New Orleans Ghost Hunters 101 with Electronic Field Meter

New Orleans does half the work on this after-dark ghost walk. You move through the French Quarter with an EMF meter, hear tales of apparitions and cold spots, and learn how vampire legends and voodoo became part of the city’s spooky identity. The tour costs only $20, so it is an easy evening add-on.

I like two things here: the guide mixes supernatural stories with actual New Orleans background, and you can carry a drink from a bar or takeout window as you walk. Cody, Coty, and Ashley have each been praised for making the tour funny and engaging. The catch is that you stay outside, and nobody can promise a ghostly sighting.

Key points to know

• One real EMF meter: Ask at check-in if you want to handle the paranormal equipment. It may be shared rather than supplied to every person.
• French Quarter after dark: The route visits public streets and atmospheric sites tied to ghost stories, mass burials, vampires, voodoo, and unexplained activity.
• Outdoor investigation: You do not enter haunted houses, hotels, morgues, churches, cemeteries, or private buildings.
• Optional bar stops: You may buy a drink along the route, but drinks are not included and bar waits can stretch the tour beyond two hours.
• A $20 evening plan: This is inexpensive entertainment, especially if you enjoy local tales and walking more than staged scares.
• Plan carefully: Meet outside the gate by Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street, and arrive early because late arrivals may miss the group.

What this $20 French Quarter investigation actually is

This is not a haunted-house attraction with actors leaping from closets. It is a guided walking investigation through the French Quarter, built around stories, local lore, and the use of simple paranormal equipment.

Your guide leads the group along public streets and stops at places associated with hauntings. The settings may include haunted apartments, bars, balconies, hotels, sidewalks, churches, cemeteries, morgues, and even bathrooms. That long list sounds dramatic, but it does not mean you enter these buildings. The tour remains outside, and the route can change without notice.

That distinction matters. If you want theatrical effects, this may feel too restrained. If you enjoy asking what happened at a place, hearing several versions of a tale, and testing an EMF meter in an old neighborhood after sunset, the format makes sense.

The tour lasts about one to two hours at a moderate walking pace. Bar stops can make it longer, especially when a group waits to order drinks. I would not schedule a tight dinner reservation or theater start immediately afterward.

Meeting at 941 Bourbon Street

The meeting point is on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, at 941 Bourbon Street. You do not check in inside the bar, and the tour company is not affiliated with the establishment.

Arrive a few minutes before the scheduled departure. The guide leaves at the stated time, and a late arrival may find an empty meeting point. If you are running behind, contact the operator before departure. The guide cannot keep answering calls once the walk begins.

The French Quarter is easy to reach by public transportation, and no hotel pickup or drop-off is provided. Wear shoes with good traction. The streets and walkways can be old, uneven, and rough underfoot, which is one reason the moderate pace is useful.

The group can be as large as 99 people, though the actual size on your date may be smaller. A very large group can make street-side storytelling less personal and may make it harder for everyone to handle the equipment. If using the meter is important to you, ask about it when you check in.

The opening stories: more than a ghost count

The strongest part of this experience is likely to be the guide’s narration. The tour covers the background of the places you visit, then connects those settings to stories of ghosts, apparitions, cold spots, orbs, and other reported paranormal events.

You also hear about New Orleans voodoo and the city’s vampire lore. These subjects can be treated as spooky decoration, but a good guide gives them some context and explains how they fit into local stories. Cody and Coty have been singled out for combining humor with information about the French Quarter and New Orleans. Ashley has also been praised for making the walk lively and social.

That guide makes a real difference. One guide may lean toward history and explanation. Another may play up the eerie side. The experience is not a scripted audio program, so the quality depends heavily on who leads your group and how well the guide handles questions.

You should also keep your expectations sensible. The tour operator makes no promise that you will see a ghost, vampire, demon, spirit, or any other supernatural being. The EMF meter can register a change, but that does not prove a haunting. Treat the equipment as a tool for atmosphere and discussion, not scientific evidence.

