Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans
Recommended by 95% of travelers
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New Orleans, USA
- 7 hours 45 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
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.
- Experience two different sides of New Orleans with one simple booking
- Take a short coach ride across the mighty Mississippi River
- A great experience for history buffs and nature lovers
- Service animals are most welcome
What's Included
- Swamp Boat Tour
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Narrated by a local guide
- Round trip transportation
- Tour of either Oak Alley or Destrehan Plantation
- Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off
- Food & Drink (Available for Purchase)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Gray Line New Orleans400 Toulouse St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
Departs from the Gray Line Lighthouse at Toulouse St. and the Mississippi River (at the Steamboat Natchez Dock), just one block from Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Please arrive 15 minutes before boarding to check in.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Your tour offers a morning or afternoon start time. You’ll start by boarding your air‐conditioned coach in the French Quarter. Admire the scenery of the Lake Pontchartrain shoreline as you head first to either Oak Alley Plantation or Destrehan Plantation. Oak Alley is one of the most beautiful plantation homes in the lower Mississippi Valley. As you marvel at the unbelievable alley of 28 magnificent Oak trees, your guide will reveal the fascinating stories of the home and its history. If you choose to visit Destrehan, you'll learn the history of this famous plantation that was once a major producer of indigo and sugarcane.
After your plantation tour, return north by coach to Lake Pontchartrain and Manchac Swamp, where you’ll board an open‐sided, covered boat – good for touring during any season! This privately‐owned swamp is a great venue for uninterrupted wildlife spotting. Glide along the water, viewing the lush greenery and with abundant local wildlife, including alligators, egrets, raccoons, snakes and giant nutria. Get great photos and gain insight about local history and wetland preservation from your passionate native guides.
This tour returns you by coach to the French Quarter.
After your plantation tour, return north by coach to Lake Pontchartrain and Manchac Swamp, where you’ll board an open‐sided, covered boat – good for touring during any season! This privately‐owned swamp is a great venue for uninterrupted wildlife spotting. Glide along the water, viewing the lush greenery and with abundant local wildlife, including alligators, egrets, raccoons, snakes and giant nutria. Get great photos and gain insight about local history and wetland preservation from your passionate native guides.
This tour returns you by coach to the French Quarter.
1
Oak Alley Plantation
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Lake Pontchartrain (Pass By)
I-10 Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge (Pass By)
2
Cajun Pride Swamp Tours
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- In order to help protect the French Quarter from vehicular traffic, it is requested that you please walk, if possible, to the convenient tour departure point -- just a short stroll from most downtown hotels.
- Alternate Routes: Due to uneven and narrow paths, alternate routes may be necessary for guests traveling in wheelchairs.
- 9am & 11am = Oak Alley Plantation
- 1pm = Destrehan Plantation
- Oak Alley Plantation is a Smoke Free Facility
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 28 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (9)
Q:What is the departure point for the Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans?
A:The tour begins at the Gray Line "Lighthouse" Ticket Office in the French Quarter at Toulouse Street & the Mississippi River - at the Steamboat Natchez Dock (400 Toulouse Street.)
Jun 2021
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 3,387 reviews
janet_c, Apr 2026
The bus ride was amazing Kate and Glenn were terrific. The plantation was good but I thought there would be more to do there. Swamp ride was amazing captain Dustin was incredible.
Courtney_M, Apr 2026
Such a fun day out! Our tour guide was very well informed and shared a ton of history and knowledge with us. My family of 6 loved the combined experiences. The plantation was truly beautiful and we all loved learning about the history of the people that worked there. The cabins that housed the enslaved were so interesting and a great educational experience for my kids. The restaurant there was very good. The swap tour was the highlight of the trip for my kids - they all loved learning about the flora and fauna and the highlight was seeing/holding the baby gator!
Steven_S, Apr 2026
Great bus, great tour guide. Oak Alley Plantation is a wonderful place to visit and learn the history. The swamp tour is beyond expectations! So much fun!
Rebecca_M, Apr 2026
Exactly as described loved the plantation and the boat rode caption was so funny. I loved the hoglets
Rachel_M, Apr 2026
Would recommend. Super knowledgeable bus tour guide and really enjoyed both stops. Although you have many plantations to choose from, I appreciated the diverse perspectives shared about at Oak Alley - including those of the enslaved people. Additionally, the swamp boat tour did not disappoint! Again, awesome boat tour guide who knew the swamp like the back of his hand. Saw no shortage of gators, pigs and raccoons.
Margaret_M, Apr 2026
The combo of Plantation tour and Swamp boat tour was very convenient. Both tours were fabulous. The bus ride to the tour sites was informative and comfortable.
Christina_P, Apr 2026
Be ready for an amazing adventure! Step back in time & explore life on a plantation. While enjoying the amenities of present day. All of the guides along the way from bus driver to swamp guide were wonderful!
Emily_B, Apr 2026
I really wish that the tour focused more on the enslaved stories instead of the wealth generated by them. The property is stunning but it negates the overwhelming history here that isn’t being told.
Dawn_S, Mar 2026
Park at Premium Parking lot P404 by the tower building. That’s were you get on the bus. Pay for a bit more parking than you
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Dawn, thanks for the helpful parking recommendation. It's always great to have visitor-to-visitor tips!
S_C, Mar 2026
for a solo traveler without a car, it’s a good option. The journey is great in march or April. Worth it.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks so much. You picked an ideal time to see our bayou inhabitants come out to watch their human neighbors.
