New Orleans is renowned as one of the US’s most haunted locations.
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There’s a spine-tingling mix of factors that lend to long-term, full-force ghostly happenings in Crescent City.
That includes the city’s history as a hub for the slave trade, its frequent and often violent switch between colonial powers, its common flooding, and its deep-seated relationship with Voodoo traditions.
While places like Salem, Massachusetts, are known for their witch trials and cities like Savannah, Georgia, are closely tied to ghost sightings, New Orleans has one unique characteristic that no one US city does: it has taken on its paranormal activity as part of its identity.
Average locals know the tales, and some have even made a living from offering tours to visitors that showcase the city’s dark past. In fact, if you’ve visited the city before, you’ve probably passed through one of its haunted locations—even if you didn’t know it.
Ready to get a little spooked on your next visit? These are the most haunted places in New Orleans. (Note: I’m not including any cemeteries in this list because it’s safe to assume they’re all at least a bit haunted, in NOLA and beyond.)
13 most haunted places in New Orleans
Antoine’s Restaurant
Established in 1840 and listed as the US’s oldest restaurant that’s still running, it would be a little odd if Antoine’s didn’t have a resident ghost. If you’ve eaten at this establishment, don’t worry—its ghost isn’t believed to be nefarious. Instead, most hold that the ghost of the restaurant’s founder, Antoine Alciatore, has stuck around to keep an eye on things. If you see a misty apparition or a glass slipping off a table, it’s just Mr. Alciatore. Probably.
Napoleon House
This restaurant and event space was built in the late 1700s, then expanded in the early 1800s as residents of New Orleans crossed their fingers that the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte would hopefully make his way to the city. (Spoiler alert: he went to a small island called St. Helena in the Atlantic, instead.)
Rather than Bonaparte’s ghost, the Napoleon House is haunted by an old lady who haunts the second-floor balcony, a young woman who haunts the interior courtyard, and a drunken sailor who haunts the downstairs bar late at night. Maybe stick to the courtyard?
Muriel’s Jackson Square
A delicious Creole restaurant with elegant settings, classic dishes like turtle soup, and a former owner who lovingly looks over the restaurant from beyond the grave. Similar to Antoine’s, the ghost of the former owner, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, is well-received by staff and guests. In fact, they still set a table for Jourdan every day, including a glass of wine and bread.
Faulkner House Books
Who doesn’t love an indie bookstore with a friendly ghost—especially one that’s reportedly haunted by a literary hero? The store is named after William Faulkner, who is also said to haunt the store after spending many years living on the grounds when there were rooms for rent. Guests have reported smelling his tobacco and even glimpsing him scribbling away at the writing desk.
LaLaurie Mansion
LaLaurie Mansion is privately owned, meaning you won’t be welcomed in unless you’re on a ghost tour. But it’s widely regarded as New Orleans’ most haunted location, and even one of the most active spots in the US for paranormal activity. It all boils down to the real-life horror stories that took place in the mansion.
You can learn more about LaLaurie’s suspected crimes, if you want—but know that it veers away from ghost story territory into straight-up spine-tingling, pure evil territory. Let me put it this way: when she finally fled New Orleans, an angry mob burned down the house because nobody wanted anything to do with her or the mansion where her crimes took place.
Home of Marie Laveau
The home of Marie Laveau, often called the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, isn’t just a location that’s haunted by the famous woman herself. It’s also a historic, cultural, and spiritual site thanks to its association with New Orleans Voodoo. Just know that it’s not open to the public. Instead, it’s a popular stop for visitors on ghost tours and those interested in Voodoo.
Le Petit Theatre
This historic theatre is a popular stop for thespians who visit New Orleans, as the grounds are lovely and well-preserved, while the productions are considered top-notch. Le Petit Theatre originally opened its doors back in 1922. Since then, a few ghosts have taken up residence, likely the haunted spirits of two women who tragically lost their lives on the grounds.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop
Completed in 1733, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop is one of the oldest still-standing structures in the city. And it’s got a doozy of a history. Rumored to be the hangout for two famous pirates, Jean and Pierre Lafitte, the name ‘blacksmith’ was a misnomer to mislead people while the pair plotted.
It’s also possible that Pierre was a blacksmith, and Jean a simple privateer. Today, the bar remains a popular stop for those in the French Quarter. If you see Jean’s ghost, you can ask him to clear up the rumors of piracy.
Ursuline Convent
Speaking of old buildings, the former Ursuline Convent (now a museum) is the oldest structure in the region. Built in 1727, the convent eventually expanded until it was moved to a new location in 1912. In its century and a half of operation, rumors spread that some of the young women educated at the convent were vampires. Some have reported seeing their glowing eyes peering down from the attic windows.
Old Absinthe House
This historic bar (built in 1806) is haunted by a ghost we’ve already covered: privateer or possibly pirate Jean Lafitte, who met with Andrew Jackson during a plot to save the city from invaders in 1815.
Others claim that Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen, also haunts the upper floor. There’s only one way to find out which it is: have a seat at the bar, drink one of its famous absinthe cocktails, and don’t stop until you can see into the spirit world.
Andrew Jackson Hotel
Known as a historic, pet-friendly hotel to visitors, the Andrew Jackson Hotel is one of those places that tourists might not realize is regarded as haunted. Very haunted, by local standards.
That’s because the hotel was once a boarding school for young boys whose parents died of Yellow Fever during an epidemic… which unfortunately burned down with some pupils still trapped inside. A courthouse was rebuilt on the grounds, which eventually saw Andrew Jackson charged with contempt of court. The courthouse was also torn down before the current grounds were rebuilt in 1890.
Expect a smattering of ghosts, from orphans to the wrongly imprisoned to hotel guests who never checked out.
The Bourbon Orleans
The grounds of The Bourbon Orleans are rumored to be haunted by 20 ghosts, from Confederate soldiers to nuns to orphans. It’s also one of the grandest historic hotels in the French Quarter, renowned for its elegant ballrooms. Just keep a lookout if you enter one—you might see a ghostly apparition spinning gracefully across the dance floor.
Sultan’s Palace
I’m rounding off this list with my favorite of all haunted locations in New Orleans. The Gardette-LePretre House in the French Quarter, aka Sultan’s Palace, is the site of a legendary massacre.
Though no evidence exists that a Turkish sultan really set up shop in the mansion with dozens of exotic guests who were mysteriously executed one night, it’s certainly a memorable story. Like a few other sites on this list, Sultan’s Palace is now a private residence that’s closed to visitors.
