No matter your opinion on ghosts, New Orleans offers plenty of eerie spots sure to give anyone goosebumps. From haunted hotels to the Voodoo Queen herself, these haunted spots will send chills down your spine!
During the Yellow Fever outbreaks of 19th century New Orleans, hospitals quickly filled up, cemeteries had long waiting lists, homes and stores became makeshift morgues and it became an absolute nightmare scenario.
LaLaurie Mansion
LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans is one of the city’s most haunted properties, said to still harbor Madame Delphine LaLaurie’s dark spirit who tortured slaves under her ownership. While she may appear pleasant on the outside, her dark side led her to torture them nonetheless.
She earned herself a reputation as an inhuman tyrant due to the way she treated slaves, but it wasn’t until a house fire in 1834 that her true nature became clear: firefighters entering the burning building discovered chambers filled with horrors — such as severed skeleton limbs and signs of torture or mutilation — where evidence had been left behind for firefighters entering it to find.
Over time, numerous reports of loud groans and screams emanating from within a home have surfaced, while numerous people have also noted feeling an oppressive energy when entering.
St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral stands on one of New Orleans’ earliest burial grounds, yet remains home to various spirits, most notably Madame Lalaurie who can often be seen praying inside.
Ghostly sightings of Pere Dagobert, a priest who married Marie Laveau and later passed away, can often be found lingering around the cathedral and Pirates Alley between it and Cabildo.
Most visitors to New Orleans come for its historic European charm and Caribbean flare, yet its dark past remains equally fascinating. Be it an unseen lawyer roaming through Louisiana Supreme Court building corridors or employees hearing footsteps tap on floors without anyone being present, New Orleans has no shortage of haunted sites to explore.
Jackson Square
New Orleans is known for its numerous rivers, canals and tributaries which provide opportunities for spirits to ride the waters freely. Coupled with its design which mimics the cooling effects of shade trees and wind corridors, ghosts may move freely throughout its streets.
The Louisiana Supreme Court Building is widely believed to be one of the most haunted locations in New Orleans, from ghostly lawyers walking down its halls to employees hearing eerie shoe taps when no one else is around – these spirits inhabiting this building are linked with disappointment, violence and despair inherent to New Orleans history.
Muriel’s Restaurant, a beloved spot among New Orleanians to grab lunch or dine out, is also widely considered one of the city’s most haunted establishments. According to legend, Muriel’s founder Antoine Lepardi Jourdan may haunt its second floor alongside former waitresses who may also still lurk there.
Muriel’s Restaurant
New Orleans, with its long history of voodoo and slavery, should come as no surprise that it is one of America’s most haunted cities. Ghostly sightings and encounters with supernatural beings have long been part of its culture as well as food traditions.
Muriel’s Restaurant is an iconic dining spot and home of its very own resident ghost: Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan is said to linger within its walls, his spirit having been seen by numerous visitors to Muriel’s. Jourdan is known for being mischievous and playing tricks on people; visitors have reported witnessing him.
Ghostly figures have been seen moving items around the restaurant, particularly in its Seance Room where apparitions and disembodied voices have been witnessed and/or heard.
The Pharmacy Museum
New Orleans is one of America’s most haunted cities and features numerous sites where ghostly spirits remain. Voodoo and slavery were both practiced here before vampires and Wiccans took hold in modern society – no wonder the city has such an extensive supernatural past! No surprise then that horror films and TV shows often use New Orleans as their setting!
The Pharmacy Museum is an ideal spot to gain an insight into the history of alternative medicine in New Orleans. Exhibits feature various medical contraptions like mortar and pestles, wooden blenders and microscopes as well as leech jars that were once used to treat disease. Open Tuesday through Saturday with adult tickets costing $10; students and seniors receive discounted admission; alternatively you can purchase a New Orleans Pass that provides access to discounted museum entry.
