St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Tour — Attraction in New Orleans

Important Tips Before You Visit St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

The first thing to know: this cemetery isn’t open to the general public for casual wandering. Access is limited to: Individuals who own a family plot Relatives of someone buried there Visitors on a licensed guided tour

I learned this the hard way. The cemetery is fully walled off, with gates showing open hours (typically 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)—but don’t trust those signs. Since 2015, access has been restricted to guided tours due to repeated vandalism, especially to high-profile tombs like that of Marie Laveau.

The only entrance is across from the gas station on Basin Street. This area is not part of the charming French Quarter—it’s rougher, and I wouldn’t recommend visiting after dark, even though a police station is nearby.

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How to Visit

Assuming you’re not a plot owner or family member, you’ll need a tour. Tickets are sold at the Basin Street Station Visitor Center, the large yellow building on the northeast corner of Basin and St. Louis. It’s clean, grand, and feels like a safe, comfortable place to regroup. Inside is a café, gift shop, restrooms, and a helpful tour counter. I paid $30 for a 45-minute guided tour.

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About the Cemetery

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was established in 1789 and is the oldest and most iconic cemetery in New Orleans. It’s owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese. Tombs were originally expensive and a sign of wealth, but not to the extreme some guides claim. Today, plots are rarely available and can cost tens of thousands.

What stood out was the stark contrast between immaculate tombs and those in deep decay. Families are responsible for upkeep, and many have moved or passed on. The Archdiocese offers a perpetual care program to maintain tombs.

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Quick Facts: • Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, is buried here. • Featured in Easy Rider and Interview with the Vampire. • Tombs are above ground due to water table and Catholic tradition. • There are over 700 tombs, often housing multiple generations. • New burials follow a “1-year-and-1-day” rule to allow reuse of tombs.

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About the Tour

My guide was friendly and theatrical—but as a history buff, some claims didn’t hold up.

• He said tombs originally cost the modern equivalent of half a million dollars. That’s exaggerated. Burial cost around $100 in the 1800s—about $3,000 today. Modern tombs may cost $40,000, but nowhere near $500K. • He claimed the phrase “wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole” came from pushing remains in the tomb. It didn’t. It’s 19th-century slang, unrelated to burials. • He said “saved by the bell” came from safety coffins. While such coffins existed in Europe, there’s no evidence they were used here. The phrase comes from boxing. • He said “jazz” came from women perfumed with jasmine. Romantic, but incorrect. The word likely comes from “jasm” (meaning energy), and originated on the West Coast.

I get that New Orleans tour guides often lean into lore, but the real history here is rich enough without embellishment. Regardless, a...

We had just two days in New Orleans during our 2025 Memorial Day vacation, and the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Tour was one of our top priorities. As cemetery enthusiasts, we booked our tickets weeks in advance, knowing a guided tour is the only way to access the site, and we didn’t want to miss it.

We arrived nearly an hour early and checked in before exploring the small museum exhibits while we waited. Unfortunately, our first impression was disappointing. The front desk staff appeared disinterested and unprofessional, barely acknowledging us as they handed over our wristbands and pointed us toward the waiting area. Both attendants seemed more focused on their phones than assisting guests, making the interaction feel dismissive and unwelcoming. It left us with a less-than-ideal first impression.

Our guide, Mary, was knowledgeable and passionate about the cemetery and New Orleans history, and we enjoyed much of her commentary. However, the tour increasingly focused on her personal family stories, which—while interesting—often came at the expense of spending more time at key sites within the cemetery. We felt rushed past several plaques and historic markers we would’ve loved to hear more about. Given the 45-minute time limit, we understand the need to prioritize content, but we weren't the only ones checking our watches when the narrative veered off course.

That said, we still appreciated the opportunity to visit such an iconic site and hope to return for another tour with a fresh perspective from a different guide.

Pro tip: We toured at 11 a.m. on Memorial Day, and it was scorching. With almost no shade and intense humidity, I highly recommend booking the earliest tour of the day.

Overall, I’d give the experience 4 out of 5 stars. The cemetery itself is fascinating, but the poor check-in experience and off-topic tour content held it back from being truly...

From the moment Denise greeted our group at the gates of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, it was clear we were in for something extraordinary. Her presence radiates a kinetic energy that electrifies the air—an energy that draws you in and sweeps you along on a journey through centuries of New Orleans’ most fascinating and storied resting place.

Denise is far more than a guide; she is a consummate storyteller, a performer of history whose command of the past is matched only by her gift for bringing it to vivid, breathing life. With each stop, she layers fact with flourish, weaving together the city’s colonial roots, voodoo lore, and famous residents in a tapestry as intricate and haunting as the cemetery’s own winding paths.

Her knowledge is encyclopedic yet never overwhelming—delivered with wit, warmth, and a touch of theatrical showmanship that makes even the smallest anecdote shimmer. Every question was met with thoughtful insight, every turn revealed a new perspective, and every moment felt as though it had been rehearsed just for us, yet carried the spontaneity of a seasoned performer delighting in her craft.

If the tombs and crypts of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 are the bones of history, Denise is the heartbeat that makes them sing. Her tour is not merely a walk among the departed; it is a masterclass in how history should be experienced—with reverence, exuberance, and...