New Orleans · NEW ORLEANS AIRBOAT TOURS

The 15 Best New Orleans Airboat Tours

28 tours  ·  from $59

An airboat is the fast, loud way into the bayou and it reaches water the covered boats cannot. These 15 compare boat sizes, run times and whether the transfer from the Quarter is included in the price.

New Orleans Airboat Ride - Choosing between the large boat and the small boat
New Orleans Airboat Tours, Tour Reviews

New Orleans Airboat Ride

1.New Orleans Airboat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,891 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $59Our pick

Travel from New Orleans to Lafitte for a fast, family-friendly airboat ride through cypress swamp near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park. Choose a large boat or a six-to-eight-passenger boat, and watch for alligators, bald eagles, herons, turtles, and snakes. Guides such as Ronnie, Mark, and Captain TikTok add local stories and humor.

“We had a blast! We were picked up from and returned to a very convenient spot, no sweat, so getting to the site was easy. Tiktok was a great guide!”

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New Orleans: High Speed 16 Passenger Airboat Ride - Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve by airboat
New Orleans Airboat Tours, Tour Reviews

New Orleans: High Speed 16 Passenger Airboat Ride

2.High Speed 16 Passenger Airboat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,380 reviews · 100 minutes - 4 hours · from $65

Take a 100-minute airboat ride through Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve with a local captain such as Dewey, Ian, or Captain Bebop. Stadium seating gives you a clear view as the boat reaches 35 mph, pauses for photos, and searches for alligators, birds, and other swamp life.

“Bobby was the best!!! Thank you for showing us the best time :)”

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Large Airboat Swamp Tour with Transportation from New Orleans - From downtown New Orleans to the swamp
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Large Airboat Swamp Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

3.Large Airboat Swamp Tour with Transportation from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,832 reviews · 4 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $90Top rated

Ride a 16-passenger airboat through the Barataria wetlands, reaching 25 mph before easing into quiet wildlife viewing. Guides such as Ernie, Kenny, Beebop, and Duwey explain swamp life and search for alligators, birds, turtles, and bald eagles. Round-trip downtown hotel transport is included.

“Driver is super knowledgeable and interactive. He knew where they like to hang out and quite familiar with the main alligators. He even had a baby alligator we all got to hold.”

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Small-Group Airboat Swamp Tour with Downtown New Orleans Pickup - Barataria Preserve and the search for alligators
New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Small-Group Airboat Swamp Tour with Downtown New Orleans Pickup

4.Small-Group Airboat Swamp Tour with Downtown New Orleans Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,621 reviews · 4 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $115

Leave downtown New Orleans by air-conditioned vehicle and ride a small airboat through Barataria Preserve. Your captain mixes fast runs with quiet wildlife stops, shares swamp lore, and may bring a baby alligator for you to see. Groups are limited to nine, with pickup and drop-off included.

“If going on a swamp tour is on your list of things to do in New Orleans, going on a small group airboat is the way to go! Great fun!”

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Airboat and Plantations Tour with Gourmet Lunch from New Orleans - Laura Plantation and the lives behind Creole culture
Lunch Experiences, New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Plantation Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Airboat and Plantations Tour with Gourmet Lunch from New Orleans

5.Airboat and Plantations Tour with Gourmet Lunch from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,246 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $279

Spend nine hours with a small group exploring Cajun country, riding an airboat through cypress swamps, touring Laura Plantation, and eating an unlimited buffet at Houmas House. Guides such as Giselle, Robert, Rene, and Steve add local history and humor along the way.

“The alligator bayou boat ride was excellent. Go early morning for the best temperature. The guide was most knowledgeable and friendly. The guides at both Laura and Houmas plantations were excellent, most informative, and interactive. The histories of both plantations should enlighten all visitors and hopefully encourage mankind not to make the mistakes of our past. The luncheon was most enjoyable, and our main guide, Steve, was impeccably knowledgeable about the history of New Orleans and its culinary delights! Thank you for a tour of tours.”

