Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Destrehan Plantation, 13034 River Rd, Destrehan, LA 70047-5202
Get picked up at your hotel in New Orleans to begin this combination day tour, which lasts a little more than 6 hours.
First, visit the Destrehan Plantation, built in 1787 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Travel through time from the French and Spanish Colonial periods through the Antebellum grandeur of the sugar barons to the ravages of the Civil War and the rebirth of reconstruction. You will find yourself immersed in the rich history of Louisiana when French was the language, and the white gold of sugar drove the economy.
An 1811 slave revolt museum/cabin is on the grounds along with its massive oak trees. Family stories of those free and enslaved set against the fabric of history will intrigue every visitor to the site. A house tour is approximately 1 hour, with time to walk the grounds and see the slave cabin. This includes time for lunch (own expense) if time permits.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Barataria Preserve, Marrero, LA
Next, head for the swamp that's only 35 minutes from New Orleans - yet a world away. An airboat adventure is a high speed adventure that is part tour and part ride. You will experience the best of both: a swamp tour and an airboat ride.
You will travel at high speeds in the airboat then slow down and stop for pictures. Along the way, you will get a personal tour by your local captain. The airboats have stadium seating, so that the person in front of you does not obstruct your view. So every airboat seat is great for experiencing the tour and viewing the wildlife.
Yes, gators will get close - real close. So close that you will be able to look into those reptilian eyes. Alligators do hibernate in the colder months, but the experienced captains know where to look for them. On average, during the winter, you have better than a 50/50 chance of seeing a gator. In the warmer months, you will see a gator. Every airboat tour is unique and you never know what will be around the next corner.
The area toured is a combination of swamp, marsh and lake, so you may see anything from a bald eagle to a pelican to osprey to an owl. The airboats are driven by a 454 Chevy Engine that will produce speeds of up to 35 miles an hour. They are propelled by a huge fan that will blow air from the back of the boat in excess of 200 miles an hour. These tours are truly a blast! They ride in inches of water and go where traditional boats cannot go. The boats were designed to take you to inaccessible areas of the swamp, places that you cannot reach by foot or car. It is a unique experience.
Duration: 2 hours
See Availability.
Traveler pickup is offered
Pickup from any major downtown New Orleans hotel. For pickups, there will be a 30 minute window. Pickup will be between 8:15 AM and about 8:45 AM. Please be on the lookout for a bus that says Alert Transportation.
08:15 AM
6 hours 15 minutes(approx.)
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 32 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : Kristy_R
Had a lovely time and learned a lot. The plantation tour was great but for us the main attraction was the bayou tour. Our guide was fantastic. He knew just where to go and he shared a lot of alligator facts with us. I can not even count the number of gators that we saw. It was incredible. They had hearing protection for us because the boat was so loud, which was nice. Dress warm because it’s cold on the water, even on a hot day. There wasn’t really opportunity to have lunch so bring snacks to tide you over until it’s done.
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Posted On : 2024-03-27
Posted By : barbara_b
Enjoyed the swap tour and plantation..
Absolutely fantastic recommendation, the tour operators and guides were exceptional.
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Posted On : 2024-03-01
Posted By : Robyn_S
The tour guides were amazing and the historical site was captivating. The value for the price was good considering they pick you up and provide transportation and take the thought process out of your hands. We accidentally were put on the wrong boat but even with that we enjoyed ourselves and the tour and the company is very hospitable and will remain in contact with our tour company to reciprocate. 2 thumbs up!
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Posted On : 2024-02-26
Posted By : Sheri_T
Plantation was super educational and we loved it.
Captain Ernie from Airboat Swamp was Amazing!! Thrilling airboat ride, lots of educational info shared. Got to see 2 small gators — which make sense this time of year, for December.
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Posted On : 2023-12-29
Posted By : metimmons
The airboat tour was incredible. Our guide loved the land we toured. Enjoyed Destrehan because a bit smaller and less crowded.
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Posted On : 2023-12-12
Posted By : 108jebm
Captain Ernie was excellent! Love the information he provided and found us some gators!! Little bit of Gatorade as well!!
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Posted On : 2023-10-24
Posted By : Victoria_B
You definitely need to book this! The Plantation was fascinating, and the Airboat tour was just amazing! Our guides on both tours were absolutely fantastic. Can't recommend enough 😀
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Posted On : 2023-09-13
Posted By : Melissa_P
So much fun! The plantation tour was very educational, but the swamp tour was the best! Beautiful and lots of fun! Definitely seen Gators! Big ones too! And best part they brought out a little baby one for us to hold! 10/10 great experience for our first time to Louisiana.
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Posted On : 2023-06-30
Posted By : Stacey_D
It was great to pack in both a plantation visit and the swamp airboat experiences into one day. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for me to listen to the Slave Revolt guide because we had to be back on the bus to make the swamp boat launch. I did appreciate the historical society's dedication to acquiring and restoring the abandoned Destrehan Home from the oil company. The airboat was a big hit... not to be missed while visiting New Orleans! Captain Sean kissed an alligator! After hearing from other tourists & locals, I would like to go to the Whitney Planation.
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Posted On : 2023-06-24
Posted By : Stacy_H
I loved the history of the plantation tour and feeling immersed in a different time. And the airboat tour of the swamp was the highlight of my New Orleans trip. Captain Ernie had such great wisdom
to share and was a great guide. Highly recommend!
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Posted On : 2023-06-17
