Whitney Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
New Orleans, USA
- 5 hours 25 minutes (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
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.
- Download the Whitney Plantation app for this self-guided tour of the museum
- Prebooked admission tickets are included to guarantee your entry
- Learn more about a side of Louisiana history that should never be forgotten
- Round-trip transport from central New Orleans is included
- Upgrade your experience to include a 90-minute swamp tour
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This tour is highly recommended for those wishing to truly understand life from a enslaved person's perspective.
What's Included
- 2 hours to spend touring Whitney Plantation
- Round-trip transport from central New Orleans
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Audio Tour Via Whitney Plantation App
- 90-minute pontoon swamp tour (if option chosen)
- Food and drinks (available for purchase)
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Gray Line New Orleans400 Toulouse St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
Departs from the Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office at Toulouse St. and the Mississippi River, just one block from Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Please arrive 15 minutes before boarding.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Make your way to the meeting point in the French Quarter, and travel outside the city along the Mississippi River to the famous River Road, home to many of Louisiana’s antebellum plantations.
Upon arriving at the Whitney Plantation, a National Historic Landmark founded more than 260 years ago, set off for a self-led tour accompanied by an audio guide.
Learn about the harsh realities and legacy of the people who lived and worked at Whitney. See original and restored slave cabins and the well-preserved Big House, considered one of the best remaining examples of Spanish Creole architecture in Louisiana.
Read about the lives of Louisiana’s enslaved people in their own words through first-person narratives recorded by the Federal Writers' Project, and explore museum exhibits that help tell the story of slavery in the American South.
After absorbing the poignant and powerful history of the estate and its centuries of human stories, return to New Orleans in the late afternoon.
Upon arriving at the Whitney Plantation, a National Historic Landmark founded more than 260 years ago, set off for a self-led tour accompanied by an audio guide.
Learn about the harsh realities and legacy of the people who lived and worked at Whitney. See original and restored slave cabins and the well-preserved Big House, considered one of the best remaining examples of Spanish Creole architecture in Louisiana.
Read about the lives of Louisiana’s enslaved people in their own words through first-person narratives recorded by the Federal Writers' Project, and explore museum exhibits that help tell the story of slavery in the American South.
After absorbing the poignant and powerful history of the estate and its centuries of human stories, return to New Orleans in the late afternoon.
Lake Pontchartrain (Pass By)
1
Whitney Plantation
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Check-in is 15 minutes prior to start time.
- If the guest needs a wheelchair lift equipped bus, then special arrangements need to be made with the supplier. This must be arranged 48 hours prior to tour date. Contact details will be on your voucher.
- Guests visiting Whitney using a wheelchair will have access to the gift shop, restrooms, and museum. The plantation grounds are accessible; however, there are uneven gravel paths. The main house tour is not accessible to guest traveling in wheelchairs and is not required to be modified as it is a historic home; however, the first floor is accessible. Guests would be able to view the slave quarters, but would not have access to enter.
- Tour at Whitney Plantation is Self Guided
- This tour includes 2 hours dedicated to exploring the grounds of Whitney Plantation. The remaining time consists of travel to and from the destination.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (6)
Q:Where is the departure point for the Whitney Plantation Tour?
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
4.6
based on 1,398 reviews
Regina_O, Apr 2026
I can still feel the impact of visiting this plantation. I ran out of time because at the end of my tour I got to meet amazing historian at the plantation!
Betania_M, Apr 2026
Black history is American history. Seeing the immensity of acres and realizing the economic wealth of the colonizers is a result of Slave labor is bitter. Moving forward I would like the restoration of Whitney to be completed, in order to fully walk into history. I did enter the spaces available. The audio player was very useful and the gift shop was well stocked with books, tee shirts, many items. The staff was very nice and the restroom was clean.
Kellie_L, Apr 2026
A very informative history lesson of the suffering and brutality of the American slavery That existed within the plantation life.
