New Orleans Cemetery Bus Tour with Exclusive Cemetery Access

New Orleans keeps its dead above ground, and this two-hour evening tour lets you see that unusual burial tradition after dark. The best part is exclusive access to Odd Fellows Rest, a private cemetery that most visitors cannot enter. Inside, your guide mixes local history with ghost stories and hands out EMF readers for a bit of spooky fun.

I like the easy bus transport, especially when the night is cold, windy, or wet. I also like the guides’ personal style: Jeff and Geoff are praised for strong storytelling, while J is noted for being funny, helpful, and attentive to people who need extra assistance. The main drawback is that Odd Fellows Rest gets most of the tour time, so the other cemetery stops may be brief or viewed only through a gate.

Key points to know before booking

• Enter Odd Fellows Rest after dark: This private cemetery is the tour’s main attraction and the only cemetery where you get extended walking access.
• See New Orleans burial customs: Your guide explains above-ground tombs, local burial practices, and the human stories behind the monuments.
• Expect ghost stories with a history lesson: The tone is spooky and playful, but the strongest material concerns New Orleans culture and memorial traditions.
• Ride in an air-conditioned bus: The bus limits long walks and provides shelter between stops, though you still need to climb a few steps.
• Bring your own drink: Alcohol is not included, but you can buy a drink before the tour and take it on the bus.
• Plan for a compact route: The tour lasts about two hours and may include only one full cemetery visit, plus drive-bys and a gated memorial stop.

Why Odd Fellows Rest is the heart of the tour

The key reason to book this experience is not simply the bus ride. It is the chance to walk inside Odd Fellows Rest at night, a cemetery that has special access arrangements for this company. That gives the tour a setting most people cannot reach on their own.

You spend roughly 35 minutes inside the cemetery, though the exact timing can change. Your guide points out tombs, explains the cemetery’s connection to the Odd Fellows organization, and describes how New Orleans families have handled burial in a city where high water made below-ground graves difficult.

This is also where the EMF readers come into play. You can use the devices while walking among the tombs, trying to detect unusual activity. Treat that as entertainment rather than proof of anything supernatural. The equipment adds a hands-on element, but the value of the stop comes from the place itself and the stories attached to it.

At night, the cemetery feels more enclosed and atmospheric than it would during daylight. You may hear plenty of ghost tales, but a good guide keeps the focus moving between folklore, architecture, burial customs, and the people connected with the site.

The strongest guide names in the available feedback are Jeff, Geoff, and J. Jeff is repeatedly praised for his storytelling and energy. Geoff is described as entertaining, well prepared, and especially good at explaining the cemetery. J brings a more personal touch and has helped visitors who needed assistance with mobility equipment. Your guide may be someone else, but the experience depends heavily on who is leading the group.

What you see from the bus before the cemetery

The tour begins near 620 Decatur Street in the French Quarter, at New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tours. That puts you in a useful location for a pre-tour drink, dinner, or a short walk through the Quarter.

Bon’s New Orleans Street Food is listed as the initial meeting-area stop. You are not paying an admission fee there, and the practical purpose is to give you a nearby place to get a drink before boarding. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the tour, but you can bring your own drink onto the bus.

Once underway, your guide provides commentary as you pass cemeteries such as Cypress Grove and Greenwood. You may not get out at each one, but the drive lets you see the repeating pattern of New Orleans burial grounds: rows of above-ground tombs, narrow family vaults, and larger monuments that look more like small buildings than ordinary graves.

This bus commentary matters because the cemeteries can be difficult to understand at a glance. Without context, you see white tombs and iron gates. With a guide, you learn why burial customs developed differently here and how the city’s cemeteries reflect its climate, faiths, organizations, and social divisions.

The drive-by portion is also where the itinerary can feel less substantial than expected. If you book this hoping to walk through several cemeteries, adjust your expectations. The advertised experience centers on one cemetery with full access. Other locations are viewed from the bus or visited briefly.

