Top New Orleans Day Trips

New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

5 hoursFree Cancellation

4.9

(6,629)

from $76

Whitney Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

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

5 hours 25 minutesFree Cancellation

4.6

(1,432)

from $89

New Orleans City Tour: French Quarter, Garden District & Cemetery

3 hoursFree Cancellation

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).

(2,636)

from $40

Special Offer

New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise

New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise

2 hoursFree Cancellation

Likely to Sell Out

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

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 to 6 hoursFree Cancellation

5.0

(115)

from $93

Special Offer

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

7 hours 45 minutesFree Cancellation

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

1 dayFree Cancellation

4.3

(5,166)

from $51

Special Offer

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 local guides. Upgrade your experience to include a pontoon swamp tour.

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

5 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

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.

New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option

3 hoursFree Cancellation

4.1

(8,036)

from $58

New Orleans City Tour and Steamboat Natchez Harbor Jazz Cruise

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.

New Orleans City Tour and Steamboat Natchez Harbor Jazz Cruise

6 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

4.2

(475)

from $88

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

New Orleans Airboat Ride

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.

(5,159)

from $59

The entrance of Armstrong Park, our starting point

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

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation

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.

(7,015)

from $37

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

5 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

4.3

(176)

from $75

New Orleans City, Cemetery and Swamp Full-Day Tour

Travel through Cajun Country on this full-day New Orleans city tour and swamp adventure. Journey with your professional guide in a comfortable air-conditioned minibus as you learn about the history, culture and highlights of southern Creoles. You'll see major city highlights, areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and tour the inside of a cemetery to see the above-ground tombs. Afterward, you'll head to the bayou for your choice of a leisurely pontoon boat ride or thrilling airboat ride.

New Orleans City, Cemetery and Swamp Full-Day Tour

7 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

Gain deep, meaningful insights into American history on this combination full-day tour. After being collected from your New Orleans hotel in an air-conditioned van, you’ll arrive at the Whitney Plantation and tour Louisiana’s only museum dedicated to enslaved people with an audio guide. Afterwards, head back to the city and join the Soul of New Orleans tour, for a deep dive into the move from plantation to city life, showing how enslaved people turned their struggle into the powerful music, food, and culture that still defines the city today.

(197)

from $110

Witness black history that can’t be erased.

Whitney Plantation and Soul of New Orleans City Tour Combo

8 to 9 hoursFree Cancellation

5.0

(14)

from $129

Oak Alley Plantation and Airboat Combo Tour

Gain a deeper understanding of American history on this two-in-one visit to Oak Alley Plantation and a Louisiana swamp tour on this day-long trip from New Orleans. You’ll pass other notable sites including Evergreen, Laura, and St. Joseph Plantations before exploring Oak Alley Plantation at your own pace. Afterward, join an airboat swamp tour and pass the site of the 1811 German Coast Uprising of enslaved people.

Oak Alley Plantation and Airboat Combo Tour

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.

(6)

from $152

New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour

New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation

4.5

(13,577)

from $37

Swamp Boat Ride and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

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!

Swamp Boat Ride and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

7 hours 45 minutesFree Cancellation

New Orleans Swamp Boat Tour with Shuttle Service

(26)

from $131

Likely to Sell Out

4 to 5 hoursFree Cancellation

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.

(25)

from $60

Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Boat Tour from New Orleans

Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Boat Tour from New Orleans

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.

4.4

(403)

from $130

Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans

Discover more of Louisiana on a full-day tour to the Whitney Plantation from New Orleans. Ride by minivan past the marshes of Lake Pontchartrain and along River Road, passing filming locations for the popular TV series ‘Queen Sugar’ and other productions. Then, join an audio guided tour of the Whitney Plantation and learn about the history of the enslaved and free people who once lived on the plantation.

(742)

from $160

Likely to Sell Out

Whitney Plantation Tour with New Orleans Hotel Pickup

Whitney Plantation Tour with New Orleans Hotel Pickup

6 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

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.

(246)

from $78

Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

Oak Alley Plantation and Small Airboat Tour from New Orleans

(233)

from $152

Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans

4.6

(189)

from $185

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Top Attractions in New Orleans

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What are people saying about New Orleans

Roxie_F, Jul 2026

Excellent Oak Alley plantation and Swamp tour

The Oak alley tour was so beautiful and I learned so much. Our tour guide who traveled from Gray line to Oak Alley was so knowledgeable and sweet. Her name was Dionne and she was a native to New Orleans who knew everything about New Orleans and its history. Oak Alley plantation was absolutely beautiful and so many beautiful Oak trees that I couldn't count. There were a lot of beautiful photo opportunities. We went to the restaurant at Oak Alley and the food was delicious. We had fried green tomatoes and gumbo. Soooo Yummy. When we got to the Swamp tour "Cajun Pride" it was so fun. We had a great Swamp captain named Tom. He was the coolest. We got to see many Alligators, raccoons, boars, turtles, and birds. We were able to hold a baby Gatorade and we watched Captain Tom feed them. Captain Tom also had the best stories and accent. We loved him and the tour. Soooo much fun.

