Take an historical drive along the Mississippi River, and visit Louisiana’s Great River Road plantations. Maps, itinerary, and helpful links included.
Disclosure: This post includes sponsored and affiliate links.
UPDATE: Be sure to check out A Louisiana River Road Driving Tour and Louisiana Plantation Tours that Interpret the Slave Experience for photos and descriptions of many more River Road plantations, plus Design Your Own Louisiana Road Trip for a wealth of itinerary resources and planning hacks.
Although I have visited Louisiana multiple times, I have always stayed in the vicinity of New Orleans. That is not a bad thing. I think it is safe to say one can never run out of things to do in The Big Easy.
Click here for New Orleans hotel options on TripAdvisor!
I remember hearing about the antebellum plantations along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge years ago, and the drive along the River Road has been on my wanderlist for a long time. While designing the itinerary for a spring break backroad trip to NOLA, I decided to dedicate one day of our stay in Louisiana to getting out of town. Although there were other backroads we could have traveled, this time we opted to pursue adventure along the iconic River Road.
Table of Contents
- 1 Louisiana’s River Road Plantations
- 2 Oak Alley Plantation
- 3 Laura Plantation
- 4 Nottoway Plantation
- 5 Houmas House
- 6 Tezcuco Plantation
- 7 San Francisco Plantation
- 8 Destrehan Plantation
- 9 Norman’s Chart of the Lower Mississippi River
- 10 Map It!
- 11 A Louisiana River Road Plantations Driving Tour
- 12 Cane River National Heritage Trail
- 13 Design Your Own Louisiana Road Trip
- 14 We Would Love to Hear From You!
- 15 Pin this Post!
Louisiana’s River Road Plantations
Image Credit: Unknown
During the research stages of my road trip planning, I downloaded a PDF River Road map featuring Laura, Oak Alley, Nottoway, Houmas House, Tezcuco, San Francisco, and Destrehan plantations. And yes, the vintage magnolia motif is what grabbed my attention. Little did I know, the map was a bit outdated (lesson learned), and one of the featured mansions on the drive was no longer there.
We began our day by driving down to the Barataria Preserve location of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park where the visitors center has an informative exhibit on the creation and destruction of land in the Mississippi Delta region of Louisiana. It was also an excuse to pick up another National Parks Passport stamp.
Leaving the park, we headed back north to hit Hwy. 18, the part of the River Road that hugs the southern bank of the Mississippi River.
If you are like us and envision Louisiana plantations overlooking the river, you can plan to be disappointed. Army Corps of Engineers flood control levees block the view of the river on both banks, and except for a handful of locations, posted signs forbid walking or driving to the top of the levee for a view. We were not able to find a legal location to ascend the levee until we reached the trail at Nottoway Plantation. Another unexpected, yet understandable, reality of the River Road is the unsightly industrial structures of oil refineries and chemical plants that line the Mississippi.
I must confess that the ride along Louisiana’s Great River Road is not the scenic drive with antebellum mansions, moss-draped oaks, and paddlewheel riverboats I had imagined. In spite of these detractors from the natural beauty of the area, we had a relaxing drive and found enough local flavor and history to keep us engaged.
Oak Alley Plantation
Oak Alley is the archetypical southern plantation complete with Greek Revival columns and an impressive oak canopy approach. Although you may have never been there, I promise you have seen Oak Alley in more movies, TV shows, and music videos than you would imagine, such as Interview With the Vampire, Days of our Lives, and Beyoncé’s Déjà Vu.
Oak Alley’s slave quarters are a sobering reminder of the institution that was the foundation of Louisiana’s grand plantations.
Because our bellies were growling and lunchtime was upon us, we headed to the restaurant at Oak Alley. We had decided earlier, rather than trying to take guided tours of the plantations, we would make the River Road drive our tour. Our decision was spot on, because even without the tours we did not make it back to New Orleans until dinnertime.
Bourbon is not my poison, but the blackberry, lemon, and mint julep flight was an enticing southern sampler.
