Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, New Orleans is a city that hides mansions that will take you back in time to discover the opulent lifestyle of the former owners of these vast territories.

They are known as plantations because , in their heyday , these lands were used to grow different raw materials, generating huge profits for their owners. Now they have become one of the things to see and do in New Orleans that you definitely cannot miss.

One of the most important plantations on this side of the South is definitely Oak Valley Plantation, and during the five-and-a-half-hour tour, you will have the opportunity to see the 28 oak trees that welcome you at the entrance to the house.

As one of the most important plantations, there are many options for visiting Oak Alley Plantation from New Orleans. Some of them offer the possibility of combining the tour with a boat trip through the swamps, while others offer a guided tour of the Laura plantation as well.

There is a restaurant where you can eat for an additional price. You will also see a large number of agricultural objects and machinery that were used during the golden age of this house.

Details of interest

• Price: The tour costs approximately £56 per person.
• Duration: It can last between 5 hours and 30 minutes to approximately 6 hours. You can stay a little longer if you want to eat at the restaurant or stop at the gift shop.
• Transportation: To get to the plantation, a tourist bus will pick you up in the city of New Orleans. Once you are inside the plantation, the tour will be entirely on foot.

An expert guide will accompany you on a guided tour of the entire plantation, which was once one of the leading producers of sugar cane. The rich cultural experience you will enjoy here is one of Louisiana's best-kept secrets.

Inside the Laura Plantation mansion are objects of great historical value.

At the same time, many items that belonged to the slaves who lived here have been preserved. You can see where and how they lived, slept, ate and spent their days.

Interesting details

• Price: Admission and guided tour cost approximately £20 per person.
• Duration: This is a short visit that can last between an hour and a half and two and a half hours.
• Transport: You will need to make your own way to the plantation by bus or taxi. Once inside, you will be able to explore the main mansion, the gardens and the rest of the site on foot.
• Advantages of this tour: You can bring baby carriages, service animals are allowed, and children can also participate in the experience. The tour is not cancelled due to bad weather, so you should dress in layers to be prepared for both winter and summer.
• Disadvantages of this tour: It is not accessible for wheelchair users. The guided tour is in French at 1:00 p.m., although it is possible to request the tour in Spanish.

The Houmas House experience is more than just a guided tour of the New Orleans plantations. It is a truly privileged journey back in time, where you will have the opportunity to learn first-hand about all the details of slavery in the South before and even after its abolition.

One of the most special things about this place is that, from the moment you arrive, the house guides welcome you in period costumes that will make you feel like you are walking through the plantations two centuries ago. On these grounds, whose mansion dates back to before the Civil War, huge quantities of sugar cane were produced.

Interesting details

• Price: You can get this type of guided tour for approximately £25 per person.
• Duration: The entire tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
• Transportation: You must make your own way from the city of New Orleans to the plantation. Once inside, the tour of the entire site is on foot.

Destrehan is the oldest plantation in the entire state of Louisiana, so there is no shortage of history to explore here. The journey from New Orleans to this plantation is really short, just 25 minutes from the city centre.

At this plantation, you can see an original document signed by Thomas Jefferson, as well as many valuable objects from the Civil War era that are still in perfect condition today.

In addition, you can enjoy visiting the green areas, and if you wish, you can combine this tour with a boat ride through the surrounding marshes.

Details of interest

• Price: This excursion costs approximately £24 per person.
• Duration: The tour lasts approximately two hours, not including the time it takes to get to the plantation.
• Transportation: The tour of the plantation is on foot, so wear shoes suitable for walking.

Destrehan has a rich history of slavery, which was the law in the southern United States for many centuries. It is not surprising, therefore, that the place has a dark energy that is easy to sense.

That is why on this night tour you will have the opportunity to learn about the paranormal events that are common on this plantation.

This experience is not for the faint of heart. You will visit the plantation at night to learn about the history of the slaves who participated in the 1811 uprising and how their spirits still roam the grounds.

