Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl Party with Free Shot

New Orleans does its best ghost storytelling after dark, and this tour places you right in the French Quarter, where grim tales meet real bars. You begin at BMC Balcony Music Club with a free shot, then walk through old streets toward places tied to murder, voodoo, pirates, and reported hauntings. The strongest part is the blend of local history and nightlife.

I like two things here. First, you hear stories at the buildings connected with them instead of sitting in a bus or lecture room. Second, the tour makes room for a drink and conversation, which helps turn a history walk into a social night out. Guides including Pandi, Clarissa, and Wendy have earned especially warm praise for their humor, energy, and personal ghost photographs.

The main caution is that the evening may not deliver a full pub crawl or a nonstop parade of apparitions. The tour is only about two hours, the exact stops can vary, and one evening included fewer listed locations than expected. Think of it as a ghost-themed walking tour with drinks, not a bar-hopping marathon.

Key things to know before booking

• One free shot begins the evening: You meet at BMC Balcony Music Club, where the host offers a complimentary shot and drink specials.
• The LaLaurie Mansion is viewed from outside: You hear about one of New Orleans’ most notorious addresses, but admission inside is not included.
• Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is the main historic drinking stop: It is known for old-world atmosphere, pirate lore, and ghost stories.
• The tour ends near Bourbon Street nightlife: The walk finishes at MRB Bar & Kitchen on St. Philip Street, with suggestions for continuing your evening.
• The guide makes a major difference: Pandi, Clarissa, and Wendy are repeatedly praised for lively storytelling, humor, and personal touches.
• The mood is social rather than frightening: You get dark stories and haunted locations, but also beads, drink discounts, and time to meet other people.

A ghost walk that doubles as a night out

At $19 per person, this is priced as an easy addition to a New Orleans evening. The value comes less from the alcohol itself and more from the combination of a guided walk, a free shot, access to selected bars, and an introduction to several French Quarter stories.

You should not expect $19 to cover a night of drinks. The included alcohol is one shot. Other drinks are discounted rather than free, so bring money for anything else you order. If you already plan to spend the evening in the French Quarter, the tour can provide a useful starting point and a bit of structure.

The group limit is 28 people. That is large enough to create a party feel, but still manageable for a guide moving through narrow French Quarter streets. A smaller group may feel more personal, while a full group can be livelier and louder. The guide’s ability to gather everyone and keep the story moving matters here.

The advertised length is about two hours. That makes the tour easy to fit before dinner, music, or a later night out. It also explains why the experience cannot linger at every location. You are sampling several stories and bars, not taking an exhaustive tour of the city’s supernatural lore.

The published score is 4.9 from 268 ratings, and 96 percent of customers recommend it. That is a strong signal, especially for a low-cost evening activity, but the less favorable comments point to an important truth: expectations matter. People seeking funny stories, social energy, and a free shot tend to fit the tour well. People seeking repeated paranormal evidence or a long series of bar stops may be disappointed.

Starting at BMC Balcony Music Club

The tour begins at 507 Frenchmen Street, at BMC Balcony Music Club. The first 15 minutes are designed for meeting the group, finding the host, taking the complimentary shot, and looking over drink specials.

This opening helps you get your bearings before the walking begins. It also sets the tone. You are not entering a silent, solemn investigation. You are starting in a bar, with a drink in hand and stories about New Orleans’ darker past already underway.

The shot is included, but the wording matters: it is one shot, not an open bar. Drink discounts are part of the offer, but additional beverages cost extra. If you are joining with friends, this first stop is a natural place to settle into the evening and decide how much you want to drink before walking.

Responsible pacing matters on a walking tour. The route takes you through public streets, and the best stories are easier to follow when you can hear the guide and keep up with the group. The tour’s party angle should not be mistaken for unlimited drinking.

The LaLaurie Mansion and its grim reputation

The walk then reaches the LaLaurie Mansion, one of the French Quarter’s most infamous addresses. The building became associated with the brutal treatment of enslaved people by Madame Delphine LaLaurie, and its reputation later fed modern ghost stories and popular culture.

