If you live near Baton Rouge, you don't have to go far for a real haunted history lesson, sha.
The Myrtles Plantation is just 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge on US-61 in St. Francisville, Louisiana — and it's been called one of America's most haunted homes for almost 100 years.
I finally did a 2-day stay on site, rocking chairs on the 125-foot veranda, Spanish moss in the live oaks, and yes — I took the Evening Mystery Tour.
This post has everything you need: real history, the ghost legends they tell you, what I paid, where we ate, what to pack, and how to stay safe on those old dark roads.
Nana's Note:
This was an antebellum plantation worked by enslaved people. We honor that history first. The ghost stories are folklore — part of the experience — but the real people who lived and labored here matter most.
🛒 Pack it right: Nana's Myrtles Trip Essentials Kit on Amazon has the flashlight, bug spray, and battery pack below in one place.
History of The Myrtles — The Short Version
Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, a lawyer who was part of the Whiskey Rebellion. He called it Laurel Grove and built a Creole cottage style home with 22 rooms on about 600 acres. The plantation was worked by enslaved people.
In the 1830s it was renamed The Myrtles after the crepe myrtle trees on the property. It survived the Civil War but was stripped by looters, sold many times, and divided in the early 20th century. It's been a bed & breakfast since the 1980s and is on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.
Today it sits on 10 acres with a pond, island gazebo, General Store gift shop, and Restaurant 1796 on site.
The Haunted Legends — What They Tell You on Tour
The Myrtles was featured on Unsolved Mysteries in 2001 and Ghost Hunters in 2005. You'll hear these three the most:
1. Chloe and the Oleander Cake. The most famous legend. Chloe was said to be an enslaved house servant who had an affair with Judge Clark Woodruff. After being caught listening at keyholes and having an ear cut off, she wore a green turban. She supposedly baked a cake with poisonous oleander leaves to make the Woodruff children sick so she could nurse them and stay in the house. The plan backfired — Sara Woodruff and two daughters died. Chloe was hanged by other enslaved people and thrown in the Mississippi.
What the records say: Census shows the Woodruffs owned 5 enslaved people in 1820 and 32 in 1830, but historians have found no record of a woman named Chloe or Cloe. Sara and her daughters actually died of yellow fever, and daughter Mary Octavia survived well into adulthood. The tour guides today will tell you it's folklore.
2. The Ghost Children. Guests report hearing little girls laughing and playing on the veranda.
3. Confederate Soldier and Others. A soldier at the foot of the bed, a woman in a green turban in photos, a haunted mirror that supposedly holds the spirits of Sara and her children.
Evening Mystery Tours run Sundays–Thursdays at 7pm, Friday & Saturday at 6, 7, and 8pm, downstairs 6 rooms, about 1 hour. Book ahead — they sell out.
Nana's 2-Day Stay Itinerary — On Site
From Baton Rouge: Take I-12 W to I-110 N to US-61 N. About 45 minutes from Baton Rouge. Check-in starts 3:00 PM, check-out 11:00 AM. Free self-parking. [GOOGLE MAP LINKED HERE]
Day 1 — Arrive & Haunted History
2:00 PM — Coffee in St. Francisville at a local shop, stretch legs on Ferdinand Street.
3:00 PM — Check into The Myrtles. Rooms are in the main house and newer cypress cabins by the pond. No TV, no phone in some main house rooms — that's part of the charm.
3:30 PM — Free Daytime Historical Tour included with your stay. Walk the grounds, 125-foot veranda with ironwork and rocking chairs.
5:30 PM — Early dinner at Restaurant 1796 on site. Southern fare — try the Crawfish Lobster Roll people rave about.
7:00 PM — Evening Mystery Tour. Bring a night-mode-capable camera or phone battery pack — you won't want to miss photos.
9:00 PM — Bourbon on the veranda. Listen. That's it.
Day 2 — Gardens & Small Town
7:30–10:00 AM — Cooked-to-order breakfast on site, fee $5–$20.
9:00 AM — Walk the 10 acres at daylight, gift shop.
10:30 AM — 5-minute drive to Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site [MAP HERE] or Audubon State Historic Site [MAP HERE] for real antebellum garden history.
12:00 PM — Lunch in town — see dining ideas below.
1:30 PM — Drive home.
Estimated Trip Costs — AS OF 2026
Prices change — always verify when you book.
Room Rate: Standard rooms $148–$200/night, suites $254–$400/night. Third-party sites currently show lows around $207–$240/night with taxes.
Tours: Daytime Historical Tour — included if you stay, about $10 if not. Evening Mystery Tour — about $43.49 per adult.
Food: Restaurant 1796 dinner $35–$60 per person, breakfast $5–$20, plus town lunch.
Gas: 70 miles round trip from Baton Rouge — about $15–$25.
Gift Shop & Extras: $20–$40
Total Estimate for 2 adults, 1 night: $350–$600 depending on room.
Safety Tips — Especially for a Haunted Stay
Book the evening tour in advance. US-61 is dark, no shoulder.
Don't drive distracted looking for ghosts.
Bring a flashlight. Grounds are uneven, oak roots, pond edge is not fenced at night.
No elevator in the main house. If you have mobility issues, request a garden cottage or ground floor.
Lock valuables. Veranda doors are old, rocking chairs are public during the day.
No swimming in the pond. It's ornamental.
Mosquitoes are real, not paranormal. Bring bug spray — live oaks + Spanish moss = gnats at dusk.
Emotional safety. This is a former plantation where enslaved people labored and suffered. Talk to your kids honestly about that history before the ghost stories.
Packing List for Myrtles [Linked HERE]
Light jacket for the veranda at night — October–March gets chilly
Flashlight + phone charger battery bank
Bug spray + allergy meds
Closed-toe shoes for gravel paths
Camera or phone with night mode
Cash for small town shops — some have spotty signal
Earplugs if you're a light sleeper — old houses creak
Dining Ideas — On Site + In Town
On site:
Restaurant 1796 at The Myrtles — Southern, steaks, seafood, Sunday brunch.
The Myrtles Bar — bourbon, wine, on site
In St. Francisville (1.3 miles away):
The Francis Smokehouse — BBQ, casual [MAP HERE]
Magnolia Cafe — Louisiana classics, fried catfish [MAP HERE]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Myrtles Plantation really haunted?
It's marketed as one of America's most haunted homes, and guests have reported experiences since the 1900s. Whether you believe is up to you — go for the history first.
Can I stay if I don't like ghost tours?
Yes — you can skip the evening tour and just do the daytime history tour, which focuses on architecture, furniture, and owners.
Are kids allowed?
Yes, but rooms are small, beds are full-size in some historic rooms, and evening tours may be too scary for little ones.
How close is the nearest airport?
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is 26.7 miles, about 31 minutes away.
Is there Wi-Fi and parking?
Free self-parking and free Wi-Fi in public areas.
Do I need to stay overnight to visit?
No — daytime tours run 9am–4:30pm daily.
More Louisiana Road Trips
Nana's Rougarou Roadtrip: Cajun Legends
Nana's Tour of New Orleans: 2-Day French Quarter Walking Itinerary
From Nana's Kitchen — and the Road
The Myrtles isn't just a ghost story stop — it's a real piece of Louisiana history, good and hard. Go for the veranda, the rocking chairs, and the quiet. Stay respectful of what the ground itself remembers.
Tell Nana: would you brave the Evening Mystery Tour, or stick to daylight?
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