Handling the EMF meter

The electronic field meter is the tour’s most distinctive feature. It is a real device used to measure electromagnetic fields, and it gives you something physical to do during the stops.

You may be allowed to check out the equipment for use during the tour. To do so, you must request it at check-in and provide your name, phone number, address, and booking reference. The equipment is marked and tracked, and it must be returned to a staff member before you leave.

The rules are strict for good reason. A fee of $250 can apply to equipment that is lost, damaged, or missing. Do not drop it, hand it to someone outside the group, or walk away with it at the end.

The meter may be shared rather than handed to every person. One account describes a young participant holding it while the guide asked her to report when the reading passed 15. That can be fun for a child or first-time ghost hunter, but it also shows the limit of the setup: one person may get the hands-on role while the rest watch and listen.

If a reading changes, the guide may explain what normally causes that result in an urban setting. You should enjoy the moment without assuming it confirms paranormal activity. The best value comes from the combination of the device, the story, and the setting.

French Quarter locations and what you see

The route focuses on some of the French Quarter’s most atmospheric public spaces. You may pause near buildings, streets, sidewalks, balconies, bars, churches, cemeteries, or former medical sites connected with local legends.

A mass burial ground is one of the more memorable types of stop described for this walk. Such a place carries a darker weight than a generic haunted building because the story involves actual death and difficult periods in New Orleans history. Expect tales of cold spots, apparitions, and orbs, but remember that this is an outdoor stop with no promise of a paranormal event.

You might also hear stories connected to haunted apartments and houses. Because the tour does not enter private property, you view these locations from public space. That protects residents and keeps the group within legal boundaries, but it can disappoint anyone expecting a room-by-room investigation.

Haunted bars and pubs are part of the route too. You can sometimes buy a drink to take with you, then continue walking. Drinks are your responsibility, and the price of the ticket does not cover them. Some bars may not admit children, so families should use the takeout option when available.

The tour asks you not to ring doorbells, trespass, block sidewalks, or wander away from the group for photographs. That is sensible in a residential quarter. You are visiting a living neighborhood, not a theme park.

Why the bar stops can change the timing

The optional drink stop gives the walk a casual New Orleans feel. You can grab a beverage, listen to more stories, and move on to the next location. For adults planning a relaxed evening, this can be part of the fun.

It can also slow everything down. Busy bars create waits, and several stops may push the experience well beyond the advertised one to two hours. If you are hoping to eat at a set time or catch a show, leave a generous cushion.

You do not need to drink to take the tour. The activity is still a walking investigation without alcohol, and the operator can refuse service to anyone who is extremely intoxicated. If a person becomes too intoxicated and the tour is canceled for that reason, no refund is offered.

Children must be with an adult. The walk itself is open to most people, but individual bars may have age restrictions. Service animals are allowed.

What makes the guides important

The guide is the main reason to book this experience. The equipment is simple, and the locations are public, so the storytelling carries most of the weight.

Cody has been praised for being friendly, funny, and well informed about both hauntings and New Orleans. One particularly useful touch was a tip about gumbo, which shows how the guide can add everyday local advice to the ghost material. Coty has also received strong praise for explaining the French Quarter beyond its supernatural stories.

Ashley has been described as fun and engaging, with enough energy to make the walk feel social. The operator uses different guides, so you cannot assume you will receive the same person named in past accounts. Still, those names give you a useful sense of the style to hope for: a mix of jokes, local background, spooky tales, and group participation.

The experience may be less satisfying if your guide is tired, ill, or less animated. One poor account described a guide coughing through the walk and offering little explanation when the EMF reading changed. That is a reminder that this is a guide-led experience, not a self-contained attraction.

Price, value, and the no-refund risk

At $20 per person, this is one of the cheaper organized activities you can add to a New Orleans evening. You receive a local guide, a walking route, stories, and access to paranormal equipment. For that price, I see it as low-cost entertainment rather than a serious investigation.

