New Orleans: Drunk History Walking Tour

The French Quarter has plenty of secrets. This two-hour walk mixes voodoo, ghosts, and dark history with stops at old bars, making it a lively way to see the Vieux Carre beyond its postcard streets. I like the unusual blend of traditional burial customs and paranormal tales, and I like that the drinking is optional rather than the whole point of the tour. The main drawback is that drinks cost extra, and the experience depends heavily on getting an entertaining guide.

At $28 per person, this is a fair price for a guided evening walk through central New Orleans. Guides such as Coty, Cody, Ashli, and Donna have earned especially warm praise for humor, storytelling, and answering questions. You should still arrive sober enough to walk, listen, and keep up, since the company can refuse service to anyone who is extremely intoxicated.

Key points to know before you book

• The meeting point is outside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar: Meet on the sidewalk at the courtyard gate at 941 Bourbon Street, not inside the bar.
• The tour covers more than ghost stories: Expect burial customs, voodoo, pirates, prostitutes, convicted felons, historic buildings, and the Louisiana Purchase.
• Drinks are optional and not included: You may stop at bars and buy refreshments, but you do not need to drink to enjoy the tour.
• Guide quality matters: Coty is especially praised for funny, personal storytelling and an impressive supply of odd facts.
• You will walk for two hours: Comfortable shoes matter, and you cannot join the group later at another stop.
• The tone is playful, not academic: This suits people who want history with jokes, legends, and a touch of theatrical flair.

Starting on Bourbon Street at Lafitte’s

The tour begins outside the famous Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street. This detail matters because the bar itself is not the check-in point. Look for your guide on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to the bar.

Arrive a few minutes early. You must check in before departure, and the group cannot be joined at a later location. The operator is not affiliated with Lafitte’s, so bartenders there cannot provide tour information or direct you to the guide.

Bourbon Street is an energetic place to begin, but it can also be loud and crowded. That gives the opening a distinctly New Orleans feel, though it may take a moment to spot your guide. Once the walk begins, the group moves through the French Quarter on foot rather than sitting through a formal lecture.

The tour lasts about two hours. That is long enough to cover a useful slice of the Vieux Carre without turning into an exhausting half-day march. You should still wear comfortable shoes. The French Quarter is best explored slowly, and the route includes regular stops for stories and questions.

A fresh way to see the Vieux Carre

This is not a standard architectural tour. You will see major cultural landmarks, but the guide uses them as doorways into stranger parts of the city’s past.

One stop includes the site connected with the signing of the Louisiana Purchase. The tour also passes the St. Louis Cathedral and other historic locations around the French Quarter. These places give you a sense of how New Orleans developed as a meeting point of French, Spanish, Caribbean, African, and American influences.

The unusual part is the angle. Instead of focusing only on dates and building styles, the guide asks who lived here, what they believed, how they died, and what stories remained after they were gone. Pirates, prostitutes, and convicted felons all enter the tale of New Orleans, making the city’s founding sound less tidy and more human.

I like this approach because it gives you details to watch for later. A doorway, courtyard, balcony, or old wall can feel different after you know the story attached to it. The tour is especially useful early in your visit, since it helps you get oriented in the French Quarter and gives you ideas for places to revisit.

The tradeoff is that this is not a complete survey of New Orleans history. If you want a carefully ordered account of politics, music, architecture, and food, choose a more traditional city tour. This walk is built around memorable characters, eerie incidents, and entertaining connections.

Above-ground tombs and New Orleans burial customs

One of the strongest historical subjects is the city’s burial tradition. You will learn why many graves in New Orleans use above-ground vaults rather than the underground plots familiar in much of the United States.

The explanation brings together local customs and the practical problems of building in a low-lying city. The result is a useful piece of cultural context, not just a spooky decoration. The tour treats burial rituals as part of everyday life in New Orleans, while also showing why tombs have become such a powerful part of the city’s visual identity.