Melanie_F, Apr 2026
Our driver was awesome! Safe and knowledgeable. The plantation was beautiful and the presentation of the slave experience was powerful
Cathy_R, Apr 2026
This was a very moving and educational experience. Seeing through the eyes of the enslaved people’s was very emotional. It’s a beautiful area. We did the self guided tour, which was perfect, we used the handheld device that they provided and told information about each part of the exhibits. We throughly enjoyed this tour. The bus ride there was comfortable and our guide Glen was very friendly and informative.
Linda_H, Apr 2026
We went on Gray Lines with Melinda our driver who was absolutely incredible the entire trip. Excellent driver, so informative to and from the our Whitney Plantation Tour which also was very good and more true to how it was!! Highly recommend this trip with Melinda!!
Cheryl_M, Apr 2026
Highly recommend this educational experience. Moving. Stacey, our driver, was a terrific guide and pure joy. Great day trip!
Haley_M, Apr 2026
Amazing experience. Liked that it was from the perspective of those enslaved there. Would definitely recommend
Joey_P, Apr 2026
JoAnne ( guide) and Roger ( Driver) were amazing. JoAnne had wonderful commentary on the way out to the Whitney plantation, to the other plantation to pick up the other guest before we went on the swamp tour ( Cajun Pride). Roger was a very responsible driver, and made us feel like we were in good hands for a safe, comfortable ride.
The Whitney plantation was very eye opening to say the least. It's one thing to read about plantations, but to actually visit one so well preserved and seeing how things were was very sobering.
This tour is a must for anyone even mildly curious into this part of American history needs to go!
Marilyn_G, Apr 2026
I think the best part of this tour was our bus driver Alton! Super super knowledgeable on the area of NOLA and beyond! He made the bus driver very entertaining and interesting. The tour was amazing as well great way to learn about our painful history!
Gregory_K, Apr 2026
We took a tour of the Whitney Plantation. Our driver, Melinda, was extremely knowledgeable and made the ride from New Orleans to the plantation and back super interesting and enjoyable.
The visit of the Whitney Plantation is definitely worth it; we learned so much about the history of these not-so-distant dark times.
Peggy_M, Apr 2026
This is a tour about the history of slavery. It really gave me a a true picture about how the slaves were treated and how inhumane the owners were. I cant believe this really happened.
Geoffrey_B, Apr 2026
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.
Benjamin_N, Apr 2026
They showed a fairly detailed account of what slave life was like on a Plantation. Most Plantation tours show you the owners side.
Dan_G, Apr 2026
The Witney tour was interesting with audio guide gave a great over view of the plantation and history of slavery.
Lisa_M, Apr 2026
Plantation was very fascinating to read all about the slaves and see they were the concentration for the location. Our bus driver was excellent as well, told us a lot on our drive to and from, even slowing down as we passed other plantations on our way back.
Natasha_J, Mar 2026
That this is a self directed tour with a recording device. I was fine with it but I was not aware until I got there.
Experience is very educational.
zuffajl, Mar 2026
Interesting and informative. The audio guide was very detailed and helpful, and really gives one a glimpse of what life had been like for the enslaved people.
Emma_C, Mar 2026
Hand held devices provided self paced tour.
Our driver was knowledfeable and friendly.
Good to understand a key part of NOLA's history.
Cheri_B, Mar 2026
The van was clean and cool and timely. Our tour driver, Preston, was very friendly and shared historic information and debunked some things we’ve heard about the city!
Dionne_C, Mar 2026
The plantation tour was sobering. It made me really appreciate the freedom that my people fought for. The bus driver was awesome. I learned more about New Orleans than other times that I have been here.
Candi_L, Mar 2026
This was an excellent tour. The drive to the Plantation was comfortable and very educational. Preston, our driver, shared many interesting facts and information about New Orleans and the surrounding area. His commentary was excellent and I learned so much. The Plantation was educational and well thought out. The self guided tour was good but next time I would pay extra for the guided tour.