The short stop at Morning Call

About midway through the route, the bus makes a quick break at Morning Call Coffee Stand. This is mainly a restroom stop, but you may also have time to buy a coffee, a small treat, or another drink.

The pause is useful on a two-hour evening tour, especially if you are traveling with children or prefer not to wait until the end. It also breaks up the cemetery walking and gives you a chance to warm up if the weather turns chilly.

Do not treat this as a full meal stop. The timing is limited, and the tour needs to stay on schedule. If you want a drink for the bus, it is sensible to arrange that before departure or during this stop, but do not count on a long visit.

The Hurricane Katrina Memorial and Charity Hospital Cemetery

The later part of the route includes the cemetery and memorial connected with unclaimed bodies from Hurricane Katrina. Depending on the route and current access, you may view the area through a gate rather than walk inside.

This stop changes the mood. Odd Fellows Rest is presented through private access, old tombs, and ghost lore. The Katrina memorial is a place of grief and remembrance tied to a disaster that still shapes New Orleans. Your guide explains the lasting effects of the hurricane and gives you a chance to pay respects.

The distinction between these stops is important. You may expect another extended cemetery walk, but Charity Hospital Cemetery is closed at night according to the tour information. The experience here is more about hearing the story and seeing the site from outside.

Some people may prefer to remain on the bus at this point, especially in cold or windy weather. That is not necessarily a flaw in the tour, but it shows why clothing matters. Wear comfortable shoes and dress in layers. The tour operates in all weather conditions, and New Orleans evenings can feel very different from the warm afternoon you started with.

How much walking and bus time to expect

The tour is not considered strenuous, and much of the route is spent seated on the bus. Still, you should be able to walk around a cemetery on mostly flat surfaces and manage a few steps to board and leave the vehicle.

The bus is air-conditioned, which helps in warm weather, and it can also provide a welcome break from wind or rain. The driver matters more than you might expect. Cory and Bruce receive specific praise for safe, considerate driving and for keeping the bus comfortable. One account especially appreciated the driver keeping the bus warm on a cold evening.

The vehicle is not wheelchair accessible. Anyone joining must be able to walk and navigate the bus steps. Service animals are allowed, and most people can take part, but mobility needs should be considered before booking.

The group can reach up to 42 people. That is large enough to create a lively atmosphere, but it may make questions and movement less personal. Smaller departures can feel more intimate, and a compact group gives you more room to ask about a tomb or pause for photographs.

Routes may change because of parades, festivals, construction, weather, or other local conditions. New Orleans is not a city where traffic and street access always behave according to a printed schedule. Build some flexibility into your evening.

Is the $40.32 price good value?

At $40.32 per person, this is a reasonable price if you value the private cemetery access and the convenience of transportation. You are paying for about two hours, an air-conditioned vehicle, live commentary, a dedicated guide, and access to a cemetery that is not generally open to the public at night.

The price is less attractive if you expect multiple long cemetery visits. The route includes drive-bys, a restroom and drink stop, and a memorial area that may be viewed from outside. In practical terms, Odd Fellows Rest is the main paid experience.

I see the value in the tour for first-time visitors who want a simple introduction to New Orleans cemetery customs without arranging transport or walking alone after dark. It also makes sense for people who enjoy local legends but want historical explanation mixed in.

A private taxi or rideshare would not give you the same commentary or cemetery access. On the other hand, a walking ghost tour may provide more time in the French Quarter and a warmer experience in poor weather. Compare the tours by focus, not just by price.

The tone: spooky, funny, and sometimes serious

The tour works best when you enjoy a mixture of atmosphere and information. Guides such as Jeff, Geoff, and J are praised for keeping the group laughing while explaining burial practices and local history. The tone can shift from a joke about a ghost to a serious account of disaster and loss.