This section should appeal to history fans who want something more substantial than a parade of haunted-house claims. It also gives the ghost stories a better foundation. Once you understand how the city handles death and remembrance, the legends surrounding old homes and cemeteries make more sense.

The guide’s storytelling style shapes this part of the walk. Coty has been praised for mixing serious information with odd details and personal humor. That balance keeps the subject from becoming grim, although the jokes may not suit anyone looking for a solemn treatment of burial customs.

Voodoo, Marie Laveau, and the city’s spiritual side

The voodoo section focuses on how the practice came to New Orleans and how it became tied to the city’s public image. You will hear about Marie Laveau, often called the voodoo queen, and visit property associated with her as payment for her magical work.

The route also points out places where voodoo ceremonies were held. These stops are valuable because they place the subject in actual streets and buildings instead of treating it as a vague theme. You get a better sense of how spiritual practices became part of New Orleans culture and how later storytelling shaped the city’s reputation.

This is also an area where you should listen critically. Voodoo has often been reduced to sensational images for tourists. A good guide can separate cultural practice, local tradition, and spooky folklore, but the tour’s playful mood means you may hear all three close together.

I like that the walk includes Marie Laveau rather than treating her as a side note. Her name is central to the city’s legends, and connecting her to a real property and ceremony locations gives the story more texture. You will not get a full academic study of voodoo in two hours, but you will leave with a clearer idea of why it matters in New Orleans.

Ghosts, vampires, and the most haunted house

The paranormal section brings the theatrical fun. The guide identifies places where ghosts and vampires are said to appear and visits a house described as the most haunted in the city.

You may also get a chance to use paranormal equipment during the walk. A fee of $250 can apply if that equipment is lost or damaged, so keep a close eye on anything handed around the group. Video recording is not allowed, which is worth knowing if you usually document every tour on your phone.

The ghost stories are presented as legends and reports, not as proven facts. That is the right way to enjoy them. You can listen for the atmosphere, notice how old buildings encourage tall tales, and decide for yourself how much you believe.

The route has a useful balance of scary, funny, and historical material. Some earlier tours have been praised for mixing fires, romance, voodoo, hauntings, and local history rather than repeating one type of story for two hours. That variety helps keep the walk moving.

The haunted-house stop may be the highlight for paranormal fans. It is also the part most likely to feel touristy. The experience does not pretend to be a quiet investigation. It is a social ghost walk with jokes, stories, and a group reacting together in the street.

Bar stops and the meaning of Drunk History

The tour passes dozens of bars, and the guide may stop at one or two historic French Quarter drinking spots. Drinks are not included, so budget separately for anything you order.

You can buy a drink, refill a cup, or skip the alcohol entirely. Several past groups have enjoyed the bar stops because the guide also explains the history of the places, rather than using them only as opportunities to pause and drink. That makes the stops feel connected to the tour instead of tacked on.

The name can create the wrong expectation. This is not a pub crawl in which the main goal is to visit as many bars as possible. One earlier experience noted that ordering a drink at every possible stop would make it hard to finish the walk. Think of the bar breaks as optional punctuation in a history tour.

If you are celebrating a 21st birthday or planning a night out, the format works well. One guide even helped make a birthday evening memorable by pairing the tour with a first legal drink. If you are traveling with children, the rules are practical: an adult must go inside for a refill while the guide waits outside by the door.

The sensible approach is to start with a drink only if you want one and pace yourself. The operator can refuse service to someone who is intoxicated, with no refund if that person must leave because of extreme intoxication. You want to remain alert enough to hear the stories and walk safely.

Why the guide can make or break the experience

The strongest praise centers on the guides. Coty is repeatedly singled out for his humor, local detail, quick answers, and supply of supposedly useless facts that turn out to be quite interesting. He has also been praised for making solo participants feel comfortable and for taking photos when asked.

That personal touch matters on a walking tour. A flat delivery can make even a good story drag. An energetic guide can make a familiar ghost tale feel fresh, answer questions about the French Quarter, and adjust the pace to the people in front of him.

