Write Gothic Horror in New Orleans, Louisiana

Throw beads, catch curses

A cartoon of Mari Gras monsters hanging out with horror authors in New Orleans, Louisiana

There’s no city in America quite like New Orleans, Louisiana, where the air feels heavy with music, memory, and something far older. From crumbling cemeteries to candlelit voodoo shops, every corner seems to hum with stories the living barely understand.

Wander through the French Quarter, where ghost tours echo off iron balconies, or visit the infamous LaLaurie Mansion, long rumored to be cursed. No other city quite offers Southern Gothic elegance, folklore, and undeniable spiritual energy, which makes it a perfect destination for horror authors.

5 Strange Facts and Voodoo Tales in New Orleans

St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 is less visited than its famous neighbor but steeped in supernatural lore, including connections to early voodoo practitioners buried there. Visitors report hearing footsteps behind them, seeing shadowy figures between the tombs, and feeling watched even in broad daylight.
The Old Ursuline Convent, one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city, has long been tied to vampire legends. Some say coffins were stored in the attic, and that not all of them were empty.
The Sultan’s Palace, located on Dauphine Street, is the site of an unsolved 19th-century massacre. Screams have been heard in the dead of night, and some guests report the scent of incense and blood hanging in the air.
Lake Pontchartrain is home to the legend of a massive creature known as the “Pontchartrain Monster,” said to rise from the depths on stormy nights. Descriptions vary, but it’s often described as long, scaled, and fast-moving just beneath the surface.
During renovation work in Faubourg Marigny, workers uncovered a sealed room beneath an old townhouse. Inside were strange symbols etched into the walls and ritual objects linked by some to folk magic and voodoo. The room has since been reburied, at the request of the property owner.

A photo of Sultan's Palace , a spooky spot in New Orleans, Louisiana

Where Ghost Stories Linger in New Orleans

New Orleans, steeped in mysticism and history, is home to some of the most haunted places in the world.

New Orleans Horror Writing Prompts

In a backroom of a French Quarter jazz club, your protagonist finds a cracked trumpet still slick with condensation. When they blow a note, it echoes from the wrong direction and something starts tapping out a slow rhythm in the ceiling above.
While on a swamp tour outside the city, your character sees dozens of wooden mannequins tied to the cypress trees, their heads all turned toward the boat. As the guide talks, one of the figures raises its hand to wave.
At the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, your protagonist takes a pill from a display marked “For Restless Dead.” That night, they wake to find all their windows open and barefoot footprints tracking through powdered salt on the floor.
After a hurricane forces their hotel to evacuate, your character takes refuge in an abandoned building off Bourbon Street. In the morning, the storm has passed, but the street outside is paved with funeral wreaths and all the stores are boarded shut from the inside.
While exploring St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, your protagonist finds a mausoleum with no name, just a small door left ajar. Inside is a narrow hallway lined with mirrors, each one cracked but reflecting the same woman, standing just behind them.
At a voodoo shop on Esplanade Avenue, your character purchases a sealed glass jar filled with ash and thorns. That night, they bleed from their gums while dreaming of a woman sewing mouths shut in a field of bones.

Questions Every Horror Writer Should Ask Before Visiting New Orleans

Its blend of French Gothic architecture, above-ground cemeteries, voodoo culture, and storm-soaked history gives horror writers an unmatched backdrop full of mystery and decay.
Yes. The LaLaurie Mansion is infamous for its gruesome history, and The Beauregard-Keyes House is said to be haunted by Civil War spirits and former residents.
Absolutely. Visit the Voodoo Spiritual Temple or New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. These spiritual places provide historical context beyond pop culture myths, including rituals and artifacts.
Yes. Due to the city’s high water table, traditional burials aren't practical. This led to hauntingly beautiful tomb architecture that now inspires ghost stories and vampire legends.
Hex: Old World Witchery and Reverend Zombie’s House of Voodoo sell ritual tools, oddities, and books that are both authentic and writer-friendly.
Yes. Tales of the Rougarou (a swamp-dwelling werewolf), the cursed Axeman of New Orleans, and the Grunch, a hybrid cryptid said to drain livestock, are rich material.
Try Pirate’s Alley next to St. Louis Cathedral or the back patio at Backatown Coffee Parlour. Both offer spooky vibes and just enough bustle to feel alive.
Yes. UndeadCon runs alongside the Anne Rice Vampire Ball, and Ghost City Tours operate year-round. Halloween in the French Quarter is a full-on horror carnival.

