Top Louisiana Outdoor Activities

Experience the civilized and the wild on a plantation tour and educational swamp boat ride from New Orleans. On this full-day journey, visit Oak Alley Plantation or Destrehan Plantation (depending on time chosen) where you'll learn about antebellum life. At Oak Alley, stroll down its iconic tree-lined esplanade. 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.

Immerse yourself in the rich culture and natural splendor of New Orleans’ mystifying swamps and wetlands on a New Orleans swamp tour and wetlands adventure. Relax in the luxurious interior of a New Orleans swamp tour boat as you cruise past cultural highlights like a Cajun cemetery, an Indian burial mound and a traditional fishing village. Scour the scenery for fascinating flora and fauna like snakes, turtles and alligators while listening to interesting commentary from your professional guide.

Journey back in time to when New Orleans was a budding port town that dazzled visitors with its colorful Creole culture. Board the historic riverboat for a morning or afternoon float down the mighty Mississippi. Stroll the deck, admire the iconic paddlewheel, enjoy live music, and snap picturesque shots of the beautiful urban shoreline. This family‐friendly excursion offers an optional buffet lunch (additional expense).

Explore one of Louisiana’s last protected wetlands on a 2-hour boat tour that includes round-trip transport from New Orleans. Depart in the morning or afternoon for Honey Island Swamp, a wildlife preserve teeming with critters such as 'gators, wild boar, snakes and birds. Ride through the swamp dripping with lush foliage and visit a boat-accessible Cajun village with an informative local guide who sheds light on the area’s inhabitants.

Journey through time on a paddle-wheel boat ride along the mighty Mississippi. Stroll the deck, cozy up with family and friends, and delight in the sparkle of the urban shoreline at dusk. This excursion includes a Creole‐inspired dinner (if option selected) and live jazz music.

Get a taste of 18th-century New Orleans while exploring its most notorious haunts aboard a mule-drawn carriage. Join a small group of no more than eight people for an intimate evening tour through the French Quarter, where rollicking nightlife conceals a past filled with dark deeds, natural disasters, and supernatural sightings. Hear the city's most salacious history from a guide as you clip-clop your way past iron-laced balconies, darkened alleys, and southern mansions steeped in legend.

Uncover the mysteries of the swamps surrounding New Orleans on an exhilarating airboat tour of the area, led by a professional guide. Cruise along the picturesque waterways in search of ferocious alligators and other rare wildlife while listening to illuminating commentary from your guide. Feel your adrenaline levels surge as your driver accelerates to high speeds, and capture fantastic photographs during regular stops. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by comfortable, air-conditioned coach.

Cruise through the wild wetlands of Honey Island Swamp on a 2-hour boat tour. Located on the marshy shores of Lake Ponchartrain just north of New Orleans, this protected nature reserve is home to an array of southern wildlife, from egrets and herons soaring above to otters and alligators lurking below the water’s surface. Hear tales of swamp pirates, fishermen’s lore and mysterious creatures from your captain as you glide past hanging moss and swooning cypress trees.

Experience the Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve on this shaded pontoon excursion. Your tour guide, who was born and raised in the bayou, will teach you about Southern Louisiana’s distinctive ecology as you cruise past magnificent cypress trees and watch for native wildlife like gators and egrets.

Lose yourself in the atmospheric depths of the New Orleans swamps and wetlands on an exhilarating 2-hour boat tour, led by a professional guide. Cruise past ancient wonders and listen to legends surrounding a 2000-year-old Indian burial mound and an atmospheric Cajun cemetery. Scour the Barataria Swamps for sightings of fascinating wildlife such as snakes, turtles and ferocious alligators, and learn about the area’s history and geology from your knowledgeable guide. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by luxury vehicle fro your New Orleans hotel.

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 most eerie sites at night in the safety of a group with a knowledgeable guide. Stop by top attractions such as the LaLaurie Mansion and New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, all while listening to your guide’s detailed stories of the paranormal and beyond.

Nowhere is Louisiana’s wildlife more abundant than in the swamps and bayous of New Orleans. Take a boat ride through these swamps and bayous and be on the lookout for alligators, raccoons, snakes, turtles and native birds. Hear stories from your guide about local Cajun culture and the mysteries of the swamps and bayous.

Experience the iconic New Orleans swamplands during a small-group airboat tour, led by a professional guide. Alternate between adrenaline-fuelled high speeds and gentle cruising as you sail past fascinating flora and fauna. Capture fantastic photographs of alligators in their natural habitat, and relish the intimate atmosphere of a small-group, limited to only nine passengers. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by comfortable, air-conditioned coach from your hotel in Downtown New Orleans.

Explore the French Quarter and Marigny aboard a relaxing horse and carriage during this small-group tour in New Orleans. Discover the history, culture, and legends that surround this historic city as you see landmarks including the St. Louis Cathedral, Napoleon House, and French Market. You also get insider tips from your guide about the best places to eat, drink, and explore in New Orleans.

Enjoying a thrilling and high-octane way to immerse yourself in Louisiana’s wild swamp ecosystems—and try out a range of courses and options—with this zipline experience. Pick from one of many available start times, make your own way to the Maurepas Swamp near Lake Ponchartrain and get suited up in your gear. From the cypress treetops, try out five different ziplines, a suspension bridge, and more.

Louisiana’s wild backcountry is known for its cypress swamps that are home to alligators, snakes, and turtles. Explore this area in a safe and fun way in a flat-bottomed boat that travels through the marshes. Learn more about local wildlife from the guide and look out for herons, hawks, owls, and bald eagles too.

The bike tour is the ideal way to save time and see the highlights of the Garden District in a short space of time. Cycle under towering oak trees and learn about the history of the area from your guide. Highlights include a ride through the Irish Channel neighborhood to see its diverse architectural styles and a visit to St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

Get more from the city by exploring New Orleans’ food culture with a guide. Stop by some of the French Quarter’s most famous restaurants for some of the area’s most delicious food. Enjoy tastings that could include seafood gumbo, Creole brisket, and beignets. Learn fun facts from your guide as you walk along the city streets, and if you choose, upgrade to a small-group tour with no more than 13 guests.

Experience the grandeur of New Orleans’ antebellum south on a half‐day tour of Oak Alley Plantation. Take a 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 expert guides.

Enjoy a classic New Orleans experience of a lovely jazz brunch aboard a historic riverboat! Journey through time on this cruise along the mighty Mississippi. Stroll the deck, admire the iconic paddlewheel, and snap picturesque shots of the beautiful urban shoreline. This family‐friendly excursion includes a delectable optional brunch loaded with famous Louisiana dishes and live music from a local jazz trio.

Although not your typical tour of New Orleans, this expedition through the Big Easy takes in some of the major points of interest, including the French Quarter, Treme, the Esplanade, the Garden District and the Metairie Cemetery. Relax in air-conditioned minibus comfort, and listen as a guide leads you through one of America's most historic cities.

Sail down this Mississippi River on a classic Paddlewheeler boat on this New Orleans river cruise. Enjoy illuminating narration from a licensed historian and stop part-way through the trip to learn about the Battle of New Orleans. Then, get back aboard the vessel and enjoy a cash bar while admiring the views.

Visit the Whitney Plantation Museum, a former indigo and sugar plantation on the River Road now dedicated to promoting an understanding of slavery in Louisiana. Learn about the realities of plantation life through museum exhibits and recorded narratives as you explore the restored structures and historical slave cabins. Download the Whitney Plantation app for the self-guided tour of Whitney Plantation Museum.