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New Orleans: Oak Alley Plantation & Airboat Swamp Combo Tour - Pickup from New Orleans and the road west
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New Orleans: Oak Alley Plantation & Airboat Swamp Combo Tour

6.Oak Alley Plantation & Airboat Swamp Combo Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 906 reviews · 8h 30m · from $160

Travel from New Orleans to Oak Alley Plantation for a guided house tour, oak-lined grounds, and slavery-era interpretation, then ride an open airboat through Barataria Basin. Captains such as Ernie, Dewey, and Bee Bop are known for spotting alligators and explaining the swamp. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“Fabulous day, interesting to learn about the sugar cane plantation and insight into slavery, really knowledgeable, guides. We followed this with a swamp tour with Dewey as our guide. What an awesome experience. Dewey was fun, engaging, and nothing too much trouble, he took us to where he knew the gathers would be and he didn’t disappoint, we even held a baby gator! Great day !!”

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New Orleans: High Speed 9 Passenger Airboat Tour - What the 105-minute airboat ride feels like
New Orleans Airboat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

New Orleans: High Speed 9 Passenger Airboat Tour

7.High Speed 9 Passenger Airboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 818 reviews · 100 minutes - 4 hours · from $89

Leave New Orleans for a fast, open-air airboat ride in the wetlands near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park. Your English-speaking captain may spot alligators, birds, raccoons, and wild pigs while explaining swamp ecology and Cajun life. Hotel pickup is optional, and groups are limited to nine.

“Our guide was awesome! He was super knowledgeable on all things of the swamp, from animals to plants. He even got out and called a gator over to him to pet! it was so cool!”

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From Lafitte: Swamp Tours South of New Orleans by Airboat - At the Lafitte base: alligators, snacks, and a practical start
New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Lafitte: Swamp Tours South of New Orleans by Airboat

8.From Lafitte: Swamp Tours South of New Orleans by Airboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 792 reviews · 105 minutes - 4 hours · from $59

From Lafitte, ride a fast, open airboat through secluded bayou channels for 105 minutes. Guides such as Steve, Ronnie, Larry, and Jay are known for local wildlife stories and close alligator sightings. Choose a boat for up to 10 people or a larger vessel, with hotel pickup available from New Orleans.

“Excellent trip, Larry was great, really knowledgeable and took us straight to a group of Alligators who came very close and allowed him to feed them. We saw blue Heron too and Egret and Osprey too!”

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Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans - Oak Alley’s famous tree-lined approach
New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Plantation Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Oak Alley Plantation Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans

9.Oak Alley Plantation and Large Airboat Swamp Tour from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 712 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $160

Spend a full day visiting Oak Alley, touring its 1837 Greek Revival mansion, and riding a 16-passenger airboat through the swamp. Guides such as Presley, Captain Dewey, Kenny, and BeBop bring local color, wildlife knowledge, and plenty of gator stories.

“Plantation score: 8/10 Airboat ride: 100/10 Plantation was informative and eye opening to see the disparity between haves and have nots of the time period. Airboat was awesome. Seeing gators up close in the wild is an amazing experience.”

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New Orleans Small-Group Airboat Swamp Tour - A 454 Chevy engine starts the adventure
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New Orleans Small-Group Airboat Swamp Tour

10.New Orleans Small-Group Airboat Swamp Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 693 reviews · 1 hour 40 minutes (approx.) · from $89

Travel from Marrero into the Barataria swamp on a 1-hour-40-minute airboat ride limited to nine people. Your captain mixes quiet wildlife stops with bursts up to 35 mph. Guides such as Bobby, Ernie, Ian, and Captain BeBop are known for lively storytelling and close alligator sightings.

“My two girlfriends and I did the small group gator swamp boat tour, and honestly—it was the best thing we did in New Orleans! There were only seven of us total, which made it super chill and personal. We were running a few minutes late (oops!) and Bobby, our awesome guide, actually held the boat for us—total lifesaver. He was hilarious, insanely knowledgeable, and somehow managed to answer our million questions without missing a beat. We saw so many gators up close, learned a ton, and laughed the entire ride. 10/10 recommend—thanks Bobby for making it such an unforgettable day!”

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Small-Group Bayou Airboat Ride with Transport from New Orleans - What you may see in the marsh
New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Tour Reviews

Small-Group Bayou Airboat Ride with Transport from New Orleans

11.Small-Group Bayou Airboat Ride with Transport from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 512 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $130

Ride a small airboat through Bayou Segnette’s marshes, reaching up to 45 mph while looking for alligators, birds, snakes, and nutria. Tours by Isabelle includes hotel pickup, a 1.5-hour boat ride, and lively guides such as Shawn, Garrett, and Captain Mike.

