NEW ORLEANS CITY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Beignets and Burials: A Morning Walk Through New Orleans’ Private Cemeteries
A guided, expert-led walk that begins with beignets and coffee at Morning Call and moves through Greenwood, Cypress Grove and memorial sites to explore the city’s distinctive tombs and funeral traditions.
Beignets and Burials: A Morning Walk Through New Orleans’ Private Cemeteries.
Adventure brief
Beignets and Burials: A Morning Walk Through New Orleans’ Private Cemeteries
Start your morning with beignets and coffee at Morning Call, then follow a cemetery expert and an experienced death‑care guide through a compact loop of New Orleans burial grounds, where ironwork, society tombs and local stories anchor the city’s funerary landscape.
New Orleans’ cemeteries hold stories as vibrant and textured as the city itself. Red Sash Tours offers an engaging departure from typical sightseeing with its “Beignets and Burials” walking tour, a curated journey into some of the Crescent City’s most iconic resting places. Starting at 5101 Canal Blvd, the day begins with the ritual combination of New Orleans staples—beignets and coffee—at Morning Call. Here, tour leader and cemetery expert Sally Asher sets the tone, intertwining the city’s layered social history with its unique funerary traditions.
This 2.5-hour, roughly one-mile walk ventures through a collection of six historic cemeteries, each with distinct architectural and cultural character. Greenwood Cemetery, established in 1852, stands out for its extensive iron tombs and monuments reflecting 19th-century funerary art, and houses the remains of well-known local figures including a Pulitzer-winning author and colorful entertainers. Cypress Grove Cemetery, dating to 1838, holds deep significance as New Orleans' first cemetery dedicated to volunteer firefighters and includes sobering memorials such as the Hurricane Katrina Memorial near former burial grounds for the indigent.
The tour also covers St. Patrick’s Cemeteries No. 1 and 2, and the Odd Fellows Rest with its emblematic iron gate symbols. These visits offer insights into the symbolism woven into tomb designs and the city’s cultural fabric. Red Sash Tours is unique in being the only authorized company granted access to tours in Greenwood and Cypress Grove, underscoring their expertise and respect for these sacred spaces.
Accessible by streetcar or car, the tour balances storytelling, history, and urban outdoors, providing an immersive way to understand the city’s relationship with death, memory, and celebration. For visitors seeking a thoughtful connection to New Orleans beyond the usual paths, the Beignets and Burials tour offers a compelling, authentic experience that reveals the city’s enduring spirit.
Route Schematic
Route schematic and stops
A roughly one‑mile walking loop visits Morning Call and four cemetery sites with commentary on monuments, society tombs and local burial history.
Morning Call — 5101 Canal Blvd
Meet for beignets and a beverage while learning the general history of cemeteries in New Orleans.
Greenwood Cemetery — 5190 Canal Blvd
Explore Greenwood Cemetery (1852), noted for a large assemblage of iron tombs, unique monuments and graves of local and national notables.
Cypress Grove Cemetery — 120 City Park Ave.
Visit Cypress Grove (1838), established to honor volunteer firemen and their families, and view original granite, marble and cast‑iron tombs including a large society tomb used for temporary burial of Chinese citizens.
Hurricane Katrina Memorial — 5056 Canal
Stop at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial located where Charity Hospital once interred the poor and indigent.
Charity Hospital Cemetery — 5055 Canal
View the site associated with Charity Hospital burials and the city’s response to historical events tied to the hospital.
The tour covers roughly a mile on foot and runs about two hours; a minimum of four guests is required or the tour will be cancelled with notice the night before.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Authorized entry into private cemetery spaces
This tour offers exclusive access to cemetery grounds and tombs not available to other private operators, letting you step inside features that are ordinarily closed to the public.
Stories tied to city figures and monuments
Discover monuments that commemorate local and national figures and learn the stories embedded in funerary symbols and memorial architecture.
Seeing original granite, marble and cast‑iron tombs
View a range of historic tombcraft—from cast‑iron assemblages to granite and marble society tombs—on a route curated for its representative monuments.
What the day feels like
What the morning feels like
The tour begins at Morning Call for beignets and a beverage, then moves on foot through Greenwood Cemetery, Cypress Grove Cemetery and memorial sites tied to Charity Hospital and Hurricane Katrina before returning to Morning Call, all led by an expert guide who explains burial traditions, symbolism and the city’s funerary history.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this tour suits — and who should consider alternatives.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The tour starts and ends at Morning Call, 5101 Canal Blvd and is easily reachable by streetcar, automobile, bus or rideshare.
The tour runs approximately 2 hours and will roughly cover the distance of a mile.
Price includes one beignet and a choice of beverage along with the walking tour of the cemeteries.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Where and when does the tour start?
The tour starts and ends at Morning Call, 5101 Canal Blvd.
How long is the tour and how far will we walk?
The tour runs approximately two hours and will roughly cover the distance of a mile.
What does the price include and what are the rates for children?
Price includes one beignet and a choice of beverage; children six and under are free but must purchase any beignet or drink separately, children six to twelve are $25, and adults are $50.
Is the tour ever cancelled?
A minimum of four guests is required; if the minimum is not met, guests will be notified by 8pm the night before and the tour will be cancelled.
Who leads the tour?
The tour is led by Geoff Polson, a death‑care professional and experienced cemetery guide; the comprehensive guide and researched material are provided by Sally Asher.
How this guide was prepared
This field guide is synthesized using verified supplier specifications, route descriptions, and destination data. Some booking links may generate affiliate revenue for ADV Guides.
- Verified: 2026-09-08T19:51:45.773Z
Some booking links may generate revenue for ADV Guides or The Adventure Collective.
Availability, pricing, schedules and operating details can change.
Trip details and contextual sources were reviewed by ADV Guides Editorial.