New Orleans Paranormal Investigation

Ghost stories begin on Bourbon Street. This two-hour walking investigation moves through New Orleans’ French Quarter, combining local tales with stops at places linked to burials, murders, hauntings, and strange reports. I like the friendly local guide format and the chance to handle a real EMF meter, not just listen to a standard ghost-story lecture. I also like the optional to-go cocktail stops, though drinks cost extra.

The main caution is simple: this is an outdoor storytelling walk, not a guaranteed encounter with the supernatural. Equipment may not work perfectly, some locations are viewed from public streets, and the strict no-refund policy means you should plan carefully before booking.

Key points before you book

• Starts at 941 Bourbon Street: Meet outside, at the gate of the courtyard beside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, not inside the bar.
• Covers more than a dozen sites: The route can include streets, sidewalks, bars, hotels, churches, cemeteries, balconies, galleries, and other places tied to local ghost stories.
• Uses paranormal equipment: An EMF meter is available, with equipment checked out and returned during the tour.
• Runs about one to two hours: The advertised duration is two hours, but bar wait times and route conditions can change the finish time.
• To-go drinks are optional: You may buy alcohol along the way at your own expense, but children may not be admitted inside every bar.
• Ghosts are not promised: The tour is for entertainment and investigation. You might feel a cold spot or capture an unusual photo, but no supernatural sighting is guaranteed.

Starting outside Lafitte’s on Bourbon Street

Your meeting point is 941 Bourbon Street, on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. You do not meet inside the bar, and the company is not affiliated with the bar at that address.

That detail matters. Bourbon Street is crowded, noisy, and full of competing tours. Arrive a few minutes early, find the courtyard gate, and check in with the guide. The group leaves at the scheduled time. If you arrive late, the guide may already be moving through the French Quarter and may not be able to answer the phone while leading the group.

The company says the maximum group size is 28 people. That is small enough to hear a guide in most places, but it is not an intimate private walk unless your departure happens to have only a few bookings. Ashli Fisher, one of the company’s owners and operators, has led especially energetic versions of the tour. Her approach leans toward vivid stories about hauntings, vampires, murders, and unusual events rather than a quiet, academic presentation.

You should also expect a moderate walking pace. The French Quarter has old, uneven sidewalks, crowded corners, and streets where you need to watch your footing. Comfortable shoes are more useful here than anything marketed as paranormal gear.

The mass burial ground and first EMF reading

The tour gets started quickly at a location described as a former mass burial ground. It is associated with cold spots, apparitions, and orbs. That opening gives the investigation a clear purpose: instead of waiting until the end for the first ghost story, you begin with a place tied to death and reported activity.

You may use a real EMF meter, also described as a ghost or paranormal detector. The device measures changes in electromagnetic fields, but the tour presents readings as part of the supernatural investigation. Keep your expectations in check. A meter can react for many ordinary reasons, and a reading by itself does not prove a ghost is present.

The equipment is checked out at the beginning and must be returned before you leave. You need to provide your name, phone number, address, and booking reference if you want to use it. A $250 charge applies to lost, damaged, or missing equipment, so handle it with care and do not drop it.

This is one of the more appealing parts of the experience for curious beginners. You are not simply walking behind a guide while listening to legends. You get a small role in the process, checking a device and watching for changes. Still, there is an important limitation: equipment has reportedly been dropped before, and at least one account found that the two detectors were not working. That possibility is worth considering if hands-on gear is the main reason you are booking.

Jackson Square and the wider French Quarter route

Jackson Square is listed as the ending area, but the investigation reaches across the French Quarter before you finish there. The Vieux Carre contains 78 blocks, and the tour is designed to visit more than a dozen locations within that historic district.

The route can include haunted houses, apartments, morgues, bathrooms, bars, pubs, cemeteries, balconies, galleries, hotels, churches, streets, and sidewalks. That wide range is useful because it keeps the walk from feeling like a single haunted-house attraction. You are looking at ordinary parts of the neighborhood and hearing why the guide connects them to unusual events.

Some of the locations are public streets or exterior views. The tour does not enter private property, and you must respect residents who live along the route. Do not ring doorbells, wander into courtyards, or leave the group to take photos. The French Quarter is a neighborhood, not a stage set built solely for tourists.

Jackson Square gives the walk a natural finish. It is a familiar public space and an easy place to continue your evening after the tour. The stated end area is Jackson Square in New Orleans, rather than the original Bourbon Street meeting point, so plan for a one-way walk through the district.

Stories about murders, vampires, and haunted churches

The strongest reason to book this experience is the guide’s storytelling. The walk draws on local accounts involving murders, vampires, haunted buildings, old cemeteries, and strange activity. Ashli Fisher has been praised for an exuberant style, with plenty of stories and a willingness to keep the energy moving.

That style will suit you if you want a lively introduction to New Orleans’ darker legends. It may not suit you if you want a carefully documented investigation with long periods of silence, controlled experiments, or access to the interiors of famous haunted buildings.

The company says the information comes from research by its authors and guides and from public knowledge. That means the tour mixes local lore with stories that have circulated over time. Treat the material as entertainment and interpretation, not as a scientific claim or a formal historical lecture.

I like that the route includes less obvious spaces such as bathrooms, apartments, sidewalks, and churches. Those stops make the investigation feel less predictable. At the same time, the more ordinary the location, the more the experience depends on the guide’s delivery. A great storyteller can make a sidewalk memorable. A flat presentation can make even a supposedly haunted building feel like a quick pass-by.

Optional cocktails and stops inside bars

You may purchase to-go cocktails along the route, at your own expense. This fits New Orleans well and gives the walk a relaxed evening rhythm. You can buy a drink between locations, carry it as you continue, and listen to the next story with a legal local beverage in hand.

