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    St. Joseph Plantation

    4.4 (50 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

    St. Joseph Plantation Photos

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    Kristina S.

    This was easily my favorite plantation! It's family owned and the tour guide was so lovely and full of knowledge about both the St. Joseph and Felicity houses. Beautiful grounds and ancient oaks, Theodore and Simon An experience you can't miss!

    Lists showing the Enslaved
    Robbyn K.

    We went to St Joseph's to see the property featured "in mourning". Ok, so I've put off doing this review for a long, long time, simply bc it's emotional for me.... Because I take great issue with Plantations for a plethora of obvious reasons. I feel physically ill in their presence, I view them for what they are/were and that is nothing good in any way. St Joseph's is still owned by the same family today that owned it a century ago. That said, we came here bc of the history and how this family owns its history. In fact, the family itself works the property & many of the tours. Many of you will recognize the property from Queen Sugar and 12 Years A Slave. The history of the property is reviewed throughout the tour, and I want to note that the current family - the Waguespack-Simon Family purchased it in 1877 in a Post Civil-War Auction, and it has remained in their hands ever since. I think it is this reason that they are brutally honest with the history & retrospect of this property, and I appreciated how it wasn't glossed over. Sylvia covered the previous owners, their histories, their ties with the Enslaved communities *including Dr Mericq*, and how the property was built by the hands of the skilled Enslaved men - because their "owners" didn't have that level of expertise or craftsmanship. I tool a picture of a doorway that looked into a doorway that looked into a doorway- almost 200yrs later, how many storms, how many families, etc and everything still perfectly in alignment. She had a true admiration for their skill, recognizing how much of the community was built by them and given credit to others instead... she covered so much of that while also covering the families history, as well of the Mourning Practices of the Predominantly Catholic Community of the time. And I also have to give her props for pointing us to the Whitney Plantation, which was a life changing experience. So thank you to Sylvia for a truly amazing tour and for presenting such an accurate accounting of the history.

    Back of the house.
    Katie A.

    St. Joe's, as they call it, is as "family-run" establishment, as they say. It's one of the few plantations that kept running over the years, and it has been owned by the same family for something like 100 years. I wish I could say more details about exactly what family, but I went on 3 plantation tours in 1 day and was a bit overwhelmed with all of the history. It was opened to the public fairly recently, so it does not have as much traffic as some other plantations, but I would highly recommend it if you're on a day trip to plantations. Suffice it to say, St. Joe's is worth a stop. It's quite beautiful, and our tour guide was very friendly and informative despite the fact that we were running late and had to shorten our tour to about 50 minutes! The tour guides were not dressed up in period garb, which I have stated before makes me feel more comfortable--those gowns just seem hoaky. I like to think the tour is about the plantation, telling its stories, not pretending we still live in the 1800s.

    Groundskeeper barn
    Alice L.

    Fantastic experience on this tour. It is a wonderful example of how the plantation owners lived after the Civil War: very simple decor, slaves stayed on as paid workers, modest lifestyle. There were only three people including myself on the cold wet December day that I came here. Tours were $12/pp (unless you had a Groupon) and started on the hour. The tour guides are all AMAZING ladies who really love the history of the home and is still family owned. Members of the family would still come and volunteer on the site, so it was wonderful to meet someone who actually has an ancestral connection with the plantation. This made tipping after the tour a bit awkward since I wanted to show my appreciation by tipping but didn't want to offend anyone by offering money at the end of a lovely conversation about their family's home. (So I just thanked them and left. I hope that was the correct etiquette.) Overall, I would definitely recommend visiting the St. Joseph Plantation as a contrasting perspective of what life really looked like after the Civil War. Don't expect grand ornate interiors and furniture, you wouldn't have found that in families after the South lost the war. Do expect honest history and maybe even a chance to play an organ made in the 1800s by the Ursuline nuns. Enjoy!

    T G.

    Good tour but Whitney Plantation has more to see and more information about the area and land.

