Guided Tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 & Pitot House
Tour St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 and visit the 1799 Pitot House
Duration
2 Hours
Includes
Guided cemetery tour, Pitot House visit
Highlights
Explore St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 and step inside the historic Pitot House on a guided walk through New Orleans history. Learn about burial customs, notable residents, and a rare West Indies-style home from 1799.
- Tour St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 near Bayou St. John
- Learn about New Orleans burial customs as you walk among the tombs
- Hear stories of notable figures buried at St. Louis No. 3
- Cross Esplanade Avenue with your guide to the Pitot House
- Visit a West Indies-style house built in 1799 during the Spanish Colonial Period
- Review the booking alert: at least 4 guests must be signed up 12 hours before departure
Things to know
Meet at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 (3421 Esplanade Avenue). Please arrive 15 minutes early. The cemetery has no shade and can be hot.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel at least 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Cancellations made in 24 hours or less are not refundable. If Save Our Cemeteries cancels the tour due to weather or any other reason, you will receive a full refund or can reschedule.
FAQs
Yes. At least 4 guests must be signed up 12 hours before departure, or the tour will be cancelled.
Bring an umbrella (for sun or rain), bottled water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and wear comfortable shoes. The cemetery has no shade and it can be hot.
Arrive 15 minutes before the start time so you can begin on time.
Meeting details
1440 Moss Street New Orleans, LA 70119 • (504) 482-0312
More about St. Louis Cemetery No. 3
St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 sits along Esplanade Avenue at the edge of New Orleans' historic Faubourg St. John neighborhood, a quiet expanse of whitewashed tombs that has welcomed the city's departed since 1854. Unlike its more famous siblings closer to the French Quarter, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 remains one of the most peaceful and atmospheric of the city's above-ground burial grounds, where elaborate marble angels, wrought iron gates, and weathered family vaults tell the story of New Orleans' Creole, immigrant, and artistic communities. Paired with a guided visit to the nearby Pitot House, the oldest Creole colonial country house still standing on the Mississippi, this tour offers a layered look at how life and death shaped the cultural fabric of the city.
Walking the lanes of St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, you will pass the tombs of notable New Orleanians, from photographers and musicians to clergy and civic leaders, each monument a small chapter in the wider history of the neighborhood. Your guide points out the distinctive architectural details that set St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 apart, the symbolism carved into the stone, and the reasons New Orleans builds upward rather than below ground. The hush of the cemetery, broken only by birdsong and the rustle of oak leaves, contrasts beautifully with the bright interiors and breezy galleries of the Pitot House just a short walk away, where you will learn about plantation life along Bayou St. John in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
This experience is ideal for history lovers, architecture enthusiasts, photographers, and curious travelers who want to step beyond the usual French Quarter circuit. Families with older children interested in local heritage will find the pacing relaxed and the stories engaging, while returning visitors to New Orleans often appreciate the slower, more contemplative rhythm. If you want to understand the city's Creole roots, its relationship with the bayou, and the traditions that still shape its neighborhoods, a thoughtful visit to St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 alongside the Pitot House offers exactly that kind of meaningful afternoon.