Top Louisiana Outdoor Activities

Explore New Orleans’ surrounding ecosystem with an escape from the city to the Louisiana swamp. You’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken to a swamp on private land, with all logistics taken care of. Board a state-of-the-art air boat for a memorable nature experience. Your guide takes you through the swampy waterways and shares information about the plants, wildlife, and history of the area.

Uncover the mysteries of the swamps surrounding New Orleans on an exhilarating airboat tour of the area, led by a professional guide. Cruise along the picturesque waterways in search of ferocious alligators and other rare wildlife while listening to illuminating commentary from your guide. Feel your adrenaline levels surge as your driver accelerates to high speeds, and capture fantastic photographs during regular stops. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by comfortable, air-conditioned coach.

Lose yourself in the atmospheric depths of the New Orleans swamps and wetlands on an exhilarating 2-hour boat tour, led by a professional guide. Cruise past ancient wonders and listen to legends surrounding a 2000-year-old Indian burial mound and an atmospheric Cajun cemetery. Scour the Barataria Swamps for sightings of fascinating wildlife such as snakes, turtles and ferocious alligators, and learn about the area’s history and geology from your knowledgeable guide. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by luxury vehicle fro your New Orleans hotel.

Immerse yourself in the rich culture and natural splendor of New Orleans’ mystifying swamps and wetlands on a New Orleans swamp tour and wetlands adventure. Relax in the luxurious interior of a New Orleans swamp tour boat as you cruise past cultural highlights like a Cajun cemetery, an Indian burial mound and a traditional fishing village. Scour the scenery for fascinating flora and fauna like snakes, turtles and alligators while listening to interesting commentary from your professional guide.

Experience the Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve on this shaded pontoon excursion - the closest swamp tour to downtown New Orleans. Your tour guide, who was born and raised in the bayou, will teach you about Southern Louisiana’s distinctive ecology as you cruise past magnificent cypress trees and watch for native wildlife like gators and egrets.

Discover a different side of New Orleans—and admire a new perspective from the water's edge—on this steamboat tour down the Mississippi River. Board the historic riverboat—either the Steamboat Natchez or her sister vessel—for a morning or afternoon tour. Stroll the deck, admire the iconic paddlewheel, enjoy live music, and snap photos of the picturesque shoreline. This family‐friendly excursion offers an optional lunch (additional expense).

Cruise the Mississippi River aboard the Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS on a relaxing 75-minute sightseeing experience suitable for all ages. As you travel along the river, the captain provides engaging commentary highlighting the French Quarter, historic waterfront locations, and the role the river has played in shaping New Orleans over the centuries. Guests can enjoy multiple onboard bars, including an open-air bar on the upper deck with sweeping views of the city skyline and riverbanks. Light snacks and beverages are also available for purchase, making it easy to sit back and enjoy the ride. Whether you’re visiting with family, friends, or as a couple, this river cruise offers a scenic and informative way to take in New Orleans from the water.

Experience different sides of Louisiana and its complicated history on this plantation tour and swamp boat ride from New Orleans. On this full-day journey, visit Oak Alley Plantation or Destrehan Plantation (depending on the time chosen), where you learn about antebellum life. Next, head into the marshy swampland for a boat ride and some wildlife spotting. Enjoy guided commentary as you snap photos of alligators, raccoons, snakes, and native birds.

Get a taste of 18th-century New Orleans while exploring its most notorious haunts aboard a mule-drawn carriage. Join a small group of no more than eight people for an intimate evening tour through the French Quarter, where rollicking nightlife conceals a past filled with dark deeds, natural disasters, and supernatural sightings. Hear the city's most salacious history from a guide as you clip-clop your way past iron-laced balconies, darkened alleys, and southern mansions steeped in legend.

Louisiana’s wild backcountry is known for its cypress swamps that are home to alligators, snakes, and turtles. Explore this area in a safe and fun way in a flat-bottomed boat that travels through the marshes. Learn more about local wildlife from the guide and look out for herons, hawks, owls, and bald eagles too. Hotel pick-up and drop-off are available with certain options for added convenience.

Go for a sunset cruise aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen on this boat trip. Listen to an on-board jazz band and choose to add on a Creole-style dinner buffet as the boat sails along the Mississippi River. Take in the views from the promenade deck and sip New Orleans-inspired cocktails.

Being in a kayak or canoe on Caddo Lake is the most amazing way to experience this magical place! Caddo Lake is a hidden gem nestled between Texas and Louisiana. The largest Bald Cypress Forest in the world is a magical place that has the be experienced. You will have a hard time believing this place is real!

