Halloween in New Orleans is like nowhere else in the world.
If you’re a girl who lives for magic, costumes, and a little weirdness, Halloween in New Orleans is your dream come true.
Be ready to wander through haunted buildings, sip massive frozen alcoholic drinks, join a Voodoo ritual, embrace the vampire vibes, and find ghosts in the French Quarter.
Here’s your guide to Halloween in the Big Easy:
Why I’m qualified to write this Halloween Guide to New Orleans
I’m more than qualified to write this guide because I’ve celebrated so many Halloweens here that I’ve honestly lost count.
I know the city’s weird side, like the back of my hand, from ghost tours to hidden haunts. I’ve written multiple travel pieces about New Orleans and even crafted guided walking tours for NOLA Tour Guy.
I don’t just write about Halloween in New Orleans, I live for it.
LIVE, I tell you.
Is Halloween a Good Time to Visit New Orleans?
Yes, yes, yes.
The city’s long, haunted history, rich Creole culture, and old-world charm make it one of the best places in the U.S. to celebrate.
With roots in French Catholic traditions, New Orleans has celebrated All Saints Day since its founding in 1718.
That spiritual reverence blends with the city’s love of revelry, creating an October atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
From mossy mausoleums to centuries-old Spanish architecture, Halloween in New Orleans is deeply magical, like life-changing AF.
Read: What to Wear in New Orleans by the Month
Things to Do for Halloween in New Orleans
Krewe of BOO
Catch the Krewe of BOO, New Orleans’ official Halloween parade.
This bold, bright, and spooky spectacle rolls through the French Quarter with wild floats, flying beads, and skeletons in style. It’s family-friendly but still full of classic New Orleans flair.
Take a French Quarter Ghost Tour
You can’t do Halloween in New Orleans without a French Quarter ghost tour.
The French Quarter is packed with haunted hotspots, from the infamous LaLaurie Mansion to tiny alleyways hiding tragic love stories and restless spirits. Most tours start after sundown, which adds an extra edge to every step.
Book early because they fill fast in October.
Visit the New Orleans Vampire Cafe
The New Orleans Vampire Cafe is pure spooky glam.
Imagine if Dracula hosted a dinner party…gold cutlery instead of silver, garlic nowhere to be found, and cocktails served in transparent blood bags like luxe Capri Suns. Each drink is themed around blood types.
They look amazing, taste fine, and yes, are pricey, but the aesthetic.
Go On a Cemetery Tour
Halloween in New Orleans means getting up close with history.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is iconic, but there are plenty of cemetery tours through above-ground cemeteries where you can hear about Voodoo queens and forgotten souls.
Read: Top 5 Cemeteries in New Orleans for Your Bucket List
Have a Drink in The Dungeon
The dark heart of the Quarter is at The Dungeon.
Opened in 1969, this loud, shadowy bar is a favorite for the alternative crowd. Inside, you’ll find skulls, bones, black walls, and thumping music.
It’s hard to find and feels like a secret. That’s part of the charm.
Stop by a Voodoo Shop
There are tons of cool voodoo shops throughout the city that sell Gris Gris bags, incense, handmade dolls, candles, and good luck charms.
Check out places like Voodoo Authentica (they are typically closed on Halloween Day) or Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo.
Visit a Creepy Museum
If you love museums with a side of creeps, Halloween in New Orleans gives you options:
- Pharmacy Museum: I LOVE the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. This 1800s apothecary is filled with vintage medical tools, tinctures, and strange remedies.
- Voodoo Museum: The New Orleans Voodoo Museum is tiny but packed with real spiritual artifacts and altars.Learn about Louisiana Voodoo and its deep connection to the city’s culture.
- Museum of Death: Not for the faint of heart. Museum of Death exhibits include everything from serial killer letters to embalming tools. Disturbing but fascinating.
Stop in Front of the LaLaurie House
This infamous mansion is one of the most haunted spots in the city.