The Veil Is Thinnest Beneath the Spanish Moss

Wander past New Orleans and discover more ghostly places or enter The Horror Hub for storytelling tools for writers that want to step into the shadows.

Write Gothic Horror in New Orleans, Louisiana

Throw beads, catch curses

5 Strange Facts and Voodoo Tales in New Orleans

Where Ghost Stories Linger in New Orleans

New Orleans, steeped in mysticism and history, is home to some of the most haunted places in the world.

In a backroom of a French Quarter jazz club, your protagonist finds a cracked trumpet still slick with condensation. When they blow a note, it echoes from the wrong direction and something starts tapping out a slow rhythm in the ceiling above.

While on a swamp tour outside the city, your character sees dozens of wooden mannequins tied to the cypress trees, their heads all turned toward the boat. As the guide talks, one of the figures raises its hand to wave.

At the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, your protagonist takes a pill from a display marked “For Restless Dead.” That night, they wake to find all their windows open and barefoot footprints tracking through powdered salt on the floor.

After a hurricane forces their hotel to evacuate, your character takes refuge in an abandoned building off Bourbon Street. In the morning, the storm has passed, but the street outside is paved with funeral wreaths and all the stores are boarded shut from the inside.

While exploring St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, your protagonist finds a mausoleum with no name, just a small door left ajar. Inside is a narrow hallway lined with mirrors, each one cracked but reflecting the same woman, standing just behind them.

At a voodoo shop on Esplanade Avenue, your character purchases a sealed glass jar filled with ash and thorns. That night, they bleed from their gums while dreaming of a woman sewing mouths shut in a field of bones.

Questions Every Horror Writer Should Ask Before Visiting New Orleans

The Veil Is Thinnest Beneath the Spanish Moss

Wander past New Orleans and discover more ghostly places or enter The Horror Hub for storytelling tools for writers that want to step into the shadows.

CONNECT

LEARN

READ

Write Gothic Horror in New Orleans, Louisiana

Throw beads, catch curses

5 Strange Facts and Voodoo Tales in New Orleans

Where Ghost Stories Linger in New Orleans

New Orleans, steeped in mysticism and history, is home to some of the most haunted places in the world.

In a backroom of a French Quarter jazz club, your protagonist finds a cracked trumpet still slick with condensation. When they blow a note, it echoes from the wrong direction and something starts tapping out a slow rhythm in the ceiling above.

While on a swamp tour outside the city, your character sees dozens of wooden mannequins tied to the cypress trees, their heads all turned toward the boat. As the guide talks, one of the figures raises its hand to wave.

At the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, your protagonist takes a pill from a display marked “For Restless Dead.” That night, they wake to find all their windows open and barefoot footprints tracking through powdered salt on the floor.

After a hurricane forces their hotel to evacuate, your character takes refuge in an abandoned building off Bourbon Street. In the morning, the storm has passed, but the street outside is paved with funeral wreaths and all the stores are boarded shut from the inside.

While exploring St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, your protagonist finds a mausoleum with no name, just a small door left ajar. Inside is a narrow hallway lined with mirrors, each one cracked but reflecting the same woman, standing just behind them.

At a voodoo shop on Esplanade Avenue, your character purchases a sealed glass jar filled with ash and thorns. That night, they bleed from their gums while dreaming of a woman sewing mouths shut in a field of bones.

Questions Every Horror Writer Should Ask Before Visiting New Orleans

What makes New Orleans such a strong horror setting?

Are there any famous haunted houses I can visit?

Can I explore real voodoo history in New Orleans?

Is it true the cemeteries are above ground for a reason?

What are the best places to buy eerie or occult souvenirs?

Are there local legends that horror writers should know?

Where can I write quietly but soak up eerie ambiance?

Does New Orleans host any horror-themed events?

The Veil Is Thinnest Beneath the Spanish Moss

Wander past New Orleans and discover more ghostly places or enter The Horror Hub for storytelling tools for writers that want to step into the shadows.

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