    St. Joseph Plantation
    Ken S.

    Thoroughly enjoyed our tour of St. Joseph in late-February. It was one of the plantations that I knew in advance that I was going to enjoy, and I was not disappointed. Sylvia, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable on the history of the plantation, especially regarding the post Civil War period and the Waguespack family who purchased it in 1877. We were able to meet two of the Waguespack family descendants while we were there, Diane and James, and had lengthy conversations with both of them. This plantation is much more "low-key" than other plantations in the area, and the fact that it is family owned and operated makes it even more special. I highly recommend visiting St. Joseph if you seek a less commercially-run plantation home experience.

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    2 years ago

    Great informational tour. They have alot of artifacts on display. They also explain the process of refining sugar. We enjoyed St.Joseph.

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    Received a great history lesson with the tour. Been in Louisiana for over 20 years and didn't know the history of sugar cane in our state

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - St. Joseph Plantation

    Review Highlights - St. Joseph Plantation

    Oak Alley is commercialized, full of replicas, pre-Civil War glory, Greek-revival, with costumed tour guides.

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    Laura Plantation - The Big House (Dec 2022)

    Laura Plantation

    4.5(389 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Visited Laura Plantation on February 28, 2026 and had a really great experience overall…read more Our tour guide, Christine, was fantastic. She was not only very informative but also incredibly kind and personable. She had a way of explaining the history that made the tour feel engaging rather than just a typical scripted presentation. By the end, it almost felt like you were being shown around by a friend rather than just a guide. The tour itself is about 2-3 hours long and involves a fair amount of walking, so I definitely recommend wearing comfortable shoes. One tip: if you're planning to visit and don't have your own vehicle, make sure to purchase the ticket option that includes transportation. It will make things much easier. Also keep in mind that there aren't many food options nearby. Unless you're planning to walk quite a distance, it's a good idea to eat beforehand or plan your meal for after the tour. There's also a small museum on the property that's worth checking out. It's close by and provides additional background and stories that help give more context to the plantation's history. Overall, this was a very informative and meaningful tour, and I would definitely recommend it if you're visiting the area.

    Very interesting tour of a Creole plantation. The architecture is very different than Oak Alley…read morePlantation down the road. The tour is informative.

    Photos
    Laura Plantation - The Big House (Dec 2022)

    The Big House (Dec 2022)

    Laura Plantation - Sugar cane

    Sugar cane

    Laura Plantation - Slave quarters

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    Slave quarters

    Airboat Tours By Arthur Matherne

    Airboat Tours By Arthur Matherne

    5.0(296 reviews)
    21.4 mi

    My husband and I and our two college-age sons were vacationing in Louisiana for Spring Break and we…read morewent on this tour. Our tour guide/boat captain Chad was extremely knowledgeable about the local nature and about the plants and animals that live there, and Chad was extremely fun and cool. The office staff were very helpful and supportive both by phone at booking time and in-person at tour time. On the tour we saw many HUGE alligators up-close, and Chad caught and let us hold cute baby alligators. We had such a fun time on this tour and we learned a lot. We loved it. We can't wait to come back!

    My husband and I were visiting New Orleans from Texas for our anniversary. We knew we wanted to do…read morean alligator tour but my husband was adamant about doing an airboat. I'm glad he was because it was such a cool experience. Everything was so personal and easy from booking to check in to bidding our awesome captain goodbye. We had captain Woody and I'd 100% recommend him if you get a choice. He was funny and so knowledgable and his passion for the work they do was apparent. His knowledge of each individual gator was endearing and impressive. Logistically it was only a 30-40 min drive from NOLA and very easy to find. On Woody's recommendation, we went to an adorable restaurant called Spahr's afterword and had some delicious seafood with a view full of gators in their backyard!

