New Orleans: Millionaire’s Tombs of Metairie Cemetery Tour

Metairie Cemetery is where New Orleans history gets personal. Under nearly 1,000 shade trees, you’ll pass grand family tombs, a sphinx-guarded pyramid, Anne Rice’s resting place, and the monument of Popeyes founder Al Copeland. The stories reach from city hall to Carnival royalty, organized crime, journalism, and law enforcement.

I like the way Sally Asher, a local author and historian, connects architecture with the people inside the tombs. I also like the honest walking pace and the small details, such as stained-glass windows and Islamic design, that you could easily miss alone. The main drawback is simple: two miles outdoors can feel warm, and the tour runs rain or shine.

Key points at a glance

• Sally Asher’s storytelling: A local author and historian explains the cemetery through research, family stories, architecture, and symbolism.
• Millionaire’s Row: See some of the cemetery’s most expensive and elaborate tombs, each tied to a New Orleans family or public figure.
• A sphinx-guarded pyramid: Learn why this unusual tomb was built and what its symbols mean.
• Famous and infamous residents: The route includes Anne Rice, Al Copeland, mayors, governors, Carnival kings, mob bosses, journalists, and law enforcement figures.
• Two miles under old oaks: The walk takes about two hours, with shade from almost 1,000 trees but no guarantee of cool weather.
• Useful preparation: Wear walking shoes, carry water and sunscreen, and bring comfortable clothing for a tour that continues in wet weather.

Why Metairie Cemetery is worth your time

New Orleans is famous for its above-ground cemeteries, but not every cemetery visit gives you the same view of the city. Metairie Cemetery is less about a single famous grave and more about how power, money, belief, vanity, grief, and local custom appear in stone.

The cemetery was founded in 1872 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. That designation matters, but you do not need to care about official titles to enjoy the place. The appeal is visible in the broad avenues, old trees, family mausoleums, carved figures, stained glass, and unusual designs.

I like this tour because it gives you a way to read the cemetery. You are not just looking at expensive tombs. You are learning why a family chose a certain shape, why a statue faces a particular direction, or how a monument reflects the life and ambitions of the people buried there.

The cemetery also gives you a different side of New Orleans. The city’s story is not limited to jazz, food, and Mardi Gras. Here you meet mayors, governors, Carnival kings, law officers, journalists, business owners, mob bosses, and people whose lives were remembered through striking monuments.

Meeting Sally Asher at the Law Enforcement Memorial

The meeting point is the Law Enforcement Memorial, to the right of the funeral home. If you drive, you can use the parking lot, then take a right at the stop sign and enter through one of the cemetery gates to reach the memorial.

Sally Asher leads the walk. She is a local author, lecturer, and historian who has written books and articles about New Orleans. That background shapes the tour, but the useful part is how she tells the stories. Her approach is not just a list of dates and names. She explains architecture, burial customs, symbolism, local folklore, and the less polished parts of the city’s past.

Her style also appears flexible. If you are interested in architecture, she can point out the design choices and visual symbols. If you care more about people and scandal, the stories of business figures, brothel owners, mob bosses, and public officials give the tour a different flavor. Questions are welcome, and the pace is relaxed enough to look closely.

The opening walk beneath nearly 1,000 trees

The tour begins with a stroll through the cemetery’s tree-lined grounds. The old oaks provide welcome shade, though they do not remove the need for sunscreen and water. You will cover about two miles over two hours, so this is a walking tour rather than a quick stop at a few famous graves.

That length works well for the subject. Metairie Cemetery is large enough that a short visit could leave you with only a vague impression. Two hours gives Sally time to explain several people, monuments, and burial traditions without rushing from one stop to the next.

The outdoor setting is part of the experience, but it is also the main practical concern. New Orleans heat can make two miles feel longer, especially if the sun is strong. Wear comfortable shoes and light, comfortable clothing. Bring water and sunscreen. An umbrella can also help with sun or rain.

The tour takes place rain or shine. That is worth taking seriously, since the cemetery has little control over the weather and the walking route remains outdoors. A relaxed pace helps, but you should still dress for the forecast.

Millionaire’s Row and the language of tombs

One of the central sections is Millionaire’s Row, where you see some of the cemetery’s most elaborate family tombs. The price of these structures is part of the story, but the better question is what the tombs say about the families who built them.

Sally explains the architectural choices and the symbols worked into the monuments. A figure, window, shape, or carved detail can reveal religious beliefs, mourning customs, family status, or a wish to control how the dead would be remembered.

I like this part because it turns visual details into clues. Without a guide, you might admire a large mausoleum and move on. With context, you start noticing the difference between a family tomb built to project wealth and one designed to express faith, grief, or lineage.

The cemetery’s grandest structures can feel almost theatrical, but the tour does not treat them as simple curiosities. Their scale reflects New Orleans society, where prominent families, business leaders, and public figures used memorials to mark their place in the city.

Anne Rice, Al Copeland, and the people behind the stone

The route includes the tomb of Anne Rice, the New Orleans novelist associated with vampire fiction. Her grave gives the tour a clear connection to the city’s literary and supernatural image, but Sally places it within the wider cemetery rather than making it the whole point of the visit.

You also stop at the tomb of Al Copeland, founder of Popeyes. That stop connects the cemetery to modern business history and reminds you that these monuments belong to people whose influence reached far beyond politics or old family wealth.

