Our Second Day in New Orleans: Voodoo Shops, Vampire Legends, Pirate Alley, and a Cemetery After Dark

Hello, spooky cats!

Our second day in New Orleans began with powdered sugar and ended inside one of the city’s most famous cemeteries after dark.

In between, we visited the French Market, stood outside the infamous LaLaurie Mansion, searched for New Orleans vampires, explored voodoo shops, drank inside a reportedly haunted bar, rode a streetcar, wandered through Pirate Alley, and attempted to gamble our way into funding future paranormal investigations.

That last part did not go according to plan.

New Orleans had already impressed us on our first day, but this second adventure gave us an even better look at the city’s strange mixture of documented history, supernatural folklore, tourist traditions, excellent food, and complete Bourbon Street chaos.

A Very Busy Morning Near Jackson Square

When we left our hotel that morning, some type of race or marathon appeared to be taking place nearby.

The runners had mostly become walkers by the time we joined them, and crossing the street required a brief game of human Frogger.

We had not known the event was happening, but surprise crowds are apparently part of the New Orleans experience.

Our first destination was one of the city’s most famous food stops: Café du Monde.

I hoped the race meant everyone would be somewhere else and the café would be empty.

It was not.

Beignets at Café du Monde

Café du Monde was packed, but there was table service and no long standing line during our visit. At least we could sit down while waiting.

Before we had even ordered, my husband somehow managed to get powdered sugar on himself.

That takes talent.

One important detail: Café du Monde was cash-only when we visited. Policies can change, but carrying some cash is a good idea if you plan to stop there.

We ordered coffee and one serving of beignets to share.

One order was enough. Beignets arrive beneath an impressive mountain of powdered sugar, and consuming them without covering yourself, your table, and possibly the person next to you is nearly impossible.

My coffee was closer to a café au lait, while my husband tried the chicory coffee.

As for the beignets, I had always imagined them as square funnel cakes.

After trying one, I decided that assessment was accurate.

They were hot, sweet, fried, messy, and delicious.

Basically, funnel cake put on a little French hat.

Walking Off the Powdered Sugar

After breakfast, we needed to walk.

Not because walking would truly undo what we had just eaten, but because pretending calories can be defeated by tourism makes everyone feel better.

We headed toward the French Market, joining the remaining runners and walkers along the way.

The market had not fully opened when we arrived. Many vendors began setting up around 10:00 a.m., so visiting earlier meant several stalls were still closed.

The market appeared to be divided into two general sections. One area focused on food, while another offered clothing, jewelry, artwork, souvenirs, and various New Orleans-themed objects.

Naturally, I was searching for anything witchy, voodoo-related, strange, or potentially useful for future spooky projects.

Exploring the French Market

The French Market is worth walking through even when you are not looking for anything specific.

We saw jewelry, clothing, decorations, gifts, food, and some more unusual souvenirs—including alligator parts.

A small alligator head could be purchased for around $10 during our visit.

I did not buy one.

The cats already have enough strange things to knock off shelves.

I avoided filming directly inside many individual booths because some artists and vendors may not want their work recorded. When visiting markets like this, it is always best to ask before closely filming merchandise.

Even without purchasing anything, the French Market gave us another look at New Orleans’ combination of tourist culture, local art, food, and slightly alarming animal souvenirs.

Finding the LaLaurie Mansion

From the market, we continued through the French Quarter until we reached one of New Orleans’ most infamous addresses: the LaLaurie Mansion.

The house is associated with Madame Delphine LaLaurie and the abuse of enslaved people discovered at the property during the 1800s.

The documented history is horrific enough without embellishment.

Because of that history, the mansion has become one of the most frequently discussed locations on New Orleans ghost tours. Stories involve screams, apparitions, strange sounds, and the lingering presence of the people who suffered there.

We did not go inside. The mansion is privately owned, and visitors should respect the people living there.

Standing outside, it was easy to see why the building attracts attention. It has an ornate exterior, tall doors, balconies, and a dramatic appearance that immediately suggests an old New Orleans mystery.

Tours pass constantly, which made me feel slightly sorry for anyone trying to live inside.

Imagine taking out your trash while a guide tells 30 strangers that your upstairs hallway is full of ghosts.

Did Nicolas Cage Flee the Mansion?

The LaLaurie Mansion also has a connection to actor Nicolas Cage, who owned it for a short period.

Stories sometimes claim he fled the property or had terrifying experiences inside.

We had heard a particularly dramatic version involving him running out screaming, but I was skeptical.

Celebrity stories grow very quickly, especially when attached to famous haunted houses. A person owning a property briefly is factual. Every theatrical detail added afterward may not be.

The mansion does not need a Hollywood legend to make it disturbing.

Its real history is dark enough.

