St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
4.5
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Founded in 1789, this cemetery is the oldest in New Orleans and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The area
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Neighbourhood: French Quarter
A small and teeming network of laissez-faire living lounged out on the balmy banks of the Mighty Mississippi, the French Quarter has long been a port of call for folks in search of a good time and a great story. Perpetually inebriated Bourbon Street runs across its midriff like a strand of cheap ribbon tied around an otherwise rather pretty and impressively well-kept vintage dress. Throughout the rest of the Quarter, brightly colored Victorian homes and businesses, famously done up with wrought-iron features, provide a distinct and immediately recognizable backdrop for all varieties of fun. At any given moment in this historic riverside setting, some of America’s finest meals are being cooked, most potent cocktails are being mixed, and most engaging music is being performed.
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1 527 within 5 kms
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626 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Avadney7 contributionsSt. Louis Cemetery no. 1Ron gave us a tour of the St Louis Cemetery No. 1. He was very knowledgeable of the history of the Cemetery, and of New Orleans in general. He also showed compassion and respect towards the "residents."Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 October 2023
- Jeff DLas Vegas, Nevada2 contributionsOctober 2023 St Louis 1Our guide Wil was knowledgeable and thorough. He showed us the key sites in the cemetery. A couple statements about the Catholic Church were not accurate but the tour was very interesting. I wish we were able to wonder the cemetery at random. The front desk girls were great and provide valuable information.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 November 2023
- David JKennesaw, Georgia1 contributionA most extraordinary and unexpected experience.We learned about the cemetery and your upon arriving in New Orleans. We were somehow able to get a tour when someone canceled. The tour was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Zelda was our guide. She took the time to share history from not only the cemetery but New Orleans as well. I highly recommend you take this tour and ask for Zelda!Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 November 2023
- Shana HPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania3 contributionsGreat tour with a great guideDecided spur of the moment to go on the cemetery tour and am so glad I did! Zelda is one of the best tour guides I’ve had in New Orleans and beyond. She listed off so much information and fun facts in an engaging and good-humored manner and kept the tour interesting the whole time. So glad to have experienced the cemetery this way with such an awesome guide.Visited November 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 18 November 2023
- Rebecca K2 contributionsGreat destinationI accidentally made my reservation for the wrong date but Destiny was very patient with me and Alaixa worked it out for us and was able to get us in. The tour was engaging and incorporated just enough history to be relevant without being boring. Our tour guide, Carlo, was respectfully humorous and very informative. I would very much recommend!Visited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 24 November 2023
- Explorer12202860322Cartagena, Colombia2 contributionsEpic and memorable tour!Miss Zelda was amazing tour guide! We had such a great time learning about the fascinating history about the St. Louis cemetery! Miss Zelda was very passionate and informative guiding us through this enigmatic landmark!! Definitely recommend it for anyone wanting to learn more about New Orleans!!Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 23 December 2023
- spideyfan_623 contributionsWill is the best tour guide!!!!This tour was one of the highlights of our trip! Our tour guide was Will and he was fantastic! He was nice, knowledgeable and very funny. The only downside to the tour was that it was only 45 minutes, would have liked more time for pictures. Would recommend this tour to everyone.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 29 December 2023
- cndirector1New Holland, Pennsylvania238 contributionsGreat step back in historyOur tour guide, Richie, was phenomenal. His knowledge of the cemetery, history of burial practices in New Orleans. Richie’s stories were engaging and had us wanting to hear “the rest of the drama.” I highly recommend this tour. Don’t forget to look for the Nicholas Cage crypt!!Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 30 December 2023
- Joy HillHarrisburg, North Carolina19 contributionsA must-see in NOLAThe tour was a fun way to kick off our one day visit to New Orleans. Will, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, a great story teller, and had a good witty sense of humor. All the right elements for a good tour.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 20 January 2024
- Lori R2 contributionsGreat tour.Well done, lots of information, Mary was a delightful guide. Highly recommend the opportunity to experience this unique place. You'll never forget what purpose a caveau serves in New Orleans.Visited February 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 4 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
4 104 reviews
Excellent
2 389
Very good
1 129
Average
366
Poor
87
Terrible
135
Dick B
Berkeley, CA6 contributions
Apr 2022
Disappointing. I have taken this cemetery tour before, from an independent guide, and it was informative and worthwhile, but now that the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans has decided to exclude all guides but their own [monopoly], the quality of the tour we had was not worth the time. Our guide "Billy" [the name he gave] repeated his script as if it was the 1000th time and hopefully the last. No inspiration, no energy, and wasn't clear about what he was even trying to say -- like he'd said it so many times that he forgot to include all the details. Perhaps other guides are better, but there doesn't seem to be any way to "pick" your guide. So based on our experience [family of 6 ages 12 -77] I don't recommend.
