Discovering Haunted New Orleans On A Ghost Tour

If you are into creepy history or want to learn a bit more about the haunted spots in New Orleans, then you will definitely want to sign yourself up for a ghost tour of the city! In fact, I would definitely say that a ghost tour is one of the top 15 things you must do in New Orleans!

After a walking tour of the French Quarter and famous Saint Louis No. 1 Cemetery on my first day in New Orleans, I was left wanting to learn more about the creepy history the city is known for.

To satisfy my ever-growing curiosity, I decided to head out on a nighttime Ghost Tour of New Orleans with Legendary Walking Tours.

If you aren’t into scary stories, dark history, or murder mysteries (or have small children) then you may just want to stick with a French Quarter or cemetery walking tour. However, if you are looking for something a little more spooky, you won’t be disappointed.

Because I’m totally dramatic and really wanted to ~paint a picture~ I made the photos for this post all black and white! If you’d like to see my more colorful city pictures, check out my Instagram @missadventuresabroad, or my other posts on New Orleans! 

Legendary Walking Tours Ghost Tour

After checking in at the Legendary Walking Tours office, our tour guide Ray introduced himself and gave us a few notes before the tour started. We then headed out into the night, excited to hear some creepy tales. I thought Ray was a very informative guide, and I really enjoyed how he sticks to the facts and let you draw your own conclusions about New Orleans’ haunted history.

Spooky Spots

The Haunted LaLaurie Mansion

Or first stop was, in my opinion, the absolute creepiest, probably because it is one of the city’s most notoriously creepy spots. The LaLaurie Mansion is notorious for the downright evil events that took place inside its walls. For those who are fans of American Horror Story, you will recognize her fictionalized story from the third season, Coven. Madame LaLaurie (1780 – 1849) is infamous for her brutal torture, mistreatment, and murder of many slaves owned by her family. I don’t want to give away all of the details here, but the story is absolutely chilling (I got goosebumps). Today, the house is believed to be haunted, and Nicholas Cage is even said to have moved out (like many residents before him) because the house is cursed.

Vampires of New Orleans: Count Saint Germain

The next creepy location we visited is the former residence of the 18th century Count Saint Germain, a rumored “vampire” who enjoyed collecting (and consuming) the blood of local ladies. Eventually, he was caught, and it was discovered his wine cellar was actually filled with bottles of blood! The creepiest part? He completely vanished, never to be definitively seen again.

Today there are actually vampire bars you can visit in New Orleans, if that is what floats your boat.

Haunted Hotels: The Cornstalk Hotel and Andrew Jackson Hotel

The Cornstalk Hotel and Andrew Jackson Hotel are located side by side and are rumored to be some of the areas most haunted locations to get a nights sleep (or lie awake all night terrified of paranormal activity). Our guide explained that many people on his tours discover the most paranormal energy here, and even shared a few personal stories and accounts told to him by hotel guests.

While I don’t want to give away the whole story here, I will encourage you to take pictures! Many people discover orbs of color/energy in their photos while on the tour and after, and Ray even had some photos he had taken with distinct fields of color.

Whether you choose to believe it or not, after hearing the stories I was pretty convinced! A few people in the group actually got photos with dots of light in them, so you’ll have to see for yourself if you can see any mysterious energy when you visit.

The House of Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau

New Orleans is well known for voodoo, but Ray explained that much of what we know about the practice is greatly sensationalized by Hollywood. The ghost tour was a great way to learn a little bit more about voodoo and its significance in New Orleans. On the tour, you’ll pass by the former residence of Marie Laveau, the famous 19th-century voodoo practitioner who is reportedly buried in Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1. While you do not visit the cemetery on the tour, if you chose to visit, you’ll find her possible burial sites marked with XXX.

Overall Thoughts

These weren’t the only stops we made along the 2-hour tour, but they were the spots that left the biggest impression on me. If you enjoy haunted history and would like to hear more about these creepy locations, then you can learn more about New Orleans Legendary Walking Tours here.

I recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and dressing for the weather. If you think you might see some New Orleans rain, then be sure to bring an umbrella or raincoat as well!

Also, if you have children, this may not be the best tour for them as some of the stories are graphic or scary. If you aren’t sure, you can always contact the company directly with questions on tour content, I found the staff to be extremely helpful!

I had an excellent time on the ghost tour and loved hearing some of the creepy tales that make New Orleans so unique.

Disclaimer: This post was written in partnership with New Orleans Legendary Walking Tours. As always, my opinions are my own!

---

Have you ever been on a haunted history or ghost tour, or would you dare to go on one? Tell me about it in the comments!

You might also enjoy these posts:

• Top 15 Things You Must Do In New Orleans, Louisiana
• Exploring New Orleans’ French Quarter + Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
• Getting Wild in New Orleans: Honey Island Swamp Tour With Cajun Encounters
• The Suite Life: Checking Into New Orleans’ Historic Pontchartrain Hotel
• Discovering Louisiana’s Historic Plantations: Oak Alley And Laura

Pin this for later!