Top New Orleans Day Trips

Explore one of Louisiana’s last protected wetlands on a 2-hour boat tour that includes round-trip transport from New Orleans. Depart in the morning or afternoon for Honey Island Swamp, a wildlife preserve teeming with critters such as 'gators, wild boar, snakes and birds. Ride through the swamp dripping with lush foliage and visit a boat-accessible Cajun village with an informative local guide who sheds light on the area’s inhabitants.

New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

4.9

(5,701)

5 hoursFree Cancellation

from $70

Gain a deeper understanding of American history on this visit to Louisiana’s only museum dedicated to enslaved people. After you are collected from your New Orleans hotel in a luxurious air-conditioned van, your driver will take you westwards towards the Whitney Plantation. On the way, expect to hear an overview on the history of American plantations before arriving to this impactful landmark.

Whitney Plantation (Guided Tour) with Bus Ride To & From N. O.

5.0

(88)

5 to 6 hoursFree Cancellation

from $87

Visit the Whitney Plantation Museum—a former indigo and sugar plantation that is now dedicated to promoting an understanding of enslavement in Louisiana—on this hassle-free trip from New Orleans. Round-trip transit and admission tickets are included for your convenience. Upon arrival, learn about the brutal realities of plantation life through museum exhibits and an audio guide as you explore the site independently. You can also choose to upgrade your experience to include a 90-minute swamp tour.

Whitney Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

4.6

(1,388)

5 hours 25 minutesFree Cancellation

from $89

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.

Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans

(3,402)

7 hours 45 minutesFree Cancellation

from $131

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).

New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise

(5,588)

2 hoursFree Cancellation

from $44

Travelers enjoy views of iconic St.Louis Cathedral from the open top of a double-decker bus.

New Orleans City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

(5,036)

1 dayFree Cancellation

from $51

Travelers cruise through a cypress swamp on a flat-bottomed airboat.

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.

2 to 4 hoursFree Cancellation

4.7

(5,032)

New Orleans Airboat Ride

from $59

Explore Louisiana’s bayou landscape–and avoid a basic, beginner-friendly itinerary–on this kayaking tour of Manchac Swamp, designed for experienced paddlers and including round-trip transfers from a central meeting point in New Orleans. Spend four hours on the water with a local naturalist guide, keep a lookout for wildlife, and learn about the local wetland ecosystem along the way.

Manchac Swamp Extended 4-Hour Kayak Tour with Pickup

5.0

(36)

6 hoursFree Cancellation

from $175

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.

Captivating views of the New Orleans skyline

New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option

4.1

(7,736)

3 hoursFree Cancellation

from $58

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Pickup from New Orleans

(71)

4 to 5 hoursFree Cancellation

from $87

New Orleans Sightseeing City Tour

(3,183)

2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

from $50

Price varies by group size

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.

Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

(224)

This tour combines the private Manchac Swamp with Whitney Plantation. A decade ago Whitney Plantation, circa 1752, opened its doors to the public for the first time in its history as the only plantation museum in Louisiana completely dedicated to the history of slavery. The experience at Whitney is a self-paced audio tour. Visitors to Whitney will gain a unique perspective on the enslaved people who lived and worked here through museum exhibits, restored historic outbuildings, and hundreds of first-person narratives. Then it's a short ride to a privately-owned wildlife refuge within the Manchac Swamp, where homegrown Cajun captains will take you on a journey back to the early days of swamp exploration. They'll guide the covered pontoon boat through the mystical cypress swamp while showing off the American Alligator and abundant wildlife. Learn the history of the town of Frenier and the Cajun culture of fishing, hunting, and trapping. Get the camera ready gators leaping up for a snack!

from $152

Swamp Boat Ride and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

5.0

(12)

7 hours 45 minutesFree Cancellation

from $131

Visit a former plantation and ride through the swamp during this two-in-one tour. Start with a visit to Oak Alley Plantation for a tour of the antebellum mansion. Follow the oak-shaded paths to the blacksmith shop during your free time. Lunch is available to purchase at the restaurant on-site. Next, head to the dock for your swamp tour. Search for alligators and other wildlife and stop for photo ops while aboard an airboat. Round-trip hotel transport provided from New Orleans.

Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans

4.7

(728)

Experience the rich history and vibrant culture of New Orleans from two perspectives on a city tour and steamboat cruise that lets you escape the land-based crowds. Enjoy a narrated coach tour of historic landmarks, including the French Quarter, Jackson Square, and the Garden District. Then, step aboard Steamboat NATCHEZ (or its sister vessel) for a journey along the mighty Mississippi River, complete with live jazz and optional Creole dining.

from $160

New Orleans City Tour and Steamboat Natchez Harbor Jazz Cruise

4.2

(454)

6 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

from $88

Experience the grandeur of New Orleans’ antebellum south on a half‐day tour of Oak Alley Plantation. Journey through time to the manicured estate and into the gorgeous home, built in 1839. View stunning architecture, oak‐lined esplanades, and enduring sugar cane fields while learning about the plantation’s fascinating – and often somber – histories from expert guides. Upgrade your experience to include a 90-minute swamp tour at the nearby Manchac swamp.

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

(1,780)

5 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

from $89

Experience the elegance of New Orleans’ antebellum south on this full-day historical plantation tour. In a small group, visit Destrehan Plantation, Whitney Plantation, then Houmas House Plantation, where you’ll view stunning architecture, oak‐lined esplanades, and former slave quarters while hearing fascinating – and often somber – pre‐Civil war histories from expert guides. You'll also enjoy a private, unlimited gourmet buffet luncheon, served exclusively for your group at Houmas House.

New Orleans Small-Group 3 Plantation Tour with Gourmet Lunch

(139)

If you're looking for no-holds-barred frights in New Orleans, explore the city’s dark history on this adults-only tour. Set off after nightfall to discover a new perspective on the city, and steel yourself for gruesome tales and fearsome encounters: Your guide saves the most grisly true-crime stories, voodoo legends, and paranormal frights for this tour, and takes you past the French Quarter's most supposedly haunted locations.

from $259

Adults-Only New Orleans Ghost, Crime, Voodoo, and Vampire Tour

(6,781)

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation

from $37

Tour the Oak Alley Plantation, named for the alley of centuries-old oaks leading up to the antebellum Big House. Follow the oak-shaded paths to the blacksmith shop and a souvenir shop during your free time. Alcoholic drinks and lunch are available to purchase at the restaurant on-site, with round-trip hotel transport provided from New Orleans. Upgrade your experience to include a 3-hour city tour of New Orleans with a stop to tour the above ground tombs at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3.

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

(168)

5 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

from $75

Soak up the atmosphere of the bayou on this 8-hour cultural tour from New Orleans. Visit the Oak Alley Plantation House, dating from 1837, and view the stately row of 28 evenly spaced mature oaks that line the driveway. Follow your guide, dressed in period costume, through the mansion, the blacksmith shop and the onsite restaurant. You'll also learn about life in the bayou's waterways aboard a swamp and wetlands boat tour. See the amazing variety of flora and fauna native to the area and hear about life in the Barataria Swamps from your native guides. Round-trip transportation from New Orleans is included.

Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Boat Tour from New Orleans

4.4

(390)

Take a break from the bustle of New Orleans to explore the lifestyles and complex history of rural Louisiana on a day trip to the Oak Alley Plantation. Take a guided tour the opulent antebellum mansion, gardens, and enslaved people's cabins, and learn about the lives of the free and enslaved families who lived here. During the drive to River Road, learn about the region's history, from the Civil War to Hurricane Katrina.

from $130

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Hotel Pickup

4.2

(40)

6 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

from $78

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.

New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour

4.5

(13,237)

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation

from $36

4.4

(49)

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Transportation

New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

from $86

1 2 3

Top Attractions in New Orleans

1 / 2

Attractions

What are people saying about New Orleans

Larry_f, Apr 2026

This was an overall great...

This was an overall great experience. From picking up the bus to being dropped back off later, everything was planned and executed perfectly. Our guide Wade G was excellent and we saw many alligators, raccoons, and other wildlife. Would highly recommend.

Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Boat Tour from New Orleans

Vanessa_G, Apr 2026

Great combo! Convenient tour!

Take the tour! So convenient- hotel pick up and driven to both locations, plantation and swamp tour. The muffuletta and mint julep at the plantation was great. The plantation tour and exhibits were educational. Captain Bobby, our swamp tour guide, was awesome! He pointed out the eagle’s nest, a yellow footed egret, and lured alligators with marshmallows. Got to hold a tiny baby alligator. Great experience!

