Halloween is such a special time of year in this city. October days in New Orleans are usually packed with Fall festivals, haunted houses, costume contests and pumpkin patches.
This year, due to Coronavirus concerns, some favorite Halloween activities are temporarily unavailable. The Krewe of Boo canceled their parade this year, and Voodoo Fest also decided to postpone their annual music festival until October of 2021.
However, New Orleanians are not letting COVID dampen their Halloween spirit.
As always, many New Orleans residents have turned their homes into Halloween spectacles!
If you are looking for a distracting (and socially distant) diversion this Halloween, follow this driving route to discover some of the most amazing houses in the city. The tour will also take you past businesses where you can pick up a Halloween treat for the road.
Buckle up, put on a spooky soundtrack, and get ready to “oooh” and “ahhh” over the best Halloween neighborhoods in NOLA!
Note: Did we miss a Super House that should have been included on this tour? Let us know and be sure to send a picture!
Ghost Manor
The tour begins at a beloved Halloween location—Ghost Manor.
Ghost Manor is a beautiful Victorian home on the corner of Magazine Street and Second Street in the Garden District.
Although the high-tech electronic show is not running this year, Ghost Manor is still magnificently decked out, and definitely worth a stop on the tour.
If you have been hoping for a glimpse of one of the famous, 12-foot Home Depot skeletons that are taking the internet by storm, here is your chance!
Saint Charles Avenue
From Ghost Manor, make your way to Saint Charles Avenue and drive Uptown. You will see a number of elaborately decorated houses including one with a lifelike witch flying on her broomstick among the majestic live oaks.
The Saint Charles Avenue witch can be found between Bordeaux and Valence on the river side of the road.
There are some pretty neat ghosts next door, too!
Need a Sweet Snack? Take a Detour
At this point in the tour, you are a mere two blocks away from Creole Creamery… just saying…
If you need a Halloween-themed treat, take a left and drive two blocks to Prytania. Pop into Creole Creamery at 4924 Prytania Street to try one of their rotating seasonal flavors like Flaming Jack O’Lantern (laced with Fireball whiskey caramel), Choppawhoppa, Caramel Apple Cider, Boo Berry Pie, Doom Buggy (with chocolate-covered bugs—REAL BUGS), or Pumpkin Praline.
Then jump back on Saint Charles and keep winding your way Uptown to the corner of Saint Charles and State.
The Skeleton House
The house on the corner of State Street and Saint Charles is known as The Skeleton House around Halloween time.
During most Octobers, the lawn is covered with dozens of posed skeletons with witty costumes and corresponding puns such as, “Lazy Bones” and “Scary Potter.”
To reduce congestion on the sidewalk, the owner decided to go with different décor this year, and the results are stunning. The tree branches are filled with dozens of orange glowing pumpkin lanterns!
The owner also created a Hamilton-themed video for adoring fans to enjoy from the comfort of home. The skeletons and their puns will be back next year!
State Street
Take a few minutes to drive up and down State Street to view more outstanding decorations.
The block between Garfield and Hurst has a particularly high level of participation but travel all the way to Tchoupitoulas and back to take in the full array.
Nashville Avenue
You might want to cut over to Nashville Avenue to check out their decorations as well.
In particular, keep your eyes peeled for a porch between Coliseum and Perrier that is overrun with creepy black cats (ok, actually they are pretty cute)!
Octavia Street
While you are meandering around Uptown, take a peek at Octavia Street.
The block between Prytania and Pitt should not be missed– it is trick-or-treating heaven.
There are some pretty professional-looking props on this street including a bubbling cauldron and more.
Pine Street
Now let’s head over to the Carrollton neighborhoods to see how the decorations in the Riverbend stack up.
Get back on Saint Charles and head further Uptown past Audubon Park.
Take a right on Pine Street and follow it all the way to Neron Place.
Pine Street is filled with Halloween spirit. There are many families with kids along these blocks, so be prepared for adorable, homemade Halloween crafts, especially in the homes surrounding Lusher Elementary School.
Neron Place
Take a left on Neron Place (the last street before Claiborne).
Neron is the trick-or-treating hub of the Carrollton-Riverbend area. This peaceful, shady street becomes a fright-filled wonderland when the sun goes down on October 31st.
Neron resident, Lynda Friedmann reports, “Neron Place on Halloween night is magic. I have been here for over 30 years, and every year it gets better and better, with more than 300 children with outstretched arms. I go all in on chocolate candies and buy around 14 pounds of candy. My favorite holiday by far. This year a lot of us are installing PVC chutes to send the candy to the kids from a safe distance. Thank goodness for porches.”
Some of the Neron displays include video projections and life-size figurines. A few of these elusive monsters come out only on Halloween night, so be sure to drive by on the night of.
Audubon Boulevard
At the end of Neron Place, take a right on Carrollton and then another right on Claiborne Avenue.
Turn left on Audubon Blvd, roll down your windows and follow the ghoulish music to locate a multimedia display on the left the side of the street—complete with dancing skeletons!
Then take a left on Fontainebleau followed by a right on Carrollton Avenue.
When you glimpse the corner of City Park, turn right on Moss Street and wind your way along Bayou St. John for the final leg of the tour.
Keep your eyes peeled across the Bayou for one of the biggest inflatable spiders that you will ever encounter.
On your right, you will pass an imaginative skeleton pirate ship near the intersection of St. John Ct and Moss.
Moss Street turns into Jefferson Davis Parkway, and between Cleveland Avenue and Palmyra Street you will come across a spine-chilling tableau to wrap up the tour—an eerie pumpkin scarecrow presiding over a graveyard.
Explore MidCity and Support a Local Business
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If you are hungry or thirsty at the end of the drive, there are many restaurants nearby with outdoor seating and/or takeout options.
12 Mile Limit at 500 South Telemachus Street is just around the corner. They often serve creepy cocktails around Halloween time.
Katie’s Restaurant and Bar, Parkway Tavern, Toups Meatery and Blue Oak BBQ are other favorites.
You can dine in their outdoor seating areas, or order items to go and bring them to City Park for a picnic.
A great way to conclude the adventure is with coffee and beignets from the City Park Café Du Monde at 56 Dreyfous Drive.
We hope you enjoyed the tour! Happy Halloween!