Laura Plantation
Laura Plantation, located four miles downriver from Oak Alley, is an example of a Creole plantation. Elevated high off the ground on brick columns, the vernacular of the multi-colored main house is a distinct departure from the monumental Greek Revival architecture of other period plantations in Louisiana. Sadly, a large portion of the house burned in 2004. Although the part that was destroyed has not been rebuilt, the surviving parts have been restored. In addition to the main house, Laura Plantation features several outbuildings, including six slave quarters.
Nottoway Plantation
While entrance to other plantations was reserved for ticket holders, the grounds at Nottoway Plantation were easily accessible. So we parked and took a self-guided tour of the grounds. The outbuildings and hotel rooms gave this location the feel of a resort, which in my opinion detracts from the historical authenticity of the setting. However, while watching a documentary about Highclere Castle, the location for Downton Abbey, I learned that many historical homes must become businesses if they are to remain open to the public.
The host at our base camp B&B in New Orleans told us earlier that morning during breakfast that Nottoway was his pick of all the plantations because it featured a ballroom and sweeping staircase not found in other mansions. He went on to indicate that Union ships cruising the Mississippi had spared it from burning for the same reason. Because we did not tour the home, we were not able to verify these facts, but they sound good anyway . . . .
Nottoway was the last of the plantations on our itinerary on the south bank of the river. The Sunshine Bridge leading to the north bank gave a breathtaking view of the Mississippi River.
Breathtaking literally with its expansive view of the barges and tankers cruising the river, and figuratively meaning the sensation one feels at the highest peak of a roller-coaster right before the plunge! Jerry said his butt was eating the stuffing out of the driver’s seat. Let’s just say we were glad to get our tires back on the ground on the north bank.
Houmas House
Across the Mississippi, we followed Hwy. 48, the northern River Road. I recognized Houmas House immediately. Although the former front gate was right on the busy River Road, Jerry slowed to let me out to get my picture. It was the Hollis Mansion from the movie Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte. This is the plantation I would like to revisit sometime, perhaps even book a room at the inn and take the full tour. After reading more about Houmas Plantation, I learned that prior to the Civil War it had as many as 750 slaves working in the cane fields and sugar mills. Houmas also has some fascinating architectural features on the property, including two garconnière, or bachelors’ quarters.
Update: In the years since this post first published I did return for a full tour of Houmas House, and you can read about that visit here. My college roommate Jim Swilley also wrote about his experience at Houmas House in his guest post Confessions of a Traveling Cinephile.
Tezcuco Plantation
Basically, all that remains of Tezcuco Plantation are the chimneys. Regretfully, the mansion was destroyed by fire in 2002.
According to photographs on this link, the main house made this a beautiful property, and it was truly a great loss.
San Francisco Plantation
San Francisco Plantation has its own Steamboat Gothic eclectic style, but the beautiful structure with its distinctive blue and yellow water tower is situated in a cramped location behind a chain link fence at a bend in the River Road. Unfortunately, industrial construction in recent years have not provided the mansion the scenic surroundings it deserves. Still, something about this place fascinates me enough that I would definitely consider stopping for a tour in the future.
Destrehan Plantation
Destrehan Plantation has a history in films, too, most recently as a location for the Academy Award-winning Best Picture 12 Years a Slave. Completed in 1790, Destrehan’s main house holds the distinction of being the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley, and it was also the last plantation on our River Road itinerary. Leaving Destrehan, we headed back to the French Quarter to grab a bite to eat and wander the streets on our last night in NOLA.
Norman’s Chart of the Lower Mississippi River
Map Credit: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division
We passed other plantations during our drive along the River Road, such as Evergreen and St. Joseph, that are open for tours, as well as many properties that have fallen into disrepair over the years. Norman’s Chart of the Lower Mississippi River (above) published in 1858 provides a visual of the hundreds of plantations that lay along the river at that time. Visit the Library of Congress link to study the map further in an enlarged high-definition format. Only a handful of these plantation homes have survived to this day. Whether you use our route or grab a Louisiana plantations map and plan your own, we definitely recommend that you take the drive along Louisiana’s River Road.
If you are planning an extended tour of the River Road plantations, RV rental in Louisiana is a perfect option!
Click here for Louisiana’s River Road Plantations hotel options on TripAdvisor!