Nettie_F, Mar 2026
Very fun and exciting, he loves his business because he is happy and is very great at answering all questions without being snotty or quick. We enjoyed our time in the water, lot of animals, fun for all ages, very clean facility, workers are adorable, good price for admission!!!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review, Nettie! You are correct that our guides, both at the plantation and on the swamp tour, are happy to answer any and all questions about the culture and history.
Loalea_U, Mar 2026
Everyone was very helpful and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the experience. It's a little confusing at the start, though. Not clearly marked where you report and when it's time to leave. The person in the ticket needs could be a little more helpful with her descriptions. otherwise it was a great time.
Thank you so much.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your recommendations on signage; we will ensure the ticketing agents clearly indicate directions, even with time constraints.
Emily_P, Mar 2026
Great tour guides and driver! Very friendly and knowledgeable! Jane worked hard to make our tour a memorable day.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank so much Emily for the great 5 star review.
Claudia_G, Mar 2026
Comfortable bus. Great tour guide. The tour venue at the mansion was excellent. Lovely gift shop. Swamp boat tour was wonderful, lots of alligators. Davey, tour guide, was excellent.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
All your compliments are so well received at Gray Line. From guides, to the mansion, and swamp boat captain to local "residents".
LeighAnn_W, Mar 2026
This was a great excursion. The tour guide for entire day and the guide on the swamp boat were both phenomenal! We loved this day!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We are thrilled that you Loved Your Day on the tour. Please come back again to see even more.
Noel_K, Mar 2026
Loved that plantation tour, very interesting. Oak Alley is beautiful. The restaurant was a nice stop for lunch, food was very good also.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Noel, we appreciate the review on the Oak Alley Plantation experience. Thank you for touring with us.
Quint_S, Mar 2026
Our captain, Dustin, was knowledgeable and entertaining throughout the tour. We encountered a plethora of wildlife, including dozens of gators in their native habitats. Great gift shop too. Definitely worth the visit.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We are grateful that you took time to share the Swamp Adventure. Thank you.
Brandy_K, Mar 2026
The guide for Oak Alley was well informed and had a fun sense of humor. He made the drive more enjoyable. We also had fun with our guide on the swamp boat. The alligator munching sounds were the best. 🤪
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We were so happy to read your great review. Thank you and certainly return for that "munching sound"!
JinJou_L, Mar 2026
From we were told it’s not the right season or right day to visit the swamp. It’s too cold that gators are inactive to be seen.
Is a small swamp. One hour is too much time wasted.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We were disappointed to learn that the swamp tour did not live us to you expectations. The weather this time of year can go from colder to the 80's. The native wildlife are now coming out to greet the spring.
Rachael_F, Mar 2026
This was a wonderful way to see both the Plantations and Swamps. Highly recommend asking for John Olivard as your tour guide. His humor and wealth of knowledge made the ride!
John_L, Mar 2026
.Our guide was authentic and informative. We saw lots of wild life. If you ever want to see an alligator up close this is the place! This was our favorite tour
Carlos_A, Mar 2026
This was a unique experience. Lots of history and interesting information. The grounds are beautiful and the food amazing.
Marilyn_B, Mar 2026
Informative, Robert was an excellent host, Dominique was confident safe drive..both charmingly pleasant
Tony_Z, Mar 2026
The tour is too long - so many hours spending on the road, and also waiting for the tour bus to come. We arrived at the Oak Alley around 12pm noon time, and had to wait to about 3pm to leave. The tickets for the big house we received were at 1:45pm or 2:15pm, so there're are so much time we didn't know what to do. The estate/plantation is not big or interesting enough for you to go around for almost 3 hours.
Silvia_S, Mar 2026
Gorgeous plantation. The tour was both self guided and with a guide. So much information and history the time goes by so fast.
In cafe praline cheesecake phenomenal!
Melissa_S, Mar 2026
The oak valley plantation tour was so informative. The guide was very knowledgeable. The swamp tour was exciting and the guide made it fun. My family and I had a lot of fun!
Ellen_M, Mar 2026
Our tour guide Jane and driver Alton were wondering. We learned so much from both of them. They were also very entertaining.
We loved our swamp tour experience and Guide. His family lives and worked the bayou for generations and he shared so much with us. We saw PLENTY of gators, racoons, and wild pigs. The plantation tour was very good and there wAs plenty of time to see everything
Rodney_S, Mar 2026
Great traveling on their bus with zero worries about traffic and having the ability to really look around. The plantation was really amazing to see and learn about, in spite of the way labor was obtained for this type of operation. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and extremely nice, but was not as smooth and comfortable as most guides I'm use to; had some work on being more organized. 5 for plantation; 3 for swamp tour gives the average of 4 that I gave. Our kind of had I feel of driving around a guy's back yard watching him feed the wildlife he's trained to come in.
Aillene_B, Mar 2026
Loved this tour! The Oak Alley Plantation is the place to go. Amazing to see this historical place. Jane our bus tour guide & Stacy our driver were incredible hosts. The swamp tour was fun & interesting as well. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area, who wants to see other things than just the French Quater.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Jane and Stacy, and the plantation staff all send you. It takes you back in history and out of the "city life".
Alice_F, Mar 2026
Our tour bus guide, Robert was excellent. Knowledgeable and funny! Plantation tour was both moving and informative. Loved Capt. Danny on our swamp tour. Saw plenty of wildlife and alligators up close. Highly recommend both tours.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Our guides and drivers are as much a part of each tour as the information they share. Thank you for recognizing Robert and then Capt. Danny as well. Your high recommendation means so much.
From $131.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans
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