10 Spook-tacular Ways to Spend Halloween in New Orleans
How to spend Halloween in New Orleans? What to do on and around Halloween in the French Quarter?
Halloween in New Orleans is a truly special time. The city comes alive, and ghosts and ghouls lurk around every corner.
We visited New Orleans last year during Halloween to attend a wedding, which is one of the most fantastic experiences in the French Quarter. Not only did we partake in wedding celebrations and eat a ton of beignets, but we also got to experience what it is like in New Orleans for Halloween.
Usually, we are not big on Halloween Day, but Halloween is taken to another level in New Orleans. So, if you are looking to visit New Orleans in the fall season, consider traveling there during Halloween.
Our favorite part of being in the city during Halloween was the Halloween decorations and festivities, particularly around the French Quarter and the Garden District. Businesses and homes go the extra mile to make the holiday special. Locals and tourists get into the spirit of Halloween.
You can visit New Orleans during the Halloween season and experience various activities without having to partake in the wilder aspects of the holiday. You can also go all out, get dressed, and party with everyone else on Bourbon Street! Or attend the Krewe of Boo parade.
It is truly up to you how you want to spend Halloween in New Orleans.
There is already a spooky vibe to French Quarter with its history and ghostly tales that accentuates as we approach Halloween. It is said that the haunting in the Quarter is more active during this time. If you are feeling brave, go on a ghost tour and learn about the history and hauntings of some of these locations.
Many of these activities below are available year-round, but attending one of them during the Halloween season brings the experience and ignites your goosebumps to a new level.
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So, if you’re looking for a frightfully good time for Halloween, look no further than New Orleans! This city knows how to celebrate Halloween in style, with plenty of spooky events and activities to choose from. Here are 10 of the best ways to spend Halloween in New Orleans!
Any tours or activities you’d like to do on Halloween or the days surrounding it should be booked in advance. That goes for accommodations as well. Hotels in the French Quarter and other areas of New Orleans fill up fast during this time, so it’s best to have your accommodations booked as early as possible.
If you plan to attend the New Orleans’ official Halloween Parade, Krewe of Boo, check the official event date ahead of time. It usually takes place one week before the Halloween holiday, and you’ll want to make arrangements for that time.
Halloween in New Orleans
Is New Orleans fun for Halloween?
Yes! New Orleans is one of the best places to celebrate Halloween. The city comes alive with music, costumes, and parties galore.
Is Halloween a big deal in New Orleans?
Halloween is a very big deal in New Orleans! The city goes all out with decorations and festivities. Krew of Boo, New Orleans’ official Halloween parade, is one of the season’s highlights.
Is New Orleans busy during Halloween?
Yes, New Orleans is quite busy during Halloween. Hotels in the French Quarter and other areas of New Orleans fill up fast during this time, so it’s best to have your accommodations booked as early as possible. If you plan to attend New Orleans’ official Halloween parade, Krewe of Boo, check the event date ahead of time and make arrangements accordingly.
Is Halloween a good time to visit New Orleans?
We think so! The French Quarter and Garden District are particularly fun during Halloween, with businesses and homes going the extra mile to make the holiday special. Locals and tourists get into the spirit of Halloween by dressing up in costume and attending local festivities, parades, and parties.
Do people dress up for Halloween in New Orleans?
Yes, everyone of all ages dresses in all sorts of creative fun costumes for Halloween in New Orleans.
1. Stay at a Haunted Hotel
One of the best ways to get into the Halloween spirit is by staying at a haunted hotel. The French Quarter is home to many haunted hotels, including the Hotel Monteleone, which is said to be one of the most haunted places in New Orleans.
We stayed at Place d’Armes Hotel, a haunted hotel right in the heart of New Orleans and close to Jackson Square. The site was once a French colonial school, and during the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788, the structure burned down, taking many students and the headmaster.
A young girl in old clothing has been seen wandering the property.
During our stay, we did not see any ghostly children, but it could be they didn’t want to appear to us. However, just going to bed at night, knowing the hotel was haunted, was enough to make the hair on my arms stand up!
If you’re looking for a truly spooky experience, staying at a haunted hotel should be at the top of your list.
2. Take a Ghost Tour
A ghost tour is one of the top things to do during Halloween in New Orleans. It’s always a popular, year-round activity, but it becomes even more popular during Halloween.
There are a number of different ghost tours you can take, but our favorite was the French Quarter Ghost Tour. The tour takes you through the streets of the French Quarter, where you’ll learn about the history and hauntings of some of the most famous locations.
You’ll hear stories about real ghosts that are said to haunt the French Quarter, including Muriel’s resident ghosts.
The tour takes place at night at its spookiest time in the evening. But during Halloween, it’s even more so. We recommend taking a ghost tour while you’re in New Orleans for Halloween!
Tour Ideas
New Orleans Haunted History Ghost Tour [book here]
The Ghosts of New Orleans Tour [book here]
New Orleans Ghosts and Spirits Walking Tour [book here]
Best Things to Do in the French Quarter
Visiting New Orleans and staying in the French Quarter? Don’t miss these things to do in this vibrant historic neighborhood. Eat beignets, visit Jackson Square, take a ghost tour, and more.
3. Plan to Attend Krewe of Boo
Krewe of Boo is New Orleans’ official Halloween parade. It takes place one week before Halloween and is a great way to get into the Halloween spirit. The parade features floats, costumes, and plenty of foodie eats.
