New Orleans Plantation Tours

Oak Alley is an almost magical place, a must on your list of things to see and do in New Orleans, a must-see for a complete trip.

To get to know it and get the best impression, the best thing to do is to take one of the tours with stops at the most interesting places. For the more adventurous, a complete experience includes the famous swamps and a close-up look at the huge lizards. It can also be visited independently and there are several ways to get to this wonderful place.

To see this beautiful plantation, opt for a guided tour of the New Orleans plantations and learn more about the scenery that has been the setting and inspiration for many films and stories.

The best thing about going on such a tour is that you won't have to worry about transfers or entrance fees, but just enjoy the experience.

The land tour usually starts at the hotel. The guide will explain the history of the plantation and the great sugar plantation era along the way.

Upon arrival, you will be taken on a tour of the Big House, where costumed characters will add to the charm of the tour. Finally, you can stroll around the magnificent outdoor areas and visit the souvenir shop.

Don't forget to stop by the former slave quarters and take a look at the curious agricultural machines and the blacksmith's shop.

Before finishing, you can probably sample some of the typical dishes of this part of New Orleans at the plantation's restaurant.

Interesting details

• Price: just over €60 per person
• Duration: about 5.5 hours
• Transport: bus
• Advantages of this option: gives you the chance to visit Oak Alley without having to worry about anything
• Disadvantages of this option: only visits the plantation

For the more adventurous, we recommend the boat tour. In addition to the tour of the emblematic Oak Alley Gardens, you will be able to enjoy a ride at full speed through the swamps, getting to know its fauna, especially the crocodiles.

This way, you'll be able to do two of the most recommended activities in New Orleans in one day: visiting the plantations and touring the swamps.

Expert guides will take you to inaccessible places with vehicles for the best souvenir photos.

Again, the tour usually starts at the hotel, where an air-conditioned vehicle will take you to your destination. The first thing to do is to take a speed boat and ride through the swamps to observe the local wildlife and learn even more about the incredible vegetation of the area.

You'll also pass a cemetery and see a Cajun village up close, giving you a glimpse into the life of the locals.

Next stop is Oak Alley, where you'll have plenty of time to admire its attractions and discover what life was like for the plantation's former inhabitants. The tour inside the Great House, whose architecture is as imposing as it is beautiful, is one of the best experiences of the trip.

Interesting details

• Price: from £119
• Duration: approximately 8 hours
• Transport: bus and boat, although there is another option that uses a quieter boat
• Advantages of this option: in addition to seeing the plantation, you will be able to tour the swamps of New Orleans in a single day
• Disadvantages of this option: it is possible that the boat may cause some participants to get seasick.

A great way to experience two different points in American history is to visit two of its most iconic plantations.

Oak Alley is renowned for its incredible beauty and age, as well as its excellent state of preservation. Laura Plantation, on the other hand, offers a very different but equally beautiful setting.

At Oak Alley Plantation the centrepiece is the imposing natural bridge formed by the ancient trees, which are guardians of a house that has much to tell and has witnessed 300 years of history.

Laura Plan tation Laura Plantation is a very different colour, with an architectural style that betrays its French influence.

Among its 200-year history, the great house was home to folklorist Alcée Fortier, who wrote about African slaves in 1870. It was also the setting for Joel Chandler Harris' Tales of Brer Rabbit.

Details of interest

• Price: about 105 €
• Duration: 8 hours, approximately
• Transport: minibus
• Advantages of this option: you will visit two different plantations, which will give you a better perspective of what it was like
• Disadvantages of this option: although it is very interesting, you will have to spend a full day on the tour, so it is not very suitable for those who will only be in New Orleans for 3 days.

There are five ways to get to Oak Alley Plantation. Of course, each has its advantages and details to consider. In principle, you should consider the timing of each approach and the price before making your decision.

Remember also that you will have a timetable for the guided tours inside the Big House, as these are limited, and you must purchase your tickets when you arrive.

Although tickets are on sale until 4:00 p.m., many people arrive as early as 8:30 a.m. and reserve their place. If you don't arrive early, you run the risk of missing the opportunity to enjoy this part of the tour.

In total there are five transport options to get to Oak Alley on your own. Two include the bus, one the train and the last two, a taxi or private vehicle.

