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Want to know the absolute BEST places to see alligators in Louisiana? Here are the 5 BEST places to see alligators in New Orleans and beyond!
The distinct dialect, the lively jazz music, the Creole and Cajun flavors, the famous beignets! When you land in the city of New Orleans, you absolutely know it.
“Laissez les bon temps rouler” or “Let the good times roll” is the general vibe of being a tourist in New Orleans.
The good times are rolling whether you party your way up and down Bourbon street, explore the mansions of the Garden District, or tour the above-ground cemeteries.
But if you are more of an adventure seeker and nature lover, you can also head out to see the wild alligators in the Louisiana swamps and bayous!
If you are heading to the Big Easy in search of seeing alligators, there's many places to choose from. Keep reading to find the BEST places to see the Louisiana alligators.
This article is full of the best ways to see alligators in their natural habitat by airboat, by kayak, by pontoon, and even by car. And if you're not sure what some of those options mean, I'll break it all down.
Honey Island swamp is about 45 minutes outside of New Orleans, located in Slidell, Louisiana. This is one of the most convenient places to see alligators if you’re staying around New Orleans.
You’re surrounded by beautiful cypress trees that are all along the swamplands. These cypress trees used to house bee nests that were full of honey. Hence the name, Honey Island.
There are several different swamp tours that are offered at Honey Island swamp, and we’ll give you our top three swamp tours below!
We went on Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island Swamp tour with Captain Hunter. We had an incredible experience on this 2-hour swamp tour. Not only did we see alligators, we also saw turtles, raccoons, and countless species of birds.
In between jokes, Captain Hunter taught us about the wildlife, the plant life, and swamp life. There are people who live along the bayous and use boats to get around town.
Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island swamp boat tour takes place on a pontoon boat. This is a flat-bottomed boat with bench-seating.
The experience costs $29 per person without transportation. Or you can arrange transportation to and from the French Quarter for a total of $58 per person instead.
We rented a car for the day and split the cost between our group of four people.
This was the most time- and cost-efficient plan for us. I’ve included a chart at the end of this article to help decide what may work best for your plans.
We drove 45 minutes from the French Quarter to Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island swamp tour located at 41490 Crawford Landing Rd.
If you plan to have a rental car, and are interested in booking Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island swamp tour without transportation included you can book your reservation HERE for $29 per person.
Otherwise, if you are not planning to have a rental car, you can book transportation with Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island swamp tour HERE for $58 per person. They’ll pick you right up from the French Quarter.
Regardless of the package you select, you should book your Honey Island spot in advance!
Let’s say you’re all about your fitness, even on vacation. You might be more interested in guided kayak tours than any other type of swamp boat tour.
On a kayak tour, you’re keeping your body moving. And you don’t have to be an expert kayaker to participate. They will show you the ins and outs of how to kayak in the swamps.
Selecting a kayak swamp tour also depends on how close you want to get to an American alligator. Would you feel most comfortable in a kayak or on a pontoon?
Everybody has different thrill levels that they seek, but it’s always suggested to keep enough distance between you and an alligator.
I’ve included some safety tips at the end of this article to be mindful of.
The Kokomo Kayaks Tour at Honey Island Swamp is available 7 days a week. The meeting point is located at 65583 Pump Slough Rd. Pearl River, Louisiana 70452.
You will be provided with a kayak, life vest, paddle, and dry bag. The cost is $62 per person for the 2 hour kayak tour which you can book HERE.
If you happen to be visiting during the weekend, you can catch a guided kayak tour through Honey Island with New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours.
The New Orleans Kayak Swamp tour at Honey Island costs $55 per person.
This one is a little cheaper than the Honey Island kayak tour mentioned above. However, it is only open on Saturdays and Sundays.
They offer a two-hour tour and require a two person minimum for booking, unless you book a private tour. You can book with New Orleans Kayak Swamp tour HERE.
Notably, transportation is not included in this tour.
Search for the most affordable car rental deal below!
Jean Lafitte National Park is about 18 miles outside of New Orleans. This is another great place to check out the Louisiana alligators and other wildlife.
Before you select one of the Jean Lafitte National Park swamp tours below, you should understand the differences between the types of boats offered.
