Haunted New Orleans

It’s no secret that New Orleans is one of the most haunted cities in the United States, if not the world. With history dating back to early Spaniards and French, to the slave trade, voodoo, and all kinds of incredible (including sad and scary) history that lends itself to its spooky demeanor.

There are plenty of haunted places to visit when in New Orleans, and whether you decide to do your own haunted history tour or go on a guided tour, you will have plenty to see!

I recommend going on a haunted tour with a guide. My favorite tour company is Royal Tours. They offer a variety of tours and they’re private (instead of the tours you see with 20+ people). You will get so much more in-depth information with a guide and they will show you some hidden gems!

If you go into any bar in New Orleans, you could probably assume it might be haunted. Some of the most well-known haunted bars to look out for in New Orleans and some stories are:

• Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shoppe

  • Known as the most haunted bar in America, it is also the oldest bar!

  • The main haunting is caused by a woman who rented out the upstairs and subsequently committed suicide.

  • There are no light bulbs, only candlelight - which adds to the spooky vibe.

  • Jean Lafitte, the founder, was a pirate and is often seen standing near the fireplace before fading away.

  • Another phenomenon people share are a set of glowing red eyes staring at you from dark corners.

• Old Absinthe House

• Muriel’s Jackson Square

• Napoleon House

• Commander’s Palace

There are also some unassuming buildings with a spooky history. Again, I’d recommend going on a tour for these so you get the full picture and backstory of some of these places. Some haunted places you may want to visit are:

• LaLaurie Mansion

  • In 1832, Madame LaLaurie kept slaves in her home, and while she was known to be polite to black people in public and even “freed” two of her slaves, there started to be some rumors floating around that she was mistreating her slaves. One 12-year old slave named Leah accidently hit a snag in Madame LaLaurie’s hair and was so scared that she jumped off the balcony to her death.

  • After this incident, LaLaurie was forced to give up her 9 remaining slaves to be sold at auction. However, LaLaurie convinced a relative to buy them and return them to the mansion.

  • In 1834, a fire broke out in the kitchen of the mansion. When the fire department arrived, they found the family cook chained to the stove. They confessed that they had intentionally set the fire as a suicide attempt because she feared being taken to he torture room.

  • I won’t share what happened in the torture room, but it is well known that what was found was beyond horrific.

• Pirate’s Alley

• Marie Laveau’s Sacred House

• The Andrew Jackson Hotel

• many, many more.

I also recommend visiting the St. Louis Cemeteries. You can make an offering to Marie Laveau, see Nicholas Cage’s eccentric tombstone he has pre-bought, and hear plenty of ghost stories.

Have you been to any of these haunted New Orleans hot spots? Which are you excited to visit next time you go?