Searching for the Vampire Convent

Our next destination was an old convent associated with one of New Orleans’ most famous vampire legends.

The story involves young women who arrived from France carrying small wooden chests. Over time, the strange luggage, their pale appearances, and the closed upper-floor windows helped inspire tales that vampires had been hidden inside the convent.

When we reached the building, the shutters on the upper level were still closed.

Obviously, this was to protect the vampires from sunlight.

Or because shutters are a normal architectural feature.

Both explanations remain available.

Unfortunately, the convent was closed during our first attempt to visit. We returned on another day, but for now we could only examine the exterior and wonder what was hiding upstairs.

Holiday Closures in New Orleans

Our visit took place around Easter weekend, and we repeatedly discovered businesses that were closed.

Some places shut down for the entire holiday weekend rather than only Easter Sunday.

That is something to consider when planning a trip.

A location may appear open online under its regular schedule, but holiday hours can be very different. When a particular shop, museum, church, or tour matters to you, check its social media or contact it directly before making a special trip.

We learned this lesson while standing outside several locked doors.

The ghosts may never rest, but the gift shops do.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar

We eventually found Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, one of the oldest and most atmospheric bars in the French Quarter.

The building is dark, weathered, and exactly what you want an old New Orleans bar to look like.

Inside, we found brick walls, dim lighting, a creepy piano, and plenty of shadowy corners.

The bar is also associated with ghost stories, including claims involving former owners, pirates, and unexplained figures moving through the building.

It would be an interesting place to investigate under quieter conditions.

Unfortunately, bars are difficult paranormal environments. Music, conversations, refrigerators, plumbing, street noise, staff movement, and intoxicated tourists can create an unlimited supply of false positives.

Still, I called out to see whether anyone wanted to communicate.

No one did.

Perhaps the ghosts were still sleeping off the previous night.

Trying the Famous Purple Drink

My husband ordered the bar’s well-known purple frozen drink.

I gave it a try.

It tasted like a slushy, although presumably one with enough alcohol to make navigating Bourbon Street slightly more complicated.

It was sweet and good, especially on a hot day.

The combination of a purple drink, an old haunted building, and a creepy piano made Lafitte’s one of our more memorable stops—even without a paranormal encounter.

A Closed Tarot Room

We also attempted to visit a store called Jezebel.

The shop advertised tarot readings, and we could see what appeared to be a reading room inside.

Unfortunately, it also seemed to be closed for Easter weekend.

New Orleans was determined to show us many fascinating doors and then refuse to open them.

At least the visible tarot room gave us something to peer at through the glass like disappointed paranormal raccoons.

Exploring New Orleans Voodoo Shops

Throughout the day, we visited several voodoo-related shops and a museum connected to Marie Laveau.

Photography and video rules varied from place to place.

Some businesses allowed both. Others permitted photographs but not video, and a few prohibited cameras completely.

Most displayed their policies near the entrance.

Check before recording. These spaces may include religious objects, altars, private artwork, or merchandise the owners do not want filmed.

Even when photography is technically allowed, avoid blocking customers or recording people without permission.

The goal is to explore, not become the tourist everyone curses after you leave.

Leaving an Offering

At one location, we left a dollar near a figure or altar associated with Marie Laveau.

Was this necessary?

Probably not.

Did I want to risk being hexed over one dollar?

Also no.

Skepticism and basic politeness can coexist.

The shops ranged from highly commercial souvenir stores to more serious spaces containing spiritual tools, religious objects, herbs, candles, artwork, and information about local traditions.

Visitors should remember that Louisiana Voodoo is not simply a spooky tourist theme. It is connected to real religious and cultural traditions.

Plastic dolls and movie curses are only a small—and often distorted—part of the larger story.

Finding the Kind of Art We Wanted

One art store was exactly what I had hoped to find in New Orleans.

It contained dark, unusual artwork and handmade pieces that fit our style perfectly.

I wished the artists would be appearing at the Baltimore Oddities and Curiosities Expo, but they were not on the vendor list.

Fortunately, many independent artists sell online and ship their work.

That may be safer for the wallet than attempting to carry a delicate haunted-looking sculpture through airport security.

Although explaining it to the agent would be entertaining.

A Smaller Lunch—Allegedly

After eating far too much during our first day, we decided to have a smaller lunch.

Our solution was empanadas.

We ordered several flavors to share:

• Gumbo
• Crawfish étouffée
• Asian dumpling

The gumbo empanada was especially good with hot sauce.

The crawfish étouffée gave me a chance to try that flavor for the first time, and the Asian dumpling version was also excellent.

Someone had recommended the Asian dumpling as the best one, and it did not disappoint.

All three were good, but adding hot sauce improved everything.

That may be the official food motto of New Orleans.

