This is New Orleans at full moon volume. You get a fun French Quarter walking pub crawl with a real EMF detector and spooky stories tied to actual places. In the feedback I saw, guides like Cody and Coty often keep the pace lively and the facts human, not snoozy.

I especially like that it mixes eerie entertainment with neighborhood history you can point to on the map, plus the bar stop energy makes it feel like hanging out with locals. The one drawback: the tour is for entertainment, so there is no promise you will actually spot a ghost or vampire.

If you’re into atmosphere, architecture, and a little drink-in-hand storytelling, this tour can be a great first or second night plan. The route ends at Jackson Square, so you can roll right into the rest of your evening after the walk.

Key things I’d mark on your map before you go

• Real EMF paranormal detector gets used during the tour, so you are not just listening to stories
• Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop courtyard meeting point is very specific, and finding it matters
• Jackson Square stops include ghost lore about Julie and stories tied to the Carter Brothers
• To-go drink windows and bar stops keep the pub-crawl vibe going (your alcohol is extra)
• Moderate walking pace for about 1 to 2 hours, with bar wait time possibly extending it
• Fotos welcome, but no video or audio recording during the tour

Entering Lafitte’s Courtyard, Bourbon Street Edition

Meet your guide at 941 Bourbon St, not inside the bar. The start point is the sidewalk meeting spot at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. The difference sounds small, but it matters because the tour departs at the scheduled time, and the guide will not hang around if you’re late.

This kind of start is part of the charm of the French Quarter. You’re already surrounded by old masonry, wrought iron, and streets that look like they were built for stories. If you arrive early, you can get your bearings fast, then enjoy the first batch of tales before the walk really takes off.

What You Actually Do on the Drunken Ghost and Vampire Tour

This isn’t a sit-and-listen show. It’s a guided night walk that includes storytelling, a few timed stops, and a chance to test the air with a real electromagnetic radiation detector. The guide uses it as part of the group investigation, so the tour feels more like a role in the scene than a narrated lecture.

You also get the pub crawl element. Along the route, you can grab to-go drinks at windows and bars you pass, and those stops are your chance to cool down and reset. Alcohol is not included in the price, but the structure makes it easy to plan your own spend without derailing the group.

And it helps that the tour is small enough to feel personal. The max group size is capped at 50, and the pace is described as moderate. Still, it is a walking tour, so comfy shoes matter. The French Quarter streets are uneven, and you will be doing a steady amount of footwork.

Stop 1: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, Where the Stories Start Dark

Your first stop is at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar’s courtyard area, right at the meeting point. This is where the guide sets the tone and connects New Orleans occult lore to the built environment around you.

Here’s what stands out in this phase of the tour:

• You get French Quarter history alongside vampire, ghost, and voodoo themed legends.
• The guide also covers traditional burial practices in the city, which helps explain why the macabre shows up so often in New Orleans storytelling.
• You’ll hear love stories that end in tragedy, which pairs well with the neighborhood’s romantic, old-world look.
• You also get vampire lore framed as a difference between vampires of legend and vampires of history.

The paranormal tech also comes into play around this stage. The tour uses a real EMF meter for the group investigation. You can think of it as a prop with structure, not magic on demand. Some spots feel like they’re meant for dramatic readings, and even if you never get a big reaction, the ritual of measuring is part of the fun.

Drinks at the start

This stop is brief, so treat it like an opening act. You are not buying a full meal here. If you want to manage your alcohol budget, decide before you start what you’re comfortable spending per drink.

Stop 2: Jackson Square, Julie and the Carter Brothers

The tour concludes at Jackson Square, so this stop is where the atmosphere usually starts to feel cinematic. The guide gives you several stories tied to specific places in the square.

Three of the most memorable story threads are:

• The home of Julie, described as the most predictable ghost.
• The Carter Brothers, who were tried, convicted, and put to death, and who are still seen by some today.
• A reference to the largest mass murder in New Orleans history, described as unsolved, with ghosts said to remain connected to the location.

Jackson Square also works in your favor logistically. It’s one of the easiest places to re-enter the rest of the city’s evening. If you want to keep exploring after the tour, you can do it without backtracking across the Quarter.

To-go drinks during the route

This stop also matches the pub-crawl rhythm. You can stop in local bars along the tour route and grab to-go drinks. It’s a smart format for people who want to be part of the fun but prefer not to sit inside one place for long.

Stop 3: French Quarter Walking Time, With Bar Stops Built In

After Jackson Square, the tour timing is structured so you still get time for the French Quarter portion of the walk. This is where you’ll hear more ghost and vampire stories as you move through the neighborhood, paired with additional drink stops depending on the flow that night.

This portion is what turns the tour into a true “night out plan,” not a single location tour. You’ll be in motion, getting hit with new angles of the same streets, and the guide uses that movement to keep the story arc going.

The big practical point here is schedule flexibility. The tour duration is roughly 1 to 2 hours. It can run longer if bars are busy, because waiting is part of the experience rhythm. So if you have a hard dinner reservation, give yourself buffer time.