“Our driver / pilot was fanatic and made the journey really enjoyable - the whole set was very good and Everyone one was very friendly”

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Airboat Ride with Transportation from New Orleans - Snacks, drinks, and the albino alligator
New Orleans Airboat Tours, Tour Reviews

Airboat Ride with Transportation from New Orleans

12.Airboat Ride with Transportation from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 410 reviews · 3 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Take a morning coach from the French Quarter to Jean Lafitte, then cruise Louisiana wetlands by airboat for about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. A local captain points out alligators, birds, raccoons, and nutria. Snacks and drinks are available before boarding.

“We had a great time! Our driver/guide was awesome .. told us lots of fun facts about the area and we saw lots of gators! We were with people that never had been before and they loved it!”

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Airboat Swamp and Destrehan Plantation Tour from New Orleans - The ride out from New Orleans
Destrehan Plantation Tours, New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Plantation Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Airboat Swamp and Destrehan Plantation Tour from New Orleans

13.Airboat Swamp and Destrehan Plantation Tour from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 258 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $179

From downtown New Orleans, a small-group van takes you to Cajun Country for a 1.5-hour airboat ride, then Destrehan Plantation. Expect local history from guides such as Isabelle, Rene, or Gisele, wildlife sightings, costumed interpreters, gardens, and the 1811 Slave Revolt Exhibit.

“I cannot record this tour highly enough. Rene collected me from my hotel and drove me and the other members of the tour to the location of the airboat ride. On the journey to the swamp Rene, our tour guide was very engaging, very informative and exceptionally knowledgeable about many aspects of New Orleans and its history. The airboat tour of the swamp was great fun. The boat captains knew exactly where to find different gators and kept us all very entertained with information about the gators, the swamp and its wildlife. After the airboat tour, Rene drove us to the Destrehan Plantation and again was a fountain of great…”

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Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans - Whitney Plantation: the most important stop
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Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

14.Whitney Plantation and Airboat Tour from New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 211 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $152

Leave New Orleans by hotel pickup for Whitney Plantation’s audio tour and museum, pass historic Destrehan and film sites, then take a thrilling airboat ride through the swamps. Guides such as Brian, Larry, and Mick are known for adding local color and spotting alligators.

“Great tour. We did the Whitney plantation and airboat tour combo. Got picked up at 8 am and was back at hotel at 4pm. Whitney plantation was a good experience and a must, we also stopped at Oak Alley plantation for lunch. The airboat ride was very fun and our guide was very informative and funny. We had a great time on this tour, and highly recommend to everyone.”

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New Orleans Large Airboat Swamp Tour - Entering the Barataria-area waterways
New Orleans Airboat Tours, New Orleans Swamp Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

New Orleans Large Airboat Swamp Tour

15.New Orleans Large Airboat Swamp Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 181 reviews · 1 hour 40 minutes (approx.) · from $65

Head to Marrero for a 1-hour-40-minute airboat trip through the Barataria-area swamps. A professional captain such as Ernie, Kenny, Dewey, or Trey handles the boat and shares local wildlife facts. Expect stadium seating, quick bursts up to 25 mph, quiet wildlife stops, and a real chance to see alligators.

“Such a great time viewing beautiful Bayou’s! Our tour guide was so much fun. He gave my kiddos marshmallows to feed the gators. Will be planning a return Trip soon.”

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New in New Orleans Airboat Tours

★ 4.8Oak Alley Plantation Tour and Airboat TourFrom $1594 reviews
★ 4.7Oak Alley or Laura Plantation & Airboat TourFrom $17515 reviews
★ 5.0Destrehan Plantation & Airboat Combo TourFrom $17927 reviews
★ 4.7Airboat Swamp & City and Katrina Tour ComboFrom $1406 reviews
★ 5.0Airboat or Pontoon Boat Cruise with TransfersFrom $683 reviews
★ 4.36 Passenger Premium Airboat Swamp TourFrom $9520 reviews
★ 5.0Airboat Tour of Louisiana SwampsFrom $13013 reviews

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