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New Orleans Airboat Ride

TourTruth score 6.7 out of 10

Average

6,198 reviews · Rated on 2 providers · How we score

  • New Orleans
  • Updated November 2, 2026

Swap New Orleans’ busy streets for a guided airboat ride through a cypress swamp, with chances to spot alligators and other wildlife.

About this tour

Trade New Orleans’ busy streets for the quiet, wild waterways of a tidewater cypress swamp. This New Orleans airboat ride explores bayous near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, where moss-draped trees frame the route and wildlife may appear along the water’s edge.

Glide through the swamp with a local guide and watch for alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets, and herons. Cypress and tupelo-gum trees add a distinctive backdrop, with plenty of opportunities to take photos. Choose from a premium small-group tour limited to 6 people, a regular small airboat carrying up to 10, or a large airboat carrying up to 30. Ear protection is provided, and each seat has a small storage space underneath. Alligators are more commonly spotted in summer, though wildlife sightings can vary.

Select round-trip transportation when booking if you want pickup; self-drive options do not include it. Tours run in rain, but unsafe weather such as lightning, thunderstorms, or high winds brings a full refund. Book your New Orleans airboat ride for a lively escape into the bayou.

Highlights

  • Glide across a tidewater cypress swamp near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
  • Look for alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets, and herons
  • Admire moss-covered cypress and tupelo-gum trees
  • Capture photos of the bayou and its wildlife

What's included

Included

  • Local guide
  • Airboat ride
  • Small storage space under seat
  • Round-trip transportation, if selected at booking
  • Ear protection
  • Unobstructed views

Not included

  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks; a gift shop and bar are available on site

Ratings on each provider

The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.

What reviewers mention

Themes that come up most in this tour's reviews.

Common complaints

Important information

  • Minimum age is 5 years
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or those who are pregnant
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Tours operate in sunny or rainy weather; dress appropriately
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  • Unsafe weather, including lightning, thunderstorms, or high winds, results in a full refund; tours still operate in rain
  • Self-drive option does not include hotel pickup
  • For the pickup option, pickups begin 1 hour and 15 minutes before the tour
  • Taxi and rideshare services are not available in the area
  • Separate reservations are not guaranteed to be on the same boat
  • Turn right on Texas Street, the next right, to enter the facility; do not turn onto Fleming Park Road
  • Alligators are more commonly spotted in summer

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose hotel pickup?

Round-trip transportation is available only if you select the pickup option when booking. Self-drive bookings do not include hotel pickup.

When does pickup begin?

For the pickup option, pickups begin 1 hour and 15 minutes before the tour time.

Are taxis or rideshares available?

No. Taxi and rideshare services are not available in the area.

What happens if the weather is unsafe?

Tours operate in rain, but unsafe conditions such as lightning, thunderstorms, or high winds result in a full refund.

What wildlife might I see?

You may spot alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets, and herons. Alligators are more commonly spotted in summer.

How this score is calculated

This tour scores 4.71 on Viator and 4.79 on GetYourGuide. Ratings on these sites cluster near the top of the 5-star scale, so we compare each one with all other ratings on the same site before combining them.

How the score works and rating distribution in New Orleans
  • Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
  • Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
  • Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
  • The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 6.7.

Provider rating distribution in New Orleans

How many tours in New Orleans have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.

  • GetYourGuide
  • Viator

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