New Orleans Cocktails, History, Voodoo & Paranormal Tour

The darkest stories in New Orleans are often told just outside the places where they happened. This two-hour French Quarter walk pairs cocktails with pirates, murder cases, voodoo lore, haunted houses, and old legends. I like the mix of local history and adult fun, plus the use of a real EMF meter for a bit of spooky theater.

I also like the low $23 price, especially if you want an informal introduction to the Quarter rather than a long museum tour. Guides such as Cody and Coty have earned praise for making the storytelling lively and informative. The main caution is that the experience can be uneven: one account describes a missed departure, and another found fewer stops and less voodoo content than expected.

Key points to know before booking

• LaLaurie Mansion and the Sultan’s Palace: See famous French Quarter sites linked with grim stories, including the city’s most notorious haunted house and an unsolved mass murder.
• True crime is the main subject: Expect cases involving pirates, prostitutes, felons, murder, and a 2006 murder-suicide.
• Drinks are extra: The tour price covers the guide and storytelling, not cocktails or other beverages.
• The EMF meter is entertainment: A paranormal detector adds atmosphere, but it does not turn legends into proven facts.
• Meet outside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Go to the sidewalk by the courtyard gate at 941 Bourbon Street, not inside the bar.
• Content can vary: The advertised route is broad, but some departures may spend more time talking than entering or visiting many sites.

Bourbon Street is only the starting point

The tour meets on the sidewalk in front of Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street. You do not check in inside the bar. Look for the guide at the gate to the attached courtyard, and arrive a few minutes early.

That detail matters. The bar’s staff are not part of the tour and do not handle check-in, tickets, or questions about departures. Bourbon Street can be loud and crowded, so having the exact meeting spot ready on your phone will save time.

From there, you begin a walking route through the French Quarter. This is not a quiet, formal history lesson. The tone is social and theatrical, with stories designed for people who enjoy true crime, ghost tales, and a drink in hand.

You should plan on walking over old, uneven streets. The operator accepts no responsibility for injuries caused by those surfaces or for lost belongings, so wear sensible shoes and keep your phone and wallet secure.

The French Quarter through crime and scandal

The tour’s strongest idea is simple: use the Quarter’s streets as a map of New Orleans crime and folklore. Instead of discussing only grand architecture or famous restaurants, the guide connects places with stories about pirates, convicted felons, prostitutes, murderers, and people whose lives became part of local legend.

That approach suits you if ordinary sightseeing tours feel too polished. New Orleans has always attracted colorful characters, and this tour focuses on the city’s rougher edges. You get stories about how the city developed, but the emphasis is on human behavior, scandal, violence, superstition, and mystery.

The storytelling quality matters more here than the number of stops. A good guide can make a street corner memorable with names, motives, and local context. Cody and Coty are both identified in the feedback as particularly effective guides. Cody was described as friendly and informative, while Coty was praised for keeping the tour dynamic and adding useful local details.

That praise points to the experience’s biggest strength: the guide. The exact route may be familiar, but a strong storyteller gives the material rhythm and makes the walk feel personal rather than scripted.

Jackson Square and the city’s old institutions

The route includes Jackson Square, one of the best places to understand the French Quarter’s public face. The square is bordered by major landmarks, including St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, and the Presbytère.

These buildings give the darker tales some needed context. St. Louis Cathedral anchors the square as a major religious site. The Cabildo and Presbytère help show how government, law, religion, and public life shaped the city.

I like this part of the route because it keeps the tour from becoming a string of disconnected ghost stories. The surrounding buildings remind you that New Orleans’ legends grew out of real institutions and real neighborhoods.

The tradeoff is that this tour is not advertised as an interior visit to each landmark. You should expect to see and discuss these places from the walking route, not spend a long period exploring their exhibits.

St. Anthony’s Garden also appears on the route. It adds another historic setting for stories about the old Quarter, though the supplied details do not promise a lengthy stop or a specific activity there.