The EMF Detector, and What It Means for Your Expectations

The tour’s paranormal equipment is a real EMF ghost and paranormal detector. That’s the hook. And it’s also why you should set your expectations properly.

The operator is clear that you should treat the whole thing as entertainment, not a guarantee of a supernatural encounter. That means you get value either way: the stories are the main event, and the detector adds a layer of participation.

If you want to go beyond just watching the guide use it, you may be able to check out paranormal equipment during the tour. But there are strict rules. Equipment must be checked out at the beginning, it is tracked via GPS, and there is a fee of $250 if something is lost, damaged, or missing. The staff also asks you not to drop the equipment, and it has to be returned before you leave.

So my advice is simple. If you are curious, ask about the equipment at check-in. If you are the type who fumbles with gear, stick with watching and let the guide run the detector.

Price and Value: The Math Behind $19.25

At $19.25 per person, you’re buying three things:

• a licensed guide,
• admission for the walking tour experience,
• and the built-in format that includes paranormal-themed investigation and bar-stop storytelling.

Alcohol is not included. Drinks are available to purchase along the route, and to-go options are offered at windows and bars. That is the main “extra” cost to plan for.

Here’s how I think about value at this price point. You’re not paying for heavy museum entry fees, and you’re not paying for a long formal sit-down show. You’re paying for a guided narrative of a specific slice of the city, plus the added hook of EMF detector use. If you treat the drinks as optional and keep them to a reasonable number, it stays a good deal.

If you plan to drink heavily, the total cost will climb fast, and then the value becomes less about the tour price and more about your night out budget.

Finding the Meeting Spot Without Losing Time

The start point is extremely specific: meet at the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafittes Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon St. The tour does not meet inside the bar, and it does not meet at just any street corner nearby.

Arrive a few minutes early and check in with the guide. If you’re late, you risk missing the group. The tour starts on time, and late arrivals are not refunded.

This is not the tour to do a last-minute sprint while your friend films selfies. It’s easiest if you treat the first 10 minutes like you would at a museum meetup, then relax into the stories once you’re matched with the group.

Pace, Group Size, and How the Night Usually Flows

Expect a moderate walking pace through the French Quarter. The duration is listed as about 1 to 2 hours, and bar wait time can extend the tour. The group can include up to 50 people, so you’ll hear narration while moving, and you’ll need to stay with the group.

There are also rules that keep things running. You can take photos, but audio or video recording devices are not allowed. The tour does not stop so people can wander off for pictures, so bring your camera instincts to the proper timing, not in the middle of a schedule-sensitive story beat.

One more detail that matters in the real world: the guide may refuse service to passengers who are extremely intoxicated. That’s not about being a killjoy. It’s about safety and keeping everyone moving.

Reliability Check: The Honest Good and the Honest Bad

This is the part I want you to take seriously. The overall rating is 4.1, with a mix of very positive nights and very negative ones.

On the positive side, a lot of the praise centers on the guide. Names like Cody and Coty show up repeatedly, with people describing them as fun and funny while still bringing strong local detail. The mix of humor, history tied to visible architecture, and effective bar-stop pacing seems to be a winning combination. The experience also gets positive notes for making it easy to socialize while staying in a structured, safe format.

On the negative side, there are multiple reports of the guide not showing up, or the tour being canceled with little warning, or refund issues taking longer than expected. Even when explanations are given, the impact is the same for you: you might show up ready for a night of stories and end up waiting.

My practical take: don’t treat this as your only plan. Make it one option among your evening lineup, keep your phone ready for text updates, and have a backup bar or activity within walking distance if the tour changes last minute.

Who This Tour Fits Best

This tour is a strong match if you want:

• a guided way to see the French Quarter at night without getting lost,
• a mix of spooky stories and recognizable landmarks,
• and a party-lite pub crawl format with to-go drinks.

It’s also ideal if you like the idea of trying paranormal equipment for curiosity, even if you don’t take outcomes too literally.

I would be more cautious if you:

• need a perfectly guaranteed schedule (because busy bars and last-minute changes happen),
• hate walking on uneven streets,
• or expect the tour to be primarily about vampires and ghosts showing up physically. The organizer is upfront that supernatural encounters cannot be guaranteed.

Should You Book This French Quarter Drunken Ghost and Vampire Tour?

Book it if you want a fun, story-forward night in the French Quarter, and you’re happy to treat the EMF detector as part of the experience theme rather than proof of anything supernatural. At $19.25, the price-to-content ratio can be very good, especially if you enjoy playful humor and you plan to spend moderately on drinks.

Skip it or book with extra caution if you can’t risk a cancellation, a late start, or a no-show scenario affecting your schedule. The reports are inconsistent, so protect yourself with a backup plan. If your number one goal is guaranteed paranormal action, look for a different style of tour where the promise is more concrete.

If you do book, come early to the Lafitte’s courtyard gate, wear shoes you can walk in for an hour or two, and go in open-minded. The best nights here are the ones where you treat it like a great evening walk with spooky stories, not a lab experiment with guaranteed results.