Map It!
A Louisiana River Road Plantations Driving Tour
Discover seven additional plantations, plus the Chapel of St. Amico on this carefree River Road driving tour.
Cane River National Heritage Trail
Explore even more Louisiana plantations along the Cane River National Heritage Trail.
Design Your Own Louisiana Road Trip
Design your own Louisiana road trip with routed scenic byways, a River Road plantations map, itinerary planning hacks, and a wealth of resources.
We Would Love to Hear From You!
Jerry and I enjoy dialogue with our readers, especially when they share off-the-beaten-path destinations from around the world. If you have driven Louisiana’s River Road, what location intrigued you the most? And if you have a travel story to tell, let’s hear it! We invite you to leave your comments and questions below, and we always respond!
Ashland Plantation, Bocage, and The Hermitage are north of and fairly close to Houmas House. San Francisco and Destrehan are well worth the time to stop and tour. From an architectural point of view Oak Alley, Houmas House, and Ashland are my favorites.
Hello and good morning! I have a group from Missouri this weekend who will joining me to visit Houmas House. Which plantation can you recommend if we have time for a second tour? Thanks in advance!
Hi Cathy! There are several options for additional plantation tours. Houmas House is a beautifully restored plantation, but its tour focuses more on architecture and the lives of wealthy landowners. For a balanced experience, I suggest you tour Laura Plantation or one of the other Louisiana plantations that interpret the slave experience. Hope this helps, and enjoy your day!
This old map is missing Magnolia Mound. It would actually be a great place to start in Baton Rouge before going to Port Allen – it’s right across the interstate bridge from Port Allen. It may not have been an historic landmark when this map was made.
Thanks for letting us know, William! We actually did not drive as far as Baton Rouge or Port Allen on this trip, but I always love learning about plantations that are new to me. Hopefully, I can visit next time.
Hello Howard and Jerry,
My name is Kade, I am earning a master’s degree at LSU in landscape architecture. I will be beginning my thesis year, and for my proposal I am interested in working with River Road, and this page is very helpful. I am interested in having a conversation with you to gain insights to your experience. I am from Houma myself and have spent time with the Mississippi River.
Hi Kade! Glad you found our River Road post helpful. The best way to arrange a conversation with us is by emailing Howard at backroadplanet@gmail.com Thanks!
TEZCUCO was a beautiful home. I got to visit with my aunt and my cousin in 1996 when I was stationed at Fort Polk. I’ll see if either of us have pictures of it among our photos from that road trip.
Thanks for letting us know, Nikki! We would love to see a picture of Tezcuco Plantation before it burned.
As someone who was born and raised in New Orleans I was very interested in your tour of River Road! Though I have not lived in New Orleans for many years I have driven the River Road quite a few times. You all did a great job, and I found your information informative and correct. Your tours are always good reading, but this one held a special place in my heart. Thanks for a great job.
Thanks for your kind words, Gay! It means so much when locals approve of our stories. We recently updated this post recounting our first time driving Louisiana’s Great River Road. I have returned to drive segments of the road and visit other plantations a couple of times since then. I am sure you would enjoy seeing the restored mansions and other roadside sites once again.
We will be visiting from Australia at the end of April and leaving from Avery Island (Tabasco Factory) around midday to drive to New Orleans. We’d like to take in some of the River Road and at least one plantation. With only limited time, what’s your suggestion of what not to miss?
Hi Diane! None of the River Road plantations are located along the direct route from Avery Island to New Orleans, so you will have to make a slight detour. If you want to experience lovely gardens and plantation history from a slave-owning family’s perspective, Houmas House is probably the grandest. If you want to witness the slave experience, you should visit Whitney Plantation. There are links to Whitney in our newer Louisiana River Road Plantations Driving Tour post, in case you haven’t read it yet. Of course, Oak Alley is a favorite of many River Road visitors, as well. Hope this helps!
Hi there have you heard of or seen Security plantation or Glade Plantation which was owned by Smiths and Reddicks— my grandparents were enslaved on this plantation and we are also related to white reddicks– the plantation owner we believe had a child or children with my 3rd great grandmother.
