I was expecting Gilbert Dauterive to welcome us, but instead, we were greeted by a few mosquitoes…read more I get it, this tour and premise is more of a glorification of slavery, but after visiting the Whitney plantation, it was fine for me to get to see the other side of things. Their gardens and trees are breathtaking, a setup that one only dreams of seeing when watching Southern movies and shows. Our tour guide was phenomenal, and the way that the house is arranged vividly displays what life was like for some during those times. It's a must-visit. If you can't make it, play Beyoncé's "Deja Vu" music video for a second-hand experience.

The gumbo in this place is super tasty! The rice was cooked just right! The friend green tomato was…read moreyummy. I enjoyed the salad with blackened shrimp and some pepper jelly vinaigrette- it could have been spicer - but that's just me ;) The service was amazing - and the decor was incredible! Looking at old pics of the big house was something else. The gumbo was one of the better ones - I enjoyed it!

Visited Laura Plantation on February 28, 2026 and had a really great experience overall…read more Our tour guide, Christine, was fantastic. She was not only very informative but also incredibly kind and personable. She had a way of explaining the history that made the tour feel engaging rather than just a typical scripted presentation. By the end, it almost felt like you were being shown around by a friend rather than just a guide. The tour itself is about 2-3 hours long and involves a fair amount of walking, so I definitely recommend wearing comfortable shoes. One tip: if you're planning to visit and don't have your own vehicle, make sure to purchase the ticket option that includes transportation. It will make things much easier. Also keep in mind that there aren't many food options nearby. Unless you're planning to walk quite a distance, it's a good idea to eat beforehand or plan your meal for after the tour. There's also a small museum on the property that's worth checking out. It's close by and provides additional background and stories that help give more context to the plantation's history. Overall, this was a very informative and meaningful tour, and I would definitely recommend it if you're visiting the area.

I visited Laura Plantation back in June 2017 and thoroughly enjoyed the tour. The architecture of…read morethe buildings and the grounds are lovely. But if you're a history buff, it provides a lot of detail, from the Civil War to the creole plantation owners, and the lives of the enslaved. I found it to be very informative. The plantation is about 1-hour west of New Orleans (good for a day-trip), but it's in the middle of nowhere.

The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, or Atchafalaya Swamp bridge, Louisiana French "L'Atchafalaya"…read more is a 18.2-mile bridge, one of the few roads from Grosse Tete, Louisiana, to Henderson, Louisiana An 18.2 mile bridge that crosses the largest swamp in the US, or if you rather, the largest wetlands in the US. A "Swamp" is a forested wetland. It's an enchanting sight for sure. Nothing like it in the world. It has its own beauty like none other. Home to the Alligator & Nutria. Nutria is a swamp "rat" that is trapped for its luxurious fur. Fur more luxurious than a mink. Cooks up better than a chicken & you can train them as pets. haha. The Atchafalaya swamp is best known for its iconic cypress-tupelo swamp trees, roughly 260,000 breathtaking acres, the largest remaining contiguous tract of coastal cypress trees in the United States. Mostly destroyed by the loggin industry in the 1800's. From 1830 to 1953, the community of "Bayou Chene" the native Chitimacha tribe, lived & thrived there logging, hunting, trapping & fishing the shallow waters. There were a few Chitimacha villages or "towns" there, the "Village of Bones" or "Namu Katsi" the "Cottonwood Village" known as "Kushuh Namu" in the Chitimacha language. That's all gone. Completely gone. Like it wasn't even there. Vanished into the silty shallows. You can research it, it's an interesting read if you enjoy Native American History. Long story short, after years of flooding, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers screwing it up, turning it into a permanent flood zone, with disaster after disaster of rising waters, the community left with the closing of the United States Post Office at Bayou Chene in 1952. Most of the residents of Bayou Chene relocated to the nearby basin towns like New Iberia, St. Martinville & Breaux Bridge, like my grandfather. Today, absolutely nothing remains of the native American "swamp community." The government loves to destroy, "order thru chaos" next it will be "fill in the blank" community. It's history & memories buried underneath the murky waters of the Atchafalaya Basin. It's only visible reminder of what once was, is ugly cut down ancient cypress tree stumps from the loggers that will never grow back. Not for centuries, if ever. Long time ago, my Grandfather had a fishing cabin here, his father b4 him. We all have many great childhood stories & memories staying with my grandfather in Breaux Bridge. With my father away at war, mother visiting her parents, my grandparents, I was born here, in Louisiana, even thou we lived in Pensacola at that time. All that I have left, all that remains of it now, is this photo I have of my mother & her cousin, my Uncle playing outside there on the Atchafalaya Basin. You can see the iconic trees in the background. My mother sure does look adorable in her cowboy boots. A real beauty like none other just like the Atchafalaya basin. My heart aches for a people erased, a one of a kind ancient forest lost. But my memories of her, and our time together there, will forever remain. Highest recommendations.

I do love a good bridge! And even better is when they seem to be stable and not so scary you feel…read moreyou will fall from. This has a peaceful view that is relaxing. It is a long bridge over a bayou/swamp area, I guess the Atchafalaya Basin. I can imagine boaters going along fishing, swamp creatures doing their thing, wild boars doing whatever they do. Being fairly straight, at some times the sides narrow in, at least there is a breakdown lane for the most part. I can also imagine a hunting or fishing shack being somewhere in the middle and a family having owned it since the beginning of time. I really like this bridge.

Like I said in my review of the state capitol, I was born here, my grandparents lived here. My…read moregrandfather worked downtown. We spent a lot of time as kids downtown Baton Rouge AKA "Red Stick" its french. OuiOui. My brother & I leaned to roller skate in the Capitol park here when we were kids. It's an amazing place indeed. French Louisiana *is* the state with the most spectacular history, food & ART. No one can deny its relentless beauty and uniqueness. Especially "Downtown Baton Rouge" right on the Mighty Mississippi River. Home of the LSU Tigers baby meow! Laissez les bons temps rouler. OuiOui. Highest Recommendations.

