Ghost and Mystery Tours in New Orleans

The connection of New Orleans with the supernatural is undeniable and has influenced popular culture and the imagination of writers such as Anne Rice, who set her vampire and ghost stories in this mysterious city.

For that reason, a ghost tour is considered one of the activities to see and do in New Orleans; trying to discover in your tour the reason for the fascination and its link with the macabre.

In this article I offer you detailed information about the main ghost tours in the city. I'm sure you will be surprised to know that there is much more variety than you first imagined.

Spooky stories in New Orleans can be found in every corner of the city. This type of experience takes you hand in hand with an expert guide through the highlights of the city to learn about its most famous witches, the most terrifying ghosts and the sad stories that condemned them to wander in the world of the living.

This is one of the best things to do in the city at night so you will find dozens of local companies offering this experience.

What do these tours include?

Normally, the tour starts with the participants meeting at a pre-arranged meeting point at a certain time.

Details may vary slightly depending on the company you hire for the experience, but the meeting point can be anywhere in historic downtown New Orleans, such as Jackson Square or the surrounding area.

In most cases, this type of experience takes place at the end of the day, making it an ideal experience for travelers who are in the city for short stays, such as three days in New Orleans or less.

The tour group will embark on a walking tour adventure to learn about the most prominent witch, ghost and mystery stories, as well as the spooky corners of the city that featured in those stories.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is available from 28€ or 30€ per adult traveler; children from 6 to 12 years old pay about 20€.
• Duration: You should reserve approximately 2 hours for the experience.
• Recommended yes. You want to do the basic ghost tour of New Orleans in a fun and inexpensive experience that will allow you to meet other curious travelers like you; to make it all even more interesting.

Those who want to take the experience to the next level might find it interesting to take an adults-only ghost tour; a minimum age of 17 is required to participate. If you like horror and scary stories, you won't regret it!

Keep in mind that this type of experience is less common than traditional tours with a smaller number of vendors. I recommend my traveler friends to book in advance weeks before their trip.

What do these tours include?

Like the traditional tour, this type of experience is done in medium-sized groups that typically do not exceed 20 travelers per excursion. Seeking to add an extra touch of creepiness, the tours carry such spooky names as Hell Vision or similar.

You meet up with the rest of the group and a native historian guide at a meeting point which may be Louis Armstrong Park, just outside the French Quarter. The idea is to take the tour group through the spookiest and most prominent places in and around the famous French Quarter to learn about the tragic history of its most famous ghosts.

These ghost tours take place at night so it is very easy to accommodate this experience with other outstanding activities, such as a gastronomic tour of New Orleans or a tourof the plantations. Both are highly recommended.

Keep in mind that the tour and the places to visit may vary depending on the company you hire, the guide that accompanies you and even the suggestions and questions of the group. However, some of the highlights you can visit are the vampire lair St. Germain House, the house of the famous voodoo queen Marie Laveau or terrible places like the famous Sultan's Palace.

Useful information

• Price: Available from 28€ per traveler.
• Duration: You will need to reserve about 2 hours of your itinerary for this experience and arrive on time at the agreed meeting point.
• Recommended if... You want to know true horror stories told in a straightforward manner; many of them may be sensitive for very young children, so the age of participants is restricted to 17 years or older.

Now, don't think that if you' re visiting New Orleans with children for a family vacation you'll have to rule out a ghost tour from your activities. Of course not!

As one of the most sought-after activities in the city, several local companies offer family experiences that kids can easily join. Other companies offer exclusive tours whose main focus is to entertain the youngest members of the household.

As with other exclusive experiences, my recommendation is that, once you find the right provider, make reservations in advance as these activities have a limited number of participants.

What do these tours include?

The most valuable element in this experience is the expert guide in local history and his narrative ability to entertain children and tourists alike.

Although this is an aspect that can change depending on the company you hire, ghost tours are often offered in English only. If your children are not fluent in English, ask about the availability of guides in Spanish.

The tour usually takes place at an early hour just before sunset and can be complemented with a tour of the French Quarter.

