New Orleans: Airboat Swamp Ride & Destrehan Plantation Tour

4.81

(255 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“You ever heard a nutria bark?” That’s what our captain asked as we skimmed out into the bayou, wind stinging my cheeks and the smell of wet grass everywhere. I’d barely finished laughing before he cut the engine and everything went quiet—except for this weird, almost dog-like yelp from somewhere in the reeds. Spanish moss hung low over the water, and you could just see a couple of baby alligators sunning themselves on a log. I tried to take a photo but my hands were shaking from the last speed burst (I’m not used to boats that move like that). The airboat ride was about an hour and a half, but honestly it felt both longer and shorter at once—time sort of bends when you’re out there.

Afterwards, we piled back into the van—air conditioning never felt so good—and headed up Old River Road toward Destrehan Plantation. Our guide, Angela, had this way of telling stories that made you stop fidgeting with your phone. She pointed out details in the old Greek Revival columns (“see those marks? That’s original”) and didn’t shy away from talking about who built them. The 1811 Slave Revolt Exhibit hit me harder than I expected; there’s something about standing in those rooms while hearing names and real histories that makes it stick. I kept thinking about how many lives passed through here, not just the owners but everyone who worked these fields.

I still remember the feel of the cypress wood under my hand as we wandered outside—the grain rougher than I thought it would be—and Angela telling us how some families around New Orleans still come here for reunions or weddings. There was this moment where sunlight came through the trees just right and everything smelled faintly sweet, maybe magnolia? Anyway, if you’re looking for a day trip from New Orleans that actually feels like Louisiana (not just postcards), this swamp & plantation tour is probably it. Even if you do embarrass yourself trying to say “bayou” with a local accent.