Shopping at Boutique du Vampyre

We stopped at Boutique du Vampyre, where I purchased a drink called a Lucky Leprechaun.

It glowed, which immediately made it more interesting.

My husband ordered something resembling an Old Fashioned.

His drink looked respectable and normal.

Mine looked radioactive.

I clearly made the correct choice.

The vampire-themed shops around New Orleans range from theatrical to genuinely artistic, and they fit perfectly into a dark-tourism itinerary. Even visitors who do not believe in vampires can appreciate the commitment to atmosphere.

Riding a New Orleans Streetcar

Eventually, we headed to a transit stop and used our passes to ride one of the city’s streetcars.

Our Jazzy Pass cost around $15 per person for seven days at the time of our trip. Prices can change, but the pass was convenient because we planned to use public transportation several times.

The streetcar was an actual rail vehicle moving along tracks—not a tourist bus decorated to resemble one.

Riding it was part transportation and part New Orleans experience.

My husband appeared to enjoy himself.

He is surprisingly easy to entertain when transportation leads toward a casino.

A Stop at Caesars New Orleans

We took the streetcar toward Caesars so my husband could have some casino time.

I played a voodoo-themed slot machine because we were in New Orleans and it seemed appropriate.

The voodoo doll let me down.

My husband had better luck with a mummy-themed bonus. The mummy grew larger, he earned extra spins, and eventually completed a screen that produced a decent win.

For a brief moment, it looked as though gambling might finance our vacation.

Then we kept playing.

The money disappeared.

The casino performed its traditional ritual of allowing hope to manifest briefly before consuming it.

The $79 Pokémon Mystery Box

My husband also purchased a Pokémon mystery box for $79.

There was no way I would have taken that gamble.

He received a graded Japanese Pikachu card that appeared to be worth around $101.

At least he did not lose money on that particular mystery.

Whether anyone would actually pay the estimated value is a separate question.

Collectible values can be like ghost stories: impressive until you try to verify them.

Returning to the French Quarter

After the casino, we boarded the streetcar again and returned toward our hotel.

Near the French Quarter, we stopped to watch candy being made through a shop window.

We had seen a similar performer or process in Key West, and now it appeared again in New Orleans.

Either candy-making demonstrations are more common than I realized, or this person was following us.

The confectionery explanation is currently stronger.

Walking Through Pirate Alley

We soon found ourselves in Pirate Alley.

The narrow passage sits near the cathedral and is connected to stories involving pirates, writers, criminals, and supposed paranormal activity.

We would learn more about it during a tour the following day.

During this visit, the alley was busy.

That made it difficult to imagine conducting a serious investigation there. Footsteps, conversations, nearby businesses, street performers, doors opening, and passing tours would contaminate almost any audio recording.

The best investigation time would probably be extremely early in the morning—assuming the ghosts are willing to wake up.

We also discovered a pirate-themed store nearby, adding another possible stop to our growing list.

New Orleans does not allow you to finish an itinerary. Every street creates three more destinations.

Bourbon Street on a Saturday

By late afternoon, Bourbon Street was already crowded.

It was Saturday, and the party had begun well before sunset.

Music poured from the bars. People carried enormous drinks. Costumes, signs, balconies, and neon lights competed for attention.

Cars were somehow still attempting to drive through the crowds.

I am not sure who looked at Bourbon Street on a Saturday evening and thought, “Yes, this seems like an efficient route.”

The entire street felt like one large moving event.

Hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s

We stopped at Pat O’Brien’s, one of the most famous places to try a Hurricane cocktail.

The restaurant and bar include an outdoor courtyard and several interior areas. From our table, we could watch the activity on Bourbon Street while enjoying the comparative calm inside.

We ordered Hurricanes, naturally.

The drinks were sweet, strong, and closely connected to the classic New Orleans tourist experience.

Pat O’Brien’s may be famous for the cocktail, but we also came for food.

Gator Bites and New Orleans Favorites

We tried alligator bites along with a trio of regional dishes:

• Gumbo
• Red beans and rice
• Jambalaya

The alligator bites were very good.

The gumbo remained my favorite of the trio, although I also enjoyed the red beans and rice.

The jambalaya was excellent, and my husband liked the entire meal even more than our dinner at Muriel’s the previous night.

That is a serious compliment because Muriel’s had been very good.

Pat O’Brien’s provided a relaxed way to try several New Orleans dishes while still experiencing the noise and energy of Bourbon Street.

We recommend ordering the trio and a Hurricane—although perhaps not immediately before a long walking tour.

Preparing for St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

After dinner, we returned to the hotel to rest.

Our day was not finished.

That evening, we had tickets for an official nighttime tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, where we hoped to visit the tomb associated with New Orleans Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.

The cemetery offers scheduled guided access, and on the Saturday of our visit, night tours appeared to depart approximately every 15 minutes.

