New Orleans Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

New Orleans’ ghosts have good company on this haunted pub crawl: pirates, a notorious mansion, an old hotel, and bars with their own unsettling tales. You walk through the French Quarter between stops, so the stories come with the streets and buildings that give them their force.

I like two things about the plan: it pairs local history with pub stops, rather than treating the ghost stories as the whole show, and it includes time at venerable places such as Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop. The guide’s local tips can also help you get your bearings in the Quarter.

One caution: this experience depends heavily on the guide and how the evening is run. A reported outing began 20 minutes late, visited only two pubs, and ended away from the stated meeting point, so confirm the route and return point with your guide at the start.

At a glance

• Jackson Square sets the scene: Meet there 15 minutes before the tour, in a park with its own ghost lore.
• Four pub stops are planned: Drinks are not included, so you can choose what to order and keep the cost in your control.
• The stories range beyond ghosts: Expect tales of pirates, Voodoo, the LaLaurie Mansion, and historic hotel residents.
• It is a walking tour, not a seated pub night: At about 1 hour 45 minutes, the route moves between several Quarter sites.
• Guide quality matters: Royale has been praised for history and practical local tips, though one account describes a badly run outing.
• The price is $36 per person: An EMF detector rental or purchase costs an additional $6, and tips are extra.

Start at Jackson Square, where the mood is already set

The group meets at Jackson Square 15 minutes before the start time. The park is more than a convenient gathering spot: it is said to be haunted, which gives the guide an opening story before you have even started walking. Admission is free, and there is no separate ticketed attraction built into the stop.

Arriving early is sensible. It gives you time to find the group, check in with the guide, and ask what the route will include. With a maximum group size of 50, the crowd may be larger than a small walking tour, so confirming you are in the right place is worth those extra minutes.

The stated tour ends back at the meeting point. Because one reported outing finished elsewhere, I would ask the guide at the beginning to confirm where the crawl will end. That is especially useful if you have dinner plans or need to arrange a ride afterward.

Hear the hotel stories before the pub stops

The walk includes the Omni Royal Orleans, an elegant hotel with a reputation for hauntings. The guide is also meant to share the story of the hotel’s connection to an iconic Lez Zeppelin song. That detail adds a lighter, music-minded twist to the tour’s darker tales.

A hotel stop can be a good change of pace from the bars. You get to consider how a building’s public image and its ghost lore sit side by side, while hearing stories tied to a place you can see rather than a name on a map. The stop is scheduled for about 15 minutes, so expect a focused account, not a long tour of the property.

The itinerary also includes a building dating to 1834, where patrons of a bookstore have reported unexplained sounds and sensations. It’s a useful example of how the crawl mixes famous sites with places whose ghost stories are rooted in everyday encounters. The tour information does not name the bookstore, so ask your guide to identify it as you arrive.

Learn how Voodoo fits into the city’s stories

Another stop is a Voodoo-oriented shop that opened in 1996. Here the guide is meant to explain the place of Voodoo in New Orleans and how local beliefs connect the living and the dead.

That context matters. A ghost tour can easily reduce a city’s beliefs to spooky decoration, but this stop offers a chance to hear more about the tradition and its role in local culture. Keep an open mind, and treat the guide’s explanation as a starting point for understanding rather than a complete account of a complex subject.

The shop stop is not listed with a specific duration. That means the amount of time here may depend on the pace of the group and the evening’s route. If you want to spend longer learning about the subject, this crawl may offer an introduction rather than an in-depth cultural tour.

Follow the pirate tales to Pirate’s Alley Cafe

At Pirate’s Alley Cafe, the guide turns to New Orleans’ pirate past. The stop is scheduled for about 15 minutes, with time to hear a story and have a drink if you choose. The bar is described as friendly in appearance but tied to a darker history, a contrast that suits the crawl’s tone.

This is where the drink-and-story format can work well. You can pause, order something, and let the guide connect the setting to the people and legends associated with it. But drinks are on your tab, not included in the $36 price, so budget for what you plan to order.

The crawl is not a pub package with a set tasting menu. That is a plus if you prefer to choose your own drink, or skip one altogether. It is a drawback if you expect the ticket price to cover beverages.

Give the Ice House Bar time for its reported activity

The Ice House Bar at the Provincial Hotel is allotted about 20 minutes. The hotel and bar have a troubled past, and the stop is described as one of the more active paranormal sites on the route, with reports from both staff and people on tours.

