New Orleans has a way of turning shadows into stories. This walking tour threads ghost and vampire history through the French Quarter, with a live guide, paranormal gear, and stops to pick up to-go drinks. I like that it treats the spooky stuff like an interactive activity, not just spooky theater.

Two things I really liked: first, you get to see and use a real EMF meter (Ghost/Paranormal Detector) as part of the experience. Second, the route is a practical way to learn the French Quarter while you’re actually walking it, with built-in pauses to grab to-go drinks along the way. The main drawback to keep in mind is that the “drunken” part isn’t guaranteed to feel like a party bus, since the tour price doesn’t include drinks.

Key Points to Know Before You Go

• EMF meter action: You’ll use a real paranormal detector during the walk.
• Booze, but pay as you go: Tour price covers the tour, not the drinks, though to-go stops are part of the format.
• True-crime meets supernatural: You’ll hear stories tied to unsolved murders and other dark events.
• French Quarter walking format: Plan for a solid 2-hour stroll focused on neighborhood lore.
• Simple rules: Video recording is not allowed, so think photos over videos.

Starting on Bourbon Street: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Meeting Point

Your tour begins on the sidewalk outside Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon Street. The key detail here is where to stand: tours do not meet inside the bar. You’ll meet your guide on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to the building.

This matters more than people think. The French Quarter can be chaotic up close—doorways, lines, and people milling around—so showing up and locating the exact gate meeting point helps you avoid losing time. If you’re early, take a quick look around that gate and courtyard area so you’re not hunting for your group at the start.

The company running this experience is Show Me New Orleans Tours, a family-owned and city-licensed operator. They also note that guides are registered with New Orleans Safety and Permits, which is the kind of boring detail that makes a big difference when you’re walking with strangers through a busy, older neighborhood.

A 2-Hour French Quarter Walk Built Around Stories and To-Go Stops

The whole experience runs about 2 hours on foot. That time window is long enough for a real route through the French Quarter, but short enough that you shouldn’t feel trapped. The format is walking plus story beats, with periodic stops where you can grab to-go drinks at bars along the way.

Two practical benefits come with this structure:

1. You’re not stuck listening while standing still for most of the time.
2. You can pace the drinking to your comfort level, since the tour doesn’t include drinks in the ticket price.

Keep in mind a balancing act: one of the reviews I saw said the tour wasn’t really “drunken” enough for their expectations, and also that the vampire material wasn’t the strongest part for them. That doesn’t mean the tour is bad—it just means this works best if you see it as a history-meets-paranormal storytelling walk with booze stops, not as an all-out drinking show.

How the EMF Meter Adds a Hands-On Paranormal Layer

This tour isn’t only about hearing spooky stories. It includes a real EMF meter (Ghost/Paranormal Detector) used during the walk. The promise isn’t that the meter will prove something to everyone, but you do get the theatrical value of seeing the device in action and using it as part of the group experience.

Here’s what that adds for you:

• It turns the tour into an activity. You’re not just watching and nodding.
• It gives you a way to react in the moment (even if your reaction is skepticism).
• It makes the stories feel more “present” because the meter is happening while the guide talks.

The tour also frames the paranormal experiences in vivid terms—things like cold spots, seeing apparitions, and catching orbs/apparitions in pictures. The most honest way to use this is to treat it as a prompt: keep your eyes open, follow what the guide asks you to do with the device, and decide for yourself what feels credible or just fun.

One more rule to plan around: video recording is not allowed. That affects how you document the night. If you want visual memories, think photos, keep your phone ready, and don’t assume you can film.

The Dark Side of New Orleans: Murders, Suicides, and Unsolved Mysteries

The core of the storytelling is New Orleans’s darker side: unsolved murders and other tragic events, including suicides, mixed with vampire and ghost lore. Your guide ties these stories to the city’s history and asks you to keep an open mind as you walk.

This is where the “value” shows. A French Quarter walking tour can easily become a list of landmarks. This one leans harder into the narrative—why the city’s reputation formed, how folklore attaches to real places, and how people in different eras tried to explain what they couldn’t control.

From the info provided, the company also emphasizes that they researched:

• the history of Louisiana and New Orleans,
• the city’s architecture and culture,
• paranormal activity and documented vampire/ghost sightings,
• traditional burial practices and cemetery secrets.

That matters because it signals a specific kind of tour: not just campfire horror, but something built around the city’s real past and how myths grow out of that past. If you love true-crime energy and atmospheric storytelling, this is likely to hit your sweet spot.

Vampire and Ghost Lore: Expect Theater, Not a Science Lab

The tour’s “vampire and ghost” angle is a main selling point, but you should calibrate your expectations. One review I saw said it was interesting and informative, yet not great on vampire specifics for their taste. That tells me the vampire content may be present, but it’s probably woven into the broader theme of the city’s spooky history rather than taught as a deep dive into vampire lore.

So how do you get the most out of it?

• Treat the vampire/ghost parts as story leads, not as a lecture with facts you can quote later.
• Pay attention to the way your guide connects the lore to local details—street-level history and the mood of the buildings.
• Use the EMF meter as your moment-to-moment “hook.” Even if you’re not convinced by the supernatural, the interactive piece gives you something to focus on besides the narrative.

