Cemeteries, New Orleans

In New Orleans, because of the groundwater level, graves are above-ground and look like small concrete houses. Although the resulting cemeteries are fascinating and historic, they are also dangerous because you can't see criminals lurking around corners.

If these Cities of the Dead interest you, sign up for a guided tour. Trying to do it on your own may result in your staying there much longer than you planned. Like, permanently.

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Our city tour took us to St. Louis Cemetery #3. I didn't know it at the time, but the cemetery that people usually visit is St. Louis Cemetery #1 which has a high rate of crime associated with it. There are plenty of places to hide due to the monuments being above ground, and then the miscreants can jump out and mug or rob people. Perhaps that is one reason that we went to #3.

I did not have any idea that I should stay with the group to be safe, and the guide did not warn us to do so. But I didn't see anyone there other than our group. So maybe there was no problem, and maybe I was just lucky.

I didn't experience it, but can understand and appreciate the warnings about muggers in cemeteries. We went to the Lafayette cememtery as it was deemed "safe to explore without a guide/ tour". It was plenty creepy and you could see how tourists could easily become a victim of a mugging with all the places to hide.

When you see a movie shot in New Orleans, you always see the Cemetary's and think "Wow, looks cool! Let''s go!". Do youselves a favor and don't. The area's where the cemetary's are tend to be in bad area's (ie: I have a gun and I would like you to tell me how it taste in your mouth while I take your wallet bad). I do not recommend you go there. If you do go there, hold on to everything you have and be on the lookout. Do not go at night.

If you want to see cool cemetary's, go to Paris.

We just got back from NOLA, and toured St Louis 's 1, 2 , Greenview, and the Masonic Cemetery. We had no scares or worries. We even went to a very old one called Holt Cemetery at night, then back the nest day. It was where the very poor are buried, below ground, and the difference between the fancy tombs and monuments and the hand made tributes was touching and heartbreaking. Even at night, on a cloudy night, it wasn't dark enough to need a flashlight. There were 9 of us, so we at no time felt unsafe. BOURBON STREET, however, was another kettle of fish entirely. .......

If you want to risk it, but it is a lot smarter to go there in an organized group, it is in one of the most dangerous areas of the city, and which streets you take to walk there could be life or death, ask a local cop on the street if you can get ones attention.

New Orleans is a city with one of the highest criminality of the United States. This is something you should keep in mind. We haven't had any problems, but you never know. In the french quarter it is save (even to go out at night), in the other districts ?? (I don't know). But we made all our trips with a guide, especially the cemetery is a place where a lot of robberies take place. Just be carefull, but most of all ENJOY!!

It's not safe to go outside the Old town at night, especially near the cemeteries far from city. Actually, I found some dangerous people near the Canal street, but usually the city was nice and friendly all the time.

Not to visit to New Orleans is complete without a tour of the city's historic cemeteries,
Lafeyette Cemetery No.1 and St.Louis Cemetery No,1.
cemeteries shuld be toured with a large group or police only.Cemeteries should not be toured at night.
Do not chase after a purse snatcher.

The above-ground cemeteries in New Orleans have long been a tourist draw - and for good reason. The funereal architecture is unique to New Orleans and quite beautiful in its own right. Add into the mix some very famous and infamous characters in the history of New Orleans, and there is good reason for wanting to see them first hand. But before you venture into St. Louis Cemetery #1 or #2, book a tour which includes these locations. Those cemeteries (final resting places of the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, and of civil rights icon Homer Plessy, to name just a couple) are on the fringes of the French Quarter and border some of the more violent public housing projects in the city. The location, in addition to the tall structures and narrow alleyways in the cemeteries themselves, make it very easy to get mugged - or worse - if visiting alone. There are safety in numbers, so spring for the $15 to take the tour!