- Destinations
- Travel Videos
- Statewide Attractions
- Attractions
- Things To Do
- Festivals & Events
- Browse Brochures
- Shopping Cart
Travel Guides
Other Destinations and Travel Brochures you may be interested in that are nearby your selection:
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow
Drive the breathtaking Great River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge to escape to Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow, one of the top plantations in Louisiana.
Giant moss-covered oaks lace the sky above as you stroll lush gardens, the aromas of traditional Louisiana cuisine fill the air at award-winning restaurants, and elegant rooms welcome you to a luxurious inn. W
hen you visit Houmas House Plantation, known as “The Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road,” you will be entertained and pampered until all cares fade into the background and you can simply appreciate the tranquility of this historic place.
Hour-long guided tours of the Houmas House Plantation are offered on the hour and half hour seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Your docent, dressed in period costume, brings Houmas House’s past alive through vivid stories and song. Learn about the sugar barons and their families that once lived here at “The Sugar Palace,” and explore what was once one of the largest sugar plantations in the country. Tours are also offered in French and can be booked to include round-trip transportation from New Orleans.
To move at your own pace, opt for the self-guided tour of the gardens, where the seasons are reflected by the ever-changing plants and flowers. You’ll see the herbs, fruits, and vegetables used in the restaurants at Houmas House Plantation, like basil, lemon balm, dill, mint, and edible flowers. Allow the tranquility of this oasis embrace you as you rest near the gardens’ many water features and listen to birds chirping nearby.
Head to The Turtle Bar for mint juleps or French 75s before dinner at The Carriage House Restaurant, which serves traditional Louisiana dishes with a contemporary twist. Café Burnside is popular for lunch and Sunday brunch for its delectable shrimp po’boys, crab cakes, and crawfish and brie omelets. All feature locally-grown produce on their menus.
Of course, you must visit The Wine Cellars of Houmas House with quite an impressive wine list for you to choose from—and a history that pairs well.
There’s so much to see and do at Houmas House, you could stay here all day. And all night, as it turns out. Treat yourself to a stay at The Inn at Houmas House, where you can snuggle up in luxury cottages adorned with chandeliers, fireplaces, and front porches with rocking chairs. For the peaceful opulence of Louisiana’s plantation country, look no further than Houmas House Plantation.
Video Modal
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens Hours & Tour Prices
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow Slideshow
View Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow Slideshow
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens Tour with Transportation from New Orleans
- Admission and tour of plantation
- Local tour guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Commentary en route to plantation
- Entry/Admission - Houmas House and Gardens
- Alcoholic Beverages
- French Quarter, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA Please arrive at the Gray Line Lighthouse (behind JAX Brewery) at least 15 minutes prior to tour departure to exchange your voucher for a boarding ticket.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- You'll start at French Quarter New Orleans, LA 70130, USA Please arrive at the Gray Line Lighthouse (behind JAX Brewery) at least 15 minutes prior to tour departure to exchange your voucher for a boarding ticket. See address & details
- 1 Houmas House and Gardens Stop: 3 hours - Admission included Guests will have a one hour tour of the historic mansion and free time to explore 38 acres of lush gardens. They can purchase beverages at the Turtle Bar or a Creole buffet lunch in Cafe Burnside, both located on the grounds. Read more Pass by Lake Pontchartrain I-10 Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge
- You'll return to the starting point
- 523timif 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful Plantation and Swamp Tour! This tour of Oak Alley Plantation and swamp tour was great! Bob S. was an excellent guide with a wealth of knowledge of New Orleans history. He was funny and entertaining and helped make the tour a success. Our driver, Stacy, was a beast behind the wheel of the charter bus and got us safely to and from the tour. 5 stars all around! Read more Written April 15, 2024
- lynnbO7555CY 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles New Orleans City Tour We took the Gray Line city tour. Our tour guide was Lesley and driver was Duane. Lesley was very knowledgeable about the area and was pleasant to listen to. Stops at City Park, Garden District and the cemetery provided nice intervals to move around and see things outside of the bus. We felt like we learned quite a lot about the area. Duane was very skilled in managing the bus through the city. Read more Written April 14, 2024
- sarahrQ3158YK 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Awesome tour Great experience on the Oak Alley Plantation and swamp tour. Our tour guide Earley was amazing. Learned a lot about New Orleans and the history. Highly recommend. Read more Written April 14, 2024
