Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour in New Orleans

The dead get better architecture here. New Orleans’ Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour leaves the French Quarter for above-ground tombs, unusual burial customs, and a night ride through quieter parts of the city. I like the after-dark cemetery access, which is rare in New Orleans, and the chance to see how Masonic burial grounds differ from the city’s better-known Catholic cemeteries. The main catch is that the tour’s mood can depend heavily on your guide and the group: some departures feel like ghost hunting, while others feel more like a loud party bus with a few cemetery stops.

I also like the low $30 price, especially because transportation, a guide, cemetery entry, and a stop with food and bathrooms are included. Still, you should not book this expecting a tightly scripted haunted attraction. The storytelling ranges from excellent to thin, and music can be loud enough to bother some passengers.

Key points to know before booking

• Masonic Temple Cemetery #2 is the main nighttime stop: See compact above-ground tombs, lodge tombs, iron fences, and a cemetery shaped around Masonic symbolism.
• The bus leaves the French Quarter: You get beyond the usual Bourbon Street circuit and into areas many short New Orleans visits miss.
• BYOB changes the tone: You may bring your own drinks, but responsible behavior is required, and the atmosphere can lean toward a social party ride.
• Guide quality matters: Henry, Roy, and Ray have drawn especially warm praise for humor, local knowledge, and engaging storytelling.
• Morning Call Cafe provides a useful break: You can buy coffee and beignets, and the stop may also serve as your only bathroom opportunity.
• Marie Laveau’s tomb is not included: The tour visits other cemeteries and notable resting places, but not St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.

Leaving the French Quarter for the City of the Dead

The tour begins at Voodoo Tavern and Poboys at 1140 Decatur Street, in the French Quarter. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. This is not just a polite suggestion. The meeting point can become crowded, and one departure had trouble with late arrivals and an overbooked bus.

The tavern gives you a practical place to buy a drink before setting off. Since this is a BYOB tour, you can bring your own libation, but drinks are not included in the ticket. The company asks passengers to drink responsibly and warns that disruptive behavior can get you removed from the tour.

From the start, expect a casual, social mood rather than a quiet historical seminar. Some departures use lively music during the ride. That works well if you want a loose New Orleans night out, but it can disappoint you if you are hoping for constant narration or a spooky soundtrack. If loud music bothers you, ask about seating before the bus fills. One passenger found the sound at the back intense enough to trigger tinnitus.

The bus can carry up to 56 people, though some groups may be smaller. That maximum matters. A full vehicle can make boarding, listening, and keeping track of your group less easy. Sit where you can hear the guide, and stay alert when the group moves between stops.

Masonic Temple Cemetery #2 after dark

The first major stop is Masonic Temple Cemetery #2, founded in 1865 by the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana Free and Accepted Masons. It differs from the Catholic cemeteries that usually define the New Orleans cemetery experience.

The cemetery occupies two oddly shaped city blocks, with Conti Street cutting between them. Its triangular plan and angular walkways echo the Masonic square and compass emblem. Cast-iron fences enclose the two sections, while oak trees line the northern and western edges.

The tombs are arranged in tight rows parallel to Bienville Street. A broad paved promenade runs through the center, with smaller paths leading between the rows. After dark, the ironwork, old trees, and pale tombs create the right setting for ghost stories, even if the cemetery itself may be well lit.

You will spend about 30 minutes here. The walking is not strenuous, but you will need to manage steps on and off the bus and walk on mostly flat paths. Comfortable shoes are the sensible choice. Layered clothing also helps, since New Orleans evenings can feel different from the warm streets near the river.

The cemetery’s unusual tombs are worth seeing even if you remain skeptical about ghosts. Masonic members pooled money for large communal tombs, a practice that helps explain why some structures look so different from individual family vaults. That social history is one of the tour’s strongest subjects.

The quality of this stop rests largely with the guide. Henry has received praise for explaining burial customs while keeping the mood light. Roy has also been singled out for making the walk interactive and helping interested passengers use an EMF reader. Ray is another guide associated with a fun, attentive departure.

But you may not get a long, detailed talk at every grave. Some guides give a short introduction, point out a few notable sites, then allow you to explore. If you want a carefully built ghost narrative with one story leading into the next, this can feel too brief.

Above-ground tombs and New Orleans burial customs

New Orleans’ above-ground tombs are not just a spooky backdrop. They reflect the city’s burial traditions and the practical realities of its wet ground. This tour gives you a chance to see that tradition in a Masonic setting rather than only hearing about it in the French Quarter.

I find this part more valuable than the paranormal claims. You can take in the compact rows, communal structures, and cemetery design, then decide for yourself what you think about orbs, spirits, and EMF readings. The guide may encourage you to use your camera to look for strange lights or other signs of activity.

Bring a phone or camera if that sounds entertaining, but keep your expectations sensible. A photograph with an orb is not proof of anything, and dust, moisture, or reflections can create odd shapes. The fun comes from looking closely and comparing impressions with the group.

The tone is not always frightening. Some departures feel genuinely atmospheric, especially during the late 11 p.m. tour. Others are too brightly lit or too noisy to create much tension. You are paying for access, transport, and interpretation, not a professional haunted-house production.

City Park, old oaks, and a beignet break

The bus passes through City Park, a 1,300-acre public park that has been part of New Orleans life since 1854. It is one of the oldest urban parks in the United States, with historic oak trees and moss-covered canopies.

This portion gives the evening a change of pace. The park’s trees have framed dances, concerts, and old-fashioned duels known as affaires d’honneur. At night, the oaks provide a fitting setting for local tales, though the exact amount of time you spend outside the bus can vary by departure.

