New Orleans Cemetery and Paranormal Investigation Bus Tour

New Orleans is at its most striking after dark, when cemetery tombs, old oaks, and stories of the dead take on a different mood. This bus tour combines Masonic tombs, paranormal tools, and the painful story of Hurricane Katrina, giving you several sides of the city in about two hours.

I like the chance to see a cemetery after dark without arranging a private guide, and I like that the experience includes both Catholic and Masonic burial traditions. Guides such as Roy, Kendall, Henry, and Trish have earned warm praise for their humor, local stories, and ability to keep a mixed group involved. The catch is that the actual route can feel short or uneven, with some departures visiting fewer cemeteries than expected and spending a fair amount of time on the bus.

Key points to know before booking

• Masonic Cemetery #2: See unusual communal tombs and a cemetery layout shaped by the square and compass.
• Paranormal tools included: You may use EMF readers or other communication tools during the cemetery investigation.
• Katrina memorial visit: The tour includes a stop connected with Hurricane Katrina and its lasting effect on New Orleans.
• Guide quality matters: Roy, Kendall, Henry, and Trish have all been praised for strong storytelling, humor, and personal local knowledge.
• A compact evening outing: The tour lasts about two hours and carries no more than 24 people, though delays and route changes can affect the pace.
• Not Marie Laveau’s tomb: St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is not part of this experience.

A ghost tour with a strong New Orleans setting

This is not simply a ride past graves. The appeal comes from the way New Orleans handles death, memory, religion, and disaster. Above-ground tombs are more than spooky scenery. They reflect local burial customs, Catholic practice, fraternal groups, flood concerns, and the city’s long relationship with ritual.

The bus leaves from Voodoo Tavern and PoBoys at 1140 Decatur Street in the French Quarter. That location is easy to reach on foot or by public transportation, but parking nearby is limited and costly. I would arrive at least 30 minutes early. The departure point can be crowded, and one delayed departure was reported to have started about an hour late.

The vehicle carries up to 24 people. That is small enough for a guide to address the group, but not intimate. At night, a larger group can also make a cemetery feel less frightening. If you want quiet, solitary ghost hunting, this is not the format. If you want a social outing with a little theater, history, and humor, the group setting works better.

City Park’s oaks and old New Orleans atmosphere

City Park is listed as part of the experience, and it gives the tour a useful sense of place before the cemetery work begins. The park covers 1,300 acres and has been part of New Orleans life since 1854. Its old live oaks and hanging moss have framed dances, concerts, and even formal duels known as affaires d’honneur.

You may not spend a long time walking through the park, so think of this as a scenic and historical part of the route rather than a full park visit. The value is in seeing a quieter, greener side of New Orleans and hearing how the city’s public spaces have carried stories for generations.

The bus ride between sites can also be part of the experience, but expectations matter. Some departures have included substantial driving, music, or pauses at a café. Other guides have filled the ride with local stories and personal memories. The quality depends heavily on who leads your departure and how well the route runs that evening.

Masonic Cemetery #2 and its unusual tombs

The clearest centerpiece is Masonic Cemetery No. 2, founded in 1865 by the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana, Free and Accepted Masons. It feels different from New Orleans Catholic cemeteries, and that difference is one of the tour’s best features.

The cemetery occupies two oddly shaped city blocks with a triangular plan. Conti Street cuts through the property, and the surrounding streets and internal paths echo the Masonic square-and-compass emblem. Cast-iron fences divide the sections, while oak-lined edges soften the geometry.

The tombs are arranged in compact rows, with a broad paved walkway through the middle and narrower paths between the rows. The cemetery is known for elaborate communal tombs. Rather than each member receiving a separate grand structure, Masonic lodges pooled money for large group tombs. That arrangement gives the site a distinct appearance and offers a useful lesson in how burial spaces can reflect community structure.

You receive about 30 minutes at this cemetery according to the planned stop. That is enough to see the layout and hear an explanation of burial customs, but it may not be enough for a detailed look at many individual people. If your main goal is famous names and long biographies, ask the guide what time will be spent on specific tombs.

