New Orleans swamp tour

[anteaters]

Hi! We'll be in New Orleans in April with two girls, ages 6 and 9. We'd like to book a swamp tour. Has anyone been on a good one, with contact information? Also, if you did anything else with our age children that was really enjoyed, please let us know. We'll just have a couple of days after going on a week's cruise. Thanks!

[Crawfordscrackers]

I'm looking at this too as we have a 4 year old and a 13 year old and thought it would be good fun. Let me know if you find one and vice-versa.

[anteaters]

I'm looking at this too as we have a 4 year old and a 13 year old and thought it would be good fun. Let me know if you find one and vice-versa.

Agreed. Since no one (but you) has come on yet today with an answer, it's not looking promising. But if research comes up with anything good, I'll let you know.

[Almost Packed]

on our roll call, we have a local. she has suggested the aquarium which is very close to the port. she says it's really nice.

 

i'm just beginning my research for our second cruise out of NOLA as we are not going to have any extra time on our first cruise out of NOLA for sightseeing.

 

hope that helps a bit.

 

p.s.

i just read about pick pocketers so be careful. i know they are everywhere not just nola, but it was mentioned on the boards so i thought i'd pass the caution on.

[anteaters]

on our roll call, we have a local. she has suggested the aquarium which is very close to the port. she says it's really nice.

 

i'm just beginning my research for our second cruise out of NOLA as we are not going to have any extra time on our first cruise out of NOLA for sightseeing.

 

hope that helps a bit.

 

p.s.

i just read about pick pocketers so be careful. i know they are everywhere not just nola, but it was mentioned on the boards so i thought i'd pass the caution on.

 

Thanks for that aquarium suggestion!

[snorkelmom19]

Hi,

 

My family used Jean Lafitte for a 8 person airboat ride last June--it was a great time. My kids got to hold baby alligators and feed the alligators in the swamp. We were picked up at our hotel (JW Marriott) in a nice tour bus. Just google Jean Lafitte. It was our second favorite excursion of the trip after Maya Key on Roatan. Have fun on your trip.

[anteaters]

Hi,

 

My family used Jean Lafitte for a 8 person airboat ride last June--it was a great time. My kids got to hold baby alligators and feed the alligators in the swamp. We were picked up at our hotel (JW Marriott) in a nice tour bus. Just google Jean Lafitte. It was our second favorite excursion of the trip after Maya Key on Roatan. Have fun on your trip.

 

Thanks! That's just the kind of info I hoped for!

[World Gallery]

Hi. I am a local and we have been on the Honey Island swamp tour and my kids have done many different swamp tour field trips over the years. I would say that it isn't the tour company you choose, but rather the time of year you go. It saddens me that not all tour companies are going to be honest with you about seeing gators. You simply won't see any in the winter. We did one last November and saw part of the head of 2 gators. I am not sure about April because I guess it would depend on the weather over the weeks before your arrival. It is usually warm in April and maybe by then they are out of hibernation and sunning themselves on the logs.

Also, some sites may say,"Guaranteed to see gators" anytime and what this means is that they keep a baby gator in a bin covered up on the boat and bring it out during the middle of the tour and show it to you.

 

I would call a few tour companies and back them into a corner and make them tell you if the gators will be out in April. If they can't tell you, I would go to the Aquarium, where you are guaranteed to see them and it is a great aquarium.

 

On another note, without kids, the swamp tour can still be great in the winter and fall if you are not expecting to see gators. The swamp itself is beautiful almost surreal in certain places with the moss and Cyprus trees.

A great movie to watch before a swamp tour is the Disney movie Princess and the Frog. It takes place in New Orleans and mostly in a swamp. Great movie!

[Carl Nival]

http://www.louisianaswamp.com/

 

I toured the swamps with the Louisiana Tour Company last month and had a great time. We saw 2 gators in the wild (very small ones) and 1 gator that was the captain's pet that he brought onboard with him. We saw egrets and herons, as well. This was December, so I imagine the opportunities to see wildlife will be much better in April. The tour was fun and educational.

 

If they haven't seen it already, I'd recommend showing your children Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" before taking them on this tour. Disney used this tour company when they did research about animating a swamp. Our captain, Reggie Dumaine, was the inspiration for the firefly character in that movie.

[anteaters]

Thanks so much for your information. You have given me good possibilities. I appreciate your time.

[WLHyatt]

I would have to also recommend the Jean Laffite Swamp tour.

It's right outside the city on the West Bank off of Barataria and Lafitte-Larose Highway.

I've been on their tour twice and would suggest it to anyone.

[Gingee]

I wish I could remember the name of the swamp tour that we took last Christmastime. It is in a suburb north of New Orleans (maybe 45 minutes with traffic). If I heard it, I would know it. We went by homes (some I don't see how they could be considered homes) and some (were beautiful). We did see a alligator and a few other creatures.

[mutzy]

we did city tour and swamp tour with cajan encounters. i would not

suggest doing both tours in the same day- they said we would have

an hr for lunch between tours- DID NOT HAPPEN. i really enjoyed

both tours. we saw 10 alligators on the swamp tour- really had

fun. the do make the children wear life jackets which i think is good

[notes4theheart]

We just booked with Cajun Pride Swamp Tours mainly because they are located very close to several plantations. We're renting a car for the day to drive to the tour and then the plantations