The tour has sometimes operated with only two people, creating a private-feeling experience without the private-group price. Other departures may have more people, and private groups are available if you want a more personal setting.

The guide names and styles can vary by departure. Ashli has been praised for an animated, easygoing approach, while Donna has been described as bringing a distinctive set of stories. The common thread is an informal style that avoids sounding like a recorded script.

A small limitation follows from that strength. The experience is not fully standardized. Your guide may emphasize different stories or spend more time on bars, voodoo, history, or paranormal tales. That flexibility is part of the fun, but it means you should not expect every departure to follow precisely the same rhythm.

Price, pace, and practical value

At $28 per person, the tour offers solid value if you want a guided introduction to the French Quarter with a strong entertainment angle. You are paying for a live guide and a two-hour walking route, not for drinks, transportation, food, or admission to attractions.

The price works best for first-time visitors who want several themes in one outing. You get landmarks, local stories, burial customs, voodoo, ghosts, vampires, and historic bars without booking separate activities.

It is less appealing if you dislike walking, avoid nightlife, or want a quiet and serious historical lecture. The route is also not ideal for someone hoping to spend the evening inside bars. The bar stops are brief and optional, and the tour continues on foot.

The experience is listed as wheelchair accessible. Because the tour takes place on French Quarter streets, you should still confirm current route details if a specific mobility need is important to you. The available information does not promise that every surface or stop will be equally easy to navigate.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Weather can cause rescheduling, and the supplier may cancel if too few people sign up, in which case an alternative tour or full refund is offered. The policy also says no refunds are issued for late problems, so arriving on time matters.

Who will enjoy this French Quarter walk?

I would choose this tour for:

• First-time New Orleans visitors who want quick orientation
• History fans who enjoy unusual characters and dark subjects
• Paranormal enthusiasts who like ghost and vampire legends
• Couples and friends planning a lively evening
• Solo visitors who want a structured night walk
• Adults who want optional drinks mixed with sightseeing
• Private groups looking for a flexible, humorous outing

I would choose something else if you want a polished architectural lecture, a cemetery-only visit, or a serious study of voodoo. The tour uses real places and historical subjects, but it presents them with jokes, legends, and a bit of showmanship.

Should you book the Drunk History Walking Tour?

Book it if you want New Orleans history served with a raised eyebrow. The best parts are the mix of burial customs, Marie Laveau, haunted buildings, and bar history, along with guides who can keep a group laughing while still teaching you something useful.

Skip it if you do not like ghost stories, casual humor, or walking through the nightlife district. Also skip the alcohol if you prefer, since drinking is not required and drinks cost extra.

For most adults visiting the French Quarter, this is a good early-trip choice. Arrive at the Lafitte’s courtyard gate, wear comfortable shoes, bring curiosity, and keep your drinking moderate. You may not leave convinced that vampires roam Bourbon Street, but you will notice more of New Orleans on your next walk through it.

FAQ

Where does the New Orleans Drunk History Walking Tour meet?

The tour meets on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, at 941 Bourbon Street. Do not go inside the bar to check in.

How long does the tour last?

The walking tour lasts two hours.

Are drinks included in the price?

No. The $28 price includes the guide and walking tour only. Drinks purchased during optional bar stops cost extra.

Do I have to drink alcohol?

No. Drinking is optional, and you can enjoy the history, landmarks, ghost stories, and voodoo material without ordering a drink.

What subjects are covered?

The tour covers New Orleans burial customs, above-ground vaults, voodoo, Marie Laveau, pirates, prostitutes, convicted felons, ghosts, vampires, the Louisiana Purchase, St. Louis Cathedral, and historic French Quarter bars.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Can I book a private group?

Yes. A private group option is available.

What should I bring, and what is not allowed?

Bring comfortable shoes and arrive a few minutes early. Video recording is not allowed.