Enjoy an only-in-New-Orleans experience when you embark on a paddle-wheel boat tour of the mighty Mississippi River. In the evening, hop aboard the Steamboat Natchez or her sister vessel, the Riverboat City of New Orleans, and admire views of the city from the water's edge. This cost-saving package additionally includes a Creole‐inspired dinner (if option selected), plus live jazz music to set the mood.

Enjoying a thrilling and high-octane way to immerse yourself in Louisiana’s wild swamp ecosystems—and try out a range of courses and options—with this zipline experience. Pick from one of many available start times, make your own way to the Maurepas Swamp near Lake Ponchartrain and get suited up in your gear. From the cypress treetops, try out five different ziplines, a suspension bridge, and more.

Take a peek beneath the surface with a visit to the state-of-the-art Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. Marvel at more than 3,600 animals from over 250 species in an AZA-accredited aquarium voted one of the top five aquariums in the USA Today 10 Best reader poll. Explore a vast underwater world spanning the Caribbean and the Amazon Rainforest to the waters that give New Orleans its lifeblood: the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Touch sharks and stingrays in the Shark Discovery Touch Pool, and enter a 30-foot-long tunnel to admire aquatic creatures as they swim through the Great Maya Reef habitat. In the Amazon Rainforest gallery, discover lush plant life, free-flying birds, stunning aquatic species. Feel amazed by the array of aquatic life in the aquarium’s largest exhibit, the 450,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat. Please note these are GA tickets and our facilities are self guided, we welcome guests to enjoy the facilities for as long as they wish.

Experience the iconic New Orleans swamplands during a small-group airboat tour, led by a professional guide. Alternate between adrenaline-fueled high speeds and gentle cruising as you sail past fascinating flora and fauna. Capture fantastic photographs of alligators in their natural habitat, and relish the intimate atmosphere of a small-group, limited to only nine passengers.

This tour is done on a privately owned wildlife refuge, so what that means for our guests is that there are no other boats. We also do not allow hunting or fishing on our property. The guests will see the Manchac swamp as it is meant to be seen. The animals see the boats as part of their natural habitat, so they are unafraid to stay out in the open for our guests to see. Our boat captains will teach you about the animals that inhabit our swamp, as well as the way of life of the people that once called this swamp home.

Experience New Orleans’ wild bayou country first-hand on an exciting, family‐friendly airboat ride. This boat tour winds through the mossy cypress swamp near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, named for the 19th-century pirate and smuggler. While onboard, enjoy lively commentary from a local guide as you admire lush, forested shoreline and spot local wildlife. Gators appear most commonly in the summer months, so keep your eyes peeled.

Exploring New Orleans in the evening can seem like an intimidating quest on your own, but this ghost, voodoo, and vampire walking tour takes you to the city’s eeriest sights at night in the safety of a group led by a guide. Stop by top attractions such as the LaLaurie Mansion and New Orleans Pharmacy Museum while listening to your guide’s detailed stories of the paranormal and beyond.

Welcome aboard the Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS! Enjoy a relaxing, family-friendly Jazz Brunch Cruise on the Mississippi River. Listen to live New Orleans jazz music followed by Captain's narration as you cruise past iconic French Quarter landmarks, historic riverfront sites, and beautiful city views that bring more than 300 years of New Orleans history to life. Indulge in a Creole-inspired brunch while sipping cocktails or other beverages from one of our full-service onboard bars, including the popular City Skyline Bar on Deck 4, featuring panoramic views of the river and downtown New Orleans. Perfect for families, couples, and groups, this New Orleans Jazz Brunch Cruise is one of the best ways to experience the city’s live music, local cuisine, and scenic river views all in one unforgettable experience. 75¢ Mimosa Special thru Sept. 30, 2026: Dining guests 21+ with valid ID can enjoy 75¢ mimosas on Saturday Brunch Cruises.

Put New Orleans in context without the self-drive hassles on this enriching full-day tour. First, immerse in the city’s dark history on a self-guided tour of the Whitney Plantation, with time to explore the museum independently. Next, pass by the Evergreen Plantation, where Django Unchained was filmed, and board an airboat for a high-speed swamp adventure. Your package includes small-group transfers from most New Orleans hotels.

Swap the hustle and bustle of New Orleans for the natural beauty of the Louisiana bayou—and leave the crowds behind—on this small-group airboat tour through the swamps near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Explore the lush landscape from the water, look out for native wildlife including alligators and turtles, and learn about the region’s unique ecosystem. Along the way, hear stories and insights from a local guide.

Discover a different side of New Orleans–and learn about wildlife you can’t spot anywhere else–with a ticket to the city’s famous Audubon Zoo, including the option to upgrade to include access to the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium located downtown. See endangered species including whooping cranes and Amur leopards, watch animal care demonstrations, and learn facts about the over 1,700 animals who live here.