New Orleans Airboat Ride

Overview

Take a break from the hustle-bustle of New Orleans and escape to nature on this exhilarating, family-friendly airboat ride! Spot alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets and herons as you take a fast, fun ride over a tidewater cypress swamp close to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Admire moss-covered cypress and tupelo-gum trees as you explore bayous teeming with life and take advantage of incredible photo ops.

This small-group tour is limited to eight people (small airboat) or 30 people (large airboat) to allow for better views of the wildlife.

Please note: If you book the self-drive option you will not receive hotel pickup. If you book the option with pickup, pickups will begin 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to tour time.

City: New Orleans

Sun 17 Nov

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $59.00

Make a reservation

Sun 17 Nov

Starting at $59.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Airboat ride

Hotel drop-off (If tour option with Transport is selected at the time of booking.)

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately
Minimum age is 5 years
Reservations booked separately will not be guaranteed to be on the same boat
Taxi & Ride Share services not available in our area
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

What To Expect

Mississippi River

Drive-out along the Mississippi River approximately 30 miles (48 km) to the embarkation point of your airboat from your New Orleans hotel. Depending on the option you selected, board a large airboat holding 15 to 25 passengers or a small airboat limited to six to eight passengers for a more intimate, personalized experience.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve

Set out on a 1 hour and 45 minute tour on a 20,000-acre (8,095-hectare) tract of tidewater cypress swamp close to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Your airboat is powered by an aircraft propeller to allow a fast, fluid trip through the shallow marshes. Feel the wind on your face as you zip into bayous lined with mossy cypress and tupelo-gum trees. Prepare to see plenty of alligators in the warmer months (and warmer days in winter), some of which may be out sunning themselves on rocks! Your guide may even feed the gators, affording amazing photo opportunities. Keep your eyes open for turtles, snakes, egrets, herons and ibis. You may even catch sight of a hawk, owl or bald eagle. In the cooler months, look for white-tailed deer, raccoons and the large rodents known as nutria. Be sure to check out the indoor exhibits of alligators, including an albino alligator. Note: This tour does not include hotel pick-up or drop-off unless option selected at checkout.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (1000)

HighExpectations63

Mar 2022

Well organized, timely, friendly captain who really knew his stuff. Saw lots of gators and also bald eagles, turkey vultures. Definitely recommend the smaller boat (up to 6 passengers) as the bigger boats looked too crowded. Only issue was the pitch for tips at the end of the ride and the push to buy a photo taken of us that we didn't ask for.

AllyMacredie

Mar 2022

This tour was absolutely fascinating! The alligators were emerging from hibernation & fully enjoying themselves in the sun. Our guide, Tic Tock, was extremely knowledgeable shared information in such a fun way. We even got to feed some gators!

Virginia_S

Mar 2022

Captain Steve on the small airboat ride (8 of us) was REALLY fun. The boat ride alone would have been a blast, but seeing the wide variety of wildlife was spectacular! We saw alligators – lots of them, a bald eagle, a raccoon, many heron and egrets. It's March, so the temperature is perfect – the gators spent some time lying around posing. Steve gave us lots of history in a storytelling way.