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Glide across Louisiana’s wetlands by airboat with the New Orleans Steamboat Company. Encounter alligators, raccoons, and native birds while learning about the bayou’s rich natural and cultural history on this high-speed swamp tour.
Glide across Louisiana’s wetlands by airboat with the New Orleans Steamboat Company. Encounter alligators, raccoons, and native birds while learning about the bayou’s rich natural and cultural history on this high-speed swamp tour.
Book with New Orleans Steamboat Company
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by New Orleans Steamboat Company · Lafitte, Louisiana
Set just steps from the bustling streets of New Orleans, Woldenberg Park (400 Toulouse St) serves as the launchpad for a pulse-quickening journey into Louisiana’s sprawling wetlands. The New Orleans Steamboat Company invites travelers aboard their Large Airboat Swamp Adventure Tour, a 3 hour and 45 minute experience that pairs high-speed excitement with up-close wildlife encounters. This tour is uniquely positioned to reveal the wild landscapes surrounding the city—places often missed by typical tours—through sleek airboats that skim over shallow bayous and marshy waterways inaccessible to traditional vessels.
As the airboat powers out into the Barataria Basin, guests feel the rush of wind and water spray while cruising open waterways and narrow bayous near the historic fishing village of Jean Lafitte. This rugged terrain, rich with cypress and tupelo trees, shelters a diverse cast of creatures: watch for wild alligators sunning on muddy banks, raccoons darting among the reeds, and a vibrant assortment of native birds including herons and ibis. The tour’s local guide provides sharp, insightful commentary, highlighting the importance of these wetlands both ecologically and culturally.
More than just a thrill ride, the tour offers educational moments and the chance to see an albino alligator exhibit, an unusual sight that adds a special layer to the adventure. With round-trip transport from downtown New Orleans included, this tour makes the complex wetlands of southern Louisiana easily accessible without sacrificing authenticity.
For outdoor enthusiasts or families seeking a mix of adrenaline and nature study, the New Orleans Steamboat Company delivers a hands-on window into an environment critical to the region’s heritage and survival. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a local wanting to better understand the bayou’s living network, this airboat tour delivers an immersive and informative glimpse of the wild side just beyond the French Quarter’s edge.
easy.
3–4 hours total including transport.
Minimal physical fitness needed; able to board and remain seated on an airboat for about 1.5 hours
Children aged 5 and older are welcome, but those under 5 are not permitted for safety reasons.
Wear casual, quick-dry clothes and sturdy footwear; sunglasses and a hat are highly recommended.
Food and drinks are not included, but snacks and beverages can be purchased at the swamp location.
The airboats are not wheelchair accessible due to boarding requirements and boat design.
Water spray from the airboat is common, so expect to get a little wet especially near the front of the boat.
You’ll likely see alligators, raccoons, native birds like herons, and possibly river rodents called nutria.
The fishing village of Jean Lafitte is named after a 19th-century pirate and smuggler, adding a colorful layer to the swamp’s cultural landscape.
Tours emphasize sustainable wildlife viewing to minimize disturbance to fragile wetland ecosystems crucial to Louisiana’s environmental health.
New Orleans Steamboat Company operates historic riverboat cruises and guided excursions based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The company offers a range of Mississippi River sightseeing and jazz cruises aboard the Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS and seasonal sailings on the Steamboat NATCHEZ, plus swamp, plantation, walking, and specialty small-group tours. Cruise experiences include daytime and evening sightseeing jazz cruises with live music performed by the Dukes of Dixieland, multiple dinner seating options with Creole buffets or plated lunches, brunch sailings, seasonal party packages, and holiday-themed departures such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve events. Land-based offerings include swamp and airboat adventures, guided tours to Oak Alley and Whitney plantations, craft cocktail and cooking walking tours, cemetery and Garden District strolls, and interactive ghost and spirits walks in the French Quarter. Each trip description lists duration, meal options when applicable, live music or narration, and onboard amenities such as full-service bars and multiple observation decks. Local guides provide historical context about New Orleans, the Mississippi River, Jean Lafitte, and regional wetlands and wildlife on swamp and plantation tours. Many cruises feature live jazz and family-friendly programming; several airboat and swamp tours emphasize wildlife viewing opportunities. Bookings are arranged per listed trip schedules and seating times. As a long-established New Orleans operator featured by tour aggregators and known for narrated riverboat cruises, the company combines maritime tradition with local culture to deliver interpretive sightseeing and entertainment on and off the water. Public and private group bookings are available for many departures.
Book with New Orleans Steamboat Company