New Orleans Road Trip #1 – TMP Origins
There’s something about rolling into New Orleans that makes the air feel thicker with stories. On our very first night of this trip, my mom, my son, and I checked into a hotel that promised to be more than just a bed for the night. We booked the Cornstalk Hotel—because when your eleven-year-old is into the paranormal, you lean all the way in.
Historic French Quarter Hotel
The Cornstalk Hotel sits on Royal Street, a block where every building feels like it’s keeping secrets. As soon as we walked through the front door, we were met by the kind of antique charm that makes you want to pocket every chair, clock, and chandelier. The woman at the front desk didn’t waste any time. She gestured toward the grandfather clock and whispered that it was haunted.
According to her, the clock doesn’t work… except for the times it mysteriously does. She told us stories of footsteps in empty hallways, of doorknobs rattling in the night, and of the lady who once owned the home still visiting Room 7 across the hall. My son? He soaked it up with the kind of calm curiosity only kids seem to manage.
Balcony Mischief
Our room was filled with antique touches, the kind that made me wish I had taken more pictures. But the real fun came when we stepped onto the balcony. From there, we could see the ghost tours stopping out front, their guides pointing dramatically toward “our” haunted hotel. My son flicked his phone’s flashlight on and off, hoping to convince the tour groups they’d caught a spirit in action. My mom and I waved like mannequins. We were ridiculous—and it was wonderful.
Dinner and Detours
Venturing into the French Quarter for dinner proved to be its own adventure. My ankles were swollen, Mom was in her wheelchair, and my son was “starving.” But Royal Street was more bar than bistro, and most places weren’t keen on letting an eleven-year-old through the door. After a few wrong turns and questionable directions from overly tipsy locals, we landed on a pizzeria. The slices were huge, my son couldn’t finish his, and we gave the leftovers to a young woman on the corner who shared her blanket with her dog.
Ghosts in the Hallway
Back at the Cornstalk, the night pressed in around us. As I read aloud bits of the hotel’s history, the sound of the door across the hall made us all freeze. For a moment, we wondered if it was her—the lady in Room 7. Then the real guests emerged, and we laughed at ourselves, nerves eased. Before bed, I set my digital camera on the mantle, just in case the rumors of “ghost-taken photos” had any truth. My son was unbothered. Me? I’ll admit, I half-expected to wake up to something strange… or at least I’d hoped.
Echo’s Corner
The Cornstalk Hotel has been called one of the most photographed buildings in the French Quarter, thanks to its ornate iron fence covered in—you guessed it—cornstalks. Local legend says the fence was commissioned by a homesick wife who longed for the cornfields of her native Iowa. Today, the fence isn’t the only thing that clings to memory; guests still whisper of phantom children running in the halls, a lady who sits on beds, and that uncanny grandfather clock that keeps its own time.
If You Go – French Quarter Hotel
- 📍 Location: 915 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA
- 🛏️ Stay For: Antique charm, paranormal lore, prime location in the French Quarter
- 👻 Expect: Stories of footsteps, laughter, and a clock that ticks when it shouldn’t
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