Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl Party with Free Shot

New Orleans tells its darkest stories after sunset. This two-hour French Quarter walk mixes haunted history, old bars, a complimentary shot, and plenty of chances to keep the evening going. I like the easy party atmosphere and the chance to enter places such as Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, rather than simply hearing about them from the sidewalk. I also like the guides’ personal style, especially the praise earned by Pandi and Clarissa for funny stories, ghost photos, and strong knowledge of local lore. The main catch is that the evening can feel more like a history walk with drinks than a nonstop pub crawl, and the exact stops may change.

At $19 per person, this is a modestly priced way to get oriented in the French Quarter at night. You receive one shot, drink discounts, Mardi Gras beads, and a local guide, but you should not expect a full round of drinks at every stop. Some people have enjoyed a lively night with several bar visits, while one disappointed participant found only limited drinking and fewer stops than expected.

Key points to know before you book

• The free shot comes at BMC Balcony Music Club, where the group meets, mingles, and hears the first dark tales.
• Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is the signature stop, with a long-standing reputation for pirate lore and ghost stories.
• The tour covers more than drinking, including the LaLaurie Mansion, the Andrew Jackson Hotel, French Quarter backstreets, and 300 years of grim local stories.
• Guide quality matters, and Pandi, Clarissa, and Wendy have each been praised for humor, storytelling, local insight, and friendly group care.
• The group can include up to 28 people, so this is social and lively rather than a private ghost investigation.
• The itinerary may vary, so book this for the overall evening, not only for one promised building or bar.

Starting with a shot at BMC Balcony Music Club

The meeting point is BMC Balcony Music Club at 507 Frenchmen Street. This gives the evening a social start, especially if you arrive with friends or want to meet other people before the walk begins.

The guide brings the group into the bar for drink specials and a complimentary shot. Mardi Gras beads are also included, which fits the playful New Orleans mood. The shot is one alcoholic beverage, not an open bar, so plan to pay for any additional drinks.

This opening stop lasts about 15 minutes. It is short, but useful. You can meet the guide, get settled, and hear the first stories about the city’s darker past before heading into the French Quarter.

The tone here is more party-friendly than solemn. That works well if you want ghost stories with laughter and a drink in hand. If you are seeking a quiet, theatrical paranormal walk, the bar setting may feel too casual.

The guides have a major effect on this first section. Pandi has been praised for making groups feel welcome, while Clarissa is often singled out for energy, warmth, and entertaining stories. One guide even helped a birthday guest take part in a New Orleans bead tradition, showing the kind of personal touch that can make a small group feel looked after.

LaLaurie Mansion and New Orleans’s darker past

The group then heads to the LaLaurie Mansion, a French Quarter building linked to some of the city’s most disturbing stories. The building also gained wider attention after appearing in American Horror Story, which makes it familiar even to people who know little about New Orleans.

The scheduled visit lasts around 30 minutes, with admission listed as free. The value here is not entering a museum or touring a furnished interior. You are hearing the story in front of the building and placing its grim past within the streets around it.

This is where the tour leans toward history and tragedy rather than direct ghost hunting. If you want dramatic tales connected to real places, the mansion is a strong stop. If you expect repeated apparitions, elaborate paranormal effects, or guaranteed photographic evidence, you may find the presentation less spooky than advertised.

One important practical point: the planned stops are not guaranteed every night. A participant on one outing said the LaLaurie Mansion and Andrew Jackson Hotel were missed, which was disappointing because those were the main reasons for booking. The guide was still praised for being informed, but the experience did not match the expected route.

That makes the best booking mindset simple: treat the listed locations as the intended route, not a promise that every stop will happen exactly as printed.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, the evening’s star stop

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is the clearest match for the pub crawl idea. The tour allows you to go inside and have a drink at one of New Orleans’s best-known historic bars, rather than merely hearing a ghost story outside its doors.

The visit is scheduled for about 30 minutes. You can order a drink, listen to tales connected with pirates and phantoms, and enjoy the atmosphere of an old French Quarter watering hole. Drink discounts are included, though you should confirm the current offer with the guide or bar staff.

This stop gives the tour its strongest sense of place. You are not just looking at a historic facade. You are sitting inside a bar with a spooky reputation while the guide explains why it matters.

Still, keep your expectations in check. The experience does not promise a drink at every stop, and one unhappy participant felt there was only one worthwhile bar and too little time to drink. Another person described the route as involving two bars, which shows that the number and timing of bar visits can vary.

I would call this a ghost tour with a pub-crawl element, not a traditional bar-hopping night. If you want to spend most of two hours moving from cocktail to cocktail, this may feel too story-heavy. If you like having one or two drinks while learning about the city, the balance works better.

