Metairie Cemetery Walking Tour

Our Metairie Cemetery tour presents New Orleans’ unique burial traditions and the variety of memorials that honor generations who have called New Orleans home. 

The cemetery was established during the Reconstruction era in 1872, on the former site of the Metairie Race Track. The ‘streets’ are laid out in concentric ovals, and it is landscaped in the romantic garden style reminiscent of Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Live oaks, cypress and magnolia trees provide welcome shade. The primarily granite tombs are embellished with classical statues in marble and bronze, stained glass and Art Deco reliefs. There are also classic New Orleans above-ground family tombs of brick with stucco cladding, tumuli, in-ground coping tombs, cast iron tombs, society tombs and centigraphs (where no one has been buried).

Around 120,000 people are entombed within the 150 acre cemetery, including author Anne Rice, Saints owner Tom Benson, prominent civic leaders, local business people and musicians, soldiers, politicians, Mardi Gras royalty and just your average New Orleanian. You will hear their stories, and more on how the city expanded into this area that was originally cypress swampland.

Metairie Cemetery is located at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, at the I-10 Metairie Rd exit. It’s a short drive to City Park and many delicious neighborhood style restaurants in Mid City. You will be notified after booking where to meet up.

Metairie Cemetery Tours are 1.5 hours. Cost: $35. Bookings are required. 

Or contact Sheila at 504-909-9368 to directly book a tour. Thank you!

Metairie Cemetery Highlights - Greek temples, Egyptian pyramids, Celtic crosses, angels, Christopher Columbus, offerings, and even a buffalo.