Haunted Tours and Walks

As I was mentioning in another response, New Orleans sounds very interesting to me as a place I'd like to be able to visit some day. I hope I'd have the nerve to take a haunted tour, as well, because it certainly seems to be a location with "activity." Thank you both!

New Orleans is definitely old and it has it's own uniqueness when it comes to "vibes" and everything else.

I have taken one in the French Quarter as well--I thought this one was pretty authentic--maybe because N.O. is such a haunted city and so old. I definitely felt some "vibes", and found the historical portion to be fascinating, as well.

I'm quite afraid of having that kind of reaction too, savypat. I know in tunnels and such, I start to feel kind of claustrophobic. I could never do those cave tours that you see offered... I think I'd be awful in that kind of space!

Wow! Even in the open streets... amazing. I was aware of the voodoo/ghost subculture, as mentioned, but was entirely unaware of the vampire aspect. I will have to do some research into that. Will be very interesting, I'm sure. I am Canadian, never having been to New Orleans, but it sounds like a place that would make a very intriguing trip!

I had a similar experience on a ghost tour in New Orleans--we were not in any enclosed spaces but the air in some of the streets on the tour, and some of the buildings we went into was noticeably heavy and stifling (and different than the heavy and stifling humid air which I felt EVERYWHERE. The city is so haunted and old, and has such a vibrant and active voodoo/vampire/ghost subculture, that you can really feel the vibes if you are open to it. I found this to be especially true post-Katrina.

I've heard that before, as well... that the more "open" you are to such experiences, the more likely they will come to you. Of course, I don't know if that's true but sometimes I waiver between wanting to see things and then definitely not wanting to because I think I'd be too scared

I think people go on the tours with mixed emotions.. wanting to see something but also afraid that they will LOL If nothing else, these haunted tours/ghost tours seem very, very interesting just for the information and history that you learn. My daughter's tour involved a lot of tunnels through the fortress which she said were "wet, dark and full of spiders" (which she hates LOL). She told me "I put my hood on, kept my head down and just kept going!" Scotland seems to be featured often on ghost hunting and paranormal programs on television... must be extensive history there to be explored.

The history in Scotland and England was amazing. People used to live in such harsh conditions. You are right. I wanted to see something out of curiosity, but at the same time I did not out of fear!

LOL! You have mixed emotions, just like me! The fort that my daughter toured does a Fright Night tour also... for Halloween. So, in addition to the regular walkabout, they have many people in costumes and such that jump out at you in the tunnels and scare you for "fun" (not sure that's fun lol). There is a story that, one Halloween, one of the workers was dressed in this creepy period military uniform, pale face, blood from the eyes, all of it. He was hiding behind barrels in a tunnel to do his job. No one knew exactly what he saw but they found him, curled up in the fetal position on one of the beds in the old barracks, and he wouldn't even move. He was there to DO the scaring... but sure ended up terrified himself.

That sounds interesting and scary ! Don't know what might have happened. Makes one wonder. At some point we feel like something very odd must have happened, something supernatural, and at the same time we don't want to think about it too!

I think you are right LOL Our curiosity is natural -- but then, if we find out and get scared, we'll think "did I REALLY need to know that???"

Actually, jennyze, TV programs are what interested my daughter in the haunted tours in the first place. There are several programs she watches where teams of people go into locations that people feel are haunted and they try to get some kind of confirmation - either audio or video. She is fascinated (and, yes, sometimes scared) by the programs. So, when she got the chance to go on a haunted tour, she was very excited. Even though she didn't see anything, she still thought it was great. She now wants to find out if there are some closer to home that she can do too!

Wow, your daughter is brave. I could not imagine myself doing it, for whatever reasons. In Indonesia, the people doing this scary jobs are paid. There were paranormal ready at the scene to help when the contestant got used by the spirits.

OMG that's creepy! LOL I know sometimes people will say that you see things because you "want" to see them... but me, personally, I would be nervous if I saw something so I don't think I would wish it to happen or imagine it. Then, we you see it on a video, you are even more convinced! Quite an experience they had! Thanks for sharing that :))

This is very interesting to me! Where were you that you were able to capture the orbs with your camera, babykeka80? Somewhere familiar to you or a tourist area? I'm just curious... if you captured orbs in photos inside your home or with family or friends at their homes, as an example, how would you feel about that? Are you scared by such things or just intrigued?

Oh I totally agree with you sender621... I am fascinated and intrigued at the same time. But then, I also know that if I were to see something "ghostly" or some kind of apparition in my home, for example, I'd probably be moving out the next day LOL I'm curious but still fearful. I've never been able to watch scary movies or anything of that sort... so I think if I were to come face to face with anything, it would terrify me.

I think that's an excellent experience! It doesn't matter that you didn't have any contact with the supernatural or paranormal... you still went and you did it together. I'm like you - I'm fascinated but I'm not sure what I would do if I actually saw or heard something. I do have frequent moments, in my home, where I feel someone place their hand on my shoulder or the back of my neck. It's such a clear feeling... I don't feel a brush past or an itch or anything like that. I have actually turned to see who is behind me with their hand on me, thinking it is one of my daughters or something. No one's ever there.

Wow that sounds like an excellent tour! I think many of them are great just for the history, even if there's nothing really "haunted" about them. But the tapping on the shoulder and brand new torches not working? That's pretty freaky :)) I have instances, in my office at home (where I spend a great deal of time), that I feel a weight like a hand on my shoulder or at the base of my neck. A couple of times, it has been so real that I have turned to see who it is - expecting it to be one of my daughters needing something from me. No one there. I also have a clock in my office that was a wedding gift to my parents in 1962. I keep it on top of an armoire, along with some photos of them (my dad passed away in 1990 and my mom in 2004). On a couple of occasions, the clock has started working on its own for a few minutes. It's a style that has to be wound and it chimes on the hour and half hour. I never wind it or keep it running because it's quite loud so I just have it as a decoration. When it has either started ticking or the chimes have gone off without it being wound, it has made me jump.

I think "mystery" events are becoming increasingly popular... there were the murder mystery dinners and cruises and now the walks and tours. I think it makes a tour more interesting when you add the possibilities of the unknown. That Jack the Ripper tour must be something! What a history there. I think there is a walkabout type tour in the Old Port of the major city closest to where I live... I'm more and more intrigued to look into the details!

Wow TikaTalk! What a rip off that was! If I'm taking a tour or if there is a guide, I would expect that person to lead the evening and stay with the group and be a source of knowledge... not do a little bit of work and send everyone off on their own. I'm sorry but that must have been really disappointing :( I agree with you, though... it sounds like the really well-run "haunted" events are good fun for the people that are into that kind of thing! :)) Good luck if you start an event like that of your own!

Sounds like you had a great time! It also seems that they have some really organized and well-run tours there, from your description. Funny thing about cemeteries, isn't it? You can walk through one in the daytime and it seems quiet, peaceful, respectful, well-tended and even pretty sometimes. Walk through the same place at midnight and it's a completely different world! It MUST have been spooky if you had people leave your tour. I would hope I could hang on and stick with the tour if I went... I'd probably kick myself if I left and then wondered if I missed anything really cool! LOL