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Forget Mardi Gras. Halloween is the time to visit New Orleans.

By Ian Goodwillie

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 12: People sit outside of a bar on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter on August 12, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Louisiana holds one of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates with just 38 percent of its residents fully-vaccinated. The state currently has the highest amount of COVID cases per capita in the U.S. over the last 14 days. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 12: People sit outside of a bar on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter on August 12, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Louisiana holds one of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates with just 38 percent of its residents fully-vaccinated. The state currently has the highest amount of COVID cases per capita in the U.S. over the last 14 days. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) /
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Food. Culture. Art. Music. History. There is an almost endless list of reasons to go to New Orleans. And for a lot of people, the prime time to go is during Mardi Gras. In a city famous for parties, this is by far the biggest one of the year.

But if you’re planning a trip to New Orleans, consider swinging by during Halloween. It is considered to be one of the most haunted cities in America with a variety of historical and cultural roots that feed right into this time of year.

The roots of New Orleans

New Orleans Halloween Parade
NEW ORLEANS – OCTOBER 23: Revelers dance at the 6t’9 Social Aid and Pleasure Club Halloween Parade October 23, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Celebrants around the world are gearing up for Halloween festivities which culminate on October 31st. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) /

When it comes to history, New Orleans has it all. Founded in 1718, this city has a rich and checkered past. Slavery was pervasive in the region, with several violent and bloody revolts. In addition to that, there were a variety of major battles in and around the area as part of different conflicts over the years.

On top of that, piracy under the likes of Jean Lafitte was pervasive for a long time, leading to a variety of deaths and events. There’s a statue commemorating Lafitte now, but he was still a privateer back in the day of dubious repute.

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The reality is that it’s hard to find a place in the city that hasn’t seen some form of historical bloodshed. As such, there are seemingly endless stories of ghosts, hauntings, and other paranormal activities.

A city of voodoo

These days, voodoo is a huge part of the tourism industry in New Orleans, so much so that it has become easy to forget how big a part of the city’s history it is. Major festivals like the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience have taken the edge off of the whole thing.

New Orleans is actually home to a very distinct version of voodoo that can only be found here called Louisana Voodoo. There are only a few legitimate practitioners in the city, but they are certainly still around.

It all goes back to Marie Laveau, the late Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. She died in 1881 but people still regularly go to her grave to consult her. If you choose to do so, consider bringing a gift of money or alcohol as a thank you. Really, it’s just polite.

Halloween in New Orleans

Marie Laveau, Halloween, New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 09: An exterior view of the historic Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo on Bourbon Street on January 09, 2020, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Marie Laveau was a Louisiana Creole practitioner of Voodoo, herbalist and midwife, who was renowned in New Orleans. (Photo by Paul Rovere/Getty Images) /

If you didn’t know better, you would think that New Orleans was designed to celebrate Halloween. While that certainly seems to be the case, it’s important to remember this is all serious and key aspects of the city’s history. As such, it deserves a certain level of respect.

That being said, there are many ways to experience Halloween here in a way that doesn’t diminish its history. There are numerous haunted houses and hotels as well as several interesting ghost tours of different parts of New Orleans. And there are numerous superb costume shops.

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It’s also worth noting that there are some incredible parties around this time of year, as well. The LGBT group Halloween New Orleans throws a weekend-long party to benefit Project Lazarus. It’s supposed to be a highlight of the year, and well worth checking out.

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