Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl Party with Free Shot

New Orleans gives its ghost stories a proper setting: narrow French Quarter streets, old buildings, and bars with legends of pirates and restless spirits. This two-hour walk combines that spooky side of the city with time at local watering holes, including Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar.

I like two things about the plan: the stories are tied to real places, and a complimentary shot and drink discounts add a social start to the evening. Guides such as Pandi and Clarissa are often praised for lively storytelling, local history, and a friendly approach.

One caveat: this is a ghost-themed walking tour, not a guaranteed bar crawl with a drink at every stop. The route can vary, and some groups have missed named locations or found that bar time was limited. Go for the stories first, and treat the drinks as a bonus.

• The walk starts on Frenchmen Street and finishes at MRB Bar & Kitchen on St. Philip Street.
• The named stops include Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, the LaLaurie Mansion, and the Andrew Jackson Hotel.
• One shot is included, with drink discounts and complimentary Mardi Gras beads.
• The mood is social as well as spooky, making this a natural fit for friends or couples seeking an evening activity.
• The group is capped at 28, but the actual route and time at bars may differ from what you expect.

Ghost stories with a French Quarter address

This tour works best when you think of it as a neighborhood walk that uses ghost tales to bring old New Orleans into focus. Instead of hearing general legends in a room, you move through streets and pause at places associated with dark history, hauntings, and local lore.

The subject is broad: the tour promises stories spanning more than 300 years of the French Quarter’s past. That gives the guide plenty to draw from, from tragic events to ghostly sightings and voodoo lore. The emphasis can vary by guide and by night, so expect a mix of history and spooky storytelling rather than a tightly scripted paranormal investigation.

The tour’s reputation is strong, with a 4.9 rating and 96 percent of participants recommending it. Still, those figures do not mean every evening follows the same pattern. The route can shift, and the amount of time spent in bars appears to be one of the least predictable parts.

Starting with a shot on Frenchmen Street

Meet at 507 Frenchmen Street, where the first stop is BMC Balcony Music Club. The plan is to spend about 15 minutes here, meet the group, hear the opening stories, and take advantage of drink specials. One shot is included, and Mardi Gras beads are provided.

That first stop sets a relaxed, party-minded tone. It is a useful chance to get comfortable with the group before walking through the Quarter, and the guide begins connecting the evening’s legends to New Orleans history. If you are expecting a full cocktail before the walk, check what is included: the advertised benefit is one shot and drink discounts, not a drink at every stop.

Beads add a small, cheerful touch, and they may prompt a bit of local Mardi Gras tradition. One guide, Pandi, has been especially praised for making a birthday feel festive, including encouraging friends to give the birthday person a dollar for their beads. That is a personal touch, not a promised part of every tour.

LaLaurie Mansion and the darker stories

The planned second stop is the LaLaurie Mansion, with roughly 30 minutes devoted to the building and its grim past. It is also known as a filming location for American Horror Story, a detail that may make the address familiar even if you have not studied New Orleans history.

This is likely to be one of the tour’s most unsettling stops. The mansion is connected with stories of cruelty and tragedy, so the guide’s account may lean more toward historical horror than playful ghost hunting. If you want eerie atmosphere, the setting delivers; if you prefer a lighthearted ghost story, some of this material may feel heavy.

There is an important practical note: the mansion is viewed from outside, and some groups have not reached it at all. The advertised route names it, but the actual walk has not always included every listed location. If this address is essential to your plans, ask the operator before booking whether it is expected to be visited on your date.

A drink and pirate lore at Lafitte’s

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is the stop most closely tied to the tour’s pub-crawl promise. The plan allows around 30 minutes here, with stories of pirates, phantoms, and the bar’s long-standing place in French Quarter lore. You can order a drink and get a feel for one of the city’s best-known historic watering holes.

The value here is not simply having a bar on the route. A drink in a storied old space gives the guide’s tales a social setting, and it breaks up the walk with a chance to pause. But the tour fee does not cover a full round of drinks. The included shot and drink discounts are a modest extra, so budget separately if you plan to order more.

Expect some variation in how much pub time you get. Some accounts describe a lively stop with time to order, while others report only a brief visit or fewer bars than anticipated. If your main goal is bar-hopping, you may be happier treating this as a ghost walk with one or more possible drink breaks, rather than a pub crawl built around several long stays.