LaLaurie Mansion and other notorious addresses

The LaLaurie Mansion is one of the most famous stops. It is widely known in New Orleans lore as one of the city’s most haunted houses, and its story fits the tour’s focus on cruelty, scandal, and paranormal legend.

You will hear about the terrible events linked with the building and why it has such a strong place in the city’s ghost-tour culture. The value here is the setting. Looking at the house from the street while hearing its story gives the tale a physical anchor.

Do not expect a regular interior visit. The information provided identifies the mansion as a location on the route, not as a building open to the group. Much of the tour takes place outside, with the guide supplying the detail.

The Ursuline Convent is another notable stop. Its age and connection to French Quarter history make it a useful counterpoint to the more sensational stories. You see how the route moves between respectable landmarks and places associated with fear, crime, or rumor.

This contrast is part of the appeal. New Orleans is not only haunted houses and murder tales. It is also churches, convents, civic buildings, gardens, and homes that have survived across generations.

The Sultan’s Palace and an unsolved mass murder

The Sultan’s Palace, also called the Gardette-LePretre House, is presented as the site of the largest mass murder in New Orleans. The crime remains unsolved, which gives the story a lingering mystery rather than a neat ending.

This is exactly the sort of stop that true-crime fans will appreciate. You are not simply hearing that a building is haunted. You are hearing about a real violent event, an unknown killer, and a house that still carries the weight of the story.

At the same time, you should keep expectations in check. The tour description promises the location and the details, but not an interior visit. Like the LaLaurie Mansion, it is best understood as an exterior stop supported by storytelling.

The route also includes the location connected with the 2006 murder-suicide in the French Quarter. The tour covers the tragic story of Zach and Addie, described as one of the city’s most infamous murder cases.

These sections can be emotionally heavy. If you prefer light ghost stories and playful folklore, this may feel too grim. If you want the difficult side of New Orleans history, the material gives the tour more substance than a simple haunted-pub crawl.

Voodoo, vampires, and Cajun folklore

The tour also promises stories about voodoo, ghosts, vampires, Cajun superstitions, myths, and Louisiana folklore. These subjects are a natural fit for New Orleans, but they should be approached with care.

Voodoo is not simply a spooky prop. It is part of the cultural story of Louisiana, and reducing it to curses and haunted objects would leave out important context. The description suggests that the guide discusses local beliefs and legends, but it does not give a detailed outline of how much time is devoted to voodoo.

That uncertainty is worth noting because one account specifically found no voodoo discussion during the tour. I would book this experience for its broad combination of true crime, folklore, and paranormal entertainment, not for a guaranteed in-depth study of voodoo.

The same point applies to vampire stories and Cajun superstition. You may hear several memorable tales, but the balance can depend on the guide and the group. If one topic is your main reason for booking, ask the operator about the current route before paying.

Cocktails, bars, and the real cost

The price is $23 per person, which is a fair entry point for a two-hour guided walk in the French Quarter. The fee includes a licensed tour guide and professional storyteller, but drinks are not included.

That changes the final cost. If you stop for a cocktail, you pay the bar directly, and your total depends on how much you order. The format lets you control your spending, which is better than being locked into a costly drink package.

The experience is not a pub crawl in the strict sense. The description mentions bars and drinking your way through the Quarter, while one account praised the guide for taking the group to cool bars, landmarks, and spooky sites. Still, another account felt the group visited too few places and stopped outside only one house.

So I would think of the drink as an optional companion to the walk, not the main attraction. You are buying the stories and the guide’s route. The alcohol adds flavor and a relaxed mood, but it does not guarantee entry to a long list of bars.

Also remember that the operator may refuse service to anyone who is extremely intoxicated and disruptive. The best approach is to pace yourself. You want to remember the stories and remain comfortable on the uneven streets.

The EMF meter and paranormal expectations

A real EMF meter, described as a ghost or paranormal detector, is used during the tour. This adds a hands-on prop to the walk and gives the guide a way to involve the group at spooky locations.

