Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour

I have done three different swamp tours. Since we did our tour in December, I wasn't expecting to see any gators because that was the case at another tour I had done in cooler weather, so I prepared my first timer husband for disappointment. But, NO! Captain Jason knew all the spots and every few minutes we were encountering gators. Not only gators, but he regaled us with stories of his experiences in the swamp. We learned so much! It was a beautiful swamp, filled with so much wildlife. We even got to watch a Bald Eagle collecting sticks to bring to his massive nest. We reserved our tickets through the phone and my husband said the lady who helped him was so nice. There is a gravel parking lot with plenty of space for parking and restrooms to use before you board. There are snacks you can purchase in the boat. During the tour, the captain will point out where to look and you are free to stand up and walk around the boat to get a good look, and he stays for a few minutes to everyone has a chance to get a look/pictures.For an unobstructed view, I would sit in the middle benches towards the very front of the boat but, like I said, you will have plenty of opportunity to walk around and see everything.

Ernie was our boat captain...he was great! Raised in the area and extremely knowledgeable. We could've cruised all day and not got tired of the views. We cruised in the winter so we did not expect to see much wildlife, but we got lucky and saw 1 gator out due to unseasonably warm weather. The whole experience was great, cannot recommend this tour enough & if you can ride with Ernie.

A fun and informative tour led by Captain Kirk! On the weekend, for an extra fee, you can get a ride to the location. Our group went on a weekday in November so we rented a car and took advantage of the free gravel parking. It is located around 30 minutes from the French quarter. They have a sweet old dog that greets you when you check-in. We enjoyed great weather and got to see over 5 gators and other wildlife. Kirk provided historical information and also personal experience since he has lived in New Orleans most of his life. Kept it interesting and I learned new information. Who knew the Nutria was so problematic. Toward the end of the tour, we got to pass around Doobie, a puny baby gator. Our group had a great time! If you take the airboat tour, I recommend sunglasses for the wind. It was getting cold when we were there so my scarf was useful.

Very nice tour. The boat ride was relaxing and we saw many alligators. We even saw a bald eagle and could see her baby eaglet peaking its head out of its nest! Our guide gave us some good information! I would recommend this tour as it was not super crowded and our guide seemed pretty knowledgeable about the area.

This is probably one of the most favorite things I have ever done while on vacation. It's so pretty in the swamp/bayou with all the nature and animals. Even with the pontoon having other guests its such a fun experience and the tour guides are amazing. Some of the waterways have changed since we last came due to hurricane Ida in 2021, but it's absolutely gorgeous and serene. They offer tickets on Groupon where you can call and make reservations. We made same day reservations with no problem, and rented a car down the street for the day and made the 30-minute trek to the National Park from the Quarter. Captain Jamie was our guide and an absolute pleasure to talk to and learn from. He calls the alligators and they listen. I would suggest this tour for all ages and anyone visiting NOLA.

We had such an amazing time our tour guide Darren was super funny, accommodating, and really went the extra mile to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves and got to see the animals. He was also very informative!

The location is about a 30 minute drive from the French Quarter in New Orleans. They have transportation for an extra fee but we called and they told us it was only on the weekends. We checked rideshare apps and they were pretty pricey so we decided to rent a car and drive there ourselves. Fortunately they have free parking on the premises.We took the 10am tour with Captain Brent who talked to our group through the land and the history. He told us that Hurricane Ida damaged a lot of the trees and the land, where part of it was part of the Jean Lafitte National Park. During our tour we saw different species like bald eagles, owls, vultures, and turtles. Of course, we also saw alligators and Brent knew where to go for a higher probability of seeing some. Because we went in January when it's cold, there weren't as many. Brent told us that March and April are the best times because the weather is warmer and they are everywhere. Personally I wasn't good at finding alligators so we were grateful that others were on the boat because they were much better.The tour took a total of 90 minutes which was more than enough time to see our fair share. This was a unique experience that I had never done before and we had a lot of fun!

I found a Groupon for this establishment and was determined to put it to good use while on our visit to NOLA for the weekend. Based off the high ratings, I knew it was going to be a great experience. I must say....I was disappointed. It was cool to see the few gators, but I expected to either pet a baby one (baby baby one) like some other tours I've seen or feed them. I guess I should've read into what aas offered on the tour before booking. It was a cool experience, but definitely not worth sitting on the boat for 1.5 hours seeing the same few. The way the gator popped out it definitely seemed like they were battery operated...they seemed to know when the boat was passing through. The tour might have been better if we actually had a tour guide who was interactive. He knew his information, but he brought NO life to the tour. It was rather boring to say the least. Again, go try it out and see for yourself. I hope you have a better experience

The tour was fun with lots of scenic views and alligators. Our tour guide has been doing this since 1997 (?) so it was just another day of taking tourists on his boat. Speaking of boat... There is a bathroom onboard so no worries there. There were also snacks and drinks on board for purchase.Our guide said that at one point before the swamp became part of a conservation, touching alligators and feeding them were a thing. He said he would bring marshmallows and try to get them to do tricks. Wow right?!There were plenty of alligators to see, both large and small. The boat moved at a steady pace with enough speed for a breeze so it wasn't stifling. It was informative and definitely something unique to the local area.

This tour has changed since I took it years ago. It was fun but also informative. The tour guide did not indulge in jump scares as the tour just to do. At times, the tour guide restrained his talk and allowed us to view the swamp in silent glory. It was a rainy day, but quite dry on the boat. The guide pointed out wildlife and identified plant life. Since I mentioned that I lived here (I was hosting family), he also recommended similar tours in the area.