The tour stops at Morning Call Cafe, where you can buy coffee and beignets. This is a small but important part of the schedule. The stop may provide your best chance to use a bathroom, since at least one departure ran for more than two hours without another restroom break.

Do not count on the food being included. You pay for your own coffee, beignets, and any other purchases. For many people, that is a pleasant pause rather than a drawback. A warm beignet and coffee can reset the mood after a cemetery walk, especially on a late departure.

The break also shows the tour’s mixed identity. It is part cemetery history, part ghost hunt, and part evening outing. If you want nonstop tales of the supernatural, the cafe stop may seem like lost time. If you want a relaxed night with friends, it fits nicely.

The Hurricane Katrina Memorial and a quieter ending

The tour concludes its sightseeing at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, a somber site connected to the 2005 levee failures. The memorial honors 85 unclaimed victims.

This is not a spooky stop in the same way as the cemetery. It is a place for a pause and a reminder that New Orleans’ relationship with death is not only a matter of folklore, old tombs, or ghost stories. The city’s burial sites also reflect recent grief and the lasting effects of disaster.

The route may also include the Charity Hospital pauper’s field, Odd Fellows Rest, and other cemeteries. The exact mix can vary, but the tour generally gives you a broader look at burial places than the Masonic cemetery alone. Odd Fellows Rest is associated with a little-known fraternal society, adding another angle to the city’s network of private and communal burial grounds.

You return to the original meeting point at Voodoo Tavern and Poboys. The full experience lasts about two hours, though you should allow extra time if the bus is delayed or a stop runs long. One practical concern is group coordination. Keep an eye on the bus and listen carefully before walking away from a stop. A reported mix-up left passengers behind temporarily, which is not the kind of ghost story you want to create for yourself.

What the $30 ticket really buys

At $30 per person, this is one of the cheaper guided evening activities in New Orleans. You receive a driver-guide, live commentary on the bus, transportation outside the French Quarter, access to the cemetery, and return transport to the starting point.

That is fair value if you mainly want a way to reach cemeteries after dark. Getting to these areas on your own takes more planning, and a guide adds context that you would miss by simply walking past the gates. The tour also bundles a City Park drive, a cafe break, and the Katrina memorial into one short outing.

The value drops if your main goal is detailed storytelling. Some departures offer only a few stories before giving you time to wander. In that case, you are paying more for transport and atmosphere than for a sustained historical presentation.

The guide makes the difference. Henry and Roy have been praised for humor and clear explanations, while Ray has earned strong marks for his personality and care for the group. Other departures have been criticized for loud music, limited information, or too much time spent at the bar compared with the cemetery.

This inconsistency is worth considering before you buy. The overall rating is strong, but the individual experience can shift with the guide, group size, traffic, and expectations. Treat it as a casual ghost-themed bus tour, not a guaranteed theatrical performance.

BYOB rules, comfort, and practical planning

Bring only what you can manage responsibly. The BYOB setup is a bonus for adults who want a drink during the ride, but it can change the atmosphere quickly. Some groups behave well and enjoy the social side. Others may turn the bus into a party space, with loud music and conversation competing with the guide.

The tour is offered in English. Most people who can walk on flat surfaces and manage a few bus steps can take part, but the vehicle is not wheelchair accessible. Service animals are allowed, and the experience is suitable for children age six and older, though the subject matter includes death, disasters, and disturbing ghost tales.

Parking near Decatur Street is limited and paid. I would walk, use public transportation, or arrange a rideshare if you are staying nearby. Public transportation stops are available close to the meeting point.

Wear smart-casual clothes and comfortable shoes. The tour does not require strenuous walking, but cemetery paths and nighttime conditions call for sensible footwear. Bring a light layer, your phone or camera, and patience for a variable schedule.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Inside that window, you normally receive no refund. Poor weather or failure to reach the minimum group size can lead to a rescheduled tour or full refund.

Is this New Orleans ghost tour right for you?

I would book this tour if you want an inexpensive way to see above-ground tombs after dark, enjoy a drink with friends, and hear some local stories outside the French Quarter. It is especially suitable for first-time visitors who want a simple evening plan and do not mind a relaxed, informal format.

I would skip it if you want Marie Laveau’s tomb, a polished dramatic production, or a nonstop account of New Orleans’ haunted past. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, where Marie Laveau is buried, is not part of this experience.

For the best chance of a good outing, arrive early, sit where you can hear, keep track of the bus at every stop, and ask for a guide who focuses on cemetery history as well as ghost hunting. If Henry, Roy, or Ray is leading your departure, you may get the lively, informed version of the tour that makes the $30 worthwhile. If your ideal evening is quiet and serious, the BYOB party-bus element may leave you cold.

FAQ

Where does the Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour begin?

The tour begins at Voodoo Tavern and Poboys, located at 1140 Decatur Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The tour returns to this same meeting point.

How early should I arrive?

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure. If you drive, allow extra time for traffic and limited paid parking near the French Quarter.

Which cemeteries does the tour visit?

The tour typically visits Masonic Temple Cemetery #2, the Charity Hospital pauper’s field, and other cemeteries. It also includes the Hurricane Katrina Memorial and may visit Odd Fellows Rest.

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 guide does visit other notable tombs and resting places.

Can I bring my own drinks?

Yes. Drinks are not included, but you may bring your own. Responsible drinking is required, and anyone who becomes disruptive may be asked to leave.

Is the tour suitable for children?

The tour is limited to people age six and older. It includes morbid stories and subjects, so parents should decide if the material suits younger children.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

No. The bus is not wheelchair accessible. You must be able to walk and manage several steps when boarding and leaving the bus.