New Orleans: Cocktail & Ghost Tour with Local Historian

Cocktails and Real Ghosts: A New Orleans Evening with Someone Who Knows the Bars

You walk the French Quarter's haunted streets with a guide who has exclusive access to bars most pub crawls can't reach, sipping cocktails while hearing documented ghost stories tied to the city's actual history. The tour lasts two to three hours, stays grounded in research rather than theatrics, and works best if you're curious about what makes New Orleans tick rather than just looking for a party. Book it if you want the drinking and the history to feel like one thing, not two.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening cocktail and ghost tour

• Meet guide in New Orleans
• Walk cobbled alleys
• Listen to historically sourced ghost stories
• Visit select cocktail venues
• Learn about city history and Voodoo
• Enjoy recommended drinks
• Share stories with fellow travelers

The experience

I didn't expect the first ghost story to land so hard, not because it was spooky in a cheap way, but because it was real. The guide on this New Orleans cocktail and ghost tour doesn't do the cape-and-fog routine. Instead, he walks you through the French Quarter's actual haunted locations and tells you the documented stories that made them that way, the ones sourced from the cultures that built the city. Between stops, you're sipping drinks at bars he's cultivated relationships with over years of leading tours: places that don't usually open their doors to standard pub crawls. That access matters. It changes what the night feels like.

The structure is simple but deliberate. You walk cobbled alleys, stop at select venues for a drink, and between each one, the guide ties the location's history (its ghosts, its drinking legacy, its architecture) into a narrative that actually holds together. It's not a list of facts. It's a show, but one built on research, not invention. The stories are verifiable. The drinks are good. And the people on the tour are there because they want to understand the place, not just get drunk in it. That distinction shapes everything about how the evening moves.

The tour runs about two to three hours and covers dark history. The kind that matters to understanding New Orleans. If you've experienced recent loss or trauma, the guide asks that you reach out beforehand. He's transparent about what the content includes and will work with you on it. The route is wheelchair accessible, and public transit is nearby if you need it. Small groups keep the pace intimate and the conversation real, which is where the best stories come out.

What’s included

The tour includes years of well-researched stories and history sourced from New Orleans, access to exclusive or preferential venues that standard pub crawls don't reach, cocktails at select bars, walking tours of haunted and historical locations in the French Quarter, and a guide who ties the city's drinking legacy, ghost stories, architecture, and culture into a cohesive narrative.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 17:00 and 20:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (21 and older) · Under 21: can't be booked

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessiblePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by You've Got A Buddy Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to drink and learn at the same time, and you're curious enough about New Orleans to sit with its real history: the kind that doesn't come with a punchline. The guide's years of access to bars and his research into documented stories is what makes the evening feel like something other than a standard crawl.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the New Orleans cocktail and ghost tour?

The tour runs approximately two to three hours, including walking between venues and stops for drinks and stories.

What bars do you visit on this tour?

The guide has exclusive or preferential access to select venues that aren't part of standard pub crawls. The specific bars vary, but they're chosen to support the tour's narrative around New Orleans' cocktail and ghost history.

Are the ghost stories real or made up?

The stories are historically sourced and documented. The guide uses actual accounts from the cultures that created New Orleans, not invented tales or vampire folklore.

Is this a party crawl or a serious tour?

It's described as a professional drinking event: a full tour that combines history, architecture, and ghost stories with cocktails. It's designed for people who want to understand the places they visit, not a high-energy party crawl.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Public transportation options are also available nearby.

What if I'm uncomfortable with dark history or ghost content?

The tour covers dark history, and the guide asks that guests with concerns about trauma or recent tragedy reach out beforehand so he can discuss the content with you.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It involves walking through the French Quarter, but the pace is set for a mixed group.

Can I bring a service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.