Bring a small flashlight if permitted by the operator, and wear shoes with a firm sole. The walking is mostly flat, but cemetery paths can be uneven, and nighttime lighting may be limited. The tour provides paranormal equipment, but it does not replace ordinary attention to where you are stepping.

Other cemeteries and the changing route

The tour information describes a broader route that can include Charity Hospital’s pauper’s field, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, Holt Cemetery, and other sites. It also identifies the Hurricane Katrina Memorial Cemetery and Odd Fellows Rest as possible stops.

This is where you should read the advertised route with care. The planned experience suggests several cemetery areas, yet some departures have visited only one or two cemeteries, while others have spent more time driving between locations. The exact mix may change with weather, timing, access, and the guide’s approach.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, home to the tomb associated with Marie Laveau, is not included. That point matters because many people book a cemetery tour mainly to see her tomb. If that is your priority, you need a different visit. This tour instead focuses on a mix of cemetery types, prominent local figures, group tombs, and paranormal investigation.

Odd Fellows Rest adds another unusual layer. It is associated with the Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization that can seem mysterious to visitors unfamiliar with American lodge culture. The stop is less about one famous grave and more about how private societies shaped New Orleans burial spaces.

The Hurricane Katrina memorial

The Katrina portion gives the outing more weight than a standard ghost tour. Your guide explains the storm’s lasting effects and allows time to pay respects at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial Cemetery.

This stop works best when treated as a memorial, not just a spooky attraction. New Orleans still carries the effects of Katrina in its neighborhoods, families, buildings, and public memory. One guide has been praised for sharing a personal Katrina story from the Ninth Ward, helping connect the disaster to ordinary life rather than presenting it as a distant historical event.

The tone can shift quickly here. A guide may move from jokes and ghost stories to a serious account of loss and recovery. That contrast is part of the city’s reality, but it may not suit someone looking only for light entertainment. I appreciate that the route includes this difficult subject, provided the guide gives it the respect it deserves.

How the paranormal investigation works

The tour includes tools intended to help communicate with paranormal activity. An EMF reader may be used at the cemetery, and some departures have included other simple investigation methods or apps.

You should approach this as entertainment and personal exploration, not a scientific test. Some people may see movement on a device or capture an unusual image. Others may find nothing unusual at all. The group setting, nighttime atmosphere, music, and storytelling can strongly shape what you notice.

One practical issue is instruction. Some people have found that being told to download an app did not come with enough explanation of how to use it. If the guide hands you equipment, ask for a quick demonstration before the investigation begins. That small step can make the activity feel more interactive and less like a prop being passed around.

The strongest guides use the equipment as a prompt for stories and observation rather than pretending it proves anything. Roy has been praised for creating a lighthearted ghost hunt with eerie music and easy conversation. Kendall has been praised for sharing personal paranormal experiences and keeping the group involved. Henry and Trish have also been singled out for mixing local history, humor, and clear instructions.

Guide style can make or break the evening

This experience depends heavily on the guide. The names most often praised are Roy, Kendall, Henry, and Trish. Their strengths are not identical, which is useful to know.

Roy appears to suit people who want jokes, personal ghost stories, and a relaxed group atmosphere. Kendall’s best moments seem to come through historical explanation and stories about the cemetery. Henry is a good match if you want a blend of city culture, daily life, and the past. Trish has been praised for setting clear rules, answering questions, and keeping the group organized.

That said, not every departure has been equally smooth. Some people have found the bus narration too limited, with music taking the place of explanation. Others felt that the discussion of voodoo was sensationalized or missing important facts. A public argument at a café was also reported, along with a delayed departure that reduced the time available at the sites.

These problems may be isolated, but they are worth considering. If you are seeking serious religious history, careful cemetery research, or a polished museum-style presentation, this may feel too loose. If you enjoy a guide who performs, jokes, tells personal stories, and keeps the mood moving, it may suit you well.

What the two-hour schedule really means

The stated duration is about two hours. That makes this easy to fit into a busy New Orleans visit, especially if you want an evening activity that does not take over the entire night.

