider tips on local food, music, and culture, which can help you put the cemetery visit into a wider New Orleans itinerary.

Should you book the Metairie Cemetery tour?

Book it if you want the cemetery to make sense as more than a striking collection of tombs. Sally Asher’s focus on symbolism, architecture, and the people behind the monuments gives the walk substance, while landmarks such as Anne Rice’s tomb, Al Copeland’s tomb, and the sphinx-guarded pyramid keep the route visually memorable.

Skip it if you are not interested in cemetery settings or do not want to spend two hours on an outdoor walk. For everyone else, $35 buys a focused, story-led introduction to a part of New Orleans history that is easy to overlook on your own. Bring water, take your time, and keep an eye out for the details Sally points out.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The guided walk lasts two hours and covers about two miles.

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet at the Law Enforcement Memorial to the right of the funeral home. If you are driving, you can park in the lot; follow the directions to the memorial through an entry gate.

Who guides the tour?

The tour is led by a local author and historian. Sally Asher is the guide named in accounts of the experience.

What sights are included?

The route includes Millionaire’s Row, Anne Rice’s tomb, Al Copeland’s tomb, a sphinx-guarded pyramid, a tomb with jewel-toned stained-glass windows, and an Islamic-inspired limestone tomb.

What should I bring?

Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and bring water and sunscreen. The tour takes place rain or shine.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. It also involves about two miles of walking, so contact the provider if you need details about how the route may work for you.