Start at Café du Monde in the French Market district for beignets and café au lait—about 45 minutes and roughly $10–15 per person. Go before 10 a.m. if you want a slightly easier table; it is generally open around the clock, though service can be busy on Halloween weekend. From there, walk a few minutes through Jackson Square to St. Louis Cathedral. Admire the square and the cathedral’s façade, then check the posted visiting hours before entering, since religious services can limit sightseeing access. Allow about 45 minutes and keep shoulders covered and voices low inside.
Continue along the riverfront to the French Market, where an hour is plenty for craft stalls, snacks, and people-watching. It is an easy walk from Jackson Square, but the market’s individual vendors keep different hours, so expect the liveliest selection from late morning into the afternoon. For lunch, settle into Napoleon House, a short walk inland on Chartres Street. The historic courtyard and dim rooms suit the weekend’s haunted theme; a muffuletta or Pimm’s Cup makes this a leisurely 1½-hour stop, with about $20–35 per person before drinks and tip. Afterward, walk to the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum on Chartres Street. Plan roughly an hour for its compact, atmospheric collection of apothecary bottles, surgical instruments, and unsettling medical history; verify the current Friday hours and admission, typically around $10–15, before setting out.
Leave a comfortable buffer before the French Quarter Phantoms ghost walk: Halloween-week crowds make narrow sidewalks, restaurant waits, and check-in slower than usual. Confirm your advance booking, meeting point, and start time directly with the operator, then arrive 15–20 minutes early—many walks begin near Jackson Square or another central Quarter landmark, but the exact location can vary. The tour usually lasts about two hours, so wear comfortable shoes, bring a light rain layer, and avoid carrying anything bulky. Afterward, stay close to the meeting area for a low-key drink or late snack rather than trying to cross the Quarter; Friday-night crowds will be heaviest around Bourbon Street, while Royal Street and Chartres Street are generally calmer for walking.
Start with a quieter Halloween morning at Crescent Park, entering near the Piety Street pedestrian bridge in Bywater. Give yourself about an hour to stroll east along the Mississippi, where the skyline views are especially good before the day’s crowds and humidity build. The park is generally open from early morning until evening, and there’s no admission fee; wear comfortable shoes, since some sections are paved while others feel more like a neighborhood promenade. From the park, Elizabeth’s is a short walk or roughly a five-minute rideshare away.
Settle into Elizabeth’s for a substantial late brunch, allowing about 90 minutes and budgeting $20–35 per person before drinks and tip. The setting is famously colorful, and the portions are generous—this is the meal to carry you through an afternoon of sightseeing. On Halloween weekend, expect a wait, so arriving early helps; check the restaurant’s current Saturday hours and kitchen closing time before leaving, and avoid lingering over brunch if your afternoon museum entry is timed.
After brunch, head to St. Roch Market by rideshare or a roughly 20-minute walk, depending on the heat; allow extra time for Halloween traffic and street closures. Spend about an hour browsing the food stalls and sharing smaller bites, with $15–30 per person as a practical tasting budget. Vendor hours can vary, so confirm the market is open before setting out. From there, a rideshare to the French Quarter usually takes 10–20 minutes, while walking is possible but less appealing in costume-heavy weekend crowds.
Continue to the Historic New Orleans Collection for about 90 minutes of exhibits and a calmer break from the street. Check the museum’s Saturday hours and reserve or confirm any timed admission in advance, since Halloween weekend can bring heavier demand. Leave enough time to walk through the Quarter toward House of Blues New Orleans rather than rushing directly inside; the compact streets are most atmospheric in the late afternoon, though expect barricades, costumes, and occasional pedestrian diversions.
Have dinner and soak up the live-music atmosphere at House of Blues New Orleans, allowing around two hours and budgeting $30–60 per person before drinks and gratuity. Because tonight is Halloween, check both the restaurant reservation policy and the venue’s event calendar—concert or special-event operations may affect seating and entry. Most importantly, confirm the start time for Haunted History Tours of New Orleans before finalizing dinner: advance booking is essential, and a sold-out or cemetery-focused tour may require an early dinner, a quick meal, or leaving the restaurant before the music portion really gets going. Meet the guide at the specified French Quarter location rather than assuming the departure point is near the restaurant, and arrive 15–20 minutes early for check-in. Expect about two hours on foot, uneven sidewalks, and a late-night finish; closed-toe shoes, a light layer, and a phone flashlight are sensible, while costumes should not obstruct walking or photographs.
Begin at the New Orleans Jazz Museum in the Old U.S. Mint on Esplanade Avenue, allowing about 1½ hours for its exhibits on the city’s musicians, instruments, and recording history. Sunday hours can vary, so check the museum’s current opening time before setting out; admission is generally around $8–15 per adult. From there, walk a few blocks toward Café Rose Nicaud in Marigny for coffee and a light breakfast—plan on $10–20 per person and about 45 minutes. It is a good final-morning stop before the Halloween weekend crowds build around nearby Frenchmen Street.
Take a short, shaded wander through Washington Square Park afterward, allowing 30–45 minutes. The park is compact, so treat it as a pause rather than a major sightseeing stop; use the time to explore the surrounding residential streets and balconies. For lunch, take a rideshare or taxi west to Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar in Uptown—roughly 15–25 minutes depending on traffic, with extra time useful on a busy Sunday. Budget $15–25 per person, and expect a relaxed, no-frills bar setting; confirm Sunday service hours before leaving Marigny.
Continue by rideshare to the Garden District for Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, about 10–15 minutes from Domilise’s in normal traffic. Plan 45 minutes to view the historic tombs from the exterior and stroll the surrounding blocks. Access to the cemetery itself can be restricted or subject to changing preservation rules, so check current conditions and do not count on entry; the exterior gates and neighborhood architecture still make the stop worthwhile. Afterward, return to the French Quarter by rideshare—allow 15–25 minutes, longer if event traffic is heavy—and leave a comfortable buffer before your Ghost City Tours booking. Reserve this evening tour in advance and confirm the Sunday meeting point, start time, and cancellation policy; the walk typically lasts about two hours, and comfortable shoes plus a light layer are useful after dark.
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