NEW ORLEANS WALKING TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Walking Among Tombs: A 90‑Minute Deep Dive into New Orleans’ Above‑Ground Burial Traditions
A guided, 1.5‑hour cemetery walking tour with DuPont & Company that explains New Orleans’ distinctive family, society and coping tombs and the custom of rotating remains.
Walking Among Tombs: A 90‑Minute Deep Dive into New Orleans’ Above‑Ground Burial Traditions.
Discover the distinctive burial landscape of New Orleans on a guided cemetery walking tour led by DuPont & Company. The guide— a New Orleanian with ancestral ties in the grounds—walks you among above‑ground family tombs, coping tombs, society tombs and the old wall vaults while explaining local practices such as the careful rotation or “recycling” of remains and correcting long‑standing myths.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
How New Orleanians Care for the Dead
Learn about the city’s unique burial customs, including the practice of rotating and 'recycling' remains within family tombs and how generations are interred in a limited space.
A Personal, Local Perspective
The tour is led by a New Orleanian whose ancestors are buried here, bringing personal stories and cultural context that illuminate both facts and myths tied to the necropolis.
Tombs, Vaults and City History
Walk among family and society tombs, see the remains of the original wall vaults, and understand how the cemetery’s architecture reflects New Orleans’ approach to honoring the dead.
What the day feels like
What the 90 Minutes Feel Like
The tour unfolds as a paced walking experience through the cemetery: beginning at the gates, you move among family tombs and society vaults, pause at remnants of the old wall vaults, examine coping tombs and stop to hear explanations about burial rotation and local myths—guided throughout by a New Orleanian with family connections to the grounds.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who gets the most from this cemetery walk.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The guided walking tour lasts 1.5 hours.
Meet at 3421 Esplanade Avenue before the tour departs.
The operator does not list specific gear requirements; plan for a short walking tour and dress for the weather.
The experience is described as suitable for all ages and is limited to groups of up to 14 participants.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the cemetery tour?
The tour duration is 1.5 hours.
Where do we meet the guide?
The meeting location is 3421 Esplanade Avenue.
How large are the tour groups?
Groups are limited to up to 14 people.
Who leads the tour?
The tour is offered by DuPont & Company and is led by a New Orleanian guide who has ancestral ties to the cemetery.
What will we see and learn on the walk?
You will walk among family, society and coping tombs, view remnants of the old wall vaults, and hear explanations about burial rotation, recycling of remains and related myths.
Is the tour appropriate for children?
Yes—this is listed as an All Ages experience.