New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

mira_s, Jul 2026

Outstanding experience 11/10

11/10 experience. Timely pickup and a smooth, comfortable bus ride with great New Orleans history throughout. Bus driver Cornell and boat captain Dustin both made the experience exceptional—professional, engaging, and knowledgeable. Truly a wonderful and memorable tour. Highly recommend.

Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Boat Tour from New Orleans

Nikki, Jun 2026

Excellent experience!

Both parts of the tour were great. Wish we could have seen more of the Oak Alley house. The swamp tour with Captain Ernie was terrific! You could tell he knows the ecology and biology of the area. Very educational, and fun. He explained why May-September are the best months for this tour if you want to see alligators. I will never look at a swamp or bayou the same way again. The only thing I would improve on is making sure guests know that the pick-up time is a 30 minute window.

New Orleans Small-Group 3 Plantation Tour with Gourmet Lunch

Lon_V, Jun 2026

Great time on the three plantation tour!

This is a great tour! Our tour guide, Giselle with Tours by Isabelle, was oustanding. Lots of history and local information during the drive and at the plantations. Visited three plantations, each one was different so we got a wide range of experiences on one tour. The time at each plantations was good; not too long and not too short. The included lunch at Houmas House was very good. Very enjoyable day, I would recommend this tour.

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

Quentin_N, Jun 2026

A needed history lesson on the south.

Kin is a world-class entertainer and host who will make the trip out and back fly by. The guides at the plantation are amazing as well, with a deep education on the history of the area and the lineages that came through Whitney. We were able to hear several stories direct from people that lived on or had family on the plantation- truly a look back into the history and the life of slaves in the south. A needed history lesson for the fully history of this unique area.

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

Patti_F, May 2026

Great experience but lots of walking. I was not disappointed.

It is a beautiful place. I am glad we went. Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the house tour. They had told me that it was not wheelchair friendly I had hoped that I could do it with my walker. Nope but I sent my son to the house tour and I just enjoyed the beauty of the grounds. It was still worth the trip.

Small-Group Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

Lisa_M, May 2026

This is the best tour.

Great tour and guide. Murial was great and Isabelle tours thinks of everything. We got a nice reminder text with a pic of the tour van picking us up. Large umbrellas and rain coats were available if we needed them and we even had a group Pic sent to us after. Definately reccommend this tour and tour group.

Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

Anne_W, May 2026

Very cool experience and day trip!

Plantation was interesting, educational and humbling. So very sad to see the history of the treatment the slaves, even children, endured. The air boat was also cool, our guide was great! We had 2 awesome bus drivers, one was in training. They were informative, polite and very nice gentlemen.

Whitney Plantation Tour with New Orleans Hotel Pickup

Anna_S, Apr 2026

The best and most informative tour ever!

First, pick a nice day. You'll be outside 95% of the time. Second, pick your tour package carefully. Some may just be a ride, others, like mine with Crescent City Tours, was fun filled and very informational not only on where we were going but what has happened in the area. Being at the plantation was an amazing experience. To be able to see and walk among where so many had been before and learn what actually happened to them and not some watered down version was very impactful. The last stop in the church was the hardest for me. When I was in there and everyone had left, the weight of the place came down on me and I was not able to stay longer. If you are at all sensitive to the blight of others, this will have a profound affect on you and your outlook on life from thereafter.

Whitney Plantation & Museum Tour | Pickups from New Orleans

Sophia_Y, Apr 2026

Whitney plantation

Basic but extremely informative. Timely. No bells and whistles so use a different tour if you want someone to explain it all. The plantation is very interesting. And has incredible sculptures and written explanations. The audio tour was excellent and our bus and guide, who was sweet, was timely.

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

Adriane_B, Apr 2026

Oak Alley Plantation

This is a great tour. Viator always does a good job. We have taken some of their European tours and were never disappointed. The bus driver Monique was wonderful, courteous and helpful. All the Viator staff members are great!! This plantation finally satisfied my desire to see a large beautiful plantation mansion AND they made sure to discuss the lives and circumstances of the enslaved, greatly demonstrating just how wrong it was to finance a life on the backs of people held as chattel. AND the owners ended up going bankrupt with artificially low expenses because no one paid the enslaved. All the monetary value was in the enslaved and if they were sold to raise funds, just WHO would do all the work?? And this is totally aside from the moral issue of creating enslaved, for which they all went straight to Hell.

New Orleans City, Cemetery and Swamp Full-Day Tour

Dan_S, Dec 2025

City Cemetery and Swamp Tour

Excellent tour. We went on this tour December 3rd. Our bus driver was amazing. He was warm and friendly and knew everything about the City. The tour goes all over the City so you see a lot and get to know the lay of the land. This was great for our first time in NOLA. It was a little too cold for the swamp tour, but again we had a great guide which made it fun. We also saw one alligator swimming around, which was special since they are should hibernating now. I loved the tour but would recommend the swamp portion in warmer weather.