Metairie Cemetery is one of the finest examples of above-ground burial architecture in the United States, and it draws visitors who are not ordinarily interested in cemeteries. The elaborate tombs, mausoleums, and family monuments along its curving lanes represent the full range of New Orleans funerary tradition, from elaborate Victorian marble to Egyptian Revival to the Society tombs that house the remains of Mardi Gras krewe members.
The cemetery is considerably less crowded than the famous cemeteries in the French Quarter and Garden District, which makes it easier to walk and look properly. A self-guided walking tour takes about ninety minutes. The monuments to Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard and to the firefighters of New Orleans are among the most impressive. It is freely accessible during daylight hours.