French Quarter Drunken Ghost and Vampire Tour

New Orleans has no shortage of ghost stories, but this tour adds a practical French Quarter pub crawl to the spooky talk. You walk from Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar toward Jackson Square, hearing about haunted buildings, Voodoo, vampires, old burial customs, and grim crimes while buying drinks along the way. The real EMF detector gives the evening a playful investigative angle.

I like the easy route and the mix of history with folklore. I also like the guides who receive the strongest praise, especially Coty and Cody, for keeping the talk funny, personal, and full of odd local facts. The main concern is reliability: several bookings have been canceled or missed, so you should confirm updates and avoid placing this tour before an important flight or fixed evening plan.

Key points to know before you book

• Start at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar: Meet outside, at the courtyard gate on 941 Bourbon Street, not inside the bar and not at a street corner.
• Finish at Jackson Square: The route gives you a useful introduction to the French Quarter and leaves you near one of New Orleans’ best-known public squares.
• Bring money for drinks: Alcohol is not included, but you can buy drinks at bars along the route and carry them with you.
• Expect real stories mixed with legend: The guide covers documented crimes, traditional burial customs, alleged vampires, ghosts, and Voodoo.
• Use a paranormal detector: You can request an EMF meter at check-in, but you are responsible for returning it in good condition.
• Allow one to two hours: The walk is moderate, and busy bars can make the tour run longer.

A ghost walk with a drink in hand

This is less a formal haunted-house attraction and more a moving story session through the French Quarter. You hear about places tied to ghosts, vampires, murder, romance, and old New Orleans customs while the group pauses at bars for drinks.

That format matters. The French Quarter is best seen on foot, and the stories give you a reason to notice the architecture, narrow streets, courtyards, old walls, and unusual building layouts. You are not simply standing in one room while a guide recites a script. You are walking between locations and hearing how the city’s past feeds its legends.

The ghost stories are not presented as guaranteed supernatural encounters. The tour operator makes that clear. You may use a paranormal device, but nobody promises that it will flash, beep, or reveal a spirit. That honest approach suits you if you enjoy folklore and history more than staged scares.

The word drunken is important. This is an adult-friendly pub crawl in which you may buy alcoholic drinks during the walk. You do not need to drink, and to-go windows or bar stops can help if you prefer not to enter every bar. Still, the social mood is part of the experience, so it may not suit you if you want a quiet, tightly timed history walk.

Meeting at Lafitte’s on Bourbon Street

The meeting point is outside the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street. This detail is easy to miss, and it has caused confusion. You do not meet inside Lafitte’s, the bartenders do not run the tour, and you should not wait at a nearby corner.

Arrive a few minutes early. The guide leaves at the scheduled time, and a late arrival may mean missing the group without a refund. The operator says guides cannot answer phones once the walk begins, since they are leading the group and giving the narration.

This is one place where a phone screenshot of your booking and the exact meeting instructions can save trouble. Check your messages before leaving your hotel, since schedule changes are normally sent by text or email. If you expect to be late, contact the operator before departure rather than after the group has gone.

The group can include as many as 50 people, though the actual size may be smaller. A small group should make it easier to hear the guide and ask questions. A large group will feel more like a mobile pub crawl, with less room for personal conversation.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and the opening stories

The tour begins around Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, one of the French Quarter’s atmospheric old buildings. The first few minutes are used for introductions and orientation, then the guide begins connecting the street scene to New Orleans history.

Expect stories about hauntings, Voodoo, vampires, ghosts, and traditional burial practices. The burial material is especially useful because it explains why New Orleans death customs look different from those in many other American cities. The tour also separates vampires of legend from vampires in historical accounts, which gives the subject more shape than a simple horror tale.

Guides named Coty and Cody receive the strongest praise for this kind of storytelling. Their approach is described as funny, personal, and full of lesser-known facts. One guide, Gabe, is also noted for a friendly manner and lively delivery. The quality of the evening may depend heavily on who leads your departure, a point worth keeping in mind when deciding how much to expect.

The tone can shift quickly. One minute you may be looking at architecture and learning about the city’s past. The next, you may hear about a tragic romance or a place connected with a violent crime. That contrast is part of the New Orleans style, where beauty and grim history often sit close together.

