New Orleans: 2-Hour Paranormal Investigation Tour

New Orleans’ French Quarter is an ideal place for a ghost tour, and this one adds a handheld EMF meter to the usual stories. You walk through the Vieux Carre, stopping at a mass burial ground, haunted houses, pubs, cemeteries, and streets while your guide explains what to watch for.

I like the chance to handle the paranormal detector yourself, and I like the broad route through as many as a dozen haunted locations. The two-hour length also fits neatly into an evening. The main concern is reliability: one booking had no guide show up, and another group was given a story tour instead of the promised investigation.

Key points

• The tour begins at a mass burial ground, a place associated with cold spots, apparitions, and orbs.
• You use an EMF meter and paranormal detector, with time to hold the equipment and ask questions.
• The route covers the 78-block French Quarter, including streets, pubs, houses, and cemeteries.
• Cody has led some departures, bringing humor, city background, and a family-friendly approach.
• The $24 price is modest, especially if you want a guided night walk rather than a long theatrical show.
• Confirm the cancellation terms carefully, since the booking information gives conflicting refund policies.

Starting at 941 Bourbon Street

Meet your guide on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, at 941 Bourbon Street. You do not meet inside the bar. The bar’s staff do not run this tour and are not expected to know its departure details, so arrive at the courtyard gate and wait outside.

This matters on Bourbon Street. The area can be loud, crowded, and full of distractions, especially later in the evening. Give yourself a few extra minutes to find the correct gate. Keep your booking details handy, since the meeting instructions are precise and the tour does not begin from inside the famous bar.

The operator is Show Me New Orleans Tours, also associated with New Orleans Drunk History Tours. The guide speaks English, and private groups are available. The standard format is a walking tour, so wear shoes that can handle two hours on city pavement and bring water. The tour allows stops where you can buy drinks, though bar entry rules vary. Some bars permit children, while others do not.

Why the French Quarter works so well for this theme

The French Quarter, or Vieux Carre, is more than a backdrop for ghost stories. It is a compact old district with 78 blocks of streets, buildings, bars, courtyards, cemeteries, and former homes. That gives the guide many kinds of places to discuss rather than forcing the entire tour into one building.

The route is advertised as visiting the top 10 haunted locations, and elsewhere as reaching a dozen sites. I would treat those numbers as a general range, not a guarantee of an exact stop count. The precise route can change, and the important point is that you spend the evening moving through several parts of the Quarter rather than standing in one spot.

You may stop at haunted houses, pubs, cemeteries, and public streets. Each setting changes the mood. A cemetery gives the tour a solemn feel. A pub brings you into the everyday social life of New Orleans. A narrow street or old house lets the guide connect local stories to the buildings around you.

This is not a museum visit, and it is not a theatrical haunted house. You are outside for most or all of the walk, listening, looking, and taking part in small investigations. If you want costumes, actors, jump scares, or special effects, this may feel quiet. If you like old buildings, local tales, and the question of what a detector can really tell you, the format makes sense.

Your first investigation at a mass burial ground

The tour begins at a mass burial ground known for reported cold spots, apparitions, and orbs. This opening stop sets the tone. You are not simply told that the place is haunted. You are invited to look for changes and unusual readings with the handheld equipment.

The EMF meter is the key piece of gear. It measures electromagnetic fields, and the guide uses it as a tool in the investigation. It does not prove that a ghost is present, so keep your expectations in check. Street wiring, phones, nearby buildings, and other ordinary sources can affect readings. The useful part is learning how the device works and deciding for yourself how much weight to give a result.

One particularly good feature is the chance to hold the meter. Cody, a guide named in past departures, allowed participants to handle the device, ask questions, and take part rather than keeping the equipment in the guide’s hands. That detail helps children and curious adults stay involved.

The mass burial ground also gives the guide room to explain why death and burial sites carry such strong weight in New Orleans ghost lore. You can listen for the local story, then compare it with what the meter displays. The tour works best when you treat it as a mix of folklore, city history, observation, and entertainment.

From haunted streets to pubs and cemeteries

After the first investigation, the route continues through the French Quarter. You follow the lead investigator from stop to stop, with the possibility of visiting a dozen locations. The supplied details do not identify every address, so you should not book this expecting a fixed list of named buildings.

What you can expect is a mix of settings:

• Haunted houses, where the guide can connect stories to particular buildings and their former occupants.
• Pubs, where supernatural tales meet the noisy, social side of Bourbon Street and nearby lanes.
• Cemeteries, which bring a more serious tone and a clear connection to the city’s burial traditions.
• Streets and public spaces, where the guide points out places many people would walk past without noticing.

I like this variety because it prevents the tour from becoming a string of identical stops. You get a sense of how ghost stories sit inside the living Quarter, not apart from it. A bar can be full of ordinary noise while the guide tells an unsettling story. A quiet corner can feel more suggestive than a dramatic claim.

The drawback is that the route may not feel like a controlled investigation in the way a television ghost-hunting program does. You are walking in an active city, and outside noise, other people, traffic, and bar activity are part of the setting. The tour’s atmosphere comes from New Orleans itself, not from a carefully sealed paranormal site.

You may stop to purchase drinks along the way. That can be convenient, but it also means the group’s pace may change. If you are bringing children, ask about each bar before entering. Some allow children and some do not.

A guide-led look at paranormal tools

The local guide is central to the quality of this tour. The equipment is simple, so the explanations and stories carry much of the evening. The guide introduces the EMF meter and ghost detector, explains what the devices are meant to show, and answers questions during the stops.

