You meet your guide at a historic bar courtyard on Bourbon Street and walk through the French Quarter for 1–2 hours, stopping at Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, and other landmarks while hearing ghost, voodoo, and vampire stories. You can check out a real EMF paranormal detector to use during the walk, grab a drink at bars along the route, and take photos. The tour moves at a moderate pace and includes a local guide; drinks and gratuities are separate. Arrive a few minutes early to check in at the Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop gates.
"So we're actually going to use this thing to detect paranormal activity?" That's the question most people ask when they see the EMF meter at the start of this French Quarter walking tour. Your guide meets you at the gates of the courtyard attached to Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar on Bourbon Street—a National Historic Landmark built between 1772 and 1791—and from there you're walking into the Vieux Carré with a local who knows the neighborhood's real history, not just the postcard version. The tour runs 1 to 2 hours depending on how long you spend at stops along the way, and it covers the French Quarter's layered past: the colonial architecture, the ghost stories, the voodoo traditions, the vampire legends. You'll pass Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, the Presbytere, and the Ursuline Convent—all of them tied to something darker or stranger than the guidebooks mention.
What makes this different from a standard history walk is the paranormal angle. If you want to use the EMF meter yourself during the tour, you can check one out at the start (just bring your name, phone number, address, and booking reference). It's not a guarantee you'll capture anything—the tour operators are clear about that—but guests have taken paranormal photos here before, and the equipment adds a layer of engagement that keeps the walk from feeling like a lecture. You're actively looking, listening, and moving through the streets at a moderate pace. The bars along the route stay open, so you can stop and grab a drink if you want (not included in the ticket price), and some spots have to-go windows if you'd rather not go inside. Just know that some bars don't allow children, and if you're bringing kids, they need to be with an adult.
The tour departs at the scheduled time from the Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop gates, so arrive a few minutes early to check in with your guide. Late arrivals won't be refunded, and the group moves together—no walking off to take photos on your own. The French Quarter itself has old, uneven streets and walkways, so wear shoes you can walk in for a couple of hours. Tours run rain or shine, and there's no refund for weather. If the tour does get canceled due to low numbers (there's a minimum group size), you'll get a text or email up to an hour before departure, and you can either switch to another time or get your money back.
Operated by New Orleans Drunk History Tours • Show Me New Orleans Tours
Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want the French Quarter's history and ghost stories from someone who lives there, without arranging your own route or timing—the local guide and fixed schedule handle both, and the paranormal angle keeps it engaging beyond a standard walk.
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1h–2h · EN
from US$ 35 per person
★★★★★★★★★★3.0012 reviews