The tradeoff is limited time at each site. A restroom or café stop can take a noticeable share of the outing, and driving between cemeteries may feel long if the guide is not narrating. A few people have felt that the cemetery time was too brief, particularly when they expected three cemetery visits.

I would book this as a broad introduction rather than a detailed cemetery study. You get a sample of several subjects: Masonic burial customs, Catholic cemetery traditions, fraternal groups, Katrina, local legends, and paranormal tools. You do not get a full walking tour of every site or a sustained research talk about individual graves.

The night setting is a major part of the appeal. Tombs are harder to read in the dark, but they feel more atmospheric. If you want clear views of inscriptions and architectural details, a daytime cemetery visit may serve you better. If you want mood, mystery, and a little nervous laughter, after dark is the right time.

Is $30 a fair price?

At $30 per person, this is an inexpensive way to see parts of New Orleans that are difficult to combine on your own in one evening. The bus, guide, cemetery access, commentary, and paranormal tools give you a reasonable package if the route runs on time and includes several planned stops.

The value drops if your departure spends much of the two hours driving, waiting, or stopping at a café. It also drops if you already visited New Orleans cemeteries during the day and want only detailed historical interpretation. In that case, the paranormal activity may not add enough substance.

I see the price as fair for a casual group outing, especially for families, couples, and first-time visitors who want something beyond the French Quarter bars. It is less convincing for serious history fans who want rare facts, long site visits, or a precise account of New Orleans voodoo traditions.

Children age six and older can take part, though the morbid stories may frighten younger children. The tour involves walking on mostly flat surfaces and climbing a few steps onto the bus. The bus is not wheelchair accessible, and every participant must be able to walk and board the vehicle independently.

Wear comfortable shoes and layers. New Orleans weather can change, and the bus may feel different from the outdoor stops. Service animals are allowed.

Who should book this New Orleans cemetery tour?

I would recommend it to you if you want a short, social night outing with cemetery architecture, local stories, Katrina context, and a playful paranormal element. It is especially suitable if you have limited time and prefer riding between sites to arranging several separate visits.

You are also more likely to enjoy it if you can accept uncertainty. The route may not deliver the same number of cemetery stops every time, and the guide’s personality has a major effect on the evening. Treat the ghost hunting as a fun experiment, not proof of the supernatural.

I would hesitate if your main goal is Marie Laveau’s tomb, a quiet cemetery walk, detailed scholarly history, or a guaranteed visit to three separate cemeteries. I would also think twice if delays or a loosely managed group would spoil your night.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want atmosphere and variety for $30, and you enjoy a guide-led evening with jokes, local memories, cemetery architecture, and paranormal gadgets. Ask at the start which sites are planned that night so you can set realistic expectations.

Skip it if you need a tightly timed route with extensive narration at every stop. For the best chance of a rewarding outing, arrive early, wear good shoes, ask how to use the EMF equipment, and choose this as a lively introduction to New Orleans after dark, not as the final word on its cemeteries or spiritual traditions.

FAQ

Which cemeteries does the tour visit?

The route typically includes Charity Hospital’s pauper’s field, Masonic Temple Cemetery No. 2, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, Holt Cemetery, and other sites. It also includes the Hurricane Katrina Memorial Cemetery and may visit Odd Fellows Rest. The exact mix can vary.

Does the tour visit Marie Laveau’s tomb?

No. Marie Laveau’s tomb is in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, which is not included. The tour does visit other tombs and resting places connected with prominent people.

Does the tour include the Hurricane Katrina Memorial?

Yes. The guide explains the lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina, and you can pay respects at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial Cemetery.

Where does the tour begin and end?

It begins at Voodoo Tavern and PoBoys at 1140 Decatur Street in New Orleans. The tour ends back at the same meeting point.

How early should I arrive?

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Parking near the French Quarter meeting point is limited, so walking, public transportation, or a ride-share service may be easier.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

No. The bus is not wheelchair accessible. The tour is mostly on flat surfaces, but you must be able to walk and manage a few steps to board and exit the bus.