Established in 1872 on a former racetrack (the grounds, you’ll notice, still follow the oval layout), this is the most American of New Orleans’ cities of the dead. Highlights include the Brunswig mausoleum, a pyramid guarded by a sphinx statue; the Moriarty monument, reputedly the ‘tallest privately owned monument’ in the country; and the Estelle Theleman Hyams monument, its stained-glass fixture casting a somber blue light over a slumped, despondent angel. A car helps for exploring the 150-acre grounds.
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Metairie Cemetery
New Orleans
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.7 MILES
Whatever happens in the French Quarter usually begins here in Jackson Square, at Decatur and St Peter Streets. It's a gentle, carnivalesque scene,…
1.59 MILES
Live oaks, Spanish moss and lazy bayous frame this masterpiece of urban planning. Three miles long and 1 mile wide, dotted with gardens, waterways and…
3.64 MILES
The former seat of government in colonial Louisiana now serves as the gateway to exploring the history of the state in general, and New Orleans in…
4.24 MILES
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3.64 MILES
One of the best examples of French architecture in the country, this triple-spired 18th-century cathedral is dedicated to Louis IX, the French king…
3.55 MILES
Royal Street, with its rows of high-end antique shops, galleries and potted ferns hanging from cast-iron balconies, is the elegant yin to well known…
3.88 MILES
The South has one of the most distinctive aesthetic cultures in the US artistic universe, a creative vision indelibly influenced by the region's…
Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
1.34 MILES
The sculpture garden that sits just outside the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park is a wooded quilt of streams, pathways, lovers' benches and, of…
Nearby New Orleans attractions
1. Carousel Gardens Amusement Park
1.02 MILES
This little amusement park is anchored by a 1906 carousel that's a gem of vintage carny-ride happiness. Other thrills include a Ferris wheel, bumper cars…
1.12 MILES
There are no rides at Storyland, located next to Carousel Gardens, but the fairy-tale statuary provides plenty of fuel for young imaginations. Children…
1.18 MILES
This eye-catching pavilion in City Park, built in 1907, is marked by Ionic columns and flanked by four lions. It looks like it was summoned via some time…
1.28 MILES
Located within City Park, both local and international flora is exhibited here. You'll also find stirring examples of Works Progress Administration (WPA)…
5. Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
1.34 MILES
The sculpture garden that sits just outside the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park is a wooded quilt of streams, pathways, lovers' benches and, of…
1.38 MILES
Inside City Park, this elegant museum was opened in 1911 and is well worth a visit for its special exhibitions, gorgeous marble atrium and top-floor…
1.57 MILES
This oak tree near Big Lake in City Park stands festooned with chimes, some up to 14ft in length. Standing under the tree during the slightest breeze is…
1.57 MILES
Back in the day, this was a true bayou – an overgrown morass of Spanish moss and prowling alligators. Native Americans, fur trappers and smugglers would…