New Orleans Halloween: 13+ Best Ghost Tours and Spooky Events

Spending Halloween in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an absolute must. In this famous Louisiana city you’ll find elaborate Halloween costumes, world-renowned parades, family-friendly events, haunted tours through the French Quarter, historic world famous cemeteries, ghostbusting lessons, and everything in between.

If you’re looking to celebrate Halloween night right, NOLA is the place to go. Get into the spirit of the season with one of these spooky experiences for a raucous New Orleans Halloween!

NEW ORLEANS HALLOWEEN: CEMETERY TOURS

BYOB NIGHTLY CEMETERY BUS TOUR

Are you ready to get a little…spooked?  The BYOB Nightly Cemetery Bus Tour takes you inside some of the Crescent City’s historic cemeteries – at night!  You will enjoy a narrated tour aboard an air-conditioned mini-bus that will make stops at several cemeteries throughout the 2-hour tour.

The NOLA Ghost Riders will share their favorite ghost stories that are guaranteed to leave you feeling a little uneasy! And it’s a BYOB tour, so feel free to bring along whatever drink you like.  May I suggest something that helps you relax?

Get your BYOB Nightly Cemetery Bus Tour tickets from Tripshock.

NEW ORLEANS CEMETERY INSIDERS TOUR

The New Orleans Cemetery Insiders Tour is a 1.5-hour walking tour that takes you through three of New Orleans’ historical cemeteries.

Your guide will take you through the Masonic Cemetery #1, St. Patrick Cemetery #2, and the Katrina Memorial at Charity Hospital Cemetery. You’ll learn about burial customs and traditions, the history of religions in NOLA, and more.

This tour works for guests of all ages. Get your New Orleans Cemetery Insiders Tour tickets from Tripshock for the best deals.

WALKING TOURS

4-IN-1 TOUR

Experience four tours at once with the 4-in-1 Ghosts, Voodoo, Vampires, and Witchcraft Tour!

Your energetic guide will take you to visit some of the spookiest sights in the French Quarter. Hear stories about the LaLaurie House, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, and Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar.  In addition to learning more about voodoo, vampires, and witchcraft, this tour guarantees you will experience spiritual turbulence!  Say what?!

And because I know you wouldn’t want to experience all of this without your whole family, even your leashed dog can join in the fun! 

Reserve your 4-in-1 Ghosts, Voodoo, Vampires, and Witchcraft Tour tickets from Tripshock.

5-IN-1 GHOST MYSTERY TOUR OF THE FRENCH QUARTER

Have you ever wanted to visit vampire killing locations?  How about places where hauntings have been documented?  If yes, the 5-in-1 Ghost Mystery Tour is for you!

This 2-hour walking tour by Haunted History Tours takes you down dark alleys in the French Quarter to learn about ghosts, vampires, witches, voodoo, and unexplained mysteries – all in one tour.

This tour takes place year-round at 5 pm and 7:30 pm, except on Mardi Gras night. Bring your children, your pet, and a beverage as you explore the French Quarter with your guide, and find out why this tour is one of the best!

Get your 5-in-1 Ghost Mystery Tour tickets from Tripshock today.

PUB CRAWL TOUR

Let’s get loaded on ghost stories!  The Haunted Pub Crawl Tour combines spirits with spirits!

In addition to visiting the sites of actual hauntings and learning more about the ghosts that haunt the French Quarter, you’ll also make stops at pubs along the way.  Past participants have said they experienced “sensitivity” to the supernatural surroundings on this spooky walk!

You must be 21 to go on this tour, and drinks are not included in the tour price.  Get your The Haunted Pub Crawl Tour at the lowest price from Tripshock.

PLANTATION TOURS

LAURA PLANTATION

Laura Plantation: Louisiana’s Creole Heritage Site is dedicated to the rich Creole history of antebellum Louisiana. This colorful plantation home provides guests with a deeply researched tour about the Creole family and the enslaved people and features a Slavery Museum on site.

The fully guided experience includes the Big House, gardens and the original 1840s slave cabins in which the West-African folktales of Compair Lapin (later known as Br’er Rabbit) were recorded over 140 years ago.

Save $2 by booking your Laura Plantation tickets on Tripshock.

OAK ALLEY PLANTATION

Oak Alley Plantation is the most well-known and photographed of all Louisiana Plantations, featuring 28 live oak trees that are believed to be more than 300 years old, in addition to a slavery exhibit and authentic blacksmith shop.

Oak Alley has been the setting for such motion pictures as Interview with a Vampire, Primary Colors and more.

Tripshock offers a guided tour of Oak Alley Plantation with transportation from the French Quarter included.

