New Orleans Cemetery Bus Tour with Exclusive Cemetery Access

The best part of this New Orleans cemetery tour is the chance to enter Odd Fellows Rest after dark, a private cemetery that other tours cannot normally access. You walk among above-ground tombs while your guide explains burial customs, local characters, and the stories that give New Orleans its spooky reputation.

I like the mix of serious history and playful ghost hunting, especially with EMF readers in hand. I also like the practical bus format: you see several cemeteries and city neighborhoods without spending the whole evening walking. The main drawback is that Odd Fellows Rest takes up much of the tour, while other cemeteries may be viewed only from the bus or through a gate.

Key points to know before booking

• Exclusive access to Odd Fellows Rest: This is the tour’s main prize, with about 35 minutes inside the private cemetery.
• A history lesson with spooky seasoning: Guides such as Jeff, Geoff, and J combine burial customs, New Orleans history, and ghost stories.
• Mostly easy walking: Expect flat surfaces, but you must manage a few bus steps and walk around the cemetery.
• A quick stop for coffee, drinks, or beignets: The Morning Call stop provides a restroom break and a chance to buy something before continuing.
• Other cemeteries are not all walk-in stops: Cypress Grove and Greenwood are seen from the bus, while Charity Hospital Cemetery may be viewed through its gate.
• Small groups improve the experience: The bus can hold up to 42 people, but a smaller group makes it easier to ask questions and see details.

Why the private cemetery visit matters

New Orleans cemeteries look different from the burial grounds many visitors know. Above-ground tombs are part of the city’s identity, shaped by local conditions and long-standing burial customs. You do not need to believe in ghosts to find the cemetery design, names, symbols, and stories worth your time.

Odd Fellows Rest gives you something most city cemetery tours cannot: time inside a restricted site at night. That access is the reason to choose this tour over a standard drive-by sightseeing trip. You can walk around, look closely at the tombs, take photographs, and use the provided EMF readers as part of the ghost-hunting theme.

The atmosphere depends partly on the weather and the group. On a warm, still evening, the cemetery can feel theatrical and eerie. On a cold or windy night, you may be glad the bus is close by. Wear layers, even if the afternoon felt warm, and choose comfortable shoes.

The guide makes a big difference. Jeff, Geoff, and J are among the names associated with this experience, and the strongest tours depend on a guide who can keep the bus engaged while also giving clear historical context. Jeff is praised for storytelling and energy, while J is noted for being funny, helpful, and attentive to a family member using a mobility device.

Starting in the French Quarter at Decatur Street

The tour begins at New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tours, at 620 Decatur Street, in the French Quarter. This is a convenient central location, but parking is limited and paid parking rates vary. I would walk, use public transportation, or arrange a ride-share rather than make this a driving mission.

Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early. That gives you time to find the meeting point and settle in before departure. The tour ends at the same location, which makes it easy to continue into the French Quarter afterward.

The nearby Bon’s New Orleans Street Food stop is useful before the bus portion begins. You can grab food or a drink in the French Quarter, though alcohol is not included in the tour price. You may bring your own drink onto the bus, which is a nice New Orleans touch, but remember that the tour price does not cover beverages.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, and the driver matters more than you might expect. Cory, Carl, and Bruce are among the drivers praised for keeping the ride comfortable and getting the group back safely. In cold weather, a warm bus is welcome. In hot weather, the air conditioning gives you a break from New Orleans humidity.

Seeing cemeteries from the bus

The bus ride is not just dead time between stops. Your guide points out cemeteries such as Cypress Grove and Greenwood, where above-ground tombs show how New Orleans handles burial space. This commentary helps you understand what you are seeing instead of treating the tombs as a series of spooky props.

You may pass several cemetery walls and gates without leaving the bus. That is worth knowing before you book. The tour’s advertising centers on cemetery access, but the most substantial walk-around visit is Odd Fellows Rest. The other sites help build the setting and provide context, yet they are not all open for nighttime exploration.