Hi Sharon! I have never heard of Security and Glade Plantations, but your story sounds incredible. Are these plantations in Louisiana? Where are they located? I would love to learn more . . . .
The Glade Plantation see map here: https://www.topozone.com/louisiana/catahoula-la/locale/glade-plantation-historical/ See the website/blog “Who is Nicka Smith?” https://www.whoisnickasmith.com/ . She is related to the Chisum family through a slave. Her ancestor Thomas Jefferson Chisum had a son Cornelius Taylor via a slave. Nicka is my cousin since my ggfather is the brother of Thomas, i.e. Isham Russell Chisum, Jr. Nicka and I made a connection through Ancestry 23 DNA test. The Beard/Chisum house was constructed on the plantation grounds. it burned down at some point due to faulty wiring. My father grew up there. Black and white we are all related. Nicka may have a lot of info for you. Best wishes on your journey.
Did you know that Houmas House is still privately owned and that the owner still occupies the house? We were there in 2016 to re-tour both Houmas House and Oak Alley. Both are magnificent! Houmas House has a great lunch in a restaurant behind the house and a beautiful room where you can have dinner. Love them both.
Hi Pam! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience. Yes, I did know Houmas House is privately owned and that the owner lives there. Actually, I had lunch with Kevin Kelly a couple of weeks ago, and he gave me a golf cart tour of the property. I share your love of Louisiana’s River Road plantations.
I lived in Slidell from 2005 until 2009. We took several trips to the River Road and I thoroughly enjoyed it every time. I enjoyed reading about your trip, but agree with another commenter that the trip just going down the road is nothing compared to taking in at least 2 or 3 tours. It can easily be done in a day. Destrehan has a classy gift shop (very large store) with many things you might actually want to own or buy for a gift. I got a lovely tea cup and saucer there for $10. There are also paintings for sale and unique, yet in-theme items. My favorite tour was Oak Alley, because the story of the couple that built it was so poignant that it touched me. She didn’t want to be way out of town, so spent most of her time in New Orleans, yet he loved the plantation and had a wonderful garden designed and constructed. I felt deeply sorry for him. I plan to return one day and take in a couple of homes I’ve not toured. An amazing time they lived in, it’s hard not to compare it to the refinery-glutted riverside of this time. The likes of the plantation life will probably never be known again. I suggest taking it in while it’s still possible to dream of living there yourself while walking those beautiful rooms.
Thanks for sharing your story, Jeanne! The reason we did not do tours on our River Road drive is because we were pressed for time. As a travel writer, I have toured more historical homes than I can count, and I always love hearing the stories of the families who lived in these houses through the years. I always enjoy visiting gift shops, too, but alas I am in a downsizing rather than accumulating phase in my life, so I am not looking to add to my possessions. The refineries definitely detract from the former beauty of the river, and even though the plantation homes are lovely, I will never forget that they were financed on the institution of slavery. Thanks again, for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
Thank you so much for the map and info. I am planning a trip with my husband and will travel from Jennings to New Orleans via the River Road to stop and see the plantations. Jennings is the home of my “penpal” from 4th grade that I will meet for the first time after 50 years of writing to each other (no facebook as of yet!) Very glad to find a concise map of where all the plantations lay–(who knew Houmas House Plantation would not be close to Houma??) Again, thank you so much for your thoughtful discussion and directions. They will be quite helpful!
How cool is that, Denise! I remember having a pen pal in elementary school, but I cannot imagine meeting someone for the first time that you have been corresponding with for 50 years. I do have a friend I met online 10 years ago, and we have never met in person, but 50 years? Wow! Hope your meeting is amazing!
Glad to help with the map. I remember recognizing the Houmas House from the movie Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte. I just bought the movie on Blu-ray and I am ready to watch it again in high definition.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story!
Thank You so much for sharing with all of us. I am planning a side trip form New Orleans to Saint Francisville to the Myrtles Plantation. I was planning to leave very early in the a.m. On my way back to New Orleans I was going to try and see at least one more plantation via River Road. Is it safe to drive at night heading back in to New Orleans? I am traveling alone, and truly don’t want to miss the opportunity for this road trip. Thanks for any info you may be able to give me.