That mix is part of the appeal. New Orleans cemetery culture is not only about haunted stories. It includes architecture, family memory, religious customs, secret societies, public health, flood concerns, and the way a city remembers people who had no one to claim them.

The ghost material is not presented as a formal scientific investigation. The EMF readers are a playful tool, and the guide may encourage you to watch for unusual readings or strange moments. Skeptics can enjoy the theater and history without accepting the paranormal claims. Believers get the dark setting, suspense, and equipment to keep their hands busy.

The guide can make or break the evening. Most of the strongest feedback focuses on passionate, funny, and informed leaders. One negative experience centered on a guide spending too much time talking about himself, which caused later stops to be shortened. That is a useful warning: the pace can depend on the guide’s judgment, particularly at Odd Fellows Rest.

Best time to book and what to bring

Evening departures create the mood promised by the tour, but they also bring cooler temperatures and less visibility. Wear shoes that are comfortable for walking among cemetery paths and clothing you can layer.

Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. The meeting point is in the French Quarter, where walking or public transportation is usually more practical than driving. Parking is limited and costs extra, so allow time if you choose to drive.

Bring:

• A phone for photographs, if permitted by your guide
• A light jacket or extra layer
• Comfortable walking shoes
• A drink purchased before the tour or during the permitted stop
• Patience if a parade, festival, road closure, or construction changes the route

The tour returns to the original meeting point. That makes it easier to plan dinner or another French Quarter activity afterward, though I would avoid booking something immediately after the scheduled end in case city traffic slows the route.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this tour for a first visit to New Orleans, a small group of friends, couples who like spooky stories, or families with older children who can handle cemetery etiquette and nighttime walking. It also suits solo visitors who want the security of a group and the ease of a bus.

History-minded visitors should enjoy the explanations of tombs, burial methods, and memorial sites. You do not need to believe in ghosts. The best parts work as cultural history even if the EMF readings produce nothing unusual.

I would think twice if you want a long, quiet visit at several cemeteries, a fully accessible vehicle, or a route focused on Marie Laveau. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, where Marie Laveau is buried, is not included. You also should not book this expecting to enter the Katrina-related cemetery at night.

Should you book the New Orleans Cemetery Bus Tour?

Book it if Odd Fellows Rest access is the deciding feature. That private nighttime entry gives this tour something a standard cemetery drive-by cannot offer, and the bus makes the route easy to manage.

Choose another experience if your priority is several full cemetery walks, Marie Laveau’s tomb, or a tour with no stairs. At $40.32, the tour is good value for its rare access, guide-led stories, and transport, but only if you understand that most of the extended exploration happens at one cemetery.

For the best chance at a strong evening, arrive early, dress for the weather, keep an open mind about the ghost stories, and hope for a guide with the energy of Jeff, Geoff, or J. The tombs are the real attraction. The spooky stories are the seasoning.

FAQ

Which cemetery does the tour visit?

The tour typically visits Odd Fellows Rest, where you receive exclusive access. It also passes Cypress Grove and Greenwood cemeteries, allowing you to see New Orleans above-ground tombs from the bus.

Does the tour visit Marie Laveau’s tomb?

No. Marie Laveau’s tomb is in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, which is not part of this experience.

Does the tour visit the Hurricane Katrina Memorial?

Yes. The guide explains the effects of Hurricane Katrina, and the route includes the memorial cemetery associated with unclaimed bodies. At night, the cemetery may be closed, so you may view it through the gate.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

Are drinks included?

No. Alcoholic beverages are not included. You may purchase a drink before the tour and bring it on the bus.

Where does the tour begin and end?

It begins at New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tours, 620 Decatur Street, number 600, in New Orleans. The tour ends back at the same meeting point.

How early should I arrive?

Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

No. The bus is not wheelchair accessible, and all participants must be able to walk and manage a few steps to board and exit.

What happens if the weather or city conditions change?

The tour operates in all weather conditions, but the route may change because of parades, festivals, construction, or other local conditions. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.