It should be noted that the first three do not go all the way to the plantation, so it will be necessary to complete the journey with a taxi. Here is a comparison between each of them.

There are a variety of accommodations in the vicinity of Oak Alley, many of which even offer some tours, including tours of the area's plantations and wetlands. The advantage of staying a few days in these places starts with the ease of getting to places of interest in a shorter time, some even on foot.

The cost of these accommodations is around $100 per night, with some deals available in the off-season. In general, they all offer breakfast and the best amenities, and come highly recommended by guests.

The Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant & Inn is one of the most highly recommended accommodations, not only for enjoying the plantation and its surroundings, but also for exploring Louisiana. It consists of a quaint cottage rental that has been fitted out to offer the best of modern comforts.

The first thing that will catch your eye when you arrive at Oak Alley is a road or alleyway that is enclosed by a magnificent row of oak trees, which in turn creates a wonderful tunnel that leads to the historic mansion in the background. Its impressive architecture and surrounding landscaping made it a National Historic Landmark.

The planted oak trees have been there since the 18th century, much longer than the house, which was rebuilt in 1925. The property, once a sugar cane plantation, later became a large estate and today is an important site that tells part of the story of New Orleans planters.

The plantation is as important to the city as the famous French Quarter tours, which you should also put on your list of interesting places to visit.

Attractions on this tour include a restaurant, a historic blacksmith shop, the family cemetery of the Stewarts, who were the last owners before the property was donated to the Oak Alley Foundation, The Big House and the unforgettable free trails through the 25 acres of land.

Before visiting Oak Valley Plantation I recommend you read a little about its history. Although the guides are more than willing to answer all your questions and tell you much of its past, this property is over 200 years old.

As you will see, the length of the visit would not be enough, at least not if you go only once, so some prior knowledge will help you enjoy it even more.

A curious fact you will find in the famous "paper-shell walnuts", a novelty in walnut cultivation achieved by a slave named Antoine in 1846. The gardener managed to create a graft between the trees on the plantation, resulting in a fruit whose shell could be broken with bare hands without effort.

What life was like for the slaves during this period of history, the houses they lived in and other details are part of the incalculable information tourists often find at Oak Alley.

The plantation is also recognised as one of the most legendary places among the many legends you can learn about on a New Orleans ghost tour.

In addition, both the surrounding swamps and the Big House itself have been locations for films such as Interview with the Vampire and The Long, Hot Summer, and famous series such as True Detective.

Things to consider

• Duration of visit: The full tour lasts 2 hours, with or without the Big House.
• Opening hours: Open daily from 8.30am until 5pm. But tickets can be purchased until 4:00 p.m. Closed during New Year's, Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• To visit the Big House: Tickets must be purchased in advance, as capacity is limited. In addition, a visiting schedule is assigned, so please be on site at least half an hour in advance.

In addition to its historical significance, Oak Alley's main attraction is its magnificent natural scenery.

The charm of walking among the towering trees and getting to take the best photographs and enjoy the delightful weather and fresh scent of nature. For that reason it is of great importance to choose carefully the best time to travel.

The best months to visit New Orleans centre around April, May and June, at least in terms of weather.

For a tour of Oak Alley, we recommend June, when the rains have brought the greenery to its peak and the tunnel of oaks, one of the main icons of this place, is at its best.

It's also a good time to take a culinary tour of New Orleans and sample some local recipes.

During this month the warm temperatures ensure more wildlife activity and crocodile sightings are guaranteed.

Visits to OAK Alley Plantation are suitable for all ages so you can easily add it to your list of things to see and do in New Orleans with children.

In fact, it's a stroller-friendly space almost everywhere, except for the garden areas where the terrain is more rustic. Children under 3, who can ride on their parents' lap, are free on most tours.

The green areas are amazing and will leave young children delighted, with plenty of space to play outdoors in a real paradise. But I don't recommend you sign them up for the tour inside the house, as it can get a bit monotonous for them. On the other hand, there is plenty to explore outside, so it is still a highly recommended visit.

For older children it is a perfect opportunity to learn a lot of valuable details about the era of slavery in the United States, the running of the large plantations and much more about the history of this country.

They will really enjoy the inside tour and will have the opportunity to ask questions to the guides, who will be happy to answer them, so be sure to sign them up!