New Orleans Paranormal Society Ghost Hunt Experience

Fun tour. Guide was very interactive and we loved playing around with the equipment.

We had a great time on our paranormal investigation with Chris. He was very knowledgeable about the spirits we interacted with and thoroughly explained how to use all of the equipment he brought along and the reasons he uses each particular tool. He even showed me how to use a Mel Meter I had purchased a while back and never used, and included it along his equipment during our investigation at the Andrew Jackson Hotel. We got a few "hits" throughout the night and Chris even shared a video with me of a "spirit" interacting with my wife through his full spectrum camera! We'd definitely do this again when back in town.

It was my first paranormal experience so im still on the fence but I definitely felt a presence and got touched on my arm

Great time! Robert did a great job teaching us how all the equipment works and best way to engage with the spirits! Would definitely come back and do it again!

This was the best experience I have ever booked in NOLA. The traditional ghost tours are fun if you want to hear stories and legends, but this group will take you to do actual investigations and meet some of the local spirits. Small group with only 12 people made it perfect. One of our two locations was very active and had quite a bit of evidence of intelligent haunting. Our guide, Robert, was a great guy, showed respect and understanding, and made sure everyone knew how to use the equipment and engage the spirits appropriately. I can't wait to get back to NOLA and book this again!

Fantastic experience. Good lesson on the devices and several experiences. You have the opportunity to make sure any anolamies are debunked and get to test multiple scenarios. I got to play rock, paper, scissors with a spirit. Another or possibly same one just wanted to hear me talk. Fantastic experience - just remember these people (spirits) may be old and not share your own values, which leads to some funny interactions!

Instead of taking the usual ghost tours that we have enjoyed several times before, we decided to change things up and try a "Ghost Hunt Experience" offered by the New Orleans Paranormal Society. According to the company's website, the experience is advertised as a three-hour interactive paranormal investigation rather than a traditional storytelling tour. The description states: "Instead of simply hearing ghost stories, experience them for yourself on one of the only interactive ghost tours in New Orleans. Join a paranormal guide at what are reputed to be some of the most haunted locations in the French Quarter. With just your small group for company, set off in the evening, and have the chance to use real ghost-hunting tools to try and pick up on paranormal activity." The tour started more or less on time. Before leaving the meeting location, however, participants were given a lengthy introduction that included descriptions of experiences previous guests had allegedly encountered. Examples included reports of being scratched, women feeling their hair pulled, sensations of being touched or stroked, and other similar experiences. Whether intentional or not, these comments effectively established expectations before the investigation even began. The group was then escorted to the courtyard of the Andrew Jackson Hotel, where the guide unpacked a collection of paranormal investigation equipment and arranged it on a table. The devices included lighted trigger objects, EMF detectors, REM pods, an SLS camera system, and a spirit box consisting of a modified AM radio scanner. What followed consumed more than an hour of the advertised three-hour experience. Each piece of equipment was explained in very basic terms. Most explanations could have been summarized as, "If a spirit is nearby, this device will react," or, "This radio scanner produces sounds and words that some investigators interpret as spirit communication." The one genuinely useful point made during this presentation was that EMF readings should not be taken seriously until normal electrical sources such as outlets, wiring, breaker boxes, and appliances have been ruled out. By the time the tutorial concluded, more than a third of the tour had elapsed. Afterward, the guide explained that everyone would eventually have an opportunity to handle and use the equipment. He then began describing some of the spirits we might encounter. Among them were entities he referred to as "Master," "Priest," and several other names. These names, he explained, were assigned based on his own interpretations of responses and impressions gathered during previous investigations. One thing that raised a question was this: We were told spirits were capable of moving freely and could even relocate from city to city. As an example, the guide described a spirit that had allegedly traveled from Chicago to New Orleans attached to a living person. Then we were shown a small utility or storage closet adjacent to the courtyard and told that numerous spirits preferred to congregate there. If these entities are capable of unrestricted movement, it seemed odd that so many would consistently choose to gather in such a confined and otherwise unremarkable location. As the evening continued, additional concerns emerged. Considerable emphasis was placed on the claim that the equipment could not be manipulated. In my experience, when someone repeatedly stresses that a device is foolproof, skepticism is warranted. Every piece of equipment has limitations, and many paranormal devices rely heavily on interpretation. Particularly troubling was the use of an iPad-based application that was represented as not being connected to the internet. At the time, it appeared to be connected to Wi-Fi. That observation alone does not prove anything improper occurred, but it does create questions about transparency. At one point, participants were encouraged to ask questions and listen for responses while the guide stepped away from the immediate area. Yet he remained close enough that he potentially could have overheard conversations from outside. Again, this does not prove manipulation occurred, but it introduced an unnecessary variable into what was being presented as an investigative process. Perhaps the most significant issue was the amount of suggestion employed throughout the evening. Guests were repeatedly told what they might experience before any investigation began. Reports of scratches, touches, cold spots, hair pulling, and emotional sensations were discussed in advance. Psychological research has long demonstrated that expectation influences perception. Once people are told what they should expect to feel, they become more likely to interpret ordinary sensations as evidence supporting those expectations. People should go into an investigation without any preconceptions about what might happen to them during the night. In the end, the experience felt less like an investigation and more like an interactive paranormal performance. The investigation turned up nothing aside from a “scratch” on one woman’s arm that was likely due to the metal chair’s back bar being leaned against too hard, as it disappeared later without incident and another woman who said her face had been scratched. Had it? If it was, there was ample time for it to have been done by herself or another, as we were all sitting in a dark room (our second stop) without the aid of night vision. Was it entertaining? Yes. Was it interesting? Certainly. Was there convincing evidence of ghosts or spirits? In my opinion, no. The evening relied heavily on storytelling, suggestion, interpretation, and equipment whose results required considerable subjective judgment. When those elements are stripped away, very little objective evidence remained. As a result, we left with more questions than answers and a renewed appreciation for the importance of skepticism, critical thinking, and proper investigative controls whenever extraordinary claims are being made.

This is probably one of the best tours I have been on anywhere. Everyone in the group experienced some type of activity at both locations. It was very exciting, intriguing and overall a great experience. Kathy was our tour guide and she did an amazing job.

Had a great time. Chris has a wealth of knowledge and a wide selection of gear to try out. Very unique location and experiences. New Orleans rarely lets you down!

Jennifer was such a lovely guide who clearly knows her craft in having my group interact with the local spirits. We got to use various equipment and Jennifer was quite thorough in explaining how EMF works. We got to interact with spirits at two locations. The spirits were definitely in high spirits (😉) when we attended during a full moon so responses using the equipment were happening quite often. Had I gone without this excursion, I wouldn’t have know the local spirits have excellent taste in music with AC/DC, MC Hammer, and Usher.