I see it as entertainment, not scientific proof of ghosts. If you enjoy the playful side of paranormal tours, it should add fun. If you expect documented evidence of spirits, you may find the device less convincing.

There is also a strict practical rule: the equipment must be returned to staff, and a $250 fee applies if it is lost or damaged. That is unusual enough to remember. Handle the device carefully and do not wander off with it.

The no-recording rule is also clear. Video and audio recording are not allowed. You can listen, take mental notes, and enjoy the walk, but do not plan to record the guide’s full presentation.

What kind of tour group will enjoy this?

This tour is best for adults who like true crime, dark history, ghost stories, and informal city walks. It suits a first visit to New Orleans when you want to see the French Quarter at night or after dark, though the supplied information does not specify exact departure times.

It is also a good choice if you prefer a guide who tells stories rather than a tour that relies on exhibits or long historical lectures. The strongest comments focus on friendly, informative, energetic guides.

I would be more cautious if you want a tightly scheduled route with many interior visits. The tour covers a long list of landmarks, but the actual experience may involve standing outside and listening. One account found the route too limited, while another enjoyed the mix of bars, landmarks, and spooky locations.

The subject matter is not gentle. Murder, violence, prostitution, and tragic deaths are central to the tour. Families with young children may find the content unsuitable, though no formal age limit is provided in the information available.

Timing, cancellation, and meeting advice

The tour lasts two hours and runs in English with a live guide. Check the available starting times when booking because the exact departure schedule is not provided here.

Arrive early. Check-in is available only before the tour leaves, and there are no refunds for late arrival or cancellation, including cancellations caused by weather. The supplier may reschedule because of bad weather, and a departure can be canceled after confirmation if too few people book. In that case, a full refund is issued.

The activity itself is listed as non-refundable, so choose your date carefully. The operator also asks you to contact them with questions or concerns before the tour. That is especially useful if you want to confirm how much time will be spent on voodoo, bars, or particular crime stories.

There was also one reported case of a guide not arriving and no communication being sent. That appears to be an isolated but serious service concern. I would keep the operator’s contact details handy and avoid scheduling an important dinner or timed event immediately afterward.

Should you book the New Orleans Cocktails, History, Voodoo & Paranormal Tour?

Book it if you want a low-cost, two-hour introduction to the French Quarter told through crime, scandal, folklore, and haunted locations. The best version of this experience depends on the guide, and Cody or Coty may give you the lively, local storytelling the tour promises.

The $23 price is good for a guided walk, but budget extra for drinks and do not assume every listed landmark includes interior access. Go for the stories, not a guaranteed pub crawl or a formal lesson in voodoo.

I would skip it if you need a reliable, tightly managed itinerary, dislike graphic crime, or expect proof of paranormal activity. For the right audience, though, it offers a memorable way to see New Orleans’ famous Quarter through its strangest and most troubling tales.

FAQ

Where does the tour meet?

The tour meets on the sidewalk in front of Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116. Meet at the gate of the attached courtyard, not inside the bar.

Is the tour held inside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop?

No. The tour does not meet inside the bar, and the bar’s bartenders do not work for the tour operator or provide tour information.

How long does the tour last?

The walking tour lasts two hours.

What language is the tour offered in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Are drinks included in the $23 price?

No. The price includes the licensed guide and professional storytelling, but drinks are not included.

Does the tour visit the LaLaurie Mansion?

The route includes the LaLaurie Mansion, which is presented as one of the most haunted houses in New Orleans. The information does not promise entry inside the building.

Does the tour include Jackson Square?

Yes. The route includes Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, and the Presbytère.

Is an EMF meter used during the tour?

Yes. A paranormal EMF meter is used as part of the tour’s entertainment. The equipment must be returned to staff, and a $250 fee applies if it is lost or damaged.

Can I record the tour?

No. Video and audio recording are not allowed.

What happens if I arrive late?

Guests can check in only before the tour departs. No refund is issued for late arrival or cancellation, including cancellation due to weather.