New Orleans: Airboat Ride & Alligator Spotting Jean Lafitte

Leave the city noise behind for a fast ride through alligator country

You get a 1 hour 45 minute airboat ride through a cypress swamp near Jean Lafitte with a local guide, unobstructed views of alligators and other wildlife, and the choice between small intimate groups or larger boats. If you book with pickup, the driver collects you from your hotel 1 hour 15 minutes before departure and returns you after the tour, which saves you the 30-mile drive and the problem of finding transport to an area without rideshare services.

Step-by-step itinerary

Airboat tour near New Orleans

• Drive 30 miles from New Orleans
• Board airboat for swamp tour
• Explore tidewater cypress swamp
• Spot alligators and wildlife
• Visit indoor alligator exhibits

The experience

The difference hits you the moment the airboat engine fires up. One minute you're in the thick of New Orleans. The next, you're 30 miles south heading into a 20,000-acre tidewater cypress swamp where the only sound is wind and propeller. The airboat itself, powered by an aircraft engine, cuts through shallow marshes so fast and smooth that you feel less like you're touring and more like you're actually moving through the landscape instead of watching it pass. Your guide handles the boat while you sit unobstructed, which matters because the alligators don't announce themselves.

The 1 hour and 45 minute ride takes you into Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve territory, where the water is lined with moss-covered cypress and tupelo-gum trees that look like they've been there since before the city existed. Alligators sun themselves on rocks, especially in warmer months, and your guide may feed them, which gives you the kind of close photo opportunity you can't get anywhere else. Beyond the gators, you're watching for turtles, snakes, egrets, herons, and if you're lucky, hawks or bald eagles. In cooler months, white-tailed deer and nutria show up instead. There's also an indoor exhibit with alligators, including an albino one, so you get a second look if the outdoor ones are shy.

You can book this airboat tour two ways: self-drive, where you meet at the embarkation point, or with hotel pickup included, which means the driver collects you 1 hour and 15 minutes before tour time. The boats come in three sizes (a premium small group limited to 6 people for a more intimate experience, a regular small airboat up to 10, or a large airboat up to 30), so you can choose how crowded you want it. Fair warning: there's no rideshare or taxi service to this area, so if you're not driving yourself, the pickup option is basically necessary. The tour runs in all weather except lightning or high winds. Rain doesn't stop it, so dress for whatever's coming.

What’s included

• Your airboat tour includes a local guide, the 1 hour 45 minute ride through the cypress swamp, ear protection, and unobstructed views of the wildlife.
• If you select the pickup option at booking, roundtrip hotel transportation is included, with the driver collecting you 1 hour 15 minutes before the tour starts.
• Small storage space under your seat holds personal items during the ride.

Options for this experience

5 options

Large airboat, no hotel pickupGuide in English · 09:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

Large airboat, hotel pickup includedGuide in English · 09:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

Small airboat, no hotel pickupGuide in English · 09:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

See 2 more options

Small airboat, hotel pickup includedGuide in English · 09:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

Premium small airboat with roundtrip transferGuide in English · 09:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 37 pickup points.Operator's directions: “Please turn right on Texas Street (the next right), not Fleming Park Rd to enter the facility.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Airboat Adventures

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see alligators and bayou wildlife without arranging your own 30-mile drive to an area where rideshare doesn't operate. The pickup option takes that logistics problem off your hands entirely.

Traveler reviews

4.71★★★★★★★★★★

5,239 verified traveler reviews

5 ★4,481

4 ★384

3 ★138

2 ★68

1 ★168

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

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 24h before the start.

How long is the airboat ride?

1 hour and 45 minutes on the water, plus travel time to and from the embarkation point 30 miles south of New Orleans.

What size are the airboats?

Three options: premium small group (6 people), regular small airboat (up to 10), or large airboat (up to 30).

Do I need to arrange my own transport?

You can self-drive to the embarkation point, or book the option with hotel pickup, which begins 1 hour 15 minutes before tour time. Rideshare and taxi services don't operate in the area.

What wildlife will I see?

Alligators (more common in summer), turtles, snakes, egrets, herons, and ibis. In cooler months, white-tailed deer, raccoons, and nutria. Hawks, owls, and bald eagles are possible. There's also an indoor exhibit with alligators including an albino.

Does the tour run in bad weather?

It operates in rain and all weather conditions. It's cancelled only for lightning, thunderstorms, or high winds. You get a full refund if the tour can't run safely.

What's included?

Local guide, airboat ride, ear protection, and unobstructed views. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included only if you select that option at booking.

Is there a minimum age?

Minimum age is 5 years old.

Can I bring a camera?

Yes. There's small storage space under the seat, and the unobstructed seating gives you clear photo opportunities.