ST. JOSEPH PLANTATION

Visit St. Joseph Plantation, one of the few remaining intact sugar cane plantations left in the River Parishes. See the plantation home, original slave cabins, blacksmith’s shop, schoolhouse, and more during a visit here.

If you’re visiting in October, make sure to take part in their popular Mourning Tour. During these tours, the house is “dressed in full deep mourning,” according to the customs and rituals of 18th and 19th century Creole Louisiana. On weekends, they’ll have live characters displaying traditional mourning customs.

Get your tickets to their regular plantation tour here.

BUS TOURS

HAUNTED CEMETERY BUS TOUR

One of the best ways to explore Louisiana’s most haunted cities is by trying out this 2-hour bus tour, searching for paranormal activity.

A tour guide will lead the way, using an EMF reader, and show you how to search for paranormal activity. Have your own meter — bring it! The tour explores historically haunted neighborhoods and two cemeteries, and makes stops to allow you to search for ghosts. You’ll also get to take pictures of The Coven House, featured on American Horror Story.

Ready to be scared? Get your Haunted Cemetery Bus Tour tickets here.

DEAD OF NIGHT GHOST AND GRAVEYARD TOUR

Get ready to visit some of the most haunted locations in the French Quarter with the Dead of Night Ghost and Graveyard Tour!

This 2-hour bus tour takes you through the dark streets of New Orleans, where you’ll visit one of the city’s most haunted grounds.  You’ll learn more about local urban legends, and hear stories about murder and betrayal, before touring a cemetery.  And if you think your kids are up for it, they’re invited too! 

Get your Dead of Night Ghost and Graveyard Tour tickets here.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS

Halloween in New Orleans!  Just saying those words out loud should get you excited to see everyone dressed up in their best costumes, parading up and down Frenchmen Street and Bourbon Street.  Whether you’re exploring the French Quarter, the Warehouse District, or the Garden District, you’re sure to find something amazing to do on All Hallows’ Eve.

When October 31 rolls around, the living (and maybe the undead?) are ready for an unforgettable experience.

Whether you’re looking to party the weekend away, or want to take your little ones to a unique trick-or-treating experience, here are some Halloween events in New Orleans that you absolutely cannot miss!

BOO AT THE ZOO

Bring your little ghosts and goblins to the Audubon Zoo for their Boo at the Zoo event, where you’ll find kid-friendly trick or treating, haunted houses, and so much more!

Here you’ll find a zombie-themed ghost train ride, a “scare-ousel,” inflatables, a maze, live entertainment, and of course – animals!

Boo at the Zoo is a fundraiser for the zoo and for Children’s Hospital New Orleans.  Children under 2 are free.  Don’t forget your costume!  

HALLOWEEN NEW ORLEANS

Every year, the gay community in New Orleans has thrown a weekend-long party called Halloween New Orleans, which is full of fun, festivities, and a whole lot of amazing costumes! This is one of the best Halloween parties in NOLA.

The weekend kicks off with black-tie event, The Queen’s Ball, on Friday night.  Then Saturday, you’ll find the Main Event Costume Party, a huge event where costumes are required, and guests go all out!  I mean, they have to – the costume contest will give you bragging rights for years!  The weekend wraps up with a huge Tea Dance, with paraders marching through the French Quarter and plenty of live music.

The best part?  The event raises money for Project Lazarus, an assisted living home for those living with HIV/AIDS. 

KREWE OF BOO

You have never seen a Halloween parade like this!

Krewe of Boo Halloween Parade became the official Halloween parade for the city of New Orleans in 2007, and it’s been thrilling (and scaring!) guests ever since.

This parade features 3-D paper mache and fiberglass props to go along with the elaborate floats made by Kern Studios.

In order to cut down on the trash that can accumulate after parades, the Krewe of Boo float riders throw out only New Orleans-made food and collectibles to parade-goers, making the throws highly sought-after mementos!  You’ll find throws such as eco-friendly cups, locally-made pralinettes, toys and candy, and limited edition Krewe of Boo t-shirts.

Following the Krewe of BOO! parade, krewe members and parade-goers join in the after-parade costume party “Monster Mash” featuring costume contests, drink specials, and live entertainment.

The New Orleans Zombie Run kicks-off the parade morning with the costumed runners being chased by the Zombie Killers, a.k.a. Big Easy Rollergirls. Make a whole day of it — we know you’ll have the best time.

GHOSTS IN THE OAKS

Ghosts in the Oaks is a family-friendly fundraiser takes place in the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland. Children of all ages, including young at heart adults, dress in their Halloween best for unlimited rides, arts and crafts, trick-or-treating, and more.

Proceeds will benefit the continued beautification and preservation of New Orleans City Park’s 1,300 acres. Children under 36 inches are admitted free of charge.

MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR TRIP TO LOUISIANA

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