Once home to Madame Delphine LaLaurie, who committed horrifying acts behind closed doors, the house is now privately owned. No one is allowed inside, but just standing in front of it at night gives you the creeps. Many say they feel watched.
Whether or not you believe in ghosts, it’s a must-stop on your Halloween in New Orleans adventure.
Read: 11 Creepy & Cool Haunted Sites in New Orleans
Party on Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street goes all out for Halloween in New Orleans.
Dressing up isn’t just welcome; it’s expected.
Whether you’re club hopping or just walking down the street, you’ll see wild looks, badass costumes, and drink species everywhere.
Read: The Bourbon Street Bucket List
Ride the Trolley to the Garden District
Hop on the streetcar in costume and head to the Garden District.
The stunning old homes get decked out for the season with gothic elegance and tons of NOLA weirdness. You’ll get amazing, crowd-free costume pics before heading back to the Quarter at night.
Read: 13 Iconic Things To Do in the Garden District
Stay a Night in a Haunted Hotel
Spend Halloween in New Orleans at one of its famously haunted hotels.
The Hotel Monteleone, Le Richelieu, and the Andrew Jackson Hotel all have spooky histories and ghost sightings. It’s the perfect way to end your day with a touch of spine-tingling glamour.
Join a Group Voodoo Ritual
Voodoo Authentica hosts a free public ritual for Halloween in New Orleans, complete with spiritual ceremonies, food, and speakers like mediums and healers.
It’s a beautiful, respectful way to witness or participate in authentic (see what I did there?) Voodoo traditions.
Haunted Pub Crawl
Grab a drink and listen to ghost stories from bartenders and tour guides at the Pub Crawl.
You’ll hop between historic pubs, hear about haunted happenings, and maybe even meet a spirit or two.
It’s a fun way to combine spirits of all kinds!
Read: 11 Reasons I Love New Orleans
Muriel’s Séance Room
Muriel’s Jackson Square is beautiful, haunted, and hiding a secret.
Ask your server nicely, and they may let you peek inside the Séance Lounge.
Bathed in red light with antique decor, it’s a sultry, spiritual hidden gem perfect for Halloween in New Orleans.
Read: The Guide to Jackson Square
5 Things Not to Do for Halloween in New Orleans
Go to a Fake Haunted House
Skip the pop-up haunted houses with cheesy props and predictable jump scares. Halloween in New Orleans gives you real haunted history: ghosts, Voodoo, vampires, pirates, and cemeteries with actual legends.
Don’t trade that for fog machines and rubber masks outside the Quarter.
Skip the Food
Costumes, parades, and ghost tours should take up your Halloween time, for sure. But don’t miss out on the food.
Halloween in New Orleans means you can sink your fangs into gumbo, beignets, red beans and rice, and all the glorious French-Creole flavors you never knew you needed.
Read: The Food Guide to New Orleans
Stay Outside the Quarter
Halloween in New Orleans happens in the French Quarter, ok?
If there’s ever a time to splurge on a boutique hotel in the center of it all, this is it. Being able to walk from your room to the fun is everything.
Read: My Unbiased Review of Le Richelieu Hotel in New Orleans
Don’t Be Afraid to Pack Multiple Costumes
It’s normal (encouraged even) to have a different costume every day during Halloween time in New Orleans.
In the week leading up to the big day, people dress up for brunch, parades, dinner, and just because.
Don’t hold back.
Serve looks all week.
Don’t Forget to Make Reservations
Halloween in New Orleans is one of the busiest times of the year.
Ghost tours, haunted dinners, and special events sell out fast. Book your vampire dinner, cemetery tour, and hotel stay in advance, or you’ll be left in the (literal) dark.
Check in
What did you do for Halloween in New Orleans?
Drop your experience below.
Read More
Where to Park in the French Quarter
The Truth About the French Quarter of New Orleans
Best Souvenirs to Buy from New Orleans
