Halloween is coming up, which means you have a little bit of time to plan a getaway to give you the heebie jeebies. There's no place creepier (or as fun) as The Big Easy.
New Orleans has always claimed to have a rich history in the occult and creepy myths, so taking a trip to indulge in the historical part of this city is definitely a must. The city has long been called one of the most haunted cities in America and for several reasons – catastrophes, violence and close quarters being among them. Everywhere you turn, you can find ghostly haunts:
The Omni Royal Hotel
Once the building for the city’s slave market and the site of great brutality, the hotel is now a grand place to stay and home to many spirits. If you stay here, you may see lights flicker and faucets turn on and off.
The Bourbon Orleans
This former orphanage run by nuns still has kids running along its corridors. Guests have reported hearing children’s voices, seeing nuns in the hallways and feeling electrical charges near the stairwells.
The Dauphine House Bed & Breakfast
Some guests just refuse to leave. This historic house, built right outside of the French Quarter in the 1800s, has doors that open and close on their own.
Brennan’s New Orleans
A staple of the city since 1946, Brennan’s is not only a highly rated fine dining establishment, but it also has its own ghosts. In the Red Room, a man living in the building hanged himself after murdering his family. One of the cooks loved his job so much he continues to try to do it after his death and pots and pans clank in the kitchen when no one is around.
Antoine’s
The owner of this well-known eatery was so deeply devoted to his restaurant and its patrons, that he is said to come back night after night – sometimes with other dearly departed family members – to check on how things are going.
Muriel’s
Not one to dismiss the presence of ghosts who roam the earth, Muriel’s greets wandering spirits with a waiting plate of food and has even turned what was once the old slave quarters into a séance room. A former owner, devastated by losing his home in a poker game, committed suicide in this same room, making it a hotbed of paranormal activity.
The Pharmacy Museum
Set on the site of the very first apothecary shop, the Pharmacy Museum holds a wide variety of cures and artifacts from old medical practices and voodoo rituals, including ghastly instruments used in the past for dentistry, many by the former owner, a dentist known to conduct grisly experiments on patients.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Nearly everyone has heard of the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and you can visit her tomb in New Orleans’ most haunted cemetery. Hundreds of thousands are buried in this one square block, with the tombs being reused over and over. Visit during the day or take a haunted tour of the cemetery at night for a spookier feel and the chance to see some of the dead residents as well.
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Located in the Garden District, this beautiful cemetery is full of the tombs of those who died of yellow fever in the 1850s. It is surrounded by stately homes and mansions and has free tours each day. Shadows are seen frequently around the grounds.
Everywhere you go in The Big Easy seems to have an interesting story behind it. If you want learn more about the past of New Orleans and its ghostly inhabitants consider taking a guided tour. There are many to choose from, including ghost walks, vampire walks and historical city tours. They last around 90 minutes and are informative and affordable. They will surely make your trip much more interesting.
Have you ever had a paranormal experience in a haunted destination?