Whitney Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

Geoffrey_B, Apr 2026

This trip is a must for...

This trip is a must for anyone seeking to understand our history and the harsh realities of slavery. The plantation offers so much to the visitor as to the day to day life on a sugar plantation. The trip itself was well organized and informative. Driver was great. It was a moving experience and worth taking a few hours from your NOLA visit.

Whitney Plantation (Guided Tour) with Bus Ride To & From N. O.

Amanda_D, Mar 2026

Fabulous tour and guide

One of the best tours we had booked and Kin the tour guide was outstanding, we had visited the Whitney Plantation. He was informative and knowledgeable and kept us laughing throughout the day. I would recommend booking with K's Luxury Transportation and Tours and wouldn't hesitate in booking again. 10/10 Kin

Oak Alley Plantation and Small Airboat Tour from New Orleans

Laura_M, Mar 2026

Oak Alley Plantation is...

Oak Alley Plantation is beautiful. The grounds are lovely. It seems funny to mention this but the public restrooms are the cleanest I've been in. The Best part of the tour was the Airboat ride. Rocky, our guide, was amazing. He got us up close to gators and let us touch a baby one. It was awesome. I would definitely recommend.

Whitney Plantation Tour with New Orleans Hotel Pickup

Believer_7, Mar 2026

Wicked Side of American History

This tour was an in-depth experience of the true pioneers of this once great nation. It depicts the perseverance of a people who worked with their hands and were discriminated against because of the color of their skin, building wealth for generations that did not include them. BUT STILL WE RISE 🙌🏾!

Small-Group Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

Amanda_R, Feb 2026

Educational and fulfilling day with Gisele.

While on a trip to New Orleans, I took a day to visit plantations and learn more about the history of enslaved people in Louisiana. Tour guide Gisele was wonderful, explaining the history of the area while also keeping the mood light when needed. She’s also one heck of a good driver, navigating the streets of New Orleans during the parades!! I was with a lovely group of fellow travelers as well. It was an emotional, educational, and fulfilling day. I HIGHLY recommend Tours by Isabelle and the plantation tours (especially Whitney) to anyone visiting the area!

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

Thelma_R, Nov 2025

We had a wonderful...

We had a wonderful experience. Shout out to the driver I appreciate his kindness and patience in getting my belongings back to me. The property was gorgeous it was where Interview with the Vampire was filmed I would have appreciated a more robust historical background that focuses on the enslaved experience as opposed to the celebration of the economic sugar boom ie sugar theater

Airboat and Plantations Tour with Gourmet Lunch from New Orleans

Carolyn_T, Nov 2025

Fantastic Day out!!

We really enjoyed this tour. Giselle was our tour guide and was fantastic. She was very informative all through the tour even we while we were travelling between locations she continued to tell us about the history of New Orleans. We started the day with an airboat ride where we met many of the alligators inhabiting the swamp and our operator was very entertaining and informative. We learnt a lot about the swamp and experienced a fun ride as well. We then headed to Laura plantation where we had a lovely guide who was extremely knowledgeable, and we learnt a lot about Lauras family history and their life on the plantation as well as some of the known history of the slaves who lived there. Houmas house was our next destination where we had a lovely buffet lunch where I (who is usually a bit fussy) was pleasantly surprised with how nice it was. The tour of the house was great which is full of antiques and interesting pieces from a bygone era. The tour guide took us through the home explaining life in this house and we then explored the beautiful gardens complete with beautiful old Oak Trees hundreds of years old and fantastic sculptures throughout to be discovered as you walk through. We even encountered peacocks, swans and turkeys along the way. The van was comfortable and the small group who were lovely was a great way to do this type of tour. We would highly recommend this tour.

New Orleans Small-Group 3 Plantation Tour with Gourmet Lunch

Ismael_A, Jun 2025

A glimpse into Louisiana's past.

My wife and I had a wonderful time on the tour our driver Robert was great. He gave us a interesting history on New Orleans and the lower areas of Louisiana. He was friendly and answered all of our questions. The tours themselves were great. Both locations were beautiful and rich with history. And lunch at Houmas Plantation was delicious.