New Orleans Metairie Cemetery Tour: Millionaires and Mausoleums

Metairie Cemetery turns a quiet walk among old tombs into a lively lesson in New Orleans power, scandal, art, and burial customs. This former racetrack covers 127 acres, with marble mausoleums, Greek-style temples, Islamic pavilions, weeping angels, and even tombs linked to jazz musicians, Storyville madams, and fried-chicken tycoons.

I like the small group size, capped at 18, and the way the tour reaches beyond architecture to explain how New Orleans handles the dead. I also like the chance to ask questions while guides Sally or Glenn connect cemetery stories with local food, music, and culture. The main drawback is practical: side paths can be bumpy, and Glenn has been noted for walking at a quick pace.

Key points to know before you book

• A former racetrack became a cemetery: Metairie Cemetery occupies a remarkable 127-acre setting and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The tombs are the main event: Expect elaborate marble structures, Greek temples, Islamic-inspired pavilions, sculptures, angels, and symbolic details.
• Sally is the featured guide: She brings extensive research, cemetery expertise, and a lively storytelling style to the walk.
• The tour covers more than famous names: You learn about burial customs, embalming, tomb symbolism, and the people behind New Orleans’ public life.
• Rain can change the plan: The experience requires good weather, though umbrellas and shelter may be provided when conditions turn rough.
• The visit takes about two hours: Admission is included, and the tour begins and ends at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard.

Why Metairie Cemetery is worth two hours

New Orleans is famous for above-ground cemeteries, but Metairie Cemetery gives you a different kind of visit. This is not a tight cluster of tombs squeezed into a city block. It is a broad, shaded setting where grand family mausoleums sit along paths beneath a canopy of trees.

The cemetery was once a racetrack, an unusual origin that helps explain its open layout. Today, that former sporting ground is filled with funerary architecture on a grand scale. The setting feels calm and pastoral, yet the people connected to it include politicians, musicians, business owners, mob bosses, Storyville figures, and writers.

That contrast is the heart of the tour. You are looking at marble and sculpture, but you are also hearing about ambition, wealth, rivalry, grief, and reputation. The cemetery becomes less a collection of graves and more a record of how New Orleans families wanted to be remembered.

I especially like the way the tour treats the tombs as clues. A sculpture, architectural style, or repeated symbol can open a door to a story about the person inside. That makes the walk useful even if you do not usually seek out cemeteries on vacation.

The opening walk through a 127-acre former racetrack

The meeting point is 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard in New Orleans. Despite its name, Metairie Cemetery is actually within New Orleans, so do not confuse the location with a separate stop in the suburb of Metairie.

From the start, you should expect a walking tour rather than a drive through the grounds. The full visit lasts about two hours, long enough to see major tombs and hear context without turning into an all-day commitment.

The wide setting matters. You are not simply moving from one famous grave to the next. The guide uses the cemetery’s layout, trees, structures, and memorial art to explain how the site developed and why its design feels so different from an ordinary burial ground.

The tour is offered in English, with a maximum of 18 people. That is a useful middle ground. You get the energy of a group, but the size is small enough for questions and a clearer view when the guide stops at a tomb.

Marble tombs, temples, angels, and symbols

The architecture is the obvious draw, and it delivers plenty to look at. Metairie Cemetery includes elaborate marble tombs, Greek-style temples, Islamic pavilions, weeping angels, and sculptures such as crying dogs.

Those details are not just decoration. The guide explains the symbolism and points out features you could easily miss on your own. A self-guided walk would let you admire the buildings, but it would not necessarily tell you why a particular figure, animal, or architectural form appears there.

One especially memorable feature is the weeping angel. Access to this tomb may depend on the tour’s arrangements, but the guide has provided access during some visits. That is the kind of detail that can turn a pleasant walk into a more personal and focused experience.

The cemetery’s size also gives the architecture room to breathe. You can compare modest and extravagant memorials, see how families expressed status, and notice how the setting softens the visual impact of all that marble. The shade is welcome, though the tour remains outdoors, so comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are sensible.

The people behind the mausoleums

The title Millionaires and Mausoleums points toward wealth, but the stories are broader than money. The cemetery is connected with figures from politics, jazz, Storyville, organized crime, literature, and business.

That range gives the tour its New Orleans flavor. You might hear about a public figure remembered for civic work, then move to a musician, a notorious character, or a business owner whose success helped shape local life. The point is not to memorize a list of names. It is to understand how different parts of the city’s past meet in one place.

Anne Rice is one name that can interest literary fans. A visit may begin with the wish to find her grave, but the tour offers much more than a single author’s burial site. You also get the customs, architecture, and stories that make the cemetery worth seeing even if you have no particular connection to her work.

Sally’s strength, based on the way the tour is described and the detailed comments about her guiding, is her ability to make old stories feel immediate. She brings in scandal, rivalry, pettiness, and elite drama without turning the walk into a dry lecture. That tone suits New Orleans, where social history rarely stays tidy.

Burial customs and the practical meaning of above-ground tombs

A major benefit of this tour is that it explains how people are interred and why New Orleans cemeteries look the way they do. You learn about burial customs, embalming, cemetery regulations, and the symbolism used in funerary art.