This is where the bus format earns its keep. New Orleans cemeteries are spread across different parts of the city, and the ride lets you cover more ground than a walking tour. You also avoid wandering alone near cemetery gates after dark, which is useful for solo visitors and anyone who prefers an organized group.

The bus can carry up to 42 people. A full group may feel less personal, especially when everyone gathers around a tomb or listens to a story outside. If your group happens to be smaller, you will have more room to ask questions and look around. The guide’s personality also becomes more important as the group grows.

Walking through Odd Fellows Rest after dark

Odd Fellows Rest is the heart of the experience. You receive exclusive access to this private cemetery, then spend roughly 35 minutes inside. That is enough time for a guided walk, photographs, and a closer look at the tombs and memorial details.

The cemetery is connected with the Odd Fellows, a little-known fraternal organization that gives the visit an extra layer of mystery. Your guide explains the site and points out people and stories connected with it. The best approach is to listen for the human details first. Names, family connections, burial practices, and local events often make a stronger impression than a ghost story alone.

This is also the point where the EMF readers come into play. You can use them to look for signs of paranormal activity, though the devices are part of the entertainment rather than proof of anything supernatural. I like that the tour leaves room for both reactions. A believer can enjoy the hunt, while a skeptic can focus on architecture, history, and the guide’s storytelling.

The cemetery is mostly flat, and the walking is not considered strenuous. Still, the experience requires standing and walking outside at night. Comfortable shoes are essential. If the weather turns cold or windy, the cemetery portion may feel longer than expected, especially after several minutes standing still.

One practical issue came up in the feedback: a guide who spends too much time talking about personal stories can shorten the time available for later stops. That appears to be an occasional guide-style problem rather than the basic design of the tour, but it is worth remembering. If you want a tightly timed visit to several cemeteries, ask early about the planned schedule.

The Morning Call stop for a bathroom break

After Odd Fellows Rest, the group stops at Morning Call Coffee Stand for about 10 minutes. This is mainly a restroom break, but you can also buy a drink or beignets. The short stop gives you a chance to warm up, refresh, and reset before the final cemetery-related visit.

Do not treat this as a full café visit. Ten minutes is brief, and the group needs to stay on schedule. If you want a drink for the bus, this is a convenient place to get one. Alcohol is not included, and you should not assume that any beverage is part of the tour price.

I appreciate this practical pause because cemetery tours can involve more standing than expected. It also breaks up the evening and keeps the experience from becoming one long walk through dark grounds.

Charity Hospital Cemetery and the Katrina memorial

The tour also covers the cemetery and memorial connected with unclaimed bodies from Hurricane Katrina. This is a very different experience from the ghost stories at Odd Fellows Rest. The subject is modern, painful, and tied to the lasting effects of the storm on New Orleans.

Your guide explains the memorial and gives you time to pay your respects. At night, Charity Hospital Cemetery may be closed, so you might view it through the gate rather than walk inside. That distinction matters. The stop can be meaningful and informative, but it is not another full cemetery entry.

Some people may find this part of the tour more important than the supernatural material. It connects the evening to real people and a disaster that shaped the city. If you are mainly seeking haunted entertainment, the stop changes the mood. If you want a fuller look at New Orleans, that change is one of the tour’s strengths.

The route can change because of parades, festivals, construction, weather, or other city conditions. That means the exact order and viewing points are not guaranteed. The provider notes that the tour runs in all weather, so bring suitable layers and be prepared for an outdoor portion even if the forecast is uncertain.

How much value do you get for $40.32?

At $40.32 per person, this is reasonably priced for a two-hour evening tour with transportation, live commentary, and private cemetery access. The value rests mainly on Odd Fellows Rest. If you make good use of that exclusive entry, the price compares well with a basic ghost walk that remains on public streets.

The bus also saves energy and time. You are not paying simply for a guide to lead you around one neighborhood. You ride between cemetery areas, hear commentary along the way, and avoid arranging separate transportation after dark.

