Spooky Season, Southern Style: Halloween & Fall Fun Near NAS JRB New Orleans, Fort Johnson, and Barksdale AFB

Spooky Season, Southern Style: Halloween & Fall Fun Near Louisiana's Military Communities

From family-friendly pumpkin patches to full-throttle haunted houses, Louisiana turns October into a playground. Use this guide to plan around the New Orleans military complex (NAS JRB Belle Chasse & Coast Guard), Fort Johnson (Leesville/Alexandria/Natchitoches), and Barksdale AFB (Shreveport–Bossier).

New Orleans Military Complex (NAS JRB Belle Chasse & Coast Guard)

• Krewe of BOO! – NOLA's official Halloween parade weekend.
• The Mortuary Haunted Mansion – classic New Orleans haunted house at the "dead end" of Canal St.
• New Orleans Nightmare – high-production haunted house in Jefferson Parish.
• Boo at the Zoo (Audubon Zoo) – trick-or-treating, characters, and spooky sets for kids.
• Ghosts in the Oaks (City Park) – rides, crafts, and a pumpkin patch in Carousel Gardens.
• Oktoberfest NOLA (Deutsches Haus) – three weekends of food, music & steins (fall favorite).
• Mrs. Heather's Pumpkin Patch (Hammond) – easy day trip for classic patch photos & play.
• More Halloween in New Orleans – ghost tours, costume parties & seasonal guides.

Fort Johnson (Leesville/Alexandria/Natchitoches)

• Zoo Boo (Alexandria Zoo) – CenLA's big family Halloween tradition.
• Witch Way to Main Street (Leesville) – safe downtown trick-or-treating & booths.
• Tales Along the Bayou (Kent Plantation House) – costumes + spooky storytelling on the lawn.
• Witch Way to Main Street (Natchitoches) – riverbank trick-or-treat, contests & live music.

Barksdale AFB (Shreveport–Bossier)

• Boo @ the Boardwalk (Bossier City) – trick-or-treating on the riverfront outlets.
• DixieMaze Farms – corn maze, pumpkin patch & haunted attractions.
• State Fair of Louisiana (late Oct–mid Nov) – rides, rodeo & big-time fall fair fun.
• Pumpkin Shine on Line – hundreds of glowing pumpkins in Betty Virginia Park.

Plan like a pro

• Check official pages for dates/times—many events run on select weekends & sell out.
• Weeknights = fewer crowds at major light shows/haunts.
• Costume-friendly—most kid events encourage it; haunts may have age guidance.

Make Louisiana home base—through every season

Thinking about where to land after service? Louisiana stacks family-first fun with real-life affordability. Let The Boot plug you in—housing, benefits, and local networks so the good days start faster.

👉 theboot.la/get-started