Written 21 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JenniferandAlan
Easton, PA894 contributions
May 2019
My husband and I have been visiting New Orleans for many years and this was always one of our favorite stops. Years ago Jean Lafitte Visitor Center gave free tours of the cemetery. When the tours were discontinued, we used the self guiding method. We wandered around the cemetery looking for angels on the tombs, visiting Marie Laveau's tombs, Nicholas Cage's future tomb, the tomb made famous in Easy Rider, and the oven vaults. To our dismay, several years ago a change occurred and you could only visit with a tour guide. For a newly minted senior, the price was daunting--$20-$25 per person. We researched and found free tours by foot where each person pays $2 for cemetery preservation and can pay what they want for the tour. So we did it and the tour was great. We met at DejaVu Restaurant and walked to the cemetery and learned history along the way. We got to see all the things we wanted to with the tour guide. I highly recommend this tour.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RamRiv
Topeka, KS3 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
This is a must do if you’re vacationing with your family. When we went there were at least 5 other tours going at the same time so it’s a little crowded, but it’s very interesting. You must book a guide to even look around, but the guides really get into the history with stories for the more famous plots. The site is not very big and completely safe. The tours is right about an hour and worth every penny.
Written 12 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MRocks
5 contributions
Jan 2023 • Friends
This tour was a lot of fun first thing in the morning. It is walkable from the French Quarter, they have a beautiful bar, beautiful bathrooms, and an interesting building to explore before/ after the tour. Our tour guide was also super hot and really funny and fun to chat with. I forget his name unfortunately, but he was great. The entire building staff was also very friendly. They even offered us an earlier spot because we arrived early. The price for the tour itself might seem high, but if you keep in mind that the tickets help keep the Graveyard clean and also help with repairs it's well worth it. I learned so much!! I would absolutely recommend this and it is also very easy to book other tours for the same day because it is so close to many things and the tour is short.
Written 6 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
W D
Boston, MA29 contributions
May 2022
My wife and I visited St. Louis Cemetery No 1 during a recent stay in the city. Earlier, we had learned that Lafayette Cemetery No 1 is temporarily closed for repairs so decided to visit the oldest cemetery in the city. You cannot walk through unguided so we paid the fee and joined a small tour group of about a dozen people. The most important aspect of a successful tour is a great tour guide, and our guide, Denise, was a good storyteller, and she was knowledgeable, thorough, and patient. We had a wonderful tour, and our guide had everything to do with it.
Written 16 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Droid19
Fort Worth, TX744 contributions
Mar 2020
The St. Louis Cemetery #1 is one of the most visually and historically beautiful cemeteries I've ever been to. To learn why and how the cemetery was built and changed over the years was informative. Definitely do a walking tour through the cemetery to learn more about the historical figures that are buried there, as well as the history of New Orleans. You won't be disappointed.
Written 13 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim M
Fruit Cove, FL109 contributions
Feb 2020
PROS: The tour, in general was good. Our tour guide was very friendly and certainly knowledgeable regarding the St. Louis Cemetery #1. CONS: The initial meeting point ["yellow building"] was unclear. We did meet at the Basin Street Station [501 Basin St.], which is a Tourist Visitor Center [they do not like tour guests waiting inside]. Waiting outside this facility, with no cover, seating, or specific gathering location is a bit unfriendly. Also, the cemetery has limited space, and accommodates other tours simultaneously. This made for breaks in our guides narrations, while other tours trooped through our group. This aspect of the tour needs to be better coordinated with other tour groups.
But, as previously stated, the tour was interesting and our guide was very informative. Time well spent!
But, as previously stated, the tour was interesting and our guide was very informative. Time well spent!
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AlexRo13
Caerphilly, UK32 contributions
Sept 2022 • Couples
Can’t say much about the tour as we didn’t get that far due to an outrageously rude guide with a bad attitude called Casey.
He clearly had a terrible attitude before the tour started further exacerbated by some confusion at the till with the time printed on our ticket. We didn’t end up doing the tour as by that point we just wanted a refund, couldn’t imagine 45mins listening to Casey talk with a disgusting attitude and instead chose to walk a free cemetery in the city on our own.
This could be a good tour I bet but if you turn up, ask who your tour guide would be for the next available slot, if it’s Casey just bare this review in mind and maybe request a slot with a different tour guide. But due to this experience we wouldn’t consider doing this tour now, especially for $25 each.