The stop is also promoted as a location connected with American Horror Story. That detail will appeal to fans of the show, but the larger value is the chance to connect a famous fictional image with a real New Orleans address and a painful chapter of the city’s past.

You view the mansion from the outside. Admission is free because the tour does not take you inside. Allow about 30 minutes for the stop and the surrounding story, though the exact timing may depend on the group and the guide.

This is one place where the quality of the guide shapes the experience. A good guide can separate documented events from later legends without draining the story of its eerie power. Clarissa is praised for bringing theories, photographs, and personal stories into her talks, while Pandi is noted for making the city’s past clear and entertaining.

Keep your expectations realistic. This is not a haunted-house attraction, and you are not guaranteed to see anything supernatural. The building’s dark past is the focus. The ghostly element comes through storytelling, reported encounters, and the atmosphere of the surrounding streets.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is the tour’s most distinctive drinking stop. Its old building, low-key atmosphere, and pirate associations give the place a strong sense of character. The story is that Jean Lafitte and his associates used the location for smuggling and plotting, while later tales connect the bar with ghosts and lingering spirits.

Here, the history and the drink work together. You can order something in a place tied to legends instead of simply standing outside a famous building while a guide talks. That is one of the tour’s best ideas.

Still, this stop may not feel like a full pub-crawl experience. One participant described the bar portion as limited, with only a short time at a basic bar. Another account praised the guide for allowing enough time to get drinks. Those two impressions can both be true because timing, crowd size, and the night’s events may affect the stop.

The practical advice is simple: treat Lafitte’s as a historic bar visit within a walking tour, not as an extended drinking session. If you want to linger, you may need to return on your own after the tour ends. The guide can point you toward more places to continue the evening.

The Andrew Jackson Hotel and French Quarter backstreets

The Andrew Jackson Hotel is another listed point on the route. The hotel is connected with ghost stories and reports of apparitions, making it a natural setting for a camera-ready stop. The surrounding backstreets also offer a quieter look at the French Quarter than the main party corridors.

The attraction here is the contrast. You move from bars and social chatter into older lanes where the stories can feel more personal and atmospheric. The guide may also discuss reported ghost photographs and explain how to look for unusual details in your own pictures.

You should know that this stop is not guaranteed on every departure. One past tour did not visit the LaLaurie Mansion or Andrew Jackson Hotel, despite those locations being central to the plan. The guide was still described as friendly and informed, but the missed stops caused real disappointment.

If those two locations are your main reason for booking, confirm the planned route when you meet the guide. A changing route may result from crowd control, timing, access, weather, or other practical issues, but the listing does not promise an explanation for every change. The safest approach is to see the itinerary as a planned route rather than an absolute guarantee.

What the guides bring to the night

Guide quality is the clearest strength of this experience. Pandi is frequently singled out for her warmth, style, humor, and ability to keep a group engaged. She has also been praised for making space for larger groups and offering practical help during the walk.

Clarissa receives similar praise for energetic storytelling, city information, ghost photographs, and personal attention. One group even continued spending time together after the tour, following her suggestions for music stops. That points to an important benefit: the guide can function as a local evening host, not just someone who reads a script.

Wendy is described as engaging, humorous, and good at giving an insider view of the area. Other guides have also been called entertaining and friendly. You cannot choose which guide will lead your departure based on the information provided, so do not book with the assumption that a particular person will be assigned.

The less positive experience involved a guide who was considered pleasant but delivered too much quiet walking, limited drinking, and fewer satisfying ghost stories. That is useful feedback. The tour’s success depends on the balance between walking time, storytelling, and social stops. If that balance is off, the $19 price will feel less appealing.

The history behind the ghost stories

This tour works best when you see the supernatural stories as part of New Orleans’ larger past. The French Quarter has nearly 300 years of stories involving violence, disease, slavery, war, crime, religion, voodoo, piracy, and sudden death. Ghost tales grew around those events because old buildings and unresolved tragedies invite explanation.