If you’re the type who wants only cold, hard proof, this may not satisfy you. But if you want a guided walk that’s equal parts folklore, atmosphere, and interactive weirdness, it’s a good fit.

Burial Practices and Cemetery Secrets: Why This Storyline Matters

A big part of the tour’s framing is traditional burial practices and the secrets tied to cemeteries. Even though you’re on a walking route in the French Quarter, the guide’s theme connects what you’re seeing with how New Orleans handles death and remembrance differently than many other places.

Here’s why that theme is valuable for you:

• It explains why the city feels haunted even when it’s not trying to be.
• It adds cultural context. Ghost stories don’t float in a vacuum; they grow out of local customs and beliefs.
• It gives depth to the “spooky” label. The guide isn’t only talking about monsters, but also about how people historically lived with mortality.

The information provided also highlights a focus on cemeteries and burial traditions as part of the tour company’s own research. That suggests the stories aren’t random. They’re meant to connect to the way New Orleans developed as a city.

Guide Style and the Small-Group Feel You’ll Likely Notice

This tour runs with a live guide in English. The operator also says the tours are small and that a private group option is available.

Small group matters here because the paranormal and alcohol-to-go format depend on attention. You need to hear the guide, see what the EMF meter is doing, and follow the route without getting lost in a crowd. With fewer people, you’re more likely to actually catch the story beats instead of relying on whatever you overhear.

One named guide stood out in the feedback I saw: Cody. The comments pointed out that Cody gave good info and kept things interesting, and that it turned into a private tour for two people. That’s a strong signal that this experience can feel personal—especially if the group size stays small.

Price Reality: Is $38 Good Value Here?

The price is $38 per person for about a 2-hour walking tour. Drinks are not included. That means you’re paying for:

• the guide and the walking route,
• the story-driven format,
• the interactive EMF meter component,
• and the structure that includes stops where you can grab to-go drinks (but you’ll pay for the drinks themselves).

Whether it feels like a bargain depends on what you want most.

• If you’d pay $38 anyway to walk the French Quarter with a guide who tells dark local stories, this is fair value, especially because the tour includes a real paranormal detector element.
• If your top priority is getting heavily drunk or getting lots of vampire-focused details, you may feel the money went toward “spooky atmosphere” more than alcohol volume or vampire lore depth.

A good rule: think of this as a guided story experience with alcohol options at stops, not an all-inclusive drinking event.

Practical Tips So You Don’t Miss the Good Parts

A few things will make your night smoother:

• Wear comfy shoes. You’re walking for about two hours in the French Quarter.
• Arrive at the meeting gate on time. Don’t plan on strolling up late and catching up.
• Skip video recording. Video isn’t allowed, so don’t waste time setting it up.
• Bring a phone for photos if you want to capture the moment, since the tour mentions orbs/apparitions in pictures as part of the experience.
• Pace your to-go drinks. The tour itself doesn’t include drinks, so budget for what you order.
• Go in with the right mindset: you can treat the paranormal elements as interactive fun while still enjoying the history.

If you’re sensitive to heavy topics, remember the theme includes unsolved murders and suicides. You’ll hear dark stories, even if the tone is meant to be entertaining.

Who This Tour Fits Best (And Who Might Want Something Else)

This works best if you’re:

• into French Quarter storytelling and local legends,
• the type who likes interactive tour elements like an EMF meter,
• curious about how New Orleans traditions around burial and cemeteries influence its ghost reputation,
• and comfortable with a mix of true-crime-adjacent history and supernatural lore.

You might want to choose a different tour if:

• you want vampire lore to be the main focus with lots of detail,
• you’re expecting the alcohol part to be the dominant feature,
• or you strongly prefer tours that stay away from dark topics.

Based on the feedback and the format, the “drunken” label seems more like playful marketing than a guarantee of heavy drinking.

Should You Book the Drunken Ghost and Vampire Experience?

If you want a 2-hour guided walk that blends French Quarter history with paranormal-themed interaction, this is worth considering at $38. The standout value is the combination of story plus the real EMF meter, along with the route that includes to-go drink stops so the experience matches the setting.

I’d book it if you can handle dark story themes and you’re okay paying for your own drinks. If your goal is maximum drinking or deep vampire scholarship, adjust expectations first, because the vampire emphasis may be lighter than you want and the tour isn’t drink-inclusive.

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys being in the moment—listening closely, watching the meter, and laughing when things get weird—this tour should feel like a fun night out in New Orleans.

FAQ

Where do I meet for the tour?

Meet on the sidewalk at the gate of the courtyard attached to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, located at 941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70116. Tours do not meet inside the bar.

How long is the tour?

The tour runs for about 2 hours.

What does the ticket price include?

The ticket includes the 2-hour (approx) walking tour. Drinks are not included.

Are drinks included during the tour?

No. Drinks are not included in the price, though you’ll have opportunities to stop in and grab to-go drinks at bars along the route.

Is the tour led in English?

Yes, the live tour guide speaks English.

Is the tour accessible?

The tour is wheelchair accessible.

Is video recording allowed?

No, video recording is not allowed.

Can I book a private group?

Yes, private group options are available.