Oak Alley Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

Greek Revival mansion and close-range gators in one afternoon

This 8-hour tour from New Orleans combines a visit to Oak Alley Plantation (a 1837 Greek Revival estate with a quarter-mile oak-lined path and plantation house) with a 35-minute airboat ride through the swamp. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with a professional guide who leads both the plantation walk and the airboat tour. You get a free hour to explore the grounds at your own pace, then board a 6 or 9-passenger airboat with stadium seating for unobstructed views.

Step-by-step itinerary

Oak Alley Plantation and Airboat Tour

• Visit Oak Alley Plantation house
• Explore plantation grounds and Oaks
• Enjoy free time at restaurant and gift shop
• Take high-speed airboat swamp tour
• Stop for photos and wildlife viewing
• Receive personal tour from local Captain

The experience

If you're staying in New Orleans without a car, this tour solves the logistics: the driver picks you up at your hotel and handles the drive to Oak Alley, about 35 minutes outside the city. You arrive at the plantation in the morning, walk the grounds with your guide, and tour the main house: built in 1837 with the distinctive Greek Revival columns and period details that made it a film location. The quarter-mile approach is lined with twenty-eight evenly spaced oak trees, and you have an hour of free time to linger, grab lunch at the on-site restaurant, or browse the gift shop before heading to the airboat dock.

The airboat itself is the second half of the day. You board a high-speed vessel with stadium seating: each row sits higher than the one in front, so nobody's head blocks your view. The captain runs the boat at speed across open water, then slows down and cuts the engine for photo stops. Gators surface close enough that you can see their eyes and scales. The captain points out wildlife and explains what you're seeing. The ride lasts 35 minutes total, and the boat holds either 6 or 9 passengers depending on which departure you choose. The airboat is loud and fast, and the swamp is their habitat. You're moving through it, not watching from a distance.

The driver returns you to your hotel by late afternoon. Gators are easiest to spot in spring, summer, and fall. They hibernate in winter, so sightings are not guaranteed in the cold months. If you're traveling with other people, book everyone together to ensure you're on the same boat. Separate bookings don't guarantee you'll be grouped together.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in New Orleans.
• professional driver and guide for both the plantation and airboat portions.
• entry to Oak Alley Plantation and tour of the house.
• 35-minute airboat ride through the swamp with a local captain.

Information

Lasts 8h, runs every day at 08:15, from US$ 180 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 9 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:15Another time? ›

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Louisiana Tour company

Is this one for you?Pick this if you're staying in New Orleans without a car: hotel pickup and drop-off lets you combine the plantation house tour with a swamp airboat ride in one day.

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Top questions

What's the drive time from New Orleans to Oak Alley Plantation?

The plantation is 35 minutes from New Orleans, so you spend roughly an hour round-trip in the vehicle before and after the tour activities.

Do I get to go inside the plantation house?

Yes, your guide leads a tour of the Oak Alley house itself, and you also have a free hour to explore the grounds, the quarter-mile oak-lined path, and the restaurant or gift shop on your own.

How fast does the airboat go?

The airboat travels at high speed across open water, then slows down and stops for photo opportunities and wildlife viewing. The captain controls the pace based on what you're seeing and where you are in the swamp.

Will I definitely see alligators?

Gators are easily spotted in spring, summer, and fall, but they hibernate in winter months, so sightings are not guaranteed during the cold season.

How many people fit on the airboat?

The airboat holds either 6 or 9 passengers depending on the departure you book. Stadium seating means each row sits higher than the one in front so everyone has a clear view.

What happens if I'm traveling with friends? Will we be on the same boat?

If you're booking multiple passengers, make one reservation with all of them listed to ensure you're assigned to the same boat. Separate bookings don't guarantee you'll be grouped together.