An airboat is a different vessel than a pontoon. While the pontoon is a quieter and shaded ride, the airboat comes with a bit more excitement and exposure to the elements.
The airboat does not have an overhead covering, and can move at speeds of about 35 mph. There is a large fan at the back of the boat that blows winds of 200 mph. This can get pretty noisy.
Thankfully, airboat tours provide you with ear muff coverings that protects you from the loud sound.
An airboat swamp tour is more of a high-speed adventure, compared to the pontoon swamp tour. They’re both a great time, so you can’t go wrong with either experience.
The swamp tour at the Barataria Preserve is inside of the Jean Lafitte National Park. And this is a good place to find alligators!
There are different sized-airboats for this 2-hour swamp tour. The larger and less private the boat, the cheaper the cost.
You can book a large airboat for $59 per person HERE. This option does not include transportation.
If you prefer a small (more private) airboat, you can book one for $89 per person HERE. This option also does not include transportation.
The meet-up point is 9706 Barataria Blvd. Marrero, LA 70072.
If you would like to add-on transportation, you can do so at check-out for an extra cost of $30 per person.
If keeping track of the different pricing options is starting to get confusing, don’t worry.
I’ve created a chart at the end of this article that will help you keep track of the total costs of each of these swamp tours to help you successfully plan out your budget.
If you prefer riding through the Jean Lafitte swamp in a pontoon, check out this tour! It’s 90 minutes long and conveniently has a restroom aboard the boat.
The price of the Jean Lafitte Bayou Swamp tour is $32 per person. Transportation is not included.
You will be meeting at 6601 Leo Kerner Pkwy, Marrero, LA 70072 for this tour which you can book HERE.
Bayou Manchac is also known as the Iberville River. Julia Brown is a historical woman from the late 1800s who lived in the area and there’s many stories about her. Good and bad.
Some storytellers will depict Julia Brown as a voodoo queen that laid a swamp curse on the area. There’s also stories that depict her as a healer for the town.
Ultimately, her funeral was the same day as a large hurricane. Some may say she was working to prevent the storm from coming. Others say she left a curse on the entire Bayou Manchac.
If you want to hear more about her story for yourself from locals, check out the tours below!
The Cajun Pride Swamp tour is located at 110 Frenier Rd, Laplace, LA 70068.
They have tours that explore Bayou Manchac and Lake Maurepas.
The price is $27 per person. That option excludes transportation.
If you book online with transportation included it costs $48 per person.
The tour lasts about an hour and a half. In the safety of the pontoon boat, your guide can get close to jumping alligators. The link to book your swamp tour is HERE.
If kayaking around the swamp is more your speed, New Orleans Kayak swamp tour is a great option to explore Bayou Manchac.
The price is $55 per person. They offer transportation to and from a central pickup spot in downtown New Orleans for an additional charge of $20 per person.
If you have a rental car and would like more details on the meeting location for the tour, you can call or text them at +1(504) 571-9975.
If you are booking a private tour, they offer transportation from your hotel. You can book this kayak swamp tour HERE.
If you’re heading down to southern Louisiana, be sure to check out the alligators in Lake Martin!
This is near Breaux Bridge, and a great location to find hiking trails in the right season.
During mating season, the alligators are most active on land.
You don’t want to encounter an alligator on land during mating season, as that may be your last encounter ever. Quite dangerous.
You should avoid the hike from the start of mating season in April, through to when the alligator eggs hatch in September.
Usually the trail will be closed during these months anyway.
Outside of the mating and hatching months, it will be a beautiful 5 mile loop hike around Lake Martin. And you’ll be able to more safely spot the alligators.
This is a pontoon swamp tour that is open 7 days a week. They are located at 1151 Rookery Rd. Breaux Bridge, LA 70517.
This is about a 2-hour drive from the French Quarter. They do not provide transportation, so you will be needing a rental car if you choose to book with them.
The swamp boat tour is $25 per person for the 90 minute tour. Call 337-230-4068 to make your booking. Cash is their preferred payment method.
Champagne’s Cajun Swamp tours also offers kayak and canoe rentals for you to do a self-guided tour around the bayou.