The guide may invite you to notice whether you hear or feel anything unusual. Keep expectations sensible: paranormal activity is a matter of belief, not something the tour can guarantee. The more dependable value is the chance to hear the accounts in the place where they are said to have occurred.

An EMF detector is available for an additional $6 to rent or buy. It is an optional extra, not part of the ticket. If you are curious about using one, ask whether the fee covers rental or purchase for your particular booking before paying.

Pause outside the LaLaurie Mansion

The LaLaurie Mansion is described as a beautiful home with a grim past marked by turmoil, suffering, and revenge. The guide tells its story at the house, giving the tour one of its most serious stops.

This is not a tale to treat as a simple ghost-story prop. The history involves real human suffering, and the guide’s handling of it matters. Listen for historical context, not just the frightening parts, and take care to be respectful around a private residence.

The itinerary does not give this stop a duration. It is one of several sites between the scheduled bar visits, so the guide will need to balance the story with the walking time and the crawl’s overall schedule.

Hear the account tied to an old hotel and a killer

Another hotel on the route dates to 1829 and is associated with an ax murderer and serial killer. The guide recounts the victims’ stories and the belief that their spirits remain in the house. The stop is positioned as a grim lead-in to another drink.

This subject matter is darker than the pirate stories or the playful promise of a pub crawl. If you are sensitive to stories of violence, keep that in mind when deciding whether this tour suits you. The experience blends entertainment with serious local history, and not every part of that history is light.

The hotel is not named in the supplied route details. Ask the guide to identify it when you arrive, especially if you want to remember the location or return to it later.

End at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop is described as one of America’s oldest bars and a former pirate hangout. The scheduled stop lasts about 20 minutes. The guide talks about pirates and spirits, and recommends the bar’s daiquiris, which you buy separately.

This is a fitting final stop: it brings together the crawl’s two main threads, drinking and ghost lore, in a historic setting. You can order a drink, listen to the final story, and enjoy the atmosphere before heading back toward Jackson Square, which is the stated end point.

There is a practical wrinkle. One account of the tour described being left at the last bar without going inside and finishing on a different corner from the advertised end point. That is not the planned experience, but it is enough reason to confirm the final stop and return walk with the guide before the group sets off.

Is $36 a fair price?

At $36 per person, you are paying for a guided walk, ghost stories, and local history across several French Quarter sites. The ticket does not include drinks, tips, or the optional $6 EMF detector. Your total cost depends on what you order and whether you choose the extra equipment.

The price makes most sense if you want a guide to connect the places and stories for you, and you are happy to buy your own drinks. You are not paying for a full evening of included beverages or entry to a collection of attractions. The value lies in the route, the storytelling, and the context you get while walking.

The tour lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes, which is a compact way to combine sightseeing and a drink or two. The route includes several stops, and some are brief, so expect a brisk evening rather than a leisurely visit at each site.

Who will enjoy this crawl most?

I’d choose this tour if you are new to New Orleans and want a guided introduction to French Quarter history with a spooky theme. A past outing led by Royale was praised for its historical detail and local tips, which is exactly the kind of added value that can make a short walk useful beyond the ghost stories.

It can also suit a group looking for an evening activity that is part walking tour and part bar crawl. You do not need to drink to take part, but the pub stops are central to the format. If you want a serious history tour, a longer visit to Voodoo-related sites, or a quiet evening without alcohol-centered stops, another option may fit better.

The group can include up to 50 people, so do not expect an intimate, private storytelling session. Most people can participate, service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. The tour is offered in English, with a mobile ticket.

Should you book it?

Book if you like ghost stories, enjoy walking between historic bars, and want a guide to connect pirates, hotel lore, Voodoo, and the French Quarter’s darker history. The $36 fare is reasonable for a guided 1-hour-45-minute route, provided you understand that drinks and tips cost extra.

Before the group leaves Jackson Square, confirm the stops, the pub count, and the end point. That quick check helps set expectations for a tour whose quality depends on the guide delivering the full route. The booking is refundable if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time; cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.

FAQ

How long is the New Orleans Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Jackson Square and is scheduled to end back at the meeting point. Confirm the return point with your guide at the start.

Are drinks included in the $36 ticket?

No. Drinks are not included, so you can choose what to order and pay for it separately. Gratuity is also not included.

How many bars does the crawl visit?

Four bar stops are planned. The route also includes haunted and historic sites between the pubs.

Is an EMF detector included?

No. Renting or purchasing an EMF detector costs an additional $6.

What is the cancellation policy?

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.