The 9 Best Sightseeing Tours in Louisiana!
One of the best ways to learn about an area is to tour the sites that make it unique. And Louisiana is a truly vibrant place to do so. Defined by food and music and immaculate natural spaces, there’s plenty to experience. For a look inside what Louisiana is all about, check out one of these great sightseeing tours in the state.
Creole Nature Trail All American Road Tour, Lake Charles, LA
This amazing 180-mile tour is one of only 43 scenic byways in the United States that is designated as an All-American Road. Also known as Louisiana’s Outback, the Creole Nature Trail will take you through areas of the state that include marshes, cypress forests, Gulf of Mexico beaches, and other natural areas where you can get firsthand experience of the beauty of the state. You’ll have a chance to see alligators and over 400 species of birds along the way and other animals and plant life native to this part of the country. Starting your tour at Adventure Point in Sulphur, Louisiana, you can brush up on your knowledge of all things Cajun and find out where some of the best spots are to stop along the way.
New Orleans Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour, New Orleans, LA
If you’ve wanted to see downtown New Orleans but didn’t know where to start or what to do, take a two-hour tour on the Hop-on Hop-Off Bus. Buses leave every 30 minutes with unlimited rides for the duration of our ticket. You’ll be able to see all the highlights of this amazing city including the French Market, the National World War II Museum, Jackson Square, Mardi Gras World, Riverfront Casino, and much more. An experienced guide will provide insight into what you’ll see, and there are two walking tours with the 72-hour pass. This tour is very reasonably priced, and children two and younger are free. Handicapped accessible, tour hours are from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. every day.
Dr. Wagner's Honey Island Swamp Tours, Slidell, LA
You’ll get to see some of the most unique landscapes in the southeastern part of Louisiana here on Honey Island. Alligators, red wolf, deer, and many other birds and animals native to the area can be seen from the safety and comfort of your tour boat, and knowledgeable guides will tell you stories about local history and wildlife found there. The two-hour tour happens daily and year round except for major holidays, and the cost includes round trip transportation.
Oak Valley Plantation Tour, Vacherie, LA
If you love history, you’ll love the Oak Valley Plantation Tour. Originally a sugarcane plantation, this home was built in 1805, long before the Civil War, and features 25 acres and has 12 building still standing and listed on the National Register. Located in Vacherie, Louisiana, Oak Valley sits on the Mississippi River and stands as a reminder of the grandeur of the South. You’ll see exhibits about life on a plantation, a slave house, Civil War artifacts, and a blacksmith’s shop. The plantation is open year round every day except major holidays, and tours last about two hours.
Nottoway Plantation & Resort, White Castle, LA
You’ll be awed by the glamour and splendor of Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, Louisiana. Another of the state’s original sugarcane farms built in the mid-1800s, there are a variety of tours that can be enjoyed on the property. If you like the idea of touring the mansion and grounds in a leisurely pace, you can take a self-guided audio tour any day between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Another option is to have one of the planation guides dressed in authentic clothing of the antebellum period take you through the 53,000-square-foot mansion while telling tales of its history and life during the Civil War. After either tour, you can eat at Le Café, an on-site restaurant that features traditional Louisiana cuisine.
Cajun Country Swamp Tours, Breaux Bridge, LA
Located near Lafayette, Louisiana, Cajun Country Swamp Tours are owned and operated by a father and son duo who specializes in eco-tours. Eco Tours give the participants a chance to see the beautiful and unique sites with the least amount of environmental disturbance using crawfish boats that take you right into the swamp. You’ll see alligators, cypress trees, a variety of birds and other wildlife on this special two-hour tour designed to give you a good look into the heart of Cajun Country.
Tabasco® Brand Factory Tour & Museum, Avery Island, LA
This could literally be the hottest tour you’ve ever taken. You’ll see how the famous Tabasco Sauce was first created in 1868, and how it’s still being manufactured today on beautiful Avery Island, Louisiana. There’s a museum, pepper fields, a barrel aging warehouse, the actual factory where they blend the sauce, and an onsite restaurant called 1868, where you can have lunch and do a Tabasco Sauce tasting. After lunch, you’ll take an exciting airboat ride around the island, which is really a high-water marsh that provides the perfect environment for the peppers used in the sauce.
Voodoo Bone Lady Cemetery Tour, New Orleans, LA
The Voodoo Bone Lady Cemetery Tour is one of the best and most interactive tours in the city. Known as the City of the Dead, New Orleans Cemetery #1 is the final resting place of over 100,000 people and is given by the Voodoo Bone Lady herself. With more than 30 years of experience leading tours, you’ll get information about the practice of voodoo, the history of death and dying in the area, and hear stories about the people entombed and buried there. Tours can be taken two times a day most days, and there are discounts for students, military, police, and firefighters.
Royal Carriages Tour, New Orleans, LA
In operation since 1941, you’ll travel through New Orleans the way people used to travel once upon a time. This amazing family-owned tour is one of the oldest sightseeing carriage tours in the country. You’ll travel through the French Quarter pulled by a trusty donkey and get to see and hear the famous and sometimes infamous history of the town. There are 30-minute and one-hour tours that are some of the best in the area and have been voted the #1 Carriage Tours by several social media sites. Advance reservations are highly recommended due to the popularity of these tours.
