St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Tour
4.9(4.4K)google
4.8(438)yelp
Guided TourGuided Tour OnlyHistoryEerie & HauntedHistoric BuildingEducationalMust-See
Overview
The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Tour provides exclusive, authorized access to New Orleans' oldest and most strictly protected historic burial site. Due to preservation and vandalism concerns, the cemetery can only be visited via an official guided walk. Expert storytellers lead visitors through the maze of above-ground tombs, sharing captivating historical facts, explaining the complex architecture of the vaults, and distinguishing the true historical realities of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau from popular Hollywood myths.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration45-75 minutes
Best TimeSpring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) provide the mildest weather. Since the historic cemetery has no shade and requires a mandatory official guided tour, booking the earliest morning slot (usually 9:00 AM or 10:00 AM) is best to avoid the intense midday sun while capturing beautiful morning light on Marie Laveau's tomb.
Getting ThereSituated right on the edge of the French Quarter on St. Louis St. Parking is extremely difficult to find, so public transit is highly recommended: take the Canal Streetcar line to the Basin St stop, from which it is a brief 3-minute walk to the official tour check-in location.
Travel Tips
- Strict rules apply: tourists are absolutely not allowed to enter the cemetery alone without an official guide. You must pre-book an authorized guided walking tour online, or you will be denied entry at the gate.
- There is zero shade inside the cemetery, and the stone structures reflect intense heat. Summer visits can be punishingly hot, so bring sunscreen, an umbrella, and plenty of water (alcohol and food are prohibited).
- As an active religious site, bicycles and motorized vehicles are prohibited, and only certified service animals are permitted. Avoid touching, leaning on, or climbing any fragile historic tombs.
Reviews
Positive
- The tour guides deliver a witty, engaging, and deeply educational lecture on New Orleans' family heritage and unique above-ground burial culture.
- As the only approved tour provider, group sizes are strictly limited to under 20 guests, ensuring excellent sound quality and organized movement.
- It provides up-close views of the legendary Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau's tomb and Nicolas Cage's eccentric pyramid burial site, making it highly memorable.
- Since transitioning to mandatory guided tours, vandalism has been completely eradicated, and these delicate historical monuments are now beautifully preserved.
Heads up
- For preservation reasons, independent entry is strictly banned; visitors must pay $25 for a mandatory guided group tour, sacrificing exploring freedom.
- The actual cemetery footprint is surprisingly small and can be crossed in minutes, lacking the grand scale of world-famous cemeteries in Paris or Buenos Aires.
- There is virtually zero shade or greenery inside the grounds, making it brutally hot under the Southern sun, and it lacks benches to sit down and rest.
- Because some walking paths are very narrow, audio interference frequently occurs when multiple tour groups cross paths in the same tight spaces.