Everyone gets dressed up for Krewe of Boo, so make sure you wear a costume! The parade starts at Elysian Fields and rolls through the French Quarter.
We did not attend as we arrived a week later, but it’s something to look into during your Halloween in New Orleans planning stages.
4. Visit Madame Laveau’s House of Voodoo
This is a particularly small shop located on Bourbon Street, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in atmosphere. You’re transported into a taste of Madame Laveau’s world.
The shop has voodoo dolls, gris-gris bags, candles, and other items used in voodoo rituals.
You can even have your tarot cards read while you’re there. Madame Laveau’s House of Voodoo is a must-visit, even if it’s just once.
No pictures are allowed inside.
5. Walk Around the Above-Ground Tombs at a Cemetary
One of the best things about New Orleans is that it’s home to some of the most interesting cemeteries in the country. And what could be more spooky than taking a tour of one of these cemeteries at night?
Now, you can’t just go to a cemetery and walk around. You must book an official tour allowing the guide to walk you into the cemetery. Not all cemeteries allow these tours. There are a couple of them open to tours.
We did a night cemetery tour during our time in New Orleans and got to walk the grounds at the cemetery, which was spooky and yet peaceful all at the same time.
The cemetery is filled with beautiful monuments, graveyards, and above-ground tombs. It’s a fascinating place to visit, especially at night. It is something spooky to do during Halloween in New Orleans. It’s a unique experience.
It’s also a great way to learn about the history of New Orleans and how they bury their dead. Some rituals and traditions are followed when burying someone in New Orleans.
Tour Ideas
Cemetery and Ghost BYOB Bus Tour in New Orleans [book here]
6. Learn About the Vampires of New Orleans
One of the most popular things to do during Halloween in New Orleans is to take a vampire tour. New Orleans has a long history with vampires, including famous shows like True Blood and The Originals.
You’ll visit some of the most famous vampire sites and the real vampires of New Orleans, and how they’ve influenced pop culture over the years. The tour is both educational and spooky, and it’s a great way to learn about the dark side of New Orleans.
It is said that these bloodthirsty creatures still walk among us today.
Tour Ideas
New Orleans Vampire Tour [book here]
Adults Only New Orleans Ghost, True Crime, Voodoo & Vampire Walking Tour [book here]
The food in New Orleans is a delight for the taste buds. From gumbo and jambalaya to beignets, here are 15 dishes in Nola everyone needs to try while they are there.
7. Eat a New Orleans Vampire Cafe
After your vampire tour, you may want to head to New Orleans Vampire Cafe for a fun dinner amongst vampires. This is a popular restaurant that serves up traditional New Orleans cuisine with a vampire twist. The added touches throughout the restaurant give it a spooky vibe. You’ll want to go at night.
Our favorite part is the drinks that are served in a blood bag. Making it a fun and unique way to experience the vampire folklore in New Orleans.
If you get lucky, you may be chosen, and they might share a password with you to enter their secret vampire bar.
– Don’t Miss: Amazing Places to Eat in New Orleans –
8. Make a Stop at the LaLaurie Mansion
One of the most haunted mansions in New Orleans is the LaLaurie Mansion. The LaLaurie Mansion and its Madame Delphine were featured in American Horror Story.
The mansion is said to be haunted by the ghosts of slaves who Madame Delphine tortured. It’s a popular stop on many ghost tours in New Orleans, and it would be the best way to get the history behind Madame Delphine and her slaves.
You can’t go inside but can walk by and see the mansion from the outside. If you go at night, it’s creepy. You can feel the history and hauntings as you get near the property.
9. Check Out the Halloween Decorations
The Halloween decorations throughout the French Quarter and the Garden City are amazing. You’ll see Halloween decorations up all over the city.
Make an effort to Garden City to see the amazing Halloween displays. It’s something that the whole family can enjoy and do together for Halloween in New Orleans.
We especially enjoyed the Skeleton House. A quirky display of Skeletons in different positions and scenes with different social commentary was more funny than spooky.
The Skeleton House is located at 6000 St Charles Ave. You can take the Green St. Charles Streetcar to get there and then walk to see other decorated homes.
10. Dress Up in a Costume and Go Out on Halloween
One of the best things about Halloween in New Orleans is that people take it seriously. It’s common to see people in costume all day and night, especially on Halloween.
Bourbon Street is chaotic on Halloween night. The costumes are over-the-top, and the party is always going.
However, if that’s not your speed, you can always dress up for fun and steer clear of Bourbon by going to one of the many Halloween parties happening all over the city. If you decide to head to the bar or dinner in your costumes, that’s also acceptable. New Orleans takes Halloween seriously, and you should too!
There are costume contests, themed parties, activities, and more. You can even attend a fancy Vampire Masquerade Ball! Just have to plan.
Not sure how to plan your trip to New Orleans? Check out our 3-Day in New Orleans Itinerary.
Halloween in New Orleans is a special time. It’s a time to celebrate the dead, dress up in costumes, and party all night long. If you’re looking for a spooktacular time, look no further than New Orleans.
From vampire tours to haunted mansions, you’ll have a good time and get into the spirit of Halloween no matter what you do. So put on your costume and get ready to have a spooktacular time! Happy Halloween!
What are your favorite things to do during Halloween in New Orleans? Let us know in the comments!
Kathy Ava
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.