The drive through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi to get there wasn't very exciting, but there are plenty of cities and towns along the way to stop for food or bathrooms. I stayed in the French Quarter a couple blocks from Bourbon St., and believe it or not there was more noise coming from the other guests then there was from outside noises. If you've never been, I would recommend staying in the French Quarter and renting a bicycle to get around. Driving is near impossible and you will be hard pressed to find a parking space anywhere! All of the hotels there charge $20 a day to park. If you do decide to rent a bike, it is an easy ride down to the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Saying that the French Quarter is haunted would be an understatement. There are quite a few homes in the area that have a haunted history, including the LaLaurie and Gardette-Le Pretre houses (which for all you AHS fans, yes those were real people). As a side note, you cannot take your bikes onto the grounds of the St. Louis Cathedral so make sure to lock it outside of the fence and then enter. Right across the street from the cathedral is Cafe De Monde which is the BEST place to have a beignet with a cafe au lait. One of the cooler things I saw while I was in the French Quarter was the filming of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.

LaLaurie House, French Quarter and Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter filming:

I love old cemeteries so that was where I started. The Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is located in the Garden District just a short way from the French Quarter. If you walk to Canal St. you can ride the St. James Street car down to the Garden District. This area is where the vampire queen author Anne Rice used to live and she set many of her novels in the Garden District and the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. While you're there, take a walk around the surrounding neighborhoods and check out the beautiful old homes.

The next cemetery on the list was the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 which is the oldest cemetery in the state. The most famous tomb in this cemetery is Madame Laveau's, a voodoo priestess. This cemetery also has specific tombs for different nationalities and professions, such as Italians and firefighters.

The only way to visit either of these cemeteries is with a tour guide, so make sure to book a tour in advance!

Next I headed 2 hours north west to check out a couple plantations. First was Myrtle's Plantation in St. Francisville, LA, arguably the most haunted home in America. It has been featured on Unsolved Mysteries as well as other ghost hunter shows. The house itself is beautiful as well as the grounds, and they allow you to stay the night there, if you dare! Unfortunately I didn't have the time to or I absolutely would have. I took tons of pictures in hopes of seeing something in them once I got home, alas I got nothing exciting. You can tour the first floor of the house and the outside grounds.

After Myrtles Plantation I headed an hour and a half back towards New Orleans and stopped at the Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, LA. It is probably most well known as the vampire Louie's house in Interview with a Vampire. The front entrance is breathtaking, and the tour of the inside of the home is just as awe inspiring. If you decide to check out these plantations, or any other in the area, I would allow at least half a day, to account for drive time and touring each home. From Oak Alley it's about an hour back to the French Quarter.  

#louisiana #northamerica