He clearly had a terrible attitude before the tour started further exacerbated by some confusion at the till with the time printed on our ticket. We didn’t end up doing the tour as by that point we just wanted a refund, couldn’t imagine 45mins listening to Casey talk with a disgusting attitude and instead chose to walk a free cemetery in the city on our own.
This could be a good tour I bet but if you turn up, ask who your tour guide would be for the next available slot, if it’s Casey just bare this review in mind and maybe request a slot with a different tour guide. But due to this experience we wouldn’t consider doing this tour now, especially for $25 each.
Written 7 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katerina
13 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Toured with Brie — who plays a mean triangle 😉. She was a phenomenal story teller with a great sense of humor. Learned more than I probably ever have in a history course. So engaging, educational, and entertaining. Would highly recommend it.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aprilp2412
Oceanside, CA529 contributions
Mar 2020
I love cemeteries. I even took my engagement photos in a cemetery. I was super excited to visit St. Louis Cemetery #1 during my trip to New Orleans. It was one of my very top things to do. We read that you could show up and get a guide at the gate as one of the options for entry since you cannot enter without an approved guide. We decided to use a tour company that we used a few days prior for another tour since we had a great experience with them. The tour and guide were great, the cemetery not so much. I think it may have been better to grab a guide at the gate. That way you would not have as many people in your group. Normally having a fairly large group isn't a big deal but this cemetery is tiny. I was surprised at how small it was. The cemetery is in ok shape and has a few interesting graves but mostly nothing too impressive.
Written 23 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Olga Summers
Panama City Beach, Florida
I’m reading in the reviews that the cemetery is closed in January. Is that true for January 25th if we want to get a tour?
Written 24 January 2020
I was at St Louis Cemetary in January. I believe it was Lafayette, as the individual above stated.
Written 12 February 2020
Are visitors allowed to go in the cemetery without a tour guide?
Written 29 July 2018
At the time we went (Oct 2017), you could go into the cemetery without a guide after paying an admission fee. The more recent answers indicate that policy has changed. Too bad, but when unsupervised people take advantage of a historic site and active cemetery to vandalize graves, that's the consequence.
We booked a carriage tour of historic New Orleans that had the option of visiting the St Louis No 1 as well, without paying an extra fee. That worked out great, and our carriage driver was extremely well versed in the cemetery. Because of our interest and questions, he spent more time with us in the cemetery than was usual. We gave him a generous tip.
I do recommend visiting the cemetery with a good guide. It will make for a rich and rewarding visit, and surprise you with what you will learn.
Written 30 July 2018
sissyanddusty
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Can you use an election shooter on the tour I am disabled
Written 12 June 2018
There are several different companies that offers tours here. You would need to check with the tour operator that you were considering. There are some areas of the cemetery that are narrow and some places are uneven. However, I imagine the more experienced companies have been asked this before and they would know the best route through. You need to make reservations in advance (access is only granted as part of a tour due to vandalism), so ask this question before you book.
Written 12 June 2018
What is the duration of this tour
Written 25 March 2018
A good tour guild can make it 30 or 45 minutes. very interesting.
Written 27 March 2018
What is the duration of this tour
Written 25 March 2018
Jennifer did you take the tour through the cemetery or with an outside tour company?
Written 26 October 2017
Lots of options for touring this cemetery. However, unless it's part of a combo tour your already taking, if you just wanna check it out. Follow what mrmeman1 advised you can go into the large depot station next door to it & pay for tix at the desk & a tour guide has a designated time to meet you at the same depot where you will walk across the street to tour it. Just an fyi, the night tour is not of this cemetery but of another one. Lafayette cemetery on the other side of town is the free one that has been in some movies I'm sure you have seen also. You won't be disappointed it's informative & a little creepy. My & my husband's cameras went a little haywire during our tour.
Written 15 November 2017
I would like to do a tour on Wednesday 2nd August or Thursday 3rd August 2017. What is a good time to go? Also, which tour company is best value for money?
I want a historical insightful tour not a theatrical tour.
Written 1 August 2017
Three chicks hands down. The 9 AM tour was great because it wasn't too hot yet.
Written 2 August 2017
I would like to do a tour on Wednesday 2nd August or Thursday 3rd August 2017. What is a good time to go? Also, which tour company is best value for money?
I want a historical insightful tour not a theatrical tour.
Written 1 August 2017
Earlier in the morning the better, does get hot. We went through Witch Brew Tours, Rose the guide was great! Found a groupon which made it a two for one. I enjoyed it and would do it again.
Written 2 August 2017
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