Discovering Louisiana’s Historic Plantations: Oak Alley And Laura

When I first began planning my visit to New Orleans, I knew that I wanted to venture outside of the city to visit some of Louisiana’s beautiful and historic plantations. Whether you are staying in “The Big Easy” or find yourself traveling in Louisiana, a visit to a plantation is an excellent way to better understand the complicated history of these grand southern estates. Visiting the plantations was one of the highlights of my trip, and definitely makes it on my list of the top 15 things to do in New Orleans!

Cajun Encounters Plantation Tours

I spent a short week in New Orleans and was not planning on renting a car. Instead of missing out on an opportunity to visit a plantation, I decided to head on a plantation tour through Cajun Encounters Tour Co, and I am so glad I did!

Cajun Encounters has been around for over 20 years and offers several different tour options perfect for those looking to visit New Orleans and sightsee around the city and surrounding areas (you can check them out here). I ultimately ended up selecting a tour that visits both the Laura Plantation and Oak Alley Plantation. I chose this tour because I really wanted to visit two plantations in one day, and I felt that both locations had really unique looks and stories.

The tours start at 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM daily and last 6.5 hours, including the driving time to and from the plantations. I recommend bringing a water bottle and snacks, or else you will have to purchase them at one of the plantations. I chose the early morning tour so that I would have more time back in New Orleans for sightseeing and dinner.

Laura: A Creole Plantation

The first plantation we visited on the tour was the Laura Plantation. I was immediately intrigued by its unique look. The home itself is surprisingly colorful-with red, pink, yellow, and blue paint creating a happy and inviting vibe.

The Laura Plantation tour guide stopped at the front of the building and let us snap a few photos of the colorful exterior before taking us into the home’s basement where to tour began. As we wandered through the basement, we were told of the plantation’s origins and learned about the Duparc family which resided there and ran the sugar plantation.

Our guide also explained the meaning of the word “Creole,” a term which is often misunderstood. While many people associate Creole with a specific race, it is actually a blend of European, West African, and Native American cultures, which included people of black, white, and mixed-race background. The Duparc family was a Creole family, which is why Laura is considered a Creole plantation and has a much different look from the plantations you may be used to seeing in movies. I loved that the tour helped to make this distinction because understanding Creole culture is so important in learning the history of Louisiana.

We then continued the tour in the upstairs part of the home, which is restored to the way it may have looked 200 years ago when it was first built in the 1800s. During this part of the tour, you will learn more about the individual members of the Duparc family while standing in each of their respective bedrooms.

You will also learn about the plantation’s namesake, Laura, who is the Duparc family member whose extensive journals give us a glimpse into life at the plantation. Her journals really help the plantation’s history come alive and make the tour incredibly interesting and detailed.

Next, we headed through the property’s banana grove to the slave quarters, where we discussed the troubling nature behind these grand plantations, built and operated with slave labor. Our guide told us all about how the slaves at Laura were treated, how slaves at the plantation were bought and sold, and how many slaves remained at the plantation after the Civil War, despite the fact that they were now free, and essentially remained imprisoned by the practice of sharecropping. It is important to remember that while these homes are grand and beautiful, they also stand as reminders of a complicated history.

What I loved most about visiting the Laura Plantation was the amount of historic information I was able to learn about and discover there. Not only did our group receive a detailed account of the plantation’s former residents (thanks to Laura’s writings), but we also learned a ton about Louisiana’s Creole culture and the harsh realities of slavery in plantations in the south.

I would highly recommend a visit to Laura to anyone who is interested in the historic side of plantation life, and felt that the tour was truly excellent and our guide very knowledgeable. You can learn more about the Laura Plantation here.

Oak Alley Plantation

Our second and final stop of the day was the Oak Alley Plantation. While the Laura Plantation visit is more focused on history, the Oak Alley Plantation is famous for its grand appearance and the stunning 28 oak trees that welcome you to the plantation, which was built in 1839. Oak Alley is considered to be one of Louisiana’s most grand plantation mansions and is so iconic that it has been featured in several movies and television shows. If you are a Beyonce fan, you will recognize Oak Alley as one of the locations featured in her “Deja Vu” video.

Let me tell you, there is a reason this place is famous! I was absolutely blown away by the beauty and grandeur of Oak Alley. I truly felt like I had been taken back in time, or placed smack dab in the middle of “Gone With The Wind.” Just call me Scarlett!

The visit consisted of a much shorter tour (around 35 minutes). This tour did not include a tour of the grounds and instead focused on what life would have been like at a grand plantation and lives of Oak Alley’s former residents. After touring the restored rooms of the mansion, we were given around 20 minutes to explore the rest of the grounds (our tour started a little late, so we had a bit less time to wander than normal).

I quickly headed out do get some shots of the incredible 200+ year old oak trees that Oak Alley is known for. I would have loved a bit more time to walk around and take photos of the beautiful grounds, but that is probably because I am Instagram obsessed and was determined to get a perfect, tourist-free shot! (I think I did a pretty good job of this, thanks, Mom + Dad!)

We then headed back to the bus, fresh mint juleps from the bar near the gift shop in hand, excited about our great shots and the beauty of the plantation.

Oak Alley really is the perfect embodiment of the grandeur and beauty of plantations of the past and is definitely a must for those looking for a Gone With The Wind-esque plantation feel. For more information on Oak Alley, you can head to their website!

Overall thoughts

Visiting both the Laura and Oak Alley Plantations was definitely a highlight of my visit to New Orleans, and I am so glad that Cajun Encounters made it possible for me to visit both in one day without renting a car. I really appreciated the history-based tour of Laura and the beauty and grandeur of Oak Alley. While I would have loved to spend a bit more time at Oak Alley, I am both a history and Instagram addict, and probably could have spent a week touring Louisiana’s historic homes and plantations!

Cajun Encounters also offers a tour of Oak Alley alone, as well as a combination tour to Oak Alley and the Whitney Plantation, which focuses more on the role of slaves who were responsible for the plantation’s success. I think a combo tour is an excellent way to get a feel for two very different plantations and their histories (and get some great photos while doing it!). To find more information on available tours and to discover which one would be perfect for you, click here!

Disclaimer: This post was written in partnership with Cajun Encounters Tour Co. As always, my opinions are my own!

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Have you ever toured a plantation, or would a plantation tour make it on your New Orleans itinerary? Let me know in the comments below!

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