As you walk through the highlights, the expert guide in charge of the tour highlights the most haunted places in the city, telling secret details about the spooky events and their unfortunate protagonists.

The narration and stories are entirely appropriate for children; adults are amused by both the stories and the reactions of the little ones.

Useful information

• Price: Adults and children over 13 pay about €35 for the experience while children 6-12 pay €18; children under 6 are free with most companies.
• Duration: They take place at 18h and you should book just under 2 hours to complete the experience.
• Recommended if you are visiting the city with your family and do not want to miss the opportunity to take a ghost tour of the city.

If personalized experiences are your thing and you want to custom designa guided tour of New Orleans, consider hiring the services of a totally private sunset ghost tour.

Rated as one of the best experiences to do in the city, you can learn a lot about local history and culture in one night.

What do these tours include?

The characteristics of these guided tours may vary slightly depending on the company you hire to carry out the experience.

For example, on a private tour you will pay a fee for the services of a guide who is an expert in the history and legends of New Orleans and you will be able to add members of your group or family to the tour. Depending on the company you hire, the number of participants may be limited to 8, 10 or 15 people.

Another important advantage to consider is that the companies that organize these tours offer the traveler local guides trained to speak several languages including Spanish, English and French. If you are visiting the city in a group and are not good at English, this may be the best way to enjoy the ghost tour experience without complications.

Useful information for private groups

• Price: This is a somewhat more expensive experience, as the private tour has a cost of approximately 550€. However, you can add a large group of friends.
• Duration: You will need to reserve a little over 2 hours to complete the experience.
• Recommended yes. You want to live an immersive experience and have a personal guide to design a tailor-made tour. This experience is certainly one of the best ways to get to know New Orleans, highly recommended if you can afford it.

A clever way to combine some of the best things to do in the city at night: an overnight ghost tour combined with a visit to the best pubs in New Orleans.

New Orleans is a city noted for its fun nightlife that vibrates to the beat of good jazz and Latin rhythms, so you'll find several local companies offering this type of experience to travelers.

What do these tours include?

In the city you will find several companies that offer this experience and, although certain characteristics may vary, most tours are conducted in small groups with a maximum of 10 people.

An expert guide accompanies the group from the meeting point to the end of the tour.

Take into consideration that prices vary according to the services included in the companies. Most excursions in the more economical range include a visit to several local bars, but not drinks, which must be paid for by each traveler.

However, the recommendation of an expert guide who can offer the group specific guidelines on what to try at each stop is highly valued.

Although it tends to take longer than the typical ghost tour, approximately 3 hours, it is still a short duration adventure. This allows you to combine it with other experiences such as a boat ride in the city or a tour of the cemeteries of New Orleans for a short time in the city.

Useful information

• Price: The price to pay is from 30€ per traveler in the tours that do not include drinks. You must be at least 21 years old to drink alcohol in the United States.
• Duration: I recommend booking a full 3 hours for this experience.
• Recommended if you want to experience the best of the city's nightlife in one tour. This type of tour is a great opportunity to get to know the Jazz culture in New Orleans by the hand of the most outstanding historic pubs in the city; all this tinged with ghost stories. unique!

The New Orleans ghost tour is one of the most popular guided tours in the city and for good reason! The city of New Orleans is often described as the most haunted city in the United States, the fruit of a wild and tumultuous past, with stories that can make the skin crawl of the bravest.

Do you know in detail the events that took place on December 8, 1984 in the French Quarter? Your guide will tell you the story in detail! These tours will take you through the neighborhoods, houses and real buildings that served as the setting for the most lurid stories.

I believe that to carry out this type of experience the accompaniment of an expert guide is essential. When it comes to the historical past of New Orleans, its inhabitants take things very seriously and feel a special attachment to maintain the veracity and consistency of the facts that marked its history.

As a result, it has been established that all tour guides in New Orleans must obtain a special license that certifies their historical knowledge and also serves to verify that they do not have a criminal record. Each guide renews his license after two years of validity.