5 Best Ghost and Mystery Tours in New Orleans

New Orleans' connection to 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 this reason, a ghost tour is considered one of the things to see and do in New Orleans, as you try to discover the reason behind the fascination and its link to the macabre.

In this article, I offer detailed information about the main ghost tours in the city. You'll be surprised to learn that there is much more variety than you might have imagined.

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

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

What do these tours include?

The tour usually begins with participants gathering at a pre-arranged meeting point at a specific time.

Details may vary slightly depending on the company you book with, but the meeting point is usually somewhere in the historic center of 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 ideal for travelers who are in town for a short stay, such as three days in New Orleans or less.

The group of tourists will embark on a walking tour to discover the most notable stories of witches, ghosts, and mysteries, as well as the spooky corners of the city where these stories took place.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is available from €28 or €30 per adult traveler; children aged 6 to 12 pay around €20.
• Duration: You should allow approximately 2 hours for the experience.
• Recommended if... You want to take the basic ghost tour of New Orleans for a fun and inexpensive experience that will allow you to meet other curious travelers like yourself, making the whole experience even more interesting.

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

Keep in mind that these types of experiences are less common than traditional tours with fewer providers. I recommend that my traveling friends book in advance, weeks before their trip.

What do these tours include?

Like traditional tours, this type of experience is conducted in medium-sized groups that usually do not exceed 20 travelers per tour. Seeking to add an extra touch of horror, the tours have names as spooky 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, on the outskirts of the French Quarter. The idea is to take the group of tourists through the most haunted and notable places in the famous French Quarter and the surrounding area to learn about the tragic history of its most famous ghosts.

These ghost tours take place at night, making it easy to fit this experience in with other notable activities, such as a food tour of New Orleans ora plantation tour. Both are highly recommended.

Keep in mind that the route and the places you visit may vary depending on the company you hire, the guide who accompanies you, and even the suggestions and questions of the group. However, some highlights you may see include the St. Germain House vampire lair, the home of the famous voodoo queen Marie Laveau, and terrifying places such as the famous Sultan's Palace.

Useful information

• Price: Available from $28 per traveler.
• Duration: You should set aside about 2 hours of your itinerary for this experience and arrive at the agreed meeting point on time.
• Recommended if... You want to hear real horror stories told without holding back; many of them may be sensitive for very young children, so the age of participants is restricted to 17 years and older.

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

As one of the most popular activities in the city, several local companies offer family experiences that children can easily join. Other companies offer exclusive tours whose main focus is the enjoyment of the youngest members of the family.

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

What do these tours include?

The most valuable element of this experience is the expert local history guide and their storytelling ability to entertain children and tourists alike.

Although this may vary depending on the company you hire, ghost tours are often offered in English only. If your children are not fluent in the language, ask about the availability of Spanish-speaking guides.

The tour usually takes place early in the evening, just before sunset, and can be complemented with a tour of the French Quarter.

As you walk through the highlights, the expert tour guide points out the city's most haunted places, sharing secret details about the spooky events and their unfortunate protagonists.

The narration and stories are totally appropriate for children; adults have as much fun with the stories as they do with the kids' reactions.

Useful information

• Price: Adults and children over 13 years old must pay around €35 for the experience, while children aged 6 to 12 pay €18; children under 6 years old have free access with most companies.
• Duration: Tours start at 6:00 p.m. and you should allow just under 2 hours to complete the experience.
• Recommended if... you are visiting the city with your family and don't want to miss out on the opportunity to take a ghost tour of the city.

If you're looking for a personalized experience and want to designa tailor-madeguided tour of New Orleans, consider hiring the services of a completely private sunset ghost tour.

Rated as one of the best experiences in the city, you'll learn a lot about local history and culture in just one night.

What do these tours include?

The features 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 set amount for the services of a guide who is an expert in the history and legends of New Orleans, and you can 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 travelers local guides who are trained to speak several languages, including Spanish, English, and French. If you are visiting the city in a group and English is not your forte, this may be the best way to enjoy the ghost tour experience without any complications.

Useful information

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

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

New Orleans is a city known 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'll find several companies offering this experience, and although certain features 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.

Keep in mind that prices vary depending on the services included by each company. Most of these tours in the lower price range include visits to several local bars, but drinks are not included and must be paid for by each traveler.

However, the expert guide's recommendations are highly valued, as they can offer the group specific guidelines on what to try at each stop.

Although it usually takes longer than the typical ghost tour, approximately 3 hours, it is still a short adventure. This allows you to combine it with other experiences such as a boat ride around the city or a tour of New Orleans' cemeteries during a short trip to the city.

Useful information

• Price: The price starts at €30 per person for tours that do not include drinks. You must be of legal drinking age in the United States, which is 21.
• Duration: I recommend setting aside about 3 hours for this experience.
• Recommended if... you want to experience the best of the city's nightlife in a single tour. These types of tours are a great opportunity to learn about the jazz culture of New Orleans through the city's most famous historic pubs, all tinged with ghost stories. Unique!

The ghost tour in New Orleans 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 result of a wild and tumultuous past, with stories capable of making even the bravest shiver.

Do you know the details of what happened on December 8, 1984, in the French Quarter? Your guide will tell you the whole story! These tours will take you through the neighborhoods, houses, and actual buildings that served as the setting for the most gruesome stories.

I believe that an expert guide is essential for this type of experience. When it comes to the historical past of New Orleans, its inhabitants take things very seriously and feel a special attachment to maintaining the accuracy and consistency of the events that shaped their history.

As a result, all tour guides in New Orleans must obtain a special license that certifies their historical knowledge and also serves to verify that they have no criminal record. Each guide renews their license after two years.