Jackson Square and the story of Julie

Jackson Square is the final named stop, and it provides a strong setting for the later part of the walk. The square is central, easy to recognize, and close to more bars and restaurants if you want to continue your evening afterward.

Here you hear about Julie, described as one of the city’s most predictable ghosts. Her story is built around tragic love, so this section is not only about fear. New Orleans ghost lore often works best when it explains a human loss, and the Julie story gives the guide room to talk about emotion, memory, and the way legends survive.

You also hear about the Carter Brothers, who were tried, convicted, and executed but are still said to appear. Another story concerns the location of the largest mass murder in New Orleans history, an unsolved crime whose ghosts are still associated with the site.

These stories make the tour more than a string of spooky claims. They point you toward the city’s legal, social, and architectural past. The drawback is that the exact stops and route may change without notice. If a particular location is the reason you are booking, do not assume every departure will follow the same path.

Buying drinks along the route

Alcohol is not included in the $19.25 ticket price. You buy your own drinks at local bars along the route, and the tour allows you to carry them as you walk where permitted.

That keeps the base cost low. At $19.25, the tour is inexpensive for a guided French Quarter walk lasting about one to two hours. You are paying for the guide, stories, and group experience, then choosing how much to spend on drinks. This works well if you want control over your evening budget.

It can also make the final cost less predictable. A couple who buys only one drink each will have a very different bill from a group that stops several times. One particularly popular drink mentioned in the tour experience is a Ghost Buster, and the Vampire Cafe is another suggested stop for a themed drink.

The number of drink stops may vary. Some participants have wanted more bars, while others have enjoyed the relaxed pace. If you see this as a pub crawl first and a ghost walk second, you may find the number of stops modest. If you mainly want stories and a drink in hand, the balance should suit you.

You are allowed to drink, but the operator can refuse service to someone who becomes extremely intoxicated. If that leads to your removal or cancellation, no refund is offered. Pace yourself, especially in New Orleans heat and humidity.

The EMF detector and the paranormal angle

The tour uses a real EMF meter, described as an electromagnetic radiation or paranormal detector. You can request the equipment at check-in and use it during the walk.

The equipment adds a hands-on element that many standard ghost walks lack. Instead of only hearing that a place is haunted, you can participate in the investigation. It also gives children and curious adults something concrete to watch while the guide tells the story.

There are strict rules. You must provide your name, phone number, address, and booking reference before checking out the device. The equipment is marked and tracked, and a $250 charge applies to a lost, damaged, or missing item. You must return it before leaving the tour.

Keep your expectations sensible. An EMF meter detects electromagnetic fields, not proof of a ghost. The tour operator openly says there is no guarantee of paranormal activity, and that is the fair way to approach it. You may capture an unusual photo or see a reading, but you should book for the stories and atmosphere, not for a promised supernatural event.

Audio and video recording are not allowed, though photos are encouraged. That rule may disappoint anyone hoping to record the guide, but it also keeps the group moving and limits disruption in residential areas.

What the guides add to the evening

The guide is the key part of this experience. The best accounts describe Coty and Cody as funny, well-informed, and comfortable answering questions. Their strongest quality is the ability to mix history, humor, haunting tales, and useful suggestions for bars and food.

That mix helps the tour feel less like a memorized speech. You may hear about a building’s design, then learn the darker story connected to it. You may also receive ideas for places to return to after the tour.

Not every departure has the same feel. One account found the guide entertaining but felt the talk focused more on the guide than on New Orleans. That is a useful warning. The tour’s informal personality can be a strength for a social group, but it may feel loose if you want a strict, fact-heavy presentation.

I would book this early in your New Orleans stay if you want to use the route as an orientation walk. You can note places to revisit, pick up bar ideas, and get a first look at the French Quarter after dark. I would not book it as the only major activity of a short visit, since the route covers a limited part of the city.

Timing, weather, and reliability

The advertised length is one to two hours, but the operator says the walk may run longer when bars are busy. That makes the tour easy to fit into an evening, but you should not schedule dinner with a strict start time immediately afterward.

