Laura Plantation Half-Day Tour from New Orleans

Four plantations in one afternoon: the real stories behind Louisiana's sugar estates

You get picked up from your hotel, ride in a climate-controlled van past Lake Pontchartrain, and spend 75 minutes on a fully guided tour of Laura Plantation led by interpreters who know the archives. You also visit Whitney Museum, Oak Alley, and St. Joseph Plantation, each with its own story about Louisiana's plantation economy and the people enslaved there. Admission to Laura and the other sites, water, and the return drive to your hotel are all included, so you don't arrange transport or tickets separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Whitney Plantation Museumpassing by
2. Laura Plantation2h 30m · entry included
3. St. Joseph Plantationpassing by
4. Oak Alley Plantationpassing by
5. New Canal Lighthouse

Laura Plantation half-day tour

• Board luxury passenger van
• Pick up guests around city
• Watch film or city mini-tour
• Arrive at Laura Plantation
• Guided tour of Big House and gardens
• Visit original 1840s slave cabins
• Explore new slavery exhibit
• Return to van for city ride
• Drive over Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge
• Arrive back at hotel

The experience

Laura Plantation sits on the River Road west of New Orleans, and the 75-minute guided tour there is the centerpiece of this half-day trip, not because it's the biggest or the fanciest, but because the interpreters walk you through four generations of Louisiana Créole women, children, and enslaved people who actually lived in the Big House and the original 1840s slave cabins. The stories come from archives in the U.S. and France, so they're not reconstructed or softened. You see the gardens, the cabins where descendants of West-Africans lived until 1977, and the new exhibit "From the Big House to the Quarters," which doesn't look away from what slavery meant on this 1805 sugar plantation.

The day starts with pickup from your New Orleans hotel, and as other guests board the air-conditioned van, the driver gives you either a mini-tour of the city or a film about the other plantations you're about to see, so you're not walking in cold. The route takes you past the New Canal Lighthouse and over the Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge, which overlooks Lake Pontchartrain and takes about 45 minutes on its own. You'll also stop at Whitney Plantation Museum, which tells the story of the enslaved people who worked there and the early Haydel family who owned it, then Oak Alley with its famous tree-lined avenue, and St. Joseph, which was a wedding gift from one of the wealthiest men of the time. Each stop adds a different angle on the same history.

The van has leather seats, USB charging ports, and bottled water included. It's not a cattle-car experience: groups stay small enough that the driver can actually talk to you, and the whole thing wraps by early afternoon so you're back in the city with the rest of your day open. If you're traveling with infants or small children, they can sit on a lap or ride in a stroller, and service animals are welcome.

What’s included

• Admission to Laura Plantation with a 75-minute fully guided tour led by knowledgeable interpreters.
• admission to Whitney Plantation Museum, Oak Alley Plantation, and St. Joseph Plantation.
• hotel pickup and return transport in an air-conditioned van.
• bottled water.
• USB charging outlets in the vehicle.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Youth (5 to 12 years) · Child (3 to 4 years): free · Infant (1 to 2 years): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by K's Luxury Transportation and Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Louisiana's plantation history through the actual stories of the people who lived there: the interpreters at Laura draw from archives in the U.S. and France, so you're not getting a sanitized version. The half-day format and included transport mean you don't have to rent a car or figure out how to visit four sites on your own.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (5 to 12 years); Child (3 to 4 years): free; Infant (1 to 2 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the whole tour, including travel time?

The tour is a half-day experience. The 75-minute guided portion at Laura Plantation is the main event, and the van ride back to the city takes about 45 minutes, so plan for roughly 4–5 hours total including pickups and the other plantation stops.

What's included in the admission price?

Admission to Laura Plantation and the tour itself, plus bottled water, air-conditioned transport, and USB charging in the van. Admission to the other plantations (Whitney, Oak Alley, St. Joseph) is also included.

Do I need to be fit or mobile to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the day is spent in the van or on guided walks through the plantations at a normal pace.

What's the difference between Laura Plantation and the other stops?

Laura Plantation is the main 75-minute guided experience with stories from archives about four generations of Créole women and enslaved people. Whitney Museum focuses on the enslaved people and the Haydel family. Oak Alley is known for its avenue of oak trees and the working sugarcane plantation history. St. Joseph has its own architectural and family history.

Is there a guide on the van during the drive?

The driver provides entertainment and context as you travel between sites: either a mini-tour of New Orleans or a film about the plantations you're about to visit.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup is from your New Orleans hotel in the morning. The exact time depends on your hotel location, but the half-day format means you're back in the city by early afternoon.

Can I see the slave cabins at Laura Plantation?

Yes. The tour includes the original 1840s slave cabins, which were inhabited by descendants of enslaved West-Africans until 1977. The new exhibit "From the Big House to the Quarters" also explores slavery on the plantation in depth.