Hi Sandra! Sounds like you have a fun day trip planned. Remember that you will see many plantation homes along the River Road, but you can enjoy some of them just stopping roadside or parking and walking around the property. You have to decide which ones you will tour. I do not recall any safety issues with the drive back to NOLA. You should be fine. Have a blast!
Found your road trip very interesting, as I’m in the process of planning similar, but starting from Baton Rouge, and overnighting en route, to end up in New Orleans. (I arrive from New Zealand into Houston, and then have 6 nights in New Orleans, before flying home).
Trying to find an inexpensive place to stay (yes, yes… a plantation stay would be best), is proving troublesome due to trying to break the journey in a logical point, somewhere mid~way! Hopefully your maps and notes will help me.
Oh, and if you ever need guidelines for road trips in New Zealand, give me a holler!
So happy for you, Julie, that you get to roadtrip the Louisiana River Road. I know you would love staying at any of the plantations, and hopefully you can find a great deal. If I had any contacts, I would send them your way, but alas at this time, I don’t. Thanks for your New Zealand offer. An epic road trip of both islands is near the top of my bucket list! Stay in touch . . . . Cheers!
Found an inn recently refurbished, just taking reservations now, in Donaldsonville, which looks a good spot to break the journey!
Sounds awesome! So happy you found something nice along the way . . . .
Wow Howard, the map is what I got stuck on for about five minutes just staring at all the place names and the cool vintage look of it. I’m sitting in the South (Carolina to be exact) and have to agree with you about these wonderful old plantation homes. They’re truly awesome and worth investigating.
Was that bit about Nottoway having to be a business something to do with Louisiana law? It’s interesting that it was spared due to some ship captain’s dream that he’d get a drink in there, or whatever. Lol. Thanks for sharing this great post!
Great post. We have travelled around the US quite a bit but unfortunately not yet made it to Louisiana. The Oak Alley Plantation seems amazing.
Thanks for sharing.
Kristin
You must make it at least to New Orleans, Kristin. It is a city not to be missed. Then if you want to get out of town while you are there, the River Road Plantations make perfect day trips.
Reading your story was like a glimpse of a journey I look forward to travel. Thank you for your insights, the great photos and inspiration.
Thanks for your kind words, Regina! Hope you get to travel Louisiana’s River Road before to long . . . .
Great post! My firm did the restoration work at Nottoway Plantation, so it holds a special place for me. Next time, head north and visit Natchez, MS!
Thank you, Claire! We definitely want to visit Natchez and Vicksburg. They are on our wanderlist . . . . So glad you stopped by!
Nice post and photos! I went to Laura Plantation today and have visited several of the others recently. I’m going to do a series on them also. They really are inspiring snapshots of the past. Thanks for sharing your experience!
How cool that you got to visit some of these amazing plantations, Nancie! Hope to get back there before too long. Thanks for stopping by . . . .
Great story and photos. Sorry that you did not take the tours of Oak Alley and St. Josephy, you really missed out on some interesting history! Try to include those if you ever get a chance!
You are right about that, Jill! Sometimes we do whirlwind road trips, and the day we drove the River Road was one of those days. We would love to have been able to take the tours because we are history buffs as well, but unfortunately we did not have enough time. Hopefully we will make it back to Louisiana before too long, because we love it there. Thanks for visiting, and may our paths cross someday on the backroads . . . .
Cathy,
Oak Alley, Destrehan, Laura, or Nottoway are all like 30 – 45 minutes from Houmas. Destrehan is where some scenes from Interview with the Vampire were filmed, if I remember the tour correctly, and the drapes in Nottoway inspired something in Gone with the Wind. So, if you have film trivia buffs in your group those are my top recommendations. All are lovely. Have a wonderful trip!
Thanks for sharing, Nikki! FYI, Cathy: Oak Alley, St. Joseph/Felicity, and Laura are side-by-side downriver. Destrehan is the farthest away from Houmas, and Nottoway is upriver. I still think Laura would be your best bet to pair with Houmas!
Thank you very much!
Thank you so much Nikki!