Cody received especially strong praise for being entertaining and well informed about New Orleans and its past. A family group with ages ranging from 12 to 50 found the tour comfortable for different age levels, and the guide welcomed questions. That suggests the best version of this tour is conversational rather than stiff or overly scripted.

Do not expect scientific testing. The detector is a prop and a conversation tool as much as an investigative instrument. A high reading may have an ordinary cause, and a low reading does not settle anything. The fun comes from making observations, hearing the story tied to the place, and discussing what you notice.

That balance is important. You can enjoy the folklore without having to accept every paranormal claim. I would approach this as a local storytelling walk with hands-on ghost-hunting elements. It gives you more to do than a standard narrated stroll, but it does not turn supernatural stories into proven fact.

Two hours, $24, and what you get for the money

At $24 per person, this is a fairly low-cost evening activity in New Orleans. You receive a two-hour guided walk, the use of an EMF meter and paranormal detector, and access to stories connected with several French Quarter locations. You do not pay for a meal, drinks, transportation, or entry to a separate attraction.

The value depends on what you want. If you are already planning to walk Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, the tour gives that walk a clear purpose and adds a guide. You may learn details you would miss on your own, especially at streets or buildings that do not advertise their connection to ghost lore.

If you want a polished theatrical production, the price may reflect the simpler format. This is a walking tour with basic equipment, not a full production with actors and special effects. The modest cost makes it a reasonable add-on for an evening, but it does not remove the need to check that the correct tour is operating.

The two-hour length is another strength. It is long enough to visit several places without taking up an entire night. It also gives you time afterward to eat, listen to live music, or continue exploring the Quarter. Because the route is on foot, the actual pace may depend on street conditions, crowds, and time spent at each stop.

Family groups, private bookings, and practical limits

This tour can work for a mixed-age family, based on a reported group ranging from 12 to 50. The guide’s willingness to answer questions is useful when younger participants are curious about the meter or the stories. Still, the content concerns death, burial grounds, apparitions, and haunted buildings, so parents should decide if that tone suits their children.

Private groups are available. That option may help if you want a more personal pace or prefer not to investigate with strangers. The supplied details do not state the private-group price or maximum size, so check those points before booking.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible. Since the activity covers city streets, pubs, cemeteries, and other stops, ask the operator about the exact route and any access issues for your date. Accessibility can vary from one location to another, even when the tour itself is marked accessible.

Intoxication is a firm concern. The operator can refuse service to anyone who is intoxicated or shows extreme signs of intoxication, and no refund is issued if someone is removed for that reason. Since the route includes Bourbon Street and drink stops, plan to remain fit to walk and participate.

The most important concern: dependable operation

I need to be direct about the tour’s mixed operating record. One booking ended with the guide not showing up. Another group expected a paranormal investigation but was taken on a different story-focused tour and left after the third location when told there would be no investigation.

Those problems are especially serious here because the EMF equipment and active investigation are not minor extras. They are the reason many people choose this tour over an ordinary French Quarter ghost walk. Before you leave for the meeting point, confirm the departure by phone, text, or email if possible.

The operator may cancel after confirmation if too few people book. Notification can come by phone, text, or email during the hour before departure. If that happens, you are offered an alternative tour or a full refund. Keep your phone available near departure time and do not make a tight dinner reservation immediately afterward.

The cancellation terms need careful attention. The activity details state that you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund and also offer reserve now, pay later booking. The Eventbrite instructions say all sales are final with a 100 percent cancellation penalty. These terms conflict, so check the policy attached to your exact booking channel before paying.

Who should book this French Quarter ghost walk?

I would choose this tour if you want three things at once: a guided walk through the French Quarter, local ghost stories, and a small amount of hands-on paranormal investigation. The $24 fee is sensible for that combination, especially if you enjoy deciding for yourself what the equipment readings mean.

It suits curious adults, couples, groups of friends, and families with older children who can handle stories about death and haunted places. It also works well for someone who has already walked the Quarter but wants a different reason to revisit its streets.

I would hesitate if you need a fixed list of confirmed locations, a guaranteed guide, or a strictly scientific investigation. The route can vary, and the past problems with no-shows and tour substitutions are worth taking seriously. I would also skip it if you prefer a quiet activity, since Bourbon Street and nearby bars can be loud and crowded.

My booking advice

Book this tour for the setting and the participation, not for proof of ghosts. The mass burial ground, French Quarter streets, pubs, houses, and cemeteries provide a strong two-hour framework, while the EMF meter gives you something to do beyond listening.

Before booking, verify the exact product name, confirm that the departure includes the paranormal equipment, and recheck the meeting point at the courtyard gate beside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. If the operator confirms the tour and the refund terms are clear, this can be a fun, inexpensive way to spend an evening in New Orleans. If confirmation is vague, choose a backup plan and keep your schedule flexible.

FAQ

How long is the New Orleans paranormal investigation tour?

The tour lasts two hours. Starting times vary, so you need to check availability for your chosen date.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet your guide on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116.

Do I meet inside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar?

No. The tour meets outside at the courtyard gate. The bar is not affiliated with the tour, and its bartenders do not manage the activity or provide tour information.

What equipment is used during the investigation?

The guide uses an EMF meter and a ghost or paranormal detector. Participants may be allowed to hold the equipment and ask questions about it.

Is the tour offered in languages other than English?

No. English is the listed tour language.

Is the activity wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Since the route includes streets, pubs, cemeteries, and other locations, you may want to confirm route details for your departure.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

The activity details say you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. However, the Eventbrite instructions say all sales are final with a 100 percent cancellation penalty. Check the terms shown with your specific booking before purchasing.