In the swamp (October 2025)
Whilst in New Orleans for an extended, three-day weekend, I also squeezed in time to take an afternoon excursion just a bit outside of the city. I headed to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, located about 16 miles (25.7 km) south of NOLA, or about a half-hour drive away. There, I visited the vast marshland of the Deep South, all the while navigating the bayou and even seeing alligators!
From the Garden District (where I had my lunch), the shuttle picked me up around 14h00 to take me over to Jean Lafitte. Funny enough, I was the only passenger on board, so I had a nice little chat with the driver about NOLA and the upcoming tour before I was dropped off at the dock about 45 minutes later. My bayou tour wasn’t until 16h00, so I hung out in the gift shop and in the waiting platform outdoors, where I got my first glimpse of the expansive blue of the water and marshy green in the distance.
Along with seven other passengers, we boarded an airboat with our tour guide, and we spent the next 90 minutes weaving through the intricate networks of canals on the water. I’d never rode in an airboat before, and it was quite the experience: it’s fast and extremely loud, which requires wearing noise-cancelling headsets. It was absolutely thrilling, and even though it was a bit harrowing at times, it was super fun!
On our way…
Our tour guide steered us through the water, all the while giving us information about Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and the swampland all around us. Named after the 19th century French pirate Jean Laffite (although places in the US spell it as “Lafitte”), the park covers a considerable amount of the Mississippi River Delta and is split into six different sites to visit. We only checked out one portion of it, and even that was a huge territory to explore!
Marshland (just below is water!!!)
Prior to visiting, I’d never considered swamps to be beautiful, but Jean Lafitte quickly changed my mind– there was something hypnotic about the silence of the bayou, the gentle water lapping against the boat and sunlight streaming through Spanish moss hanging overhead. It was truly quite stunning, almost like being in a painting, and now I have a different perspective on swamps!
I swear, this isn’t a painting!
Spanish moss scenic views
Besides giving us information about Jean Lafitte, our tour guide was a real character: he had a bawdy sense of humor, swearing good-naturedly and overall having just as much of a good time as we were. He took us into the nooks and crannies of the bayou, where we came across several alligators just literal inches from our boat! A bit terrifying, but our guide wasn’t scared at all, saying hello to them and feeding them marshmallows (which, of course, are a natural staple of an alligator’s diet).
Our tour guide beckoning an alligator
We got close with one of the alligators, and our tour guide said we could pet him!!! At first, we were all hesitant, but followed suit after our guide demonstrated first. The alligator was quite chill, so I stroked him briefly– it had the texture of avocado skin, bumpy and a bit glossy. Actually, I found him quite cute, as he resembled a puppy eagerly waiting for treats and pets– a bit deluded of me, I know, but it was a cool experience!
Hello, little guy…
Soon enough, it was time to return to the docks, and we concluded our tour at 17h30. From there, I caught the shuttle back into New Orleans, returning around 18h15. I decided to grab take-out for dinner, placing my order and wandering Bourbon Street a bit before picking it up. I picked up my food at a corner grocery, which in NOLA are sort of like bodegas that sell groceries and hot food.
Bourbon Street at night
Dinner secured, I headed back to my hotel, arriving back by 19h00. Along the way, I passed this gas station, which had was selling for under $3 USD/gallon! Outrageous, considering that in California, it’s at least double that these days (thanks to the war in Iran…).
In this economy?!
I dug into the food in my hotel room: I’d ordered a generous spread at just $18 USD, of rice and beans, fried catfish, and crawfish pie. The crawfish pie was just-okay, as it could’ve used more filling, but WOW, the fried catfish and rice and beans were fantastic: crispy, tender, and hearty, it was honestly the best meal I had in town, not to forget the most-affordable! As I’m writing this, I’m still dreaming about that meal, and I would highly recommend anyone who visits NOLA to get corner grocery food for the quality and affordability.
Rice and beans with fried catfish: best meal I had
Overall, I really enjoyed my afternoon at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park. The tour had the right balance of adventure and relaxation, and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. While I question the tour guide feeding marshmallows to alligators (and how such animals have grown dependent on humans for food), it was still a fun time and worth experiencing the bayou culture at least once in your lifetime.
Thanks for reading, and the last of my posts in New Orleans will be up soon. Until then! 🙂
— Rebecca
