New Orleans is proudly one of the most haunted and “weird” cities in America. In the city that knows how to party, Halloween is a season of celebration as New Orleans pays homage to its dark history in the form of parades, costumes, haunted houses, and ghost tours. Whether you’re seeking family-friendly fun or a supernatural encounter, The Big Easy has something for everyone this Halloween season. Here are some of the top things to do for Halloween in New Orleans!
Monster Mashes
There’s always a party in New Orleans, and at Halloween, you can show up as anyone, or anything, you want to be! Yell, “throw me somethin’ monstah” as you experience the Mardi Gras-style Halloween parade that rolls through the historic French Quarter, hosted by Krewe of BOO! The Krewe hosts other frightfully fun events such as a Jazz Second Line on the day before the parade, the Zombie Run on the morning of the parade, and the Monster Mash post-parade costume afterparty. Treat your inner child to some tricks at Brews and Boos where the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park opens for adults only with unlimited rides, beer, treats, and a costume contest. Grab your sexy costume, and party all weekend long with the LGBTQ community at Halloween New Orleans, featuring parties throughout the French Quarter that benefit Project Lazarus, a home in New Orleans for people living with AIDS.
Hauntingly Good Tours
From haunted cemeteries, tales of voodoo queens, and notorious spirits like Andrew Jackson lurking around, there are dozens of ghost and voodoo tours to choose from in the city. If manufactured fright is more your style, check out one of the haunted house productions that go on throughout the spooky season such as The Mortuary and New Orleans Nightmare. If you’re looking for ghost-free sights, take a swamp tour and experience the eerie swamp scenes of moss-draped cypress trees and creepy alligator eyes peeking atop green waters. Add some chilling screams with a thrilling zipline tour of the swamp at ZipNola.
Spooktacular Family Fun
Put on your family costumes for a one-of-a-kind Halloween experience at Boo Carré in the French Market District, featuring trick-or-treating, live music, fun events, and an unforgettable Spooky Second Line! Head on down to the Audubon Zoo for Boo at the Zoo with trick-or-treating and fun events with the animals. Treat the family to arts & crafts, a pumpkin patch, hot-dog roasting around the campfire, trick-or-treating, and unlimited rides at Carousel Gardens Amusement Park at Ghosts in the Oaks in City Park.
The spirit of Halloween comes alive in New Orleans! Whether you’re exploring local haunts, reveling in the spooky parade, or “boos”-ing it up at a monster mash, New Orleans is sure to deliver a Halloween experience you won’t forget in this life- or the next!
