Welcome to Louisiana
Louisiana runs deep: a French colony turned Spanish protectorate turned reluctant American purchase; a southern fringe of swampland, bayou and alligators dissolving into the Gulf of Mexico; a northern patchwork prairie of heartland farm country; and everywhere, a population tied together by a deep, unshakable appreciation for the good things in life: food and music.
Top experiences in Louisiana
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Louisiana activities
New Orleans Swamp Boat and Plantations Tour
You'll start your day driving out to Cajun Country, where you'll go through wild cypress swamps, over the Mississippi River on an impressive suspended bridge, and along vast sugarcane fields, as the guide tells a unique story of the odyssey of the Cajun people.Next you'll take a narrated boat tour (about 1.5 hours) on winding bayous in remote cypress swamps. Your Cajun guide, also an alligator hunter and fur trapper, will share his knowledge of the swamp including reptile habits, healing plants and exotic birds. After this peaceful ride, explore his picturesque swamp zoo on Bayou Boeuf. A delicious lunch is included at Oak Alley Plantation's Cajun restaurant with a chance to experience traditional cuisine of this region.After lunch be prepared for a pilgrimage back in time. From the River Road you will see and hear all about Whitney, Josephine, and Evergreen Plantations. A guided tour of Oak Alley Plantation to admire this jewel of Greek Revival architecture. Free time to walk under a spectacular canopy of 28 giant live oaks.Next visit Laura, a Creole Plantation and her historic slave quarters surrounded by sugar cane fields. The guided tour transports you with dramatic detail into the charmed yet tragic lives of four generations of Creole owners and their slaves.Upgrade to the High-Speed Airboat option, to experience a thrilling ride as you comfortably glide over marshes and into deep, secluded bayous.
New Orleans Cooking Class
Food is considered one of the defining elements of Louisiana’s culture, and there's no better way to experience New Orleans than to taste it! During your New Orleans cooking demonstration class, embark on a sensory journey in the kitchen to discover Louisiana's rich tapestry of culinary influences -- French, Spanish, Native American, African and Indian -- as they blend into modern- day Cajun and Creole cuisine.Your cooking experts will demonstrate how to prepare classic New Orleans specialties such as gumbo, jambalaya and pralines, and will season them with history, trivia and tall tales. Learn the basics of Louisiana cooking and discover the array of spices used in this unique cuisine.Enjoy generous samplings of the demonstrated items, as well as complimentary coffee, iced tea and beer. At the end of the class, take home the recipes to show off your new skills to your friends and family!Menu items may include any of the following: gumbo, jambalaya, corn and crab bisque, shrimp or chicken creole, shrimp and artichoke soup, crawfish etoufee, bread pudding, bananas foster, pralines, and pecan pie.
New Orleans 2-Hour Steamboat Natchez Jazz Dinner Cruise
Not just a boat, the Steamboat NATCHEZ is a time machine that fills its passengers with the romance and marvel of yesteryear! Cruise along the Mississippi River and let the Steamboat NATCHEZ whisk you away with its atmosphere and ambiance, with everything from a museum- quality Engine Room to the ship's orders being called over an old-time megaphone. This evening jazz cruise is a great way to experience New Orleans' beauty and culture. As you steam ahead, soak in breathtaking views of the city skyline while enjoying a New Orleans cultural experience – a live jazz performance performed by the New Orleans band Dukes of Dixieland, a Grammy nominee. Enjoy dining inside or outside on a delectable Louisiana-style buffet dinner including prime rib, chicken, pasta and salad. Two separate dining times give you the flexibility to enjoy the evening at your own pace. A sample dinner menu can be found in the Itinerary section below. Please Note: The price displayed is based on the cruise only option. Cruise with dinner option must be selected in order to confirm that your cruise includes the meal.
New Orleans French Quarter 2.5-Hour Cocktail Walking Tour
Embark on your exploration of New Orleans’ cocktail culture from the Gray Line Lighthouse Ticket Office, right on the Mississippi River in the city’s French Quarter. Your group of like-minded 21-and-up revelers will travel the neighborhood’s historic streets, ducking in and out of watering holes and restaurants in buildings that still stand as beautiful examples of French and Spanish Colonial Architecture. While it’s easy to get lost in the history of your surroundings, the real stars of the tour are the cocktails. Listen in as your guides reveal the stories behind each inventive libation and the characters that brought them to life. Learn the origins of Southern Comfort, a liqueur invented in New Orleans in 1874, and the even older story of the Sazerac, which dates back to 1850. Sample any of your favorites by purchasing a glass. You’ll also get an inside peek into the city’s oldest restaurant and its wine cellar and private dining rooms, where some of New Orleans' most important wheelings and dealings took place. Drink in the spirit of New Orleans by enjoying this 2.5-hour tour at the beginning of your visit to the Big Easy to pinpoint the stops you must revisit, or use it as an unexpected way to bid adieu to a city that’s as rich in stories as it is in drinks to share them over. It's history—with a twist!
Small-Group Bayou Airboat Ride with Transport from New Orleans
After pickup from your downtown New Orleans or French Quarter hotel, you’ll drive to a remote swamp in Cajun Country, located less than an hour away, for an exciting high-speed airboat tour. On the way, your friendly driver will provide entertaining stories and interesting facts about the region. Board a small airboat and relax as your professional driver takes you comfortably through marshes and deep into secluded bayous. On your 1.5-hour (roughly) airboat ride, hold on tight as the airboat reaches speeds of up to 45 mph (72 kph)! See abundant cypress trees, Louisiana’s state tree, and watch for native wildlife. After your airboat tour, you’ll return to your hotel.
New Orleans Airboat Ride
Drive-out approximately 30 miles (48 km) to the embarkation point of your airboat from your New Orleans hotel. Depending on the option you selected, board a large airboat holding 15 to 25 passengers or a small airboat limited to six to eight passengers for a more intimate, personalized experience. Set out on a 20,000-acre (8,095-hectare) tract of tidewater cypress swamp close to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Your flat-bottomed airboat is powered by an aircraft propeller to allow a fast, fluid trip through the shallow marshes. Feel the wind on your face as you zip into bayous lined with mossy cypress and tupelo-gum trees and your pilot points out a stunning variety of wildlife. Prepare to see plenty of alligators in the warmer months (and warmer days in winter), some of which may be out sunning themselves on rocks! Your guide may even feed the gators, affording you amazing photo opportunities. Also keep your eyes open for turtles, snakes, egrets, herons and ibis. You may even catch sight of a hawk, owl or bald eagle. In the cooler months, look for white-tailed deer, raccoons and the large rodents known as nutria. Your morning or afternoon airboat tour ends at the embarkation point. Be sure to check out the indoor exhibits of alligators — including an albino alligator — before making your way back to downtown New Orleans on your own. Note: This tour does not include hotel pick-up or drop-off unless hotel pickup and drop-off is selected at checkout. If you have selected hotel pickup and drop-off please specify your hotel details in the 'special requirements' field at the time of checkout or advise the local operator directly after booking.