We had a great visit. Family, Fun, & Great food…read more "Southern hospitality", is a real thing!

The tallest capitol building in the United States is well worth a visit. The lobby is gorgeous and…read moreyou can take the elevator up to an outdoor viewing area with 360 degree views of the city. There is a small gift shop up there, too. You can also peek into both the state legislature rooms which are amazingly detailed and decorated. Don't forget to find the back hallway on the ground level where Huey Long was shot. There are still many, many bullet holes in the walls from that incident, believe it or not. It's free to visit and well worth checking out.

This state capitol feels like a monument to both old and new. Sprouting out amongst the nearby…read morebuildings as a concrete obelisk, you probably wouldn't think much of the Louisiana State Capitol. Its greens are a bit underwhelming but as you get closer to the building you do get a sense of its historic significance. Once you're in and past security you're greeted with an art deco style interior that feels old and outdated but in a bit of a charming way. Going on a Friday before a long weekend meant the place was a ghost town but that was nice as we felt we had the whole place to ourselves to explore. There wasn't much going on when we went but they do have an amazing observation deck that allows for beautiful views of the Baton Rouge area (for free!). You do have to take two elevators to reach the top but it's well worth it. Keeping with the theme both elevators are small and old fashioned which kind of adds to the charm. There's also a gift shop at the top where we bought some magnets from for a reasonable price. This was a fun pit stop we hit along the way to New Orleans which is how we would view this place as a whole. There's nothing here that would make you go out of your way for it, especially with how difficult parking can be around there (we walked 10 minutes from our spot). However, if you're on your way to NOLA or are very interested in Louisiana's state history, then this place would definitely be for you.

Built in the Greek Revival style in the early 1800's, this house was taken over by the city at one…read morepoint as a meeting center and skating rink, all walls inside removed. At one point they were going to tear it down. A city council member stepped up, suggested they restore the house and give tours. They do have various fundraisers like dinners and the like. The tour is $12, cash only. The guide was an amazing gentleman with a wealth of knowledge about the history of the town and this building. He also does tours at another place on main street. This whole tour was a delight, and the house was quite nice.

We enjoyed visiting the old buildings and reading the history of each. They had a live musician…read moreplaying cajun music and he was very pleasant and entertaining. The place is nicely kept.

We adored our time at the Acadian Village. However, we visited at night during their Noel Acadien…read moreAu Village Christmas event, not during regular hours when they offer their history tour. I fondly remember visiting as a child and having the wonderful opportunity to learn how the early Acadian settlers homesteaded in their quaint Acadian cottages. Everything from making soap with lard, to spinning linen from cotton. They even used indigo flowers to make blue dye. Our visit for Christmas, although absent of a history tour, included a beautiful stroll through an illuminated Acadian Village. There was a beautiful manger set up, as well as the village chapel decorated with thousands of lights. Definitely worth a very inexpensive entry fee to meander through the village and experience some holiday cheer. They also had an amusement park decorated in lights, but we didn't get a chance to check out any rides, as the lines were pretty long for most of them, and we arrived late. Our visit definitely put me in the holiday spirit though! I plan to come back after the holidays for a history tour. It's such a nice place rich in history and culture.

What an amazing museum! I had gotten a brochure about them from the tourist information center in…read morethe town next door, Morgan City and I am so glad that I finally stopped by. The lady working was very friendly and informative. The most impressive (to me) room was the one dedicated to the Orphan Train travelers who grew up here in this city. They were numbered less than 12 in total, but all led wonderful lives. The room chronically listing all of the live oak trees is amazing. The room showing all of the historical homes was nice. I liked the history of the area. Run off donations, so make a contribution! I love a good small museum.

I think of the three or so plantation tours I've done in New Orleans, this has been my favorite…read more The grounds, while very comprehensive and complete, are not the fanciest (a la Southern Oaks Plantation). However, the tour itself is the very very best. I had a local native, Renee, as my tour guide, and she is an 18-year veteran at giving the tours. Since it's just her, they only offer Mon-Sat 11:30 and 2pm tours. (She gets a little half hour lunch break in there.) + Experienced local guide + Tour includes Creole era (1700s French/German), Antebellum era (Louisiana purchase/slaves/America), post-war through Great Depression, after the Great Depression (restoration of house and grounds) + Comprehensive grounds with the original slave quarters, kitchen, garconnieres, pidgeon houses, 1900s boxwood gardens, Creole interior, and Greek Revival exterior + Owner cares for main house and is an avid period furniture collector + Senior discounts - Cash only - Limited tours (11:30am, 2pm, no Sundays) Renee is half Creole and half American. To me, it was always hard to understand what is a Creole vs. a Cajun or American. She does a great job of explaining it all: the relevant time periods, the change in ownership, the architectural and garden additions, the functions and placements of the various buildings, and even the difference in slave treatment during the Creole vs Antebellum periods. You can take pictures everywhere except the interior of the house, as it is still in use by the owner. As a history buff and a little bit of a school nerd, this was by far my favorite plantation tour in the Vacherie region.

Very educational visit. The premises is stunning. The house itself is so beautiful. 2 reasons why…read morewe stopped by 1.) It was in the movie Django and Antebellum. 2.) It is on the way to Oak Alley plantation from New Orleans. This place too had an alley that had lined Oak trees. Tickets must be reserved online. It is great to know that your ticket prices goes to restoring the place and for maintenance on the property. Definitely a must go. Highly recommend to others.