The cemetery’s residents include mayors, governors, Kings of Carnival, journalists, mob bosses, and law enforcement figures. This range is one of the strongest reasons to choose a guided tour. You are not looking at one narrow slice of New Orleans society. You are moving through several versions of the city at once.

The stories can be entertaining, but they also show how public memory works. Some people are remembered for civic leadership, some for business, some for crime, some for art, and some simply because their family had the money to build a memorable tomb.

The sphinx-guarded pyramid

The guarded pyramid is one of the tour’s most unusual stops. A pyramid is already an unexpected shape in a New Orleans cemetery. Add sphinxes at the entrance, and you have a monument that demands an explanation.

Sally discusses the pyramid’s history and symbolism, giving you a way to understand its design instead of treating it as a strange object placed among conventional mausoleums. This is the kind of stop that rewards a guide who pays attention to visual language.

The pyramid also captures the character of Metairie Cemetery. The grounds contain familiar New Orleans burial forms, but they also include monuments shaped by classical, Egyptian, Islamic, and other influences. That mixture makes the walk feel less predictable than a simple row of similar tombs.

Bring a camera if you like architectural details, but remember that the point is not only the photograph. The explanation of the sphinxes, the pyramid, and their meaning is what makes this stop worthwhile.

Stained glass and an Islamic-inspired tomb

Another memorable stop is a tomb with jewel-colored stained-glass windows. The glass adds a softer, more luminous quality to the stone and shows how families used art to create a distinct memorial space.

You also see an Islamic-inspired limestone tomb built by a Confederate general for his daughter. Its design is a reminder that cemetery architecture does not always follow the most obvious religious or regional pattern. The monument’s unusual form becomes a starting point for discussing family, identity, grief, and the choices people make when building a permanent memorial.

These stops are especially useful if you care about art or architecture. They slow the tour down and shift attention from famous names to craftsmanship. You can appreciate why an ordinary-looking wall, window, or carving may matter just as much as a celebrated occupant.

What makes Sally’s guiding style effective

The strongest part of this experience is Sally’s storytelling. She has spent years studying New Orleans cemeteries and gathering information from families, friends, historians, and local sources. That gives the tour a personal quality without turning it into a performance built only around spooky legends.

Her style is described as warm, funny, and direct. She does not rely on a rigid script, and she can adjust the discussion to the interests of the group. That matters in a cemetery, where one person may want architecture while another wants the story of a notorious resident.

You also get more than facts. Sally points out details you might overlook, explains the meaning of symbols, and connects individual tombs to larger New Orleans customs. The result is a walk that feels thoughtful rather than sensational.

The tour does include unusual and sometimes dark stories. If you want a strictly solemn cemetery visit with no discussion of scandal, crime, or folklore, this may not be your ideal outing. If you enjoy the odd, complicated, and human side of local history, the mix is a strength.

Is $35 a fair price?

At $35 per person, the tour offers solid value if you want more than a self-guided walk. Entry to Metairie Cemetery and Lake Lawn Metairie is included, along with a two-hour guided visit and local suggestions for food, music, and culture.

You are paying mainly for interpretation. The cemetery itself is accessible as a place, but the details behind the monuments are not always obvious. A guide who can explain symbolism, burial practice, local figures, and architectural choices adds the value.

The price also makes sense for people with limited time in New Orleans. Instead of spending an hour wandering without context, you get a focused route through important areas and a clearer sense of how the cemetery fits into city life.

It is less compelling if you only want to see Anne Rice’s tomb or take photographs of the pyramid. You could find a brief visit satisfying. The $35 becomes worthwhile when you want the people, stories, and design explained along the way.

Who should book this tour?

I would recommend it most strongly to people who enjoy cemeteries, historic architecture, local biography, or the stranger corners of a city’s past. It is also a good choice for returning visitors who have already seen the French Quarter and want a different side of New Orleans.

It suits couples, solo visitors, and small groups who enjoy asking questions. Families with older children may also appreciate it, though the two-mile walk and some darker stories may not suit very young children.

The tour is wheelchair accessible, which makes it a practical option for many visitors. Still, it covers about two miles outdoors, so check your own comfort with that distance and with changing weather before booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those policies help if your New Orleans schedule is still shifting.

Should you book the Millionaire’s Tombs tour?

Book it if you want to understand why Metairie Cemetery matters, not just see a few famous graves. Sally Asher’s mix of research, humor, architecture, symbolism, and local storytelling gives the two-hour walk real substance.

Skip it if you dislike walking outdoors, have little interest in cemeteries, or want a quick stop with no formal guide. For everyone else, this is a smart way to see millionaire mausoleums, unusual monuments, and the complicated people who shaped New Orleans. Bring water, wear good shoes, and leave room in your schedule for the stories to take their time.

FAQ

How long is the Metairie Cemetery tour?

The tour lasts about two hours and includes approximately two miles of walking.

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet at the Law Enforcement Memorial, to the right of the funeral home. Take a right at the stop sign and use any entry gate to reach the memorial.

Who leads the tour?

The tour is led in English by Sally Asher, a local author, historian, lecturer, and writer on New Orleans history.

What famous tombs and monuments are included?

The route includes Anne Rice’s tomb, Al Copeland’s tomb, Millionaire’s Row, a sphinx-guarded pyramid, a tomb with jewel-colored stained-glass windows, and an Islamic-inspired limestone tomb built by a Confederate general for his daughter.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen, water, and comfortable clothing. An umbrella may also be useful because the tour takes place outdoors in all weather.

What happens if it rains?

The tour runs rain or shine. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.