The value is best if you already plan to spend time in the French Quarter. You are paying for interpretation and a theme, not transportation, food, admission to private sites, or a guaranteed supernatural encounter. Add the cost of drinks if you plan to stop at bars.

The booking terms require care. The ticket is normally non-refundable and cannot be changed for personal reasons. The operator may cancel if the minimum number is not met or if weather prevents the tour, and the stated remedy can be a new date, another experience, or a full refund depending on the situation. The operator also says prepaid customers may receive credit for a future tour when a cancellation occurs.

Because communication about delays or cancellations is usually sent by text, leave an accurate mobile number with your booking. Departure times can change due to traffic or other conditions. I would check messages before leaving for the meeting point.

Rain, heat, streets, and practical comfort

The tour operates rain or shine unless the operator cancels. New Orleans can be very hot, but the city can also feel cold, especially during a long evening walk. Check the forecast and dress for the conditions rather than assuming a night tour will be cool.

Bring water, especially in warm weather. Wear comfortable shoes and keep your belongings secure. The operator does not accept responsibility for lost or stolen items, and the streets may be uneven.

Photography is allowed and encouraged, but audio and video recording are not permitted. You may take still photos, but do not record the guide’s narration or film the tour. You also need to stay with the group rather than walking off for a better picture.

These rules may feel strict, but they help the guide keep the group moving and protect private residents along the route.

Who should book this ghost walk?

I would choose this tour if you like local legends, walking tours, light investigation, and a little uncertainty. It suits adults, couples, families with older children, and anyone who wants a themed activity after a day of sightseeing.

It is especially useful for a first evening in the French Quarter because it helps you notice buildings and streets you might otherwise pass without a second thought. The tour adds stories to the neighborhood, then lets you continue exploring on your own.

I would skip it if you need guaranteed access inside haunted buildings, a polished theatrical production, or strong scientific proof. You also need to avoid booking it before an important reservation because the timing can stretch.

The mixed experience of the tour is easy to understand. The setting is excellent, the price is modest, and a good guide can make the evening memorable. But the format depends on the guide, group size, weather, bar waits, and your willingness to accept that nothing supernatural may happen.

Should you book New Orleans Ghost Hunters 101?

Book it if you want an inexpensive, story-driven walk through the French Quarter with the added fun of an EMF meter. Ask for the equipment at check-in, arrive early, wear sturdy shoes, and leave your evening schedule open.

Do not book it expecting a guaranteed ghost sighting or entry into private haunted locations. The best reason to go is the blend of New Orleans lore, public streets, optional drinks, and a guide who can make the tales come alive. At $20, that is a fair deal if you see the paranormal claims as part of the entertainment rather than a promise.

FAQ

How much does New Orleans Ghost Hunters 101 cost?

The price is $20 per person. Drinks, gratuities, and hotel transportation are not included.

How long does the tour last?

The stated duration is about one to two hours. It may run longer if the group waits at busy bars or makes several drink stops.

Where does the tour begin?

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

Does the tour enter haunted buildings?

No. The tour takes place on public property, and no entry into private locations is provided. You view and investigate locations from public streets and walkways.

Is the EMF meter included?

A real EMF meter is used during the tour. If you want to handle the paranormal equipment, request it at check-in. Equipment may be shared, and it must be returned before you leave.

Are drinks included?

No. You may purchase drinks at bars or takeout windows along the route, but you pay for them separately.

Can children join the tour?

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Some bars do not allow children inside, although takeout windows may be available along the route.

Is the tour accessible to most people?

Most people can participate, and the walk proceeds at a moderate pace. The route includes old, uneven, and potentially dilapidated streets and walkways, so take care with your footing.

What happens if the tour is canceled?

If poor weather or an insufficient number of participants causes a cancellation, you may be offered another date or experience, or a full refund depending on the cancellation circumstances. The operator sends updates by phone, text, or email, so provide accurate contact information.