The value is weaker if you expect to enter several cemeteries. Cypress Grove and Greenwood are drive-by sights, and Charity Hospital Cemetery may be viewed only through the gate at night. If your main goal is to visit many cemetery interiors, check the route expectations carefully before paying.

Group size is another value question. A smaller group can make the private cemetery visit feel special and allow more questions. A full bus still provides the same core access, but the experience may feel more like a general sightseeing tour.

The 93 percent recommendation rate and 4.7 rating from 1,694 ratings suggest that the experience usually delivers what people book it for: a fun, informative cemetery visit with a strong guide. The less positive experience described a guide who talked too much, stayed too long at the first stop, and cut later stops short. That is a fair warning to judge the tour by its format as well as its average score.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would choose this for anyone interested in New Orleans burial customs, local history, ghost stories, or unusual evening sightseeing. It works especially well for couples, families with older children, friends, and solo visitors who want company after dark.

It is also a good choice if you want a cemetery experience without a long, strenuous walk. Most surfaces are flat, and the bus handles the distance between locations. But the vehicle is not wheelchair accessible, and everyone must be able to climb a few steps to board and leave the bus. Service animals are allowed.

You should be comfortable with a mixed tone. One moment may involve a joke or an EMF reading, and the next may focus on Hurricane Katrina or the details of burial practices. This is not a solemn memorial tour, but it is not only a scare show either.

Choose another experience if you specifically want Marie Laveau’s tomb. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is not part of this tour. Also choose another option if you want a quiet, private visit, since this is a group activity with a bus that may hold up to 42 people.

Tips for making the evening better

Arrive 15 minutes early and use the nearby French Quarter for food before departure. Wear walking shoes and layers, since the cemetery portion is outdoors and the tour runs in all weather.

Bring a camera, but keep your attention on the guide. The tombs are interesting to photograph, yet the stories about burial customs and the people connected with the sites are the part you cannot reproduce later.

If you are traveling with someone who uses a mobility device, contact the provider before booking. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, even though the walking itself is generally manageable for people who can climb the bus steps and walk on flat ground.

Finally, keep your schedule flexible. Parades, festivals, construction, and weather can alter the route. The main promise is access to Odd Fellows Rest, cemetery history, and a night ride through New Orleans, not a fixed list of every stop in a precise order.

Should you book this New Orleans cemetery tour?

Book it if you want exclusive nighttime access to Odd Fellows Rest, a guide-led look at New Orleans burial customs, and a little ghost-hunting fun without walking across the city. The tour is especially good when Jeff, Geoff, or J brings the energy and storytelling that this subject needs.

Think twice if you expect several full cemetery visits, Marie Laveau’s tomb, or a purely serious memorial experience. You may spend most of the evening at one private cemetery, see other sites from the bus or through a gate, and share the ride with a sizable group.

For most visitors, the combination of access, transportation, history, and atmosphere makes the $40.32 price fair. Go with comfortable shoes, a warm layer, and realistic expectations about what you will actually enter. That is the formula for a memorable and pleasantly spooky New Orleans evening.

FAQ

Which cemetery does the tour visit?

The tour typically visits Odd Fellows Rest, where it has exclusive access. It also passes Cypress Grove and Greenwood cemeteries and may visit the Charity Hospital Cemetery area.

Does the tour visit Marie Laveau’s tomb?

No. Marie Laveau’s tomb is in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, which is not included.

Does the tour visit the Hurricane Katrina Memorial?

Yes. The guide explains the lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina, and you can pay your respects at the related memorial cemetery.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tours, 620 Decatur Street, Suite 600, in New Orleans.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends back at the meeting point on Decatur Street.

Is parking available near the meeting point?

Limited parking is available nearby, and parking rates may vary. Walking, public transportation, or a ride-share service is recommended.

Can I bring a drink?

Yes. You may bring your own drink on the bus, but alcoholic beverages are not included. You can also purchase a drink during the stop at Morning Call Coffee Stand.

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 the bus.

What should I wear?

Wear comfortable shoes and layered clothing suited to the weather. The tour operates in all weather conditions.