Top New Orleans Day Trips

New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

5 hoursFree Cancellation

4.9

(5,903)

from $70

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

2 hoursFree Cancellation

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

(5,689)

from $44

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

1 dayFree Cancellation

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

(5,085)

from $51

3 hoursFree Cancellation

(2,480)

from $40

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

(3,427)

from $131

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

(1,404)

from $89

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

(98)

from $87

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

(5,079)

from $59

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

5.0

(18)

from $131

Oak Alley Plantation Tour with Pickup from New Orleans

4 to 5 hoursFree Cancellation

4.9

(74)

from $87

Captivating views of the New Orleans skyline

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

(7,832)

from $58

New Orleans Sightseeing City Tour

2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

Price varies by group size

(3,215)

from $50

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

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation

4.5

(13,352)

from $36

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.

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

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation

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.

(6,871)

from $37

Whitney Plantation Tour with New Orleans Hotel Pickup

6 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

(242)

from $78

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

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.

(1,795)

from $89

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

5 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

(174)

from $75

Uncover Louisiana’s rich and complicated past on this small-group plantation tour. Travel along Lake Pontchartrain to the Whitney Plantation, where a self-guided app offers powerful insight into enslavement and history. Then explore the Creole heritage of Laura Plantation with a guided visit. Along the way, stop for photos at Evergreen and other historic sites, passing through scenic sugar cane fields and iconic oak-lined roads that tell stories of the South.

Laura Plantationhttps://www.tripadvisor.com/PreviewImage?p=11&img=184395381

Small-Group Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

6 hoursFree Cancellation

4.6

(467)

from $159

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

8 hoursFree Cancellation

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.

(227)

from $152

Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans

8 hoursFree Cancellation

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.

(734)

from $160

New Orleans City, Cemetery and Swamp Full-Day Tour

7 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

Whitney Plantation and Museum Tour from New Orleans

(194)

from $110

4 to 5 hoursFree Cancellation

4.6

(78)

from $75

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

6 hoursFree Cancellation

5.0

(38)

from $175

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

8 hoursFree Cancellation

4.4

(394)

from $130

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What are people saying about New Orleans

New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

Renee_P, May 2026

Well run, timely....

Well run, timely. Fantastic experience with Captain Hunter. He drove slowly so we didn’t scare away the wildlife. Saw plenty of alligators and a few birds and diverse plant life. Explained what we were seeing along the way. Dwayne took the time to tell us about the sights to and from the city on the bus, so even that part was enjoyable.

Small-Group Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

Christine_C, Apr 2026

Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour

Spending the day touring Laura and Whitney Plantation just outside of New Orleans was both beautiful and deeply moving. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect—warm sunshine and a gentle breeze. Both plantations offer rich, detailed insight into Louisiana’s history, but what stood out most was how thoughtfully the stories were told. Walking through the grounds, listening to the guides, and seeing the preserved structures made the past feel very real. The Whitney Plantation in particular does an incredible job of centering the lives and voices of the enslaved people who lived there, which adds a powerful and necessary perspective. Overall it was a wonderful experience filled with history and knowledge that stays with you long after you leave.

Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

Mark_W, Apr 2026

Swamp Tour

This was our first time going to New Orleans. MY friends, who have been there several times, told us about this tour and said it is the best. We would agree! We paid a little extra for the smaller size boat (6-10) passenger, and it was definitely worth it.

Swamp Boat Ride and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans

O_m, Apr 2026

Whitney Plantation/Swamp tour.

Our guide Kimberly and our driver Alton were awesome. Kimberly shared she has a background in education and it shows. She was thorough and interactive and knew how to work a crowd! She was a delight and we followed her protip... I got a muffalata to travel with and it was soooo good! I would recommend the tour based on our experience with your team!

Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans

Dusty_V, Apr 2026

Great tour stops - lots of driving time

This was a great experience. There is a lot of driving - a little over an hour to each place. The buses were a little older so no charging ports and the air was either on or off But the tours themselves were great! If you plan to eat at the restaurant at the plantation, the 2 hours they give you there is not enough time to see anything. The airboat part was so fun! Guide was great and we got to see a bunch of alligators!

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 🙌🏾!

Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Boat Tour from New Orleans

DEBRA_W, Mar 2026

Plantation and swamp tour

The plantation is beautiful! The tour guide, Marcus did a wonderful job explaining the history of the house. Transportation was prompt. The ride to the plantation was long but interesting. It would have been nice to have longer at the plantation so that we could have explored more and had a sit down lunch in the restaurant. The swamp tour was amazing! Captain Be Bop is a true steward of the swamp. His knowledge of the flora and fauna was vast. He put us all at ease and made the tour very enjoyable.

Oak Alley Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

Liza_W, Jan 2026

Highly Recommend!!!

We had the best experience with our driver and tour guide, Lorraine. She taught us all about the history of New Orleans and surrounding parishes. She was a great driver. The state of the tour bus was impeccable. She was very courteous and made sure to check in with us to make sure we were comfortable regarding the air conditioning. I cannot give her a higher review. She was fantastic! As for the entire tour itself, we were very, very glad to have been to Oak Alley, which is beautiful. The tour guide of the house itself, Marcus, was also very well spoken, and very well informed and was a great teacher. The mint julep was very very good and the pralines are the best in the area. Even the employees and their gift shop were absolutely lovely. I highly recommend this tour.

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.