Explore a River Road Plantation Home

Duration

4 Hours

About

We’ll rendezvous at your hotel for an introduction then travel approximately one hour up River Road to a French Colonial style plantation. For many affluent plantation owners, in addition to their plantation home, they had a "townhouse" in New Orleans. Family members would come to town for business, and most importantly, for Mardi Gras. After the social season, the family would return to their plantation, upriver.

We’ll talk about the lives of the enslaved people, who’s work created the wealth of the plantation families. Once there, one of the plantation’s own guides will lead us through the colorful home. You choose which of these plantation homes you would like to visit.

Oak Alley is one the grande dames of River Road, it is widely known for the stunning corridor of live oak trees lining its entrance.

Whitney Plantation is wholly dedicated to the stories of the enslaved; it is a powerful experience. (Closed Tuesdays.)

Destrehan Plantation, in addition to the house tour, offers a changing program of demonstrations, such as historical carpentry or 19th century fashion each day.

Laura Plantation, a Creole plantation, was run by three generations of woman. The plantation story is told from the memoirs of its last owner.

Highlights

• Overview of maps

• Plantation home tour lead by one of the plantation’s own docents

• Private transportation

Logistics

The tours are embedded tours, with the plantation's own guides.

The drive is approximately 1 hour each way, depending on the plantation, approximately 4 hours total.

On the way, we’ll share information, I’ll encourage questions and dialogue.