A cemetery tour that feels like theater. Lake Lawn Metairie is all grand tombs and sculpted iron, and I love how the guide keeps it respectful while still making the stories engaging—especially with Glenn’s pacing. The one drawback: it’s an outdoor 1.5-hour walk, so you’ll want to beat the midday sun.

What makes this one feel worth it is the small group size (up to 16) and the focus on meaning, not spooky theatrics. Expect a calm, history-and-culture approach, with a bit of practical help for the heat.

Lake Lawn Metairie: a “city of the dead” with real New Orleans style

Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries is one of those places where New Orleans meets monumental art. The grounds cover 65 landscaped acres and hold more than 9,000 people’s resting places—so yes, it’s big. But it’s also curated like a walking museum: Greek-temple shapes, gothic and Islamic-style tombs, obelisks, marble monuments, and ironwork that feels delicate even in a cemetery setting.

The architecture isn’t just eye candy. It’s part of how New Orleans burial culture communicates status, family identity, and remembrance. When a city builds above-ground, sculpted spaces for the dead, the cemetery becomes a cultural language. This tour helps you read that language instead of just taking photos and moving on.

You also get a chance to see how wide the city’s stories run—across politicians, Carnival figures, and entertainment names you’ll recognize. Metairie includes graves of nine Louisiana governors, seven New Orleans mayors, and 49 kings of Carnival, plus three Confederate generals. And then it shifts into the wider social fabric, with resting places associated with madams and brothel owners, bandleaders like Louis Prima and Al Hirt, writer Anne Rice, and even sports ownership tied to Tom Benson.

If you like your New Orleans with context—who had influence, how families commemorated themselves, and how culture shows up in public spaces—this is a strong match.

The 90-minute walking loop: what you’ll actually do

This tour is structured as a single guided walk through the Lake Lawn Metairie area, starting and ending at the same place. You’ll meet at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, with a start time of 10:00 am, and the experience runs about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Because there’s only one main stop, you’re not constantly getting in-and-out of a vehicle or moving between far-apart sites. Instead, you’ll spend your time walking within the cemetery grounds while the guide points out key tomb styles, tells the human stories tied to specific graves, and explains what burial rites mean in this city.

Pace matters here. The route is often described as leisurely, and the grounds are mostly flat, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore comfort. You’re still outside for an hour and a half, and the cemetery has a lot to look at. Plan to move slowly, pause when the guide stops you, and use shaded areas whenever you can.

Practical note: this experience uses a mobile ticket, and it’s offered in English.

Your guide: Glenn (and the tone that keeps it from feeling spooky)

One name comes up again and again in the tour experience: Glenn. People consistently describe him as the kind of guide who knows how to hold attention without turning the cemetery into a haunted-house act. The stories tend to be respectful, with historical detail and clear explanations rather than melodrama.

You may also meet another guide at times—Mr Schiro is another name connected with this tour. The through-line is the same: the goal is meaning, not shock value.

Here’s what I think you’ll care about most: the guide handles the outdoors like a pro. The cemetery is shaded in spots thanks to live oaks, and you’ll want shade on a warm day. With the right timing and smart pauses, the tour makes the heat manageable without rushing you through the best monuments.

And because it’s a small group experience, you’re more likely to get your questions answered as you walk, instead of listening from far behind the crowd.

What you’ll learn about New Orleans burial rites (without getting lost in facts)

The tour’s biggest educational promise is that you learn the history and culture of New Orleans burial rites while you walk through the cemetery’s visual “catalog” of tomb styles. That matters because cemeteries here aren’t just storage. They’re public art, family heritage, and social history all at once.

As you move through Metairie, you’ll pick up how people in the city use architecture and symbolism to mark lives—and how those choices reflect who had power, money, and cultural influence at different times.

The tour also has a way of mixing big names with the broader social story. Yes, you’ll see graves tied to major political leadership: governors and mayors. But you’ll also encounter the city’s Carnival tradition through the record of Carnival kings, and you’ll see entertainment connections through figures like Louis Prima and Al Hirt. Names like Anne Rice add a more modern literary thread, and Tom Benson brings the sports ownership angle into the mix.

