The Top Haunted Places in New Orleans

If you are looking for the top haunted places in New Orleans to fuel your spooky heart, I got you. Everything from the very haunted LaLaurie Mansion to the place where vampire girls lived – New Orleans has it all. If you love dark history and spooky stories, you must visit all of these haunted sites in New Orleans.

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LaLaurie Mansion

LaLaurie Mansion always makes it onto my list of the best haunted places in New Orleans. It’s got such a horrific and terrifying history of Madame Delphine LaLaurie torturing and performing medical experiments on her slaves.

The building is said to still be actively haunted by the tortured souls who met their final demise at the house. Although it’s now privately owned, you can still walk up to the mansion and feel the atmosphere eerily change the closer you get.

Visit LaLaurie Mansion: 1140 Royal Street

St. Louis Cathedral

Stunningly gorgeous, the dazzlingly white St. Louis Cathedral is the focal point in Jackson Square.

The original structure was destroyed in a hurricane, rebuilt and then destroyed again by a city-wide fire. It was rebuilt a second time, only for it to be destroyed once more because the structure wasn’t large enough. The current construction you see today sits atop the former structure, on the burial sites of deceased New Orleans citizens.

Several ghosts have been spotted on and around the grounds of the cathedral. The most noteworthy is former Pastor Pere Antoine, who has a reputation for showing up after people have noticed his portrait inside the cathedral. He’s usually spotted in the alleyway next to the cathedral.

Visit St. Louis Cathedral: Jackson Square at 615 Père Antoine Alley

Lafitte Guest House

Formerly a hospital (for venereal diseases!) Lafitte Guest House is now a three-story French Colonial-style hotel that boasts a haunted room thriving with paranormal activity — room 21. A ghost known as Marie, who is said to have perished from yellow fever, is often spotted by guests in the room’s mirror. She’s also rumoured to be heard coughing and has regular conversations with child guests of the hotel.

If you want to spend the night in a haunted hotel in New Orleans, be sure to book a stay at Lafitte Guest House. And make sure you request room 21!

Visit (or Stay) at Lafitte Guest House: 1003 Bourbon Street

Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

I fell in love with Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop purely for the aesthetics. Formerly a Blacksmith Shop, the building was transformed into a cafe in the 1940s and now operates as a bar. It’s an old rustic-looking building with exposed brickwork and black wooden doors, with candles for light and comes complete with an incredible history involving the French Pirate Jean Lafitte.

A full-bodied apparition thought to be Jean Lafitte himself is often seen inside the bar, standing in a dark corner staring at patrons. He slowly fades into the shadows and disappears when someone notices him. Be sure to give Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar a visit and have a drink with Jean Lafitte!

Bonus: If you’re a jazz fan, check out Richard “Piano” Scott’s song called The Ghost of Pirate Jean Lafitte. I love it! Definitely watch some of his live performances, too, and get ready to be blown away by his piano skills. I used to see him at Fritzel’s Bar, but he plays at various other locations now. Check out his schedule on his website.

Visit Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar: 941 Bourbon Street

Old Absinthe House

With a local reputation for being a bar that catered to people’s vices, The Absinthe House was the place where people could get their hands on drugs and the popular drink absinthe (also called the green fairy).

Ghosts that are said to haunt this location include the ever-busy Jean Lafitte (maybe he comes here to take a break from the Blacksmith Shop!) and Andrew Jackson, among other random apparitions.

What makes the Old Absinthe House even more exciting is the ghostly activity that often occurs, such as doors opening, chairs moving around the bar and whispers being heard from disembodied voices.

Visit Jean Lafitte’s Old Absinthe House: 240 Bourbon Street

Ursuline Convent

Well known for the story of the Casket Girls of New Orleans, the Ursuline Convent was involved in housing “vampires” in the 1800s. The girls were brought over from France, and after a 6-month journey, they arrived pale and sickly, carrying casket-like suitcases. This caused rumours of the girls being vampires to run rampant throughout New Orleans. Why not learn more by taking one of the best vampire tours in New Orleans?

Visit Ursuline Convent Museum: 1100 Chartres Street