Anne Rice, True Blood, Twilight, the Vampire Diaries – vampires are more popular than ever thanks to movies, television series and a seemingly endless range of teenage vampire novels hitting the shelves. In New Orleans, vampires have been part of local legend since the city was established in the late 1600s, making it the prefect place to take in a vampire tour.
There are a number of tour operators running vampire and ghost tours in New Orleans, including Haunted History Tours, which offers the city’s only dedicated vampire tour, and New Orleans Spirit Tours which includes vampire tales passed down through the generations, and an explanation of why it would be so easy for vampires to hide in New Orleans.
Haunted History Tours of New Orleans has Dedicated Vampire Tour
Haunted History Tours is New Orleans’ original walking tour, and has been operating a vampire tour since October 1996. The tour has featured on various television programs on the Travel Channel, Sci Fi and History Channel, and they have released their own “New Orleans Ghosts, Voodoo and Vampires” book and a documentary DVD.
Kalila Smith from Haunted History Tours says they cover a range of vampire angles, “We include vampire folklore, legends, movie sites and crime scenes where real blood drinkers have killed their victims.”
Smith says while some people may have become interested in vampires through recent novels, movies and television shows, vampire folklore arrived in New Orleans with European settlers hundreds of years ago.
“New Orleans has had the most vampire folklore, more than any other city, long before True Blood and Twilight came into existence.”
New Orleans Spirit Tours Explores Vampire Mythology and Legends
The founder of New Orleans Spirit Tours, Cathleen Grant, says she has been fascinated by vampires for as long as she can remember, and puts her background in anthropology to good use in creating her vampire tours.
New Orleans Spirit Tours are another well-established operation, having started in October 1997. Grant says their combination Ghost – Vampire tour takes tourists on a spooky nighttime walk through the dark streets of the lower Quarter.
“It is here that gas lamps illuminate the disturbingly quiet paths that ghosts and undead inhabit. We share stories that have been documented and passed down orally for over 300 years of ghost sightings and Vampire lore. Vampire legends are told, but we also present different theories as to why New Orleans is linked to Vampire fantasy and we talk about the origins of the Vampire myth.”
Grant says True Blood and Twilight have helped give vampires their latest boost in popularity. “We have seen a cyclic interest in Vampires which began its popularity during the early 90’s when Anne Rice was living in the city and “Interview with the Vampire” was filmed and released in theaters. The current Twilight and True Blood material has introduced the Vampire genre to a whole new generation of enthusiasts of the undead so we have a lot of younger folks on the tours interested in the subject.”
New Orleans Tours of the Undead Held Every Night of the Week
Whether recently converted to vampire tales, or an old school Bram Stoker fan, taking in a vampire tour in New Orleans is a great way to see this historic Louisiana city through an undead looking glass.
Haunted History Tours Vampire Tour is held at 8.30pm every night, and leaves from St Louis Cathedral, under the clock facing Jackson Square. Tickets are $20 for adults and $17 for students and seniors. Reservations are required either by calling (504) 861 2727 or by visiting Haunted History Tours’ official website.
New Orleans Spirit Tours conduct their Ghost and Vampire Tours every night, starting at 8.15pm at Toulouse Royale Gifts, at 601 Royal Street in the French Quarter. Tickets are $20 on the night, or $16 for adults, seniors and students, and $10 for children under 12 years of age if booked in advance. Tickets can be booked by calling (504) 314 0806 or visiting the New Orleans Spirit Tours’ official website.
Related Articles
- True Blood Author Charlaine Harris: The author of the Southern Vampire Mystery novels, which have formed the basis of the HBO hit series, True Blood, speaks about the latest book in her bestselling series.
- Why Vampires Love New Orleans: Cathleen Grant takes us through some of the reasons why New Orleans and vampires have always been linked together.
- How Vampires Could Hide in New Orleans: Cathleen Grant explains how vampires could easily blend in with mortals in New Orleans today.
- New Orleans Cemetery Tours: It's Necropolis Now for those who want to explore New Orleans' fascinating cities of the dead.
- Halloween in New Orleans: One of the best times to visit New Orleans is Halloween, when the city's spooky history mixes perfectly with its ability to throw a great party.
Amanda Woods - Amanda Woods is a journalist and producer with more than 15 years experience in radio, television and print. She now enjoys sharing her ...
Join the Conversation