The tour is led by a voodoo historian who will tell you everything you need to know about these practices and how they became so famous in the state of Louisiana.

Details of interest

• Price: This experience can cost approximately £260 per person.
• Duration: The tour will last approximately three hours from the time you arrive at the plantation.
• Transportation: Round-trip transportation from New Orleans is included in the price and will be provided in a bus suitable for the number of people.

6. Whitney and St. Joseph Plantation Tour

On this six-hour tour of both plantations, you will visit the most beautiful and best-preserved parts of each mansion, where history is kept alive.

The visit to St. Joseph's Plantation is thought-provoking and emotional, as the tour is offered by family members who still own the house.

You will see many objects that have been preserved over time to preserve the historical memory of this town. You can also visit the grounds around the mansion to see the sugar cane plantation that is still maintained on the estate.

Details of interest

• Price: You can find these tickets at an approximate price of £117 per person.
• Duration: The entire tour from departure in New Orleans and the entire tour inside the plantations, as well as the return trip, can take approximately six hours.
• Transportation: The trip is made in a properly equipped van with a maximum capacity of 13 passengers.

Now converted into a resort, this plantation is one of the most remarkable in terms of its exterior design. Inside, it also features various objects that have been preserved over time, but its most precious treasure is the architecture of the house.

During this short guided tour, you will have the opportunity to see the rooms in the Nottoway mansion and take a tour around the house.

You will see various plaques and commemorative items belonging to the people who lived in the mansion and spent their days as slaves.

Details of interest

• Price: To take the guided tour, you must pay approximately £18 per person. Children may pay up to £12 each.
• Duration: This is a short tour that lasts just two hours.
• Transportation: You must make your own way to the Nottoway Plantation. Once inside, the guided tour is on foot through the house and the surrounding area.

This is one of the most comprehensive plantation tours available and one of the best guided tours in New Orleans, as it takes you back in time to the era of slavery in the United States.

It includes a visit to a museum commemorating all the victims who passed through this plantation, where you can also see artefacts from the 18th century, works of art and buildings that have been remodelled to offer you a more complete experience.

Details of interest

• Price: A guided tour of the Whitney plantation costs approximately £55 per person.
• Duration: The entire tour lasts approximately three hours.
• Transportation: Transportation from New Orleans to the Whitney Plantation is by air-conditioned bus with all amenities. Once inside the plantation, you will take the tour on foot.

This has become one of the best-preserved historic homes in southern Louisiana, offering tourists a wide range of activities to enjoy on the estate. One of the activities you can enjoy is a tour of the grounds.

During the guided tour, you will have the opportunity to see both the sugar cane plantation and the mansion located on the estate.

Madewood also offers the opportunity to stay on the plantation and have breakfast there, enjoying the menu of this restaurant, which could easily be included among the best food tours in New Orleans.

Details of interest

• Price: For the guided tour, you will need to pay an entrance fee of approximately £18 per person. If you would like to stay overnight and request breakfast the following day, please check prices when you arrive at the plantation.
• Duration: The tour lasts approximately two hours to see the entire site.
• Transportation: You must make your own arrangements to get to the plantation. The tour of the plantation is on foot.

• Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes, as most of these tours are on foot, so you will have to walk a lot to see most of the plantations.
• Be sure to include a visit to the plantations among your summer activities in New Orleans, as this is the time of year when the weather is most pleasant and the humidity is considerably lower, allowing you to explore the area without any problems.
• Include this activity among the things to see and do in New Orleans with children, especially in the case of historical visits to the plantations. Seeing and experiencing history is the best way to learn about it.
• If you want to go during the high season, make your reservations as soon as possible so you can secure availability to enjoy the excursion.

The experience of visiting the plantations of New Orleans is exciting because you get to explore the vast grounds surrounding the mansions and see inside them. But it is also an enriching cultural and historical experience that will leave a lasting impression as you discover the past of these places.

It is a great adventure to learn about the history of slavery in this place and see with your own eyes objects dating back to the 18th century that have been preserved to this day.