New Orleans weather matters. This is an outdoor walking tour held in heat, humidity, cold, or rain. It runs rain or shine unless the operator cancels or reschedules for safety. Bring suitable clothing, water, and footwear for old, uneven sidewalks.

Extreme heat can change the schedule. A July departure was moved because of an official heat warning with heat index values reported as high as 114 degrees. The operator offered later times after the warning ended. In conditions like that, postponing a walking tour is sensible, but the change can still disrupt your plans.

There is a more serious practical concern: several bookings have involved late cancellations, no-shows, or disputes over refunds. The supplied terms say the operator may cancel if minimum numbers are not reached, and the booking platform’s policy says you should receive a full refund if the tour is canceled for poor weather or insufficient participation. At the same time, the operator’s conditions state that prepaid bookings may receive future-tour credit in some cancellation situations.

Because of that conflict, save all texts and emails. If this tour is important to your evening, keep a backup plan. I would not place it on the last night of a trip or before an early flight.

Who should book this French Quarter walk?

This tour suits you if you enjoy:

• Ghost stories that include real crimes, romance, and local customs
• A relaxed walking pace through the French Quarter
• Buying your own drinks during a guided evening
• Informal guides with room for jokes and personal stories
• Folklore presented without a guarantee that anything supernatural will appear
• A low base price with optional spending along the route

It is less suitable if you want a silent, scholarly history tour, a guaranteed paranormal encounter, or a fixed end time. It may also be a poor fit for anyone who dislikes group walks, uneven streets, alcohol-centered activities, or the possibility of a schedule change.

Children under 18 need a parent or guardian unless a guide authorizes otherwise. Some bars do not allow children inside, although to-go windows are available along the route.

Is the $19.25 price good value?

Yes, if you judge it as a guided French Quarter walk with entertainment and optional drinks. The ticket is modest for an evening activity, and the route combines architecture, local history, crime stories, folklore, and a paranormal device.

The price is less attractive if you mainly want a polished ghost investigation or a dependable bar crawl. Drinks cost extra, gratuities are not included, and the quality can vary by guide and group size. You should also factor in the risk of a late schedule change.

For the best value, book it early in your stay, arrive early, bring a small amount of spending money, and treat the ghost claims as storytelling rather than a scientific test. If you get a guide like Coty or Cody, the blend of humor and local detail may make the tour feel like a bargain.

Should you book it?

I would book this tour if you want a social, low-cost way to see the French Quarter at night and you enjoy spooky stories with a drink stop or two. The best version of the experience appears to come from a strong guide who can connect the tales to buildings, crimes, customs, and local life.

I would skip it if you need firm reliability, dislike pub-crawl energy, or want a serious history lecture. If you do book, confirm the meeting point, watch your phone for schedule messages, arrive early, and keep a backup plan. The stories and setting can be a lot of fun, but the operator’s cancellation record means you should not build your whole evening around it.

FAQ

How much does the French Quarter Drunken Ghost and Vampire Tour cost?

The listed price is $19.25 per person. Alcoholic drinks and gratuities are not included.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately one to two hours. It can run longer if the group encounters delays at busy bars.

Where does the tour begin?

Meet at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, 941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Do not meet inside the bar or at a nearby street corner.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Jackson Square in the French Quarter.

Are drinks included?

No. You may buy drinks at bars along the route at your own expense. To-go drinks and bar windows are available for people who do not want to enter a bar.

Does the tour guarantee that I will see a ghost or vampire?

No. The tour operator makes no guarantee of paranormal activity or sightings of ghosts, vampires, spirits, or other supernatural beings.

Can I use the paranormal detector?

Yes. An EMF meter is available during the tour, but you must request it at check-in, provide the required personal and booking information, and return it before leaving. A $250 charge may apply if equipment is lost or damaged.

Can children join the tour?

Children under 18 must have a parent or guardian unless a guide gives authorization. Some bars do not allow children inside, though to-go options are available.

What happens if the tour is canceled?

If the booking platform cancels the experience because of poor weather or insufficient participation, you should be offered another date or experience, or a full refund. The operator may also reschedule tours for safety reasons, so monitor your text messages and email before departure.