The tour is not a formal academic history lesson. It uses frightening stories to make the setting memorable. That approach can be fun, but you should listen for the difference between a documented event, a local legend, and a personal account of a haunting.

Voodoo may also enter the evening. One unusual departure included a voodoo blessing ceremony with Voodoo Queen Kalindah Laveaux, a well-known figure in New Orleans voodoo culture. That was not an ordinary guaranteed stop, and it took time away from other stories, but it shows how the experience can shift when a special local event is available.

The most valuable guides give context instead of relying only on shock. They explain why a building became famous, how its reputation changed, and why certain stories remain attached to it. That is where the tour can offer more than a standard spooky walk.

Walking, timing, and practical comfort

The route is described as an easy walk, but you should still wear comfortable shoes. You will spend about two hours on foot, with stops in bars and outside historic buildings. The French Quarter’s streets can be crowded, so staying close to the guide is important.

Guides have been praised for placing the group where other pedestrians can pass. That small detail matters in a busy district. It also shows why the group limit of 28 is useful.

The start is at 507 Frenchmen Street. The listed end point is MRB Bar & Kitchen at 515 St. Philip Street. Both are in New Orleans and near public transportation, making the tour practical for a night based in or near the French Quarter.

The activity is offered in English. Mobile tickets are accepted, and confirmation arrives at booking. Service animals are allowed, and most people can take part. The tour requires good weather and a minimum number of participants. If poor weather or low enrollment cancels it, you are offered another date, another experience, or a full refund.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Inside that window, the payment is not refunded, and changes are not accepted. That policy is worth noting if your New Orleans schedule is still shifting.

Who will enjoy this ghost tour most

I would recommend this experience to friends, couples, and solo visitors who want an easy first-night activity with a social feel. It is especially suited to anyone who likes local legends, old buildings, and a drink along the way.

It can also work well for a birthday or group weekend. The complimentary Mardi Gras beads add a small New Orleans touch, and one guide even helped a birthday guest take part in a local bead tradition. Those details are not the main attraction, but they can make the evening feel personal.

Families can participate, but the tour’s bar stops and dark subject matter make it better suited to adults. The information provided does not specify an age limit, so check the booking details if children are part of your group.

I would hesitate to recommend it to you if your priority is serious paranormal investigation. You may hear about ghost photographs and reported apparitions, but there is no promise of a sighting. I would also choose another activity if you want several long bar visits, since the drinking component may be brief.

Should you book the Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl?

Book it if you want a low-cost evening walk that combines haunted New Orleans stories, a free shot, one or more historic bars, and a chance to meet other people. The best guide can turn the route into a funny, informative night, and the $19 price is fair for that mix.

Before booking, decide what matters most to you. If it is the guide, social mood, and stories, this is a strong choice. If you must visit both the LaLaurie Mansion and Andrew Jackson Hotel, or if you expect a true bar crawl, confirm the route and keep your expectations flexible.

For most visitors, I would treat this as an introduction to the French Quarter after dark. It gives you enough history and atmosphere to make later walks, drinks, and visits more meaningful. Just remember that the free shot is small, the ghost sightings are uncertain, and the real star is the guide telling the tale.

FAQ

How long does the Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $19 per person.

Where does the tour begin?

The tour begins at 507 Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Where does the tour end?

The listed ending point is MRB Bar & Kitchen at 515 St. Philip Street in New Orleans.

Is a drink included?

One alcoholic shot is included. Drink discounts are also offered, but additional drinks are not listed as free.

Are the drinks included at every bar?

No. The included alcohol is one shot, and drink discounts are part of the experience. The amount of time spent at each bar can vary.

Will the tour enter the LaLaurie Mansion?

No. The LaLaurie Mansion is visited as a location for the stories, but admission inside is not included.

Which locations are part of the planned route?

The planned stops include BMC Balcony Music Club, the LaLaurie Mansion, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, and the Andrew Jackson Hotel.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.