Andrew Jackson Hotel and the haunted backstreets

The route is also meant to include the Andrew Jackson Hotel, a French Quarter Inns property. The stop lasts about 30 minutes and is framed as a place where you can use your camera and look for possible apparitions.

The hotel adds variety because it shifts the focus from a bar to a lodging site with paranormal stories. You also get more walking through the French Quarter’s backstreets, where the surroundings become part of the show.

Do not expect a formal hotel tour. The appeal is hearing the legends outside and around the building, then moving through nearby streets as the guide connects locations to stories from the past.

As with the LaLaurie Mansion, the hotel may not appear on every outing. That is the largest weakness in the advertised route. If these two buildings are your top priority, ask about the planned stops before booking, especially if your schedule in New Orleans is tight.

The walk itself is described as easy. The tour is spread across several stops, so comfortable shoes still make sense. The group can reach 28 people, which means you may need to stay close to the guide when streets are crowded and listen carefully during outdoor storytelling.

What the guides add to the night

The guide is the biggest variable in this experience. The strongest praise goes to Pandi and Clarissa, with Wendy also earning credit for her humor and local perspective.

Pandi has been described as friendly, entertaining, and full of city stories. She has also been praised for giving groups time to order drinks, keeping people together, and suggesting places to continue the evening. One group of nine was able to add three more people with little trouble, which suggests a flexible, welcoming approach when space allows.

Clarissa receives similar praise for her energy and storytelling. She has shown ghost photographs, shared personal stories, explained local theories, and helped groups find music afterward. If you are hoping for a guide who treats the tour as a social evening rather than a memorized script, her style seems especially suited to that.

Wendy has been described as engaging, humorous, and good at offering an insider view of the area. Even when the route fell short for one group, her storytelling remained a bright spot.

The experience is not only about facts. It depends on pacing, voice, and the guide’s ability to keep a mixed group interested while walking through busy streets. A strong guide can make a familiar French Quarter building feel fresh. A weaker night may leave you walking quietly between stops with less drinking and fewer ghost stories than expected.

Is $19 a fair price?

At $19, the tour is good value if you want a guided introduction to haunted New Orleans and a social night out. The price includes the guide, one shot, drink discounts, beads, and access to several locations from the outside, plus bar time at selected stops.

The price does not cover a full evening of drinks. You should budget separately for anything beyond the included shot. The value improves if you care about stories, local recommendations, and the convenience of having someone lead you through the French Quarter after dark.

The tour is also useful early in a New Orleans visit. Guides can point you toward music venues, bars, and places to continue partying. Several people were happy to stay out afterward using the guide’s suggestions.

At the same time, you should not book it only because you want a long pub crawl. The main product is storytelling. The drinking is a bonus and a way to make the history feel social.

Who will enjoy this French Quarter evening?

This tour fits friends, couples, birthday groups, and adults looking for a relaxed night with a spooky theme. It is also a good choice if you want some New Orleans history but would rather hear it over a drink than inside a formal museum.

The party setting makes it less suitable for young children, though the supplied details say most people can participate and service animals are allowed. The tour is offered in English.

I would choose it for a first evening in the French Quarter if I wanted a simple plan: meet at Frenchmen Street, hear stories, visit old bars and haunted sites, then finish near MRB Bar & Kitchen at 515 St. Philip Street.

I would skip it if my main goal were a serious paranormal investigation, a private group, or a guaranteed visit to every named location. The group size can reach 28, and the route can change.

Timing, meeting points, and cancellation rules

The experience lasts about two hours. Start at BMC Balcony Music Club, 507 Frenchmen Street, and finish at MRB Bar & Kitchen, 515 St. Philip Street. Both points are in the French Quarter area, and the tour is near public transportation.

Confirmation is provided when you book. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded.

The tour also needs good weather and a minimum number of participants. If poor weather or low numbers cancel the outing, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.

Should you book this ghost tour?

Book it if you want a friendly, affordable French Quarter walk with haunted stories, one included shot, historic bars, and a guide who can help shape the rest of your night. The strongest guides, especially Pandi and Clarissa, seem to make the difference through humor, personal stories, ghost photos, and practical local suggestions.

Do not book it expecting a nonstop pub crawl or a fixed paranormal route. The evening may include fewer bars than you imagine, and the LaLaurie Mansion or Andrew Jackson Hotel may be skipped. At $19, I think the tour makes sense as a social history walk with drinks, not as a guaranteed haunted attraction.

FAQ

How much does the Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl cost?

The listed price is $19 per person.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at BMC Balcony Music Club, 507 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at MRB Bar & Kitchen, 515 St. Philip Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116.

Is a drink included?

One alcoholic shot is included. Drink discounts are also included, but additional drinks are not covered by the listed price.

Which places are included on the route?

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

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 28 people.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes, the tour is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if poor weather causes cancellation.