New Orleans Cemetery Tour: Graves of the notorious

The Stories Behind the Tombs

You walk St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 with author Sally Asher for 90 minutes, learning burial practices and the untold stories of notable citizens, from a secret photographer to the turducken's inventor. The tour covers less than a mile, includes insider cultural tips, and meets at the Esplanade Avenue gate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided walking tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 3

• Meet at 3421 Esplanade Ave gate
• Learn about burial practices and tomb types
• Visit graves of notable citizens
• Hear stories of the hunchbacked photographer
• Discover the woman behind the quirky castle
• Explore tales of the famed architect
• Learn about legendary chefs and civil rights
• Complete 1.5-hour walking tour under a mile

The experience

What do a hunchbacked photographer, a woman who built a castle, and the inventor of the turducken have in common? They're all buried in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, and Sally Asher knows exactly why their graves matter. She's the local author who wrote the book on this place, literally, and on this walking tour she doesn't just point at marble and move on. She tells you the scandal, the ambition, the small rebellions that made these people worth remembering. The tour runs about an hour and a half, covers less than a mile, and meets at the gate on Esplanade Avenue under the trees.

You'll walk past tombs shaped like houses, learn why New Orleans burials look nothing like anywhere else in America, and hear about the architect whose ship sank in a hurricane with over a hundred passengers, the first woman to get a public statue in her own honor, and the chefs who quietly changed the city's food and politics at the same time. Sally doesn't treat history like a list of dates. She treats it like a story that's still alive, full of contradictions and weirdness and the kind of detail that makes you actually care about a person who died a hundred years ago. The cemetery itself is quiet, lined with angels carved into stone, and walking through it with someone who understands what you're looking at changes how you see the whole city.

The tour includes insider tips for where to eat and what to listen for in New Orleans music and culture, so you leave with more than just cemetery knowledge. Sally's passionate about the unusual and outrageous parts of the story, the parts most tours skip, which means you get the real version, not the polished one. It's accessible for all fitness levels, strollers are fine, and public transit gets you there without a car.

What’s included

• Your tour includes the expert-guided walk through St.
• Louis Cemetery No. 3 with Sally Asher, insider tips for local food, music, and culture, and stories about the burial practices and notable citizens buried there.
• The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes and covers under a mile of walking.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 13:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12)

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Sash Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want the real New Orleans history (the scandals and contradictions, not the sanitized version), and don't mind a slow walk through a cemetery to get it. Expect 90 minutes on your feet with no rushing. That's what makes room for the stories that actually stick with you.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 tour?

Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, covering just under a mile on foot.

Who is the guide for this New Orleans cemetery tour?

Sally Asher, a local award-winning author and historian who wrote "Stories from the St. Louis Cemeteries of New Orleans."

Where does the tour meet?

In front of St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 at 3421 Esplanade Avenue, at the gate farthest to the right underneath the trees.

What graves will I see on this tour?

You'll visit graves of notable and notorious citizens including a hunchbacked photographer, the woman behind a quirky castle, a famed architect, and legendary chefs who advanced the Civil Rights movement.

Is the cemetery tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Strollers and prams are also welcome, and service animals are allowed.

What's included in the tour price?

The expert-guided walking tour and insider tips for local food, music, and culture in New Orleans.

Do I need to be in good physical shape for this tour?

No, the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and covers less than a mile at a walking pace.

Is public transportation available to get to the cemetery?

Yes, public transportation options are available nearby the cemetery entrance on Esplanade Avenue.