New Orleans Escapade

SKEPTOID ADVENTURES

New Orleans, LA
December 4, 2026 - December 6, 2026
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Join Brian Dunning and a host of like-minded skeptics on another fascinating Skeptoid Adventure in a hands-on exploration of the true science and true history behind cultural myths, misinformation and mysterious legends. This time, we're exploring the history, pseudohistory, myths and legends of New Orleans, Louisiana. You'll immerse in both the stories of old, and all that the modern city has to offer.

This Adventure conveniently links directly to the Mysteries of the Maya trip which starts the afternoon this one ends — so join one, join the other, or participate in both!

Your hosts:

You already know science writer Brian Dunning as the host and producer of the Skeptoid podcast, one of the longest running and consistently most popular independent science podcasts, having surpassed 100 million downloads in 2017. He is also the writer and producer of the documentary films The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You to See (2023), Science Friction (2022), and Principles of Curiosity (2017).

For this Adventure, our very own expert is Chris Perley, the Tall Teller of Tales, who has been a tour guide for over a decade. He is a master storyteller who has worked at Disneyland, The Queen Mary, and various museums. He now brings those skills to the city of New Orleans, with deep local knowledge of the city and its traditions

We're going to ride streetcars, walk the infamous French Quarter, eat world-famous beignets, enjoy the savory pleasures of authentic Creole and Cajun cuisine, all while exploring the mysterious legends built up over the centuries: from Voodoo to vampires, ghosts to witches, Spanish moss to mansions. We'll dive into it all!

Be prepared for a lot of walking! Here's what's on the itinerary:

An official walking tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 where our tour guide will share captivating stories of the historic figures laid to rest here — from renowned Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau (whose life has been buried under more than a century of myth-making) to Civil War generals, jazz musicians, and influential political leaders. Along the way, we'll gain insight into New Orleans' rich cultural heritage, Creole and Catholic burial customs, and the site's important preservation efforts.
A visit to the new Storyville Museum whose immersive exhibits provide visitors with an educational and entertaining account of the city's unique and rich history — from its founding as a French colonial settlement in 1718, through its golden age of economic growth, culture and vice in the 1800s, to the early 1900s, when Storyville reigned as the largest and most ostentatious quasi-legal red-light district the United States has ever known — offering patrons from around the world live music, entertainment, gambling, and wide-open prostitution.
A "Cajun Encounters" tour of the renowned Honey Island Swamp. Gliding through gator territory aboard a small, flat-bottomed boat, local expert captains will share fascinating insights about one of America's most unique ecosystems with and its natural inhabitants. Tours are led by top experts in the field, many of whom have spent their lives on the water and hold specialized degrees, ensuring an authentic and unforgettable experience. Will we catch a glimpse of the legendary Rougarou?
Our very own expert tour guide and storyteller Chris Perley will take us on an after-dark journey through the historic French Quarter as we uncover the shadowy history of ghosts, voodoo and vampires in New Orleans, weaving tales of New Orleans' most prolific figures — from Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau to Vampire legend Jacques St. Germain.
We'll visit Voodoo Authentica which feels like crossing a threshold into another world — the air thick with incense, the walls lined with hand-crafted ritual dolls, gris-gris bags, and altars that blur the line between tourist curiosity and genuine spiritual practice. It's one of the few shops in the French Quarter where the staff are actual practitioners, making every conversation an education in Voodoo tradition, a genuine syncretic religion with roots in West African spiritual traditions, Catholicism, and the slave trade.
We'll explore The French Quarter's shopping district, running the full spectrum from kitschy souvenir shops hawking plastic beads to genuine galleries and boutiques with antiques, local art, and handmade jewelry worth lingering over. Then, we'll walk to the nearby French Market stretching along the riverfront with a lively mix of food stalls, produce vendors, and a flea market where local craftspeople sell everything from handmade masks to Cajun spice blends.
Chris will lead us through the infamous Garden District, one of America's most stunning collections of antebellum mansions, where Greek Revival and Italianate homes sit behind wrought-iron fences draped in jasmine and bougainvillea. Stories range from residences built through old cotton money to celebrity owners like Anne Rice and Sandra Bullock.
We'll enjoy Mardi Gras World, a working warehouse studio where the massive floats for the city's actual parades are built year-round. Visitors are treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the enormous sculpted figures, glittering props, and painted scenery that make Carnival one of the world's great spectacles. Walking among half-finished kings and jesters the size of houses, with the smell of paint and sawdust in the air and craftspeople busy at work, it's like stumbling into the backstage machinery of New Orleans itself.
An afternoon stop at the Sazerac House, a multi-floor museum and distillery on Canal Street dedicated to the history of New Orleans cocktail culture, tracing the origins of the Sazerac — America's oldest cocktail — alongside the stories of rye whiskey, Peychaud's bitters, and the bartenders and entrepreneurs who made the city a landmark of American drinking tradition.
And no visit to New Orleans is complete without a concert at Preservation Hall, a small, deliberately unadorned room on St. Peter Street that has been keeping traditional New Orleans jazz alive since 1961. Nightly performances by the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band fill the intimate space with the kind of raw, joyful, deeply rooted music that feels less like a concert and more like a living history lesson.
We'll wrap up the weekend with a final culinary experience at one of the city's many amazing restaurants before dispersing. Those joining us on the Mysteries of the Maya Adventure will wander down to the port, while we bid a fond farewell and safe travels to our other new Skeptoid Adventure friends.

Every Skeptoid Adventure is unique and you won't want to miss this one!

Tickets on sale now! Deposits are only $250 and fully refundable until September 15.

This Adventure conveniently links directly to the Mysteries of the Maya trip which starts the afternoon this one ends — so join us for one or the other or, better yet, save $500 and come on both!

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