No Need for Exaggeration in
the Crescent City.
Red Sash Tours offers an authentic and captivating look at New Orleans' fascinating history and culture.
Owner and operator Sally Asher is an award-winning writer, author of multiple books, and in-demand lecturer. Her thoughtful and carefully curated tours prove that truth is always stranger than fiction, especially in New Orleans.
Make a Grave Choice.
St. Louis #3: Angels & Architecture
It’s been written that this cemetery has so many angels that one can “almost hear the beat of their wings.” Twice the size of St. Louis #1 and #2 combined, St. Louis #3 is the final resting place of many notables, including the famed architect whose ship went down in a hurricane with over a hundred prostitutes and circus performers, the secret photographer of Storyville, the city’s red light district, the Poet Priest, the Angel of the Delta, and some legendary chefs who collectively advanced the Civil Rights movement, restored horse racing in New Orleans, and (for better or worse) introduced the turducken to the United States.
Beignets & Burials: A Tour of Four Different Cemeteries
We start at the historic Morning Call restaurant with beignets and a drink. Next, visit four very different cemeteries. Tour highlights include visiting the graves of a Pulitzer prize-winning author, the man who spiced up New Orleans, the majestic bronze elks, and the largest assemblage of iron tombs. Red Sash Tours is the only private tour company allowed in both Greenwood and Cypress Grove Cemeteries.
Metairie Cemetery: Mausoleums & Millionaires
Metairie Cemetery (actually located in New Orleans) is home to some of the most elaborate and artistic marble tombs and funerary art in the city. This former racetrack is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is frequently ranked as one of the top cemeteries in the world. Metairie Cemetery has everyone from politicians, to jazz musicians to Storvyille madams to mob bosses, to fried-chicken tycoons, all nestled together in an 127-acre pastoral setting surrounded by shining pyramids, Greek Temples, Islamic pavilions, crying dogs, and mausoleums with weeping angels. Metairie Cemetery is not a burial place, but a burial destination.
A HISTORY RESTORED IS A HISTORY RESPECTED
Did you know that in many New Orleans cemeteries, experts estimate that 80% of the tombs are abandoned? Time, neglect, the elements, and unfortunately vandalism threaten to permanently destroy these marble, brick, and mortar monuments that symbolize our city’s history.
What People Are Saying
“Sally was amazing! She's an author of several books on New Orleans history and cemeteries. She really knows her stuff! Our first time to New Orleans and this was a great tour to "get our feet wet" on the who, what, where and why of cemeteries! Sally was so knowledgeable and thoughtful you can definitely tell she truly cares about the history, upkeep and preservation of these beautiful historical cemeteries.”
— Scott
“Sally’s tours are a mix of technical overview, historic and archeological interludes, and local insight, but above all they are labors of love. She reports on local eccentrics and celebrities but the truth is, she’s a real gem to New Orleans herself. She carefully crafts her tours to include a subtle progression of time and structures. From her many interviews and diligent research she is committed to sharing her love and passion for the city and all things that came before.”
— 626Lizaz
“Had a really cool time. We’ve done some walking tours in the past but this one really nailed it. The tour itself was nice. The guide was super informative. Lots of super specific facts that really made this tour fun and knowledgeable. Wasn’t stale or robotic. Totally recommend.”
— Amy L
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