Hotels near Ghosts in the Oaks

For families, Ghosts in the Oaks in New Orleans City Park is the gentlest of these New Orleans Halloween picks, and it runs early, from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 October 2026. The event takes over Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, the historic ride park under City Park's live oaks, from 5pm to 9pm each night. The 2026 edition has an intergalactic theme, with an extended trick-or-treat path, unlimited amusement park rides, space-themed activities and live entertainment. Costumes are encouraged, and plenty of parents dress up too.

Advance tickets are required and are sold through New Orleans City Park. Early admission, which gets you in at 5pm, costs $35 (about €30), while general admission from 6pm costs $30. Children aged 2 and under go free, and Friends of City Park members get $5 off general admission. The ticket includes the rides, which makes it good value compared with paying per ride on a normal park day. The trick-or-treat route is the main event for small children, so bring a bag with some room in it.

City Park itself is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, stretching across 1,300 acres, and Carousel Gardens is home to a 1906 wooden carousel that is one of the park's best-loved landmarks. Pairing Ghosts in the Oaks with a daytime visit to the New Orleans Museum of Art or the sculpture garden nearby makes a full family day out. Because the dates fall a week before the parade, families who stay from 15 to 24 October can fit in both.

Pro Tip: Pay the extra $5 for early admission at 5pm on Thursday 15 October, the least crowded night. Take the Line 48 Canal-City Park/Museum streetcar to its terminus, then walk 10 to 15 minutes past the New Orleans Museum of Art to Carousel Gardens.