Kenneth_R, Mar 2026
We toured the Whitney Plantation on our annual N.O. trip. Our tour was self guided, which we preferred to move at our own pace. The bus driver, Dwayne, provided top notch customer service and professionalism. He even shared his fun, personal stories of related experiences being a native of New Orleans. We'll definitely roll with Gray Line on our next trip.
Stephen_T, Mar 2026
The experience was surreal! The tour gave a depiction of the life of slaves that worked 18 hours a day and showed the strength of a people that endured to make it happen.
Mona_N, Mar 2026
great history ro be heard… nice self guided tour not rushed . The inside museum
was very educational
Lawrence_J, Mar 2026
It is very sad and informative if one is interested and sympathetic on the slave trade.
This is a blemish on the words face and should never be forgotten.
GARY_R, Mar 2026
Worth seeing and very educational. Unbelievable how cruel and inhumane the whole process was and should not be forgotten.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Information from the past, although not always enjoyable, is often necessary to understanding our history and future. Thank you for joining us.
Jennie_Z, Mar 2026
This was a wonderful trip. Easy and safe to do as a solo female traveler. Easy access from the Quarter. Great walk through of the slave experience at the plantation, with a lot of information presented in an educational way. Beautiful seeing as well. Definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for touring with us and we appreciate all recommendations.
Kyrsten_R, Mar 2026
Our tour began promptly meeting at the Greyhound line near the Natchaz Steamboat at 11am. The bus was new, airconditioned, had seatbelt, foot rests and very comfortable cushioned seats. Our tour guide was Dionne. She was a treasure trove of NOLA history. We began our tour with Cajun Pride Tours in the bayou. Dustin was the captain of the Pontoon. The boat was safe and Dustin went above and beyond to share his knowledge and interact with the animals. We saw wild boar, racoons, and alligators. Dustin also let us hold a baby alligator. He was an amazing Captain keeping us safe , informed, and entertained. The desk/ main ticket office there was well air conditioned and there were also opportunities to buy light snacks and souvenirs. After the swamp tour we loaded on the bus again in route to Whitney Plantation. Whitney Plantation was an incredibly moving and special experience. It was one of the only few plantations that strictly focuses on the lives of the enslaved people who built and maintained the plantation. It especially loved hear the first hand accounts and stories throughout the plantation. The gift shop was also wonderful and equip with a small indoor exhibit of the slave trade as a whole.
The plantation tour was 2 hours and and the Oak Alley tour was 3 hours. After our time at the Whitney finished we drove to Oak Alley to pick up the other passengers. It was nice to be able to see both plantations (only saw Oak Alley from the outside/inside the bus).
The driver was friendly and made the long rides throughout the day enjoyable.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Your review title took our breath away. 10000/10 Louisiana Experience - Best of True History and Culture. Thank you for all you shared here.
Joan_W, Mar 2026
This isn't a tour about the "gentility" and "grace" of the Old South. It focuses on the lives of the people enslaved here. An excellent indoor exhibit provides historical (and global) context; then you stroll through the plantation with an audio guide that describes what you're seeing. This New Yorker learned a lot.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
New Yorker - we are pleased to share all of our history and culture. Most delightful, and some less so, but necessary to share. Thank you for touring with us.
From $89.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Whitney Plantation Tour with Transportation from New Orleans
1,397
5 hours 25 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$89.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in New Orleans, USA
- St. Louis Cathedral Tours & Tickets
- Faubourg Marigny Tours & Tickets
- Beauregard-Keyes House Tours & Tickets
- Audubon Nature Institute Tours & Tickets
- Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar Tours & Tickets
- Backstreet Cultural Museum Tours & Tickets
- Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 Tours & Tickets
- Frenchmen Street Tours & Tickets
- Lake Pontchartrain Tours & Tickets
- Voodoo Authentica Tours & Tickets
- Houmas House Tours & Tickets
- Storyville District Tours & Tickets
- Audubon Insectarium Tours & Tickets
- Audubon Park Tours & Tickets
- Court of Two Sisters Tours & Tickets
- Old U.S. Mint Tours & Tickets