Halloween in New Orleans is always an exciting time of year. Whether you’re just visiting for the big party, or live here year round, there are a lot of fun events and parties to attend. But, if you’re a visitor or new to town, you may be wondering where exactly is the best place to go. We will go over everything in this blog post.
Is New Orleans fun for Halloween
New Orleans is a city that loves to party, so Halloween night will be no exception. Throughout the year, there are many opportunities for you to get into the spirit of things here, but this is the one night when everyone truly goes all out. The French Quarter is where you and your friends will want to be on October 31st. That’s where all the action is. There are also a lot of great food vendors that set up shop on this evening, so eating while drinking around here won’t be an issue. What’s more, some of the bars start to feature drink specials and give away fun free stuff as well.
Which Halloween Events are there in New Orleans
It should be said that you really have no shortage of choices when it comes to great Halloween events in this city. No matter what your tastes are, you’re sure to find something that will suit you.
French Quarter Halloween activities
This historic neighborhood is party central on Halloween. Throughout the famous Bourbon Street, hundreds of costumed partiers prowl up and down all night long. If you can’t stand crowds or like to keep a little more space between yourself and your fellow revellers, then strolling through the Quarter is a great alternative. There are a ton of other great bars and dance clubs in this neighborhood, so it’s easy to keep yourself entertained without feeling like you’re at Disneyland all night long.
Which Bars in New Orleans have great Halloween Parties
1. The Old Absinthe House You may not be able to find a more authentic New Orleans experience than what you get at this historic establishment. Located on Bourbon Street, the Old Absinthe House has been around since 1807 and is one of the most famous bars in all of New Orleans. If you’re looking for to be immersed in the best of local culture and history, look no further than here. With their mix of both live music and standup comedy shows on certain nights, there’s something going on at this establishment every night of the week. They usually get really rowdy here between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am as well, so you can expect a great night out.
2. Pat O’Brien’s If you’re looking for an establishment with a lot of energy and fun, then this is the place for you on Halloween night! One thing that makes Pat O’Briens stand out from the crowd is their mix of live music and party atmosphere. I would recommend stopping by here between 10:00 pm and 12:00 am, just as the live shows start. That way, you can enjoy high energy performances all night long while your drinks are being served to you seven days a week!
3. The Dixie Beer Garden & Oyster Bar The food here is great, but the real draw to this bar for Halloween night isn’t the eats. It’s actually their massive drinks specials that you’ll want to take advantage of on October 31st. From 10:00 pm until closing time at 3:00 am, you can get $5.00 draft beers and $3.50 glasses of their famous Dixie beer. There’s usually a pretty good crowd at this bar come Halloween, so make sure to get there early if you want to take advantage of these great specials.
4 The Saint Bar and Lounge This is one of the newer establishments in the French Quarter, having only been established in 2013, but they’ve already managed to get into the Halloween spirit. For starters, they have a great drink menu that will keep you coming back for more. They also do a great job at entertaining their guests with live performances from local artists almost every night of the week. Plus, since this is a smaller venue, there’s always room to dance. My only recommendation when it comes to the Saint is to head out there before midnight, that way you can enjoy all of their drink specials and music without having to worry about being pushed around by crowds.
5. Coyote Ugly This establishment stands out from the rest because it offers up a unique atmosphere unlike any other on Halloween in New Orleans. If dancing on bar tops is your thing, then this is definitely the place to be. They’ve also been known to have great drink specials on Halloween night so if that’s what you’re looking for, then Coyote Ugly may be worth a shot.
Is Halloween a good time to visit New Orleans
I have been to New Orleans many times, and I have never been disappointed. The weather is usually perfect in October, it’s not too hot or too cool. There are lots of Halloween events for tourists to enjoy. If you go during the day, you can take a ghost tour of the city and hear about all the spooky stories that happened on those streets years ago. Visit during the evening time and you can enjoy festive Halloween celebrations in a small group. If you are planning a visit, I recommend staying in the French Quarter for Halloween.
Visit a Haunted House New Orleans
For old-school scary, there’s no better place than a real haunted house. You could head down to New Orleans Nightmare formerly The House of Shock, formerly Morbid Mansion, in Metairie That said, we do recommend going with a friend (or two or three) for such an outing.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more theatrical experience, one of the best haunted houses in the country is easily Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar on Bourbon Street. It’s a professional haunted house that’s been scaring people since 1974.
Conclusion
For any Halloween fan, New Orleans is the ultimate destination for the holiday. There are a variety of ways to enjoy the event in New Orleans, and it doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a traditional haunted house or some more creative festivities. It’s one of America’s most festive cities, so whether you’re a local or just visiting for the night, there’s no better place to get into the spirit of things than in New Orleans.