The alcohol is not included in the $35 tour price. Bar stops can also affect the length of the outing. The advertised duration is approximately two hours, but the operator says the walk can last from one to two hours, with delays possible when bars are crowded.

Do not assume every bar stop means you will enter. Some places may be busy, and not every bar allows children inside. To-go windows are offered along the route for people who do not want to enter a bar. Children under 18 need a parent or guardian, and the operator says some locations may not admit children at all.

The company can refuse service to anyone who is extremely intoxicated. If alcohol is part of your plan, keep it moderate. You want enough attention left to stay with the group, watch the uneven pavement, and follow the guide’s instructions.

What the $35 price really covers

At $35 per person, this is priced as an accessible evening activity rather than a premium private investigation. The fee includes the local guide, the walking tour, admission to the tour itself, and access to paranormal equipment when properly checked out.

The value is strongest if you want three things in one outing: a French Quarter orientation, a set of local ghost stories, and a playful introduction to EMF equipment. A regular walking tour can cost a similar amount, but this experience adds a clear theme and a more unusual route.

The value is weaker if you expect paid entry into haunted buildings. The tour stays on public property and does not arrange access to private locations. You may see an exterior, a street, a bar, or a public area connected with a story, but the ticket does not guarantee entry into a famous haunted room.

You also need to budget for drinks and a guide tip. Gratuities are not included, and the operator recommends them. At the same time, the nonrefundable booking policy is a serious part of the price calculation. You cannot cancel or amend the booking for a refund, including for weather. If the company cancels because of insufficient numbers or certain weather conditions, it says prepaid bookings may receive a future-tour credit or, in some cases, an alternative or full refund.

Weather, walking, and group rules

The tour runs rain or shine unless the operator cancels it. New Orleans can be very hot, but the company also warns that cold weather occurs. Check the forecast and dress for an outdoor walk rather than an indoor attraction.

Bring a phone that can receive text messages. Schedule changes, delays, and cancellations may be sent by text or email, and the company says text is its usual method. Make sure the mobile number on your reservation works.

Audio and video recording are not allowed during the tour, but photographs are encouraged. You must stay with the group, and the guide cannot stop repeatedly for someone who walks away to take pictures. That rule is reasonable on a moving city walk, especially with a larger group.

Service animals are allowed, and the experience is near public transportation. Most people can participate, but the moderate pace, old sidewalks, and uneven walkways mean you should judge your own comfort carefully. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you make your own way to Bourbon Street and away from Jackson Square.

The biggest expectation: no ghost is promised

The operator is unusually direct about this point. You may see nothing paranormal. You may get a cold sensation, notice an EMF reading, or take a photograph that looks unusual, but the guide cannot make a ghost, spirit, vampire, demon, or other nonhuman being appear.

That honesty is helpful. Many ghost tours quietly encourage the idea that something dramatic will happen. Here, the experience works better if you treat it as a mix of folklore, local atmosphere, and a casual investigation.

One participant found the stories interesting but felt the tour was not worth the cost because the equipment failed and the group did not enter haunted locations. That is a fair warning. If you need working devices and indoor access, choose a different kind of attraction. If you enjoy stories, night walking, and the possibility of an unexplained moment, the uncertainty is part of the fun.

Who should book this French Quarter investigation?

I would recommend it to first-time New Orleans visitors who want an easy introduction to the French Quarter after dark. It is also a good match for amateur ghost hunters, curious couples, small friend groups, and anyone who likes local legends more than polished stage shows.

The tour is less suitable for anyone seeking a serious scientific investigation. It is also a poor choice if you dislike walking on uneven pavement, cannot keep up with a moderate pace, need guaranteed indoor access, or want a flexible cancellation policy.

Book early if you have a fixed evening in mind. The tour is often booked about five days ahead, and the operator may cancel if minimum numbers are not met. Have a backup plan, especially if your New Orleans schedule is tight.

Should you book it?

Book this $35 walk if you want a lively French Quarter orientation with ghost stories, optional cocktails, and a chance to use an EMF meter. Go in for the setting and the storytelling, not a guaranteed supernatural encounter.

I would be more cautious if the equipment is your main reason for booking, since it may not work. I would also read the no-refund terms closely before paying. For a first-time visitor with realistic expectations, Ashli Fisher’s energetic guiding style and the broad list of unusual stops can make this a memorable evening. For a serious paranormal investigator, the public-street format may feel too limited.

FAQ

Where does the New Orleans Paranormal Investigation begin?

It begins at 941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116. Meet on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. Do not go inside the bar to check in.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour ends in the Jackson Square area of the French Quarter.

How long does the tour last?

The advertised duration is about two hours. The operator says tours can last from one to two hours, with delays possible when bars are busy.

Is alcohol included in the ticket price?

No. Drinks are available to purchase along the route, but alcoholic drinks are not included.

Does the tour guarantee that I will see a ghost?

No. The tour is for entertainment, and no paranormal activity or supernatural sighting is guaranteed.

Can I use paranormal equipment?

Yes. Paranormal equipment, including an EMF meter, may be checked out during the tour. You must provide requested identification and booking details, return the equipment before leaving, and may be charged $250 for lost or damaged equipment.

Can children join the tour?

Children under 18 must have a parent or guardian unless a tour guide authorizes otherwise. Some bars do not allow children inside, although to-go options are available along the route.

What happens if I arrive late?

Tours depart at the scheduled time, and late arrivals are not refunded. Contact the operator before departure if you expect to be late, since the guide may be able to help you join a later tour with availability.