Backstreets, the Andrew Jackson Hotel, and the finish

The Andrew Jackson Hotel is another named stop, with about 30 minutes set aside for the location and nearby French Quarter streets. The tour invites you to bring a camera in hopes of catching an apparition, though no ghost sighting or unusual photo is guaranteed. The appeal is the atmosphere and the stories, not a promise of paranormal proof.

The remaining walk is described as a chance to explore spooky backstreets and hear more legends before the tour finishes at MRB Bar & Kitchen, 515 St. Philip Street. The route therefore takes you from Frenchmen Street into the Quarter and ends at a different bar, giving you a useful place to continue your evening if you wish.

The planned stop times add up to about an hour and 45 minutes, with the rest of the two-hour estimate allowing for walking and transitions. In practice, timing can be affected by the group, the guide’s storytelling, and any special encounter. One account describes a voodoo blessing ceremony that took time away from other stories, but offered an unusual chance to learn about voodoo from a local practitioner. That kind of addition may be memorable, though it can also mean less time elsewhere.

Guides shape the night

A good guide matters more than a long list of addresses on this tour. Pandi and Clarissa are names worth asking about when you book, if guide requests are possible. They have been praised for energetic delivery, humor, detailed stories, local context, and a knack for looking after the group.

Wendy and Quay have also been described positively for their engaging manner, even when the route or bar portion did not meet expectations. The mixed feedback points to a useful distinction: a capable guide can make the history entertaining, but cannot necessarily guarantee every stop or a particular amount of drinking time.

The strongest version of the evening seems to balance storytelling with a friendly group atmosphere. Some groups have enjoyed the walk enough to keep socializing afterward, and guides have sometimes shared recommendations for music stops. Do not count on an informal extension, but you can ask your guide for suggestions as the tour wraps up.

What $19 buys you

At $19 per person, the price is reasonable if you want a guided introduction to the Quarter’s spooky history and a social way to start the night. You get a local professional guide, one shot, drink discounts, beads, and access to a route that includes several recognizable historic locations. The stops themselves do not have admission charges.

The price looks less compelling if you are mainly paying for a full pub crawl. Additional drinks cost extra, and some evenings include less bar time or fewer stops than expected. Think of the included shot as a welcome, not the start of an open bar.

You are also paying for context. A guide can connect the buildings and streets to stories you might otherwise pass without noticing. For a first evening in New Orleans, that can be a practical way to get your bearings and pick up ideas for where to go next.

The tour typically has a maximum of 28 people. That is large enough to create a lively group, but it can make listening and moving along crowded streets less intimate than a small private walk. Most people can participate, service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. The walk has been described as easy by some participants, but no route distance or specific accessibility details are provided.

Who should book this walk

This is a good match for friends, couples, and adult groups who want a little history with their evening drinks. It also suits anyone who enjoys ghost stories but would rather hear them outdoors, at the places tied to the tales, than in a formal museum setting. Families have joined too, though the darker stories may be a consideration for younger children.

Book it if you are flexible about the precise route and value a personable guide as much as the bar stops. If you want a carefully guaranteed visit to every named address, or several long drinking breaks, confirm the route before paying. The tour requires a minimum number of participants, and poor weather can lead to a new date or a refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start; cancellations inside that window are not refunded.

Should you book the Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl?

I would book this for the combination of French Quarter stories, a walk through haunted lore, and a sociable opening shot. At $19, it can be a good-value evening activity, especially if you are happy to buy your own drinks and let the guide lead the pace. Pandi and Clarissa are the names to ask about if you have a choice.

I would skip it if the pub crawl is the main attraction or if missing a particular stop would spoil the night. The clearest way to set expectations is to treat the ghost stories as the main event and the bars as atmospheric extras. With that mindset, the tour offers a fun, distinctly New Orleans way to spend two hours.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

It lasts approximately two hours.

What is included in the $19 price?

The tour includes a local professional guide, one shot, drink discounts, and complimentary Mardi Gras beads.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at 507 Frenchmen Street and ends at MRB Bar & Kitchen, 515 St. Philip Street, in New Orleans.

Which places are named as stops?

The planned stops include BMC Balcony Music Club, the LaLaurie Mansion, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, and the Andrew Jackson Hotel.

Is a drink included at every bar?

No. One shot is included, and drink discounts are offered. Other drinks are not specified as included.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 28.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the tour are not refunded.