We were informed that video recording was not allowed.

Still photography was permitted, but only without flash.

Photographing the Cemetery at Night

The no-video policy was disappointing.

From a practical standpoint, a photograph and a video are both created by capturing light, so the restriction was unlikely to protect the tombs physically.

However, limiting video may help control tours, prevent long filming setups, protect visitor privacy, or preserve the experience the operator wants to provide.

Whatever the reason, we followed the rule.

Fortunately, I used to work as a professional photographer and knew how to take pictures in low-light conditions without using flash.

The results gave us a collection of eerie nighttime images from inside one of the country’s most famous cemeteries.

Aboveground tombs, narrow pathways, shadows, and artificial lighting created an atmosphere very different from visiting during the day.

Why St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Matters

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is famous for its aboveground tombs, historic burials, and connection to several important New Orleans figures.

It is also strongly associated with Marie Laveau, whose tomb attracts visitors interested in Voodoo history and paranormal lore.

The cemetery is not merely a spooky attraction.

It is an active burial site and a fragile historic location. The tombs have endured weather, vandalism, tourism, and centuries of deterioration.

Controlled access helps protect them.

Visitors should never mark tombs, leave damaging substances, climb on structures, or treat graves as props.

Ghost stories may attract us, but the people buried there deserve respect.

Did We Encounter Anything Paranormal?

We did not experience anything during the cemetery tour that I would consider convincing paranormal evidence.

Because video was prohibited, we could not conduct a normal investigation or maintain continuous audio-visual documentation.

The group setting also introduced many natural sources of noise: guides, visitors, footsteps, traffic, nearby tours, and activity outside the walls.

Any unusual sound would have been difficult to isolate.

The cemetery still felt atmospheric, particularly at night, but atmosphere is not evidence.

A dark tomb can create an emotional response without containing a ghost.

That response is still part of the dark-tourism experience—it simply should not be mistaken for proof of the paranormal.

Bourbon Street After Dark

When our cemetery tour ended, Bourbon Street had moved from crowded to complete insanity.

Music, lights, people, drinks, costumes, balconies, street performers, and confusion filled every visible space.

It felt even busier than Las Vegas.

Somewhere in the crowd, we saw signs for places with names such as Ticklers and found ourselves asking the important cultural question:

What exactly are they tickling?

We did not investigate.

Some mysteries are better left unresolved.

Was Day Two a Good Dark Tourism Day?

Absolutely.

This day combined several different sides of New Orleans:

• Documented cruelty at the LaLaurie Mansion
• Vampire folklore connected to an old convent
• Haunted-bar stories at Lafitte’s
• Voodoo traditions and Marie Laveau tourism
• Pirate history and legends
• A nighttime cemetery tour
• Bourbon Street’s modern chaos

Some of these experiences involved serious history.

Others were folklore, entertainment, shopping, food, and atmosphere.

The important thing is recognizing the difference.

The abuse connected to the LaLaurie Mansion is documented human suffering.

The vampire-convent story is a legend.

A glowing drink at a vampire shop is fun.

Marie Laveau was a real historical person whose life has become surrounded by both fact and mythology.

Dark tourism becomes more meaningful when we enjoy the strange stories without flattening everything into the same category.

Tips for Planning a Similar New Orleans Day

Bring cash for Café du Monde, or verify its current payment policy before arriving.

Visit the French Market after 10:00 a.m. if you want to see more vendors open.

Check holiday hours carefully. Easter weekend affected several businesses during our trip.

Ask before photographing inside voodoo shops, art galleries, spiritual stores, and museums.

Use public transportation when possible. The streetcar pass made moving between the French Quarter and Caesars easier.

Make reservations for cemetery tours in advance, particularly for limited nighttime access.

Bring a camera capable of working in low light if flash photography is prohibited.

Most importantly, pace yourself.

New Orleans will tempt you with beignets, empanadas, gumbo, alligator, jambalaya, Hurricanes, purple drinks, glowing drinks, and about 600 other things in a single day.

The city does not care whether your stomach has limits.

Final Thoughts on Our Second Day in New Orleans

Our second day began with beignets and accidental powdered-sugar contamination.

It ended after dark among the tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and the crowds of Bourbon Street.

Between those moments, we explored markets, searched for vampires, stood outside one of the city’s darkest historic homes, visited voodoo shops, drank inside an old haunted bar, sampled New Orleans food, rode a streetcar, gambled with mummies and voodoo dolls, walked through Pirate Alley, and watched the French Quarter transform as night arrived.

We did not capture a ghost.

But New Orleans gave us history, folklore, strange traditions, excellent food, and enough unanswered questions to fill several more days.

Fortunately, we were not finished yet.

Stay spooky, cats!