That blend is what makes the cemetery feel like New Orleans rather than a single-topic museum. It’s not only about elite families or only about politics—it’s about how many kinds of people shaped the city, and how the city chose to remember them.

Famous graves and funerary art: what to look for on your walk

You’ll see a lot during 90 minutes, but the tour works best if you pay attention to specific visual details the guide highlights. In this cemetery, the “wow” factor isn’t random. The monuments often show distinctive styles—so look for the contrasts:

• Greek-temple shapes that give a formal, classical feel
• Gothic and Islamic-style tomb elements that change the mood
• Obelisks and marble monuments that signal scale and permanence
• Ironwork and stained glass details that bring color into what can otherwise feel gray

The guide’s job is to connect each design choice to a story—sometimes about the person buried there, sometimes about the era, sometimes about what the monument was meant to say.

This is also one of those tours where it’s easy to overfocus on famous names. I’d use those famous graves as anchor points, then let the guide’s explanations pull you into the broader cemetery language: who built what, how tombs reflect status, and how the city’s burial culture became its own form of public memory.

Price and value: $35 for a small-group, nonprofit-backed experience

The price is $35.00 per person for about 1 hour 30 minutes. On paper, that’s not cheap for a walking tour. In practice, the value comes from three things:

1. Small group size (up to 16), which makes the walk feel conversational instead of like a lecture.
2. A guide-led route that explains what you’re seeing, instead of leaving you to guess at symbolism.
3. The experience is tied to cemetery restoration through a nonprofit, so your ticket supports the preservation work needed to keep these monuments standing and accessible.

If you usually skip “paid tours” because you can read a plaque yourself, this is the kind of guided experience that changes the payoff. The cemetery is visually impressive, but the guide helps you understand what the design and names mean—without turning it into a history exam.

Also, it’s popular. It’s often booked about 14 days in advance, so if you’re traveling during busy periods, lock in your slot early.

Best time to go: beat the sun and plan for shade

Even with a mostly flat route, you’ll be outside. One of the clearest pieces of practical advice is to plan for early-day timing so you’re not walking during the harshest sun.

The cemetery’s live oaks help, and the guide will typically point out shaded stopping spots so you can cool down while still getting the story. Still, bring the basics: comfortable walking shoes, water, and something for sun protection.

This is also explicitly a good-weather activity. If weather doesn’t cooperate, the tour can be canceled and you’ll be offered another date or a full refund.

Who should book this walking tour (and who might want a different fit)

This is a great pick if you want:

• A respectful walk through a cemetery that feels like a cultural landmark
• A guide who handles the topic with care and keeps things easy to follow
• A mix of political, social, and entertainment connections tied to New Orleans
• Small-group attention, where questions don’t get lost in the shuffle

It may not be ideal if you’re expecting a very simple, traditional-style cemetery experience. Metairie is known for its high-style architecture and monumental tombs, and that can feel like a different category than a more basic burial-ground visit.

If you’re sensitive to heat or you don’t like walking in the sun, choose a morning slot and plan to use shade breaks.

Should you book the Historic Metairie Cemetery Walking Tour?

Yes—if you want New Orleans culture through the lens of how the city remembers people. For $35, you get a focused 90-minute guided walk, a small group dynamic, and a guide-led way to read tomb design and burial culture instead of just looking at stone.

Book it early, especially for the 10:00 am start, and show up ready to walk slowly. You’ll get more out of it when you treat it like an outdoor conversation, not a quick photo stop.

FAQ

What is the starting point for the Historic Metairie Cemetery Walking Tour?

The tour meets at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USA.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 10:00 am.

How long is the walking tour?

It runs about 1 hour 30 minutes.

What’s included in the ticket price?

Your ticket includes a 1.5-hour guided cemetery tour.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $35.00 per person.

How big is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 16 travelers.

What’s the cancellation policy if plans change?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. If it’s canceled less than 24 hours before, the amount paid won’t be refunded.

What happens if the tour is canceled due to weather or not enough people?

If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund. If it’s canceled because the minimum number of travelers isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.