- susansP5735PS 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Worthwhile Worthwhile trip to Whitney Plantation. Realistic tour of what plantation life was REALLY like. Unvarnished view of realities of slavery in LA in 18th and 19th century. Appreciate the dignity and respect given to enslaved occupants of this plantation. We did audio tour but next time I would also book tour with guide in advance. Read more Written April 14, 2024
- melodyh260 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Pleasant way to spend a few hours. The swamp/bayou are so beautiful and peaceful. The bus driver Bryant and our boat captain were informative and very friendly. Read more Written April 14, 2024
- ashleypF7181WR 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Fun Bachelorette Activity! We enjoyed this tour as part of a bachelorette party weekend! It was the perfect late afternoon activity, and Bob S. was very personable and engaging. The Ramos gin fizz at Bourbon O' Bar was the favorite drink of our group (and well-shaken for 6 minutes). We returned the next day for a second round! Read more Written April 13, 2024
- WilliamH1908 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great way to spend the day. I took the Oak Alley plantation and swamp tour. Our guide, Dionne, was fantastic! She was very entertaining and knowledgeable. The Oak Alley plantation is gorgeous. There was plenty of time to explore the grounds before and after the tour of the main house. The swamp boat ride was captained by Thomas Billiot who was hilarious and took us to see lots of alligators and other critters. This tour was a great way to spend the day Read more Written April 13, 2024
- aliciagC4375EU 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A Must Do Tour- Request Dionne! Highly recommend this tour! You MIST ask for Dionne as your tour guide. She is very knowledgeable and the best part of the tour was learning all the history of New Orleans stories that she shared. Kesha, our driver, was awesome! She made sure to slow down at each plantation for us to take a picture as Dionne thoroughly described the history of each. Tom was our tour guide for the Cajun Pride Swamp Tour and he was amazing! He stood on the side of the boat barefoot with chicken to bate the alligators!!! Five + stars for this tour! Read more Written April 12, 2024
- Discover44773491792 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fantastic Swamp and Plantation Tour Plantation tour was nice and informative. Swamp tour was fantastic! Captain Tom was knowledgeable and very entertaining. Lots of critters to see on the tour. Read more Written April 12, 2024
- mwB4004WC 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles A worthwhile experience I wasn't initially interested in visiting a plantation, but saw that Whitney focuses specifically on the experience and history of the enslaved people living and working on this and other plantations in Louisiana. A worthwhile, moving, and educational experience. This tour includes an informative audio tour, but I was sorry to miss out on a guided tour from the site staff. Alton, the bus driver, was knowledgeable and engaging, and shared a lot of information about New Orleans and Louisiana on the way there and back - highly recommend him! Read more Written April 11, 2024
- teachiep 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Intriguing and Impactful Whitney Plantation The Whitney Plantation was absolutely intriguing and impactful. Our tour guide Alton was the best and had a wealth of knowledge about New Orleans in general (look for him if booking). Read more Written April 10, 2024
- yolandamU3608HP 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Overall Good We loved both the plantation tour and the swamp boat ride. Jim, our tour guide for the Destrehan plantation was very knowledgeable and did a good job of explaining the history. After the Plantation Tour me and mom pulled Jim aside to discuss more of New Orleans rich history! As we were speaking we learned about how black women owned a lot of land in the French Quarter, the contracts some of them took to have a better life for them and their kids and the Free Colored People at that time! We believe that adding this information would be a full circle moment to the tour itself, turning it from good to great! However, our favorite part was the swamp boat ride, we had the best tour guide ever! TOM IS THE BOMB!! If you guys can choose, please try and get Tom to be your swamp boat tour guide. He was funny, kept our interest and very knowledgeable about the bayou and swamps. Never a dull moment with him! Read more Written April 8, 2024
- Q427BQlizt 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Very enjoyable day - highly recommended Great and interesting trip. Our guide Kate and the driver Trianice were excellent and we learnt so much from Kate. I do think they skirted around some topics too much ..,there should be recognition for the atrocities that the slaves suffered. The swamp tour was much better than I thought it would be. Captain Dennis was ever good and very funny. We saw many alligators raccoons and wild boar. Highly recommended Read more Written April 8, 2024
- debracF9513IV 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour Latoya Gave a great tour with lots of historical information and facts. I previously did a ghost tour here in New Orleans and this this was much better. Read more Written April 8, 2024
- robfE1993DE 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent! Great experience! Plantation tour was beautiful and very informative. Captain Ernie on the swamp tour was extremely funny and full of information about the wetlands of Louisiana. Amazing tour! Read more Written April 7, 2024
More to explore in New Orleans
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens Tour with Transportation from New Orleans provided by Gray Line
IMAGES