They provide the kayak or canoe, life vests, and paddles for $15 per person if paying with cash. There is a $5 fee added onto that if you pay with your credit card.
You can find more details on their official website linked HERE.
If coming face to face with a gator isn’t your idea of a good time, but you don’t want to miss out completely on the Louisiana alligator experience, I’ve got something for you.
You can spot alligators along a scenic drive known as the Creole Nature Trail.
Yes, all within the safety of your rental car!
If you take Pintail Wildlife Drive (1428 Highway 27 Bell City, LA 70630), there’s a good chance of spotting alligators from the comfort of your car.
This is a highly recommended 3-mile loop trail.
Pintail Wildlife Drive is located on the east side of the Creole Nature Trail All American road.
Best Places to See Alligators in Louisiana
Consider the cost of renting a car and splitting the costs with your group versus adding on transportation to your tour to come up with the most cost-effective plan.
Note that prices can change, and it’s best to always check directly with the tour company's booking pages for most up-to-date pricing.
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Louisiana Alligator FAQs
- How many alligators are in Louisiana?
- Over 2 million! Louisiana has one of the largest alligator populations in the US.
- What kind of alligators are in Louisiana?
- You'll find the American alligator in Louisiana.
- How fast can alligators run?
- Alligators can run ~30 mph on land and 20 mph in the water.
- Where can alligators be found in Louisiana?
- You can find alligators around the Mississippi River in swamps.
- How big are alligators in Louisiana?
- Alligators can grow to ~9 to 13 feet long and weigh 200-500+ pounds.
- Do alligators hibernate in Louisiana?
- Alligators are cold-blooded so their metabolism slows down in the winter months. This is officially called brumation, not hibernation.
- Can you feed alligators in Louisiana?
- Feeding alligators is not advised. Feeding alligators causes them to associate food with humans. When they then encounter a human who does not have food while they're hungry, guess who can become food...
- Can you swim with alligators in Louisiana?
- Do not swim with alligators anywhere. That is dangerous. Think twice, even three times, before diving into a body of water in Louisiana, especially at night when it's harder to see.
- What do you see on a swamp tour in Lousiana?
- You can see alligators, raccoons, birds including bald eagles, black bears, and turtles on a Louisiana swamp tour.
- When do alligators mate in Louisiana?
- Mating season is in April and May for the alligators. This is also when the alligators become more aggressive and more dangerous.
- When do alligators hatch in Louisiana?
- The alligator eggs hatch mid-August through September. Stay at least 10 feet away from alligator nests.
- Can you see alligators in the winter?
- Yes. However, alligators do not move as much and may be harder to spot during the colder months.
- What should you wear to an alligator swamp tour?
- You should wear casual clothes that can be layered to a swamp tour. The speed of the boat can make the experience cool and breezy. If you're going during the warmer months, bring a light jacket. If you're going during colder months, bring a thicker jacket. If rain is on the forecast, bring a poncho!
- When is the best time of year to do a swamp tour in Louisiana?
- You have the best chance of seeing the most active alligators in the spring time. Although they can be spotted all year-round by amazing tour guides.
- What are some important safety tips for the Louisiana swamp tours?
- Stay seated. Keep hands and feet inside boat at all times. Do not feed the animals you encounter. Listen to the instructions given to you. by your tour guide.
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Love this! I love all the fact added in too! Alligators scare me haha but seeing them on a tour sounds cool!
Haha seeing alligators was definitely a fear I had to face! I hope you check out one of the tours if you visit Louisiana because it was so worth it! Thanks for reading 🙂
Living in Florida, I know what it’s like to have gators around. No swimming in fresh water! I don’t think seeing gators in their natural habitat ever gets old. They’re so graceful in the water. When they’re on land, they make you feel like you’ve been transported back to the Jurassic period. They really look like the dinosaurs. I also appreciate that you out some really important safety tips in here. This way folks can enjoy these beautiful creatures while staying safe.
Thanks so much for reading! I absolutely feel like I’m in the Jurassic period whenever I see alligators. I imagine them as tiny dinosaurs! It’s really awesome to be able to see them in their natural habitat, and to be able to see them safely (most importantly!)