Destrehan Plantation and Large Airboat Tour from New Orleans

based on 47 reviews

Duration:6 hours 15 minutes (approx.)
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

From $150

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Experience two great New Orleans day trips in one with this 6-hour trip including Destrehan Plantation and an airboat swamp tour. Visit the oldest documented plantation in the lower Mississippi Valley followed by an exciting ride in a 16-passenger airboat.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Destrehan Plantation
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.
2. Barataria Preserve
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.

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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.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-29 17:34:05

Posted By : metimmons
The airboat tour was incredible. Our guide loved the land we toured. Enjoyed Destrehan because a bit smaller and less crowded.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-12 11:05:44

Posted By : 108jebm
Captain Ernie was excellent! Love the information he provided and found us some gators!! Little bit of Gatorade as well!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-10-24 15:19:34

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 ?
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-09-13 18:55:20

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.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-06-30 12:23:54

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.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-06-24 20:43:21

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!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-06-17 13:09:36

Posted By : ABitSpoiled
This is a mixed review. The portion related to the Destrehan Plantation tour would be a 3-star review. It was too quick and did not really have time to explore the property. The tour of the main plantation house was great, but no time afterwards to see the rest of the property. The airboat portion of the tour was outstanding, 5-star, and highly recommended!! The tour of the bayous, canals, swamps and marshes were really cool, and our guide was fun, knowledgeable, friendly, and gave tons of educational information. I would do this part again!!

Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-05-21 15:41:15

Posted By : Cynthia_L
It was well organized, with enough time to visit the plantation and enjoy the boat tour in the Bayou.
the airboat was very loud, but I guess it allowed us to explore areas we wouldn't have been able to see otherwise.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-05-13 15:53:21

Posted By : Victoria
The tour of the plantation was top-notch! Beverly gave us the educational and experience I wanted for my 16yo son. Beverly held the group’s interest with her energy and humor, while remaining empathetic and informative all the while. I wish we would’ve had more time to explore the grounds and museum.
The airboat ride in the swamp was the perfect way to end the day — so much fun for all and kids of information about the ecology and wildlife. So cool to hold a baby alligator too! Our guide was also fun and informative, but his name escapes me.
Ray was a great driver and gave us all kinds of information about NOLA history and points of interest along the way.
This tour is a must — don’t forget to pick up a muffuletta the night before and pack it for lunch!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-04-03 16:07:49