This is where the tour has value beyond sightseeing. Without explanation, an above-ground tomb can seem like a striking local oddity. With a guide, you begin to see the practical and cultural reasons behind the city’s burial traditions.

The tour also helps separate fact from spooky atmosphere. Metairie Cemetery has the visual ingredients for a gothic outing, but the focus is on people, customs, art, and local history. You can enjoy the eerie mood without expecting a theatrical ghost show.

That balance will suit you if you like cemetery walks for their cultural meaning rather than only for supernatural stories. It also works well for a history-minded family, since the guide can connect the tombs to real lives and civic change.

Sally and Glenn: what to expect from the guides

Sally receives the strongest praise in the supplied material. She is described as an author and cemetery specialist who has researched New Orleans cemeteries in detail. Her approach combines facts with stories, and she takes time to answer questions.

You can also expect personal touches. She has been praised for checking in during bad weather, bringing extra umbrellas, adjusting when conditions became difficult, and making sure the group was doing well. Friendly crows have become part of the charm for some groups, though they are not a promised feature of the tour.

Glenn is another guide associated with the experience. He has been described as entertaining and well informed, with a quicker walking pace. That difference is worth noting if you prefer a slower stroll or need more time between stops.

The guide matters a great deal here. Metairie Cemetery can be admired without help, but the stories and symbols are what justify paying for a tour. If you book, asking whether Sally or Glenn is leading that day may help you match the pace and style to your needs. The supplied information does not promise a specific guide for every departure.

How the weather and walking conditions affect the visit

This is an outdoor tour, and the experience requires good weather. If poor conditions cancel it, you are offered another date or a full refund.

New Orleans weather can shift quickly, so build some flexibility into your day. The tour has gone ahead in heavy rain, with umbrellas and shelter used when needed, but that does not mean you should assume every departure will be comfortable in a storm.

A cloudy day may actually suit the mood and help with heat, but you still need shoes that can handle uneven ground. One section of the cemetery includes bumpy side paths, and a quick pace may make the walk harder for anyone using a mobility device or pushing a stroller.

Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. Still, I would contact the operator before booking if uneven paths, distance, or pace could be a concern. The standard information does not promise a fully smooth or step-free route.

Is the $35 price good value?

At $35 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend two hours in New Orleans, but the price is reasonable if you want interpretation rather than simple entry. Admission is included, and you get an expert guide, a planned route, explanations of burial customs, and local suggestions about food, music, and culture.

The value comes from access to meaning. You could walk among the tombs for free or with a different arrangement, but you would likely miss the connections between architecture, symbolism, famous residents, and New Orleans customs.

The small group cap also helps. With no more than 18 people, the guide can answer questions and point out details without addressing a large crowd. That matters in a cemetery, where you often need to gather around a particular tomb or sculpture.

I would consider this a good purchase for a first visit to New Orleans if you enjoy local history, architecture, unusual cultural customs, or stories about colorful public figures. It is less appealing if you want a fast sightseeing stop, dislike walking outdoors, or expect a conventional ghost tour.

What to bring and how to plan your time

Bring water, since bottled water is not included. Wear comfortable shoes, and check the forecast before you go. A hat, sunscreen, and rain protection may be useful, depending on the season and the day.

Plan to spend the full two hours at the cemetery. The tour starts and ends at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, so you can place it neatly into a day focused on New Orleans neighborhoods, food, or music, but allow enough time to reach the meeting point.

The local tips are a useful extra. They are not the main reason to book, yet advice about food, music, and culture can help you make better choices during the rest of your stay. You are getting a cemetery tour first, with local orientation added along the way.

Cancellation is flexible if you act early. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted, except when weather causes the operator to cancel.

Who should book this cemetery tour?

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• History buffs who want the stories behind famous and infamous New Orleanians
• Architecture fans interested in marble tombs, temples, pavilions, and sculpture
• Visitors curious about above-ground burial and embalming customs
• Fans of Anne Rice, jazz history, Storyville, or New Orleans social drama
• Families with older children who can manage a two-hour outdoor walk
• Anyone who prefers a small, guided experience over a large city tour

You do not need to be a cemetery enthusiast. The mix of art, biography, local customs, and gossip gives the walk broad appeal. But you should be comfortable outdoors and prepared for uneven ground in some areas.

Should you book Millionaires and Mausoleums?

Book this tour if you want Metairie Cemetery to make sense, not just look impressive. The grand mausoleums are worth seeing on their own, but Sally’s research, the stories of famous and notorious figures, and the explanation of burial customs give the visit real shape.

At $35, the tour offers solid value for two hours, especially with admission included and the group limited to 18. Choose it with realistic expectations: this is a walking history tour in an outdoor cemetery, not a polished stage show or guaranteed ghost encounter.

If your schedule allows only one unusual New Orleans history stop, this is a strong choice. Bring water, watch the weather, and ask about the guide and route if pace or mobility matters. For the right visitor, Metairie Cemetery becomes one of the city’s most memorable places to learn how New Orleans honors its dead and remembers its living.

FAQ

Where does the Metairie Cemetery tour begin?

The tour begins at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $35 per person.

Is admission to Metairie Cemetery included?

Yes. Entry to Metairie Cemetery is included in the tour price.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If the operator cancels because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund. You can also cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.