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Small-Group Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour from New Orleans
4.6
359 Ratings
New Orleans
Experience the grandeur of Louisiana’s Mississippi River plantations on this small-group tour from New Orleans. Visit St. Joseph, Oak Alley, and Laura Plantations for a personalized and immersive journey into the history and culture of these iconic landmarks.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Lake Pontchartrain - Your trip back in time to the Antebellum South begins with pickup from your New Orleans hotel. Travel with your small group by van along the shores of Lake Ponchartrain as your guide shares facts and stories about plantation culture.
- Whitney Plantation - Recently opened to the public, it exposes the harsh realities and raw historical facts of this dark side of American history. On your self-guided walking tour, you will see slave cabins, a freedmen’s church, detached kitchen and a 1790s owner’s house. Guests will use their own cell phones to access a special Whitney Tour App. All ticket confirmations will include a link to download it. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own headphones for sanitary safety.
- Oak Alley Plantation - Stop for a photo in front of Oak Alley’s famous oak-lined esplanade.
- Laura Plantation: Louisiana’s Creole Heritage Site - A short ride through sugar cane fields brings you to Laura, a Creole Plantation with 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.
What's Included
- Guided tour of Laura Plantation
- Fun and historical live narration by driver-guide
- Transport by air-conditioned 14-passenger van
- Exact pick up time provided
- Self-guided tour of Whitney Plantation
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks (available for purchase)
Additional Information
Go beyond New Orleans to tour two grand Louisiana plantations on the banks of the Mississippi River. At Whitney Plantation, see the harsh realities and raw historical facts of a dark side of American history. The slave narratives and artwork recreate the world of a pre-Civil War southern sugar plantation and memorial in honor of the lives of the enslaved people who toiled there. Take a short drive down the Great River Road, admiring other plantations from afar and learning their unique stories. Pause in front of Oak Alley Plantation’s famous oak-lined esplanade before arriving at your last stop, Laura Plantation. Hear personal stories of those who lived there, surrounded by sweeping sugarcane fields and historically significant slave quarters. This small-group tour allows a limited number of people to ensure a more personalized attention from your guide.
- Child rate applies to all children and infants
- Service animals are permitted. Please advise at time of booking to arrange accommodations
- Tour cannot accommodate wheelchairs of any kind
Location
Lake Pontchartrain
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(359 Ratings)
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Mollere
Jul 13, 2024
An extraordinary welcome and shared emotion. - A great and beautiful souvenir en route to the Laura Plantation with Isabelle's enlightened comments on history, the environment and the women and men who built this country and live there.
Thank you for your warm welcome and enthusiasm.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gfite
Jun 24, 2024
Best money spent on NOLA vacation - I was a bit worried about the cost of this tour but it was worth every penny and more. Our guide Rene was fantastic. He provided so much history and information on the way there and social recommendations on our return. This tour takes you by several plantations and tours two. It allows you to see from the slave perspective at Whitney and more from the owner and family perspective at Laura. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P5636wdcolinr
Jun 22, 2024
Laura and Whitney Plantation Tour not to be missed!!! - There are a lot of different plantation tours but this is the only one I could find that goes to both Whitney and Laura plantations which are far and away the most interesting. We also got to stop for a photo at Oaks which is the best part of that plantation.
Rene was a great guide and kept us entertained on the drive. We went on a rainy day and Rene had umbrellas ready for us.
We were blown away by both plantations and you should really try to do both but if I had to pick one only then I was very moved by the guided tour and stories at Laura.
Both give a real perspective on the conditions and treatment of the slaves with the Laura tour sharing stories of slaves that lived most of their lives on the plantation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trip66300140833
Jun 19, 2024
If you are looking for a great tour of some local Plantations around New Orleans, check out Tours by Isabelle. - Pick up from our hotel was on time, the van was clean and with seat belts for all. Gisèle was very informative, she was able to give us information about the plantations and more. She is very knowledgeable about the history of the area.
We would highly recommend Tours by Isabelle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Becky_r
May 30, 2024
More than worth the time and money - This was unforgettable. Absolutely worth the trip and cost! Loved it and learned even more. Would love to experience another trip.
Review provided by Viator
695jeaninej
May 22, 2024
Tours by Isabelle - Whitney & Laura plantations - This tour is a must for anyone interested in plantation life in LA before the Civil War. Rene of Tour's by Isabelle was a fantastic guide, very friendly, full of knowledge, tips, jokes and lots of interesting facts about NOLA, not just the plantations. Very accommodating on pick up and drop off, I would highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
699kathryned
May 21, 2024
See Plantations in a New Way - Our driver, Rene, was a wealth of knowledge as he drove us out to the plantations. We learned history and geography which gave us a framework for our plantation tours. Both plantation tours were excellent. I had seen other plantations about 10 years ago near Charleston and Savannah, but this was totally different. There is now a focus on the lives of the residents and their relationships. One plantation has an in-person guide. The second is recorded with detailed information about each part of plantation operation and the people. This was a fascinating experience and informed many of the other things we saw on our trip to New Orleans.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Genevieve_f
May 21, 2024
Great experience! - The Tours with Isabelle was wonderfully informative and full! Giselle our tour guide was very warm and welcoming. She gave us a lot of background stories about the area. Krysten our guide at the Whitney Plantation was super nice, very knowledgeable and willing to answer any question.
Isabelle was great at coordinating and making sure i was picked up. I would definitely book again, and highly recommend her tour company!
Review provided by Viator
Carriel123
May 17, 2024
5 Stars and René is Awesome! - The tour of Laura and Whitney Plantations was amazing. I learned so much about the culture and complex history of the area. Our tour guide at Laura was incredibly knowledgeable and came from a French family that had lived in the area for generations. Our driver, Rene, was the best - so smart and entertaining - and was also a 5th generation Native of New Orleans. On the way to the plantations, he taught us SO much about the history of Louisiana, New Orleans, slavery, the geography, and even gave us tips on where to eat and see music in NOLA. I definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kraxmo
May 14, 2024
A visit to Sugar Cane plantations and slavery realities - The visits to both Whitney and Laura Plantations were very educational and helpful in understanding the cause and effects of the Louisiana Suger Cane slave Trade.
Our guide Renee was super special.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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