    Photos
    Airboat Tours By Arthur Matherne - The big boi 13 footer alligator

    The big boi 13 footer alligator

    Airboat Tours By Arthur Matherne - Alligator

    Alligator

    Airboat Tours By Arthur Matherne - Petting the baby gator

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    Petting the baby gator

    River Road African American Museum & Gallery

    River Road African American Museum & Gallery

    4.4(9 reviews)
    14.8 mi

    It was our first stop on our Southern Civil Rights Trip and I was filled with eager anticipation to…read morelearn! As soon as we got off the bus, Elaine welcomed us and she had on the most beautiful dress! She floated over to the first building we would sit in and showed us to our seats. We were then greeted by Darryl Hambrick, one of the founders of this museum. I was amazed when he held up a picture of Martin Luther King and pointed to his dad nearby in the photograph! Already, I felt there was a special connection to history and stories he could share with us. The River Road African American Museum is filled with so many interesting and historical items to learn from and look at!! Darryl was so gracious in explaining many things and answering any questions we had. He explained and has us think about the mental health of both the enslaver and the enslaved. He brought understanding to the long standing phrase "keep out of my kitchen" and how it deals with the matter of life and death and not just losing a job. He also told us stories about how enslavers would use their enslaved as guinea pigs for medical operations. It was awful and yet a part of history that needed to be shared. Donaldsonville was the place where the first successful c-section was performed. One of the items that caught my eye were a pair of shackles framed in a box. I have always read and watched movies about the enslaved being bound up by these horrid items but I have never seen them in person. I almost felt it was irreverent to stare at the shackles but also to not even acknowledge that they existed. We learned so much at this museum that we felt even though it was day 1, we could go home full with new knowledge! Nearby the museum, there are other parts to tour, such as the Church of the Ascension (beautiful building with lots of history), the school with a special garden, and a very historical Julien sugarcane planting machine. Our visit to Donaldsonville was rich with experiences we will not forget and stories that were so special and touching. There is a lot of pain that occurred here and in history that needs to be addressed and this is a good place to start learning.

    Review 1200. This is…read morean amazing place! I highly recommend this to anyone remotely interested in the history of people of color in this state. Located out in Donaldsonville, LA in Ascension Parish, the ambassador working comes from a long line of people who have lived in the area for generations, brought here against their will and who have stayed because of the history they have created here. Admission is $5 cash only. The success of the plantations in Louisiana were because of the enslaved. Literal fortune was earned on the literal back of those who had no actual voice, who had no choice. Here they focus on the local plantations in this parish and the lives they affected. It highlights local artists and promotes the artwork. I found out about this from the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail on the state of Louisiana website. Each time I come to a place on that list, I am more amazed. I promise that this is well worth the trip out. Inside these walls tells the stories of a people who have had to overcome so very much. If you are not going to one of the plantations on the Heritage Trail, but going to others, I definitely recommend a visit here to see the other side.

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    River Road African American Museum & Gallery - Cute welcome mat

    Cute welcome mat

    River Road African American Museum & Gallery
    River Road African American Museum & Gallery

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    Gray Line New Orleans - Whitney Plantation - Big House

    Gray Line New Orleans

    4.2(454 reviews)
    42.3 miFrench Quarter

    We did the Garden district city and cemetery tour and Val was amazing! She was informative,…read moreengaging, and kept us on-time without feeling rushed. She was a wealth of fun and interesting knowledge about NOLA and she was never dull or boring. We stumbled upon a 2nd line and just went with it! And despite the bruising sun, we had a wonderful walk throughout the garden district, learning fun facts about different architectural designs and cultural facts. And how could we forget the amazing St. Louis #3 cemetery! Gorgeous views of the different sites. We had a real blast! Stacey was a great driver and also so pleasant. She got us through some bumpy roads. They made a wonderful team! Would love to join them again.

    We booked our tour via Viator as they had a good cancelation policy. You could give them 24 hours…read morenotice and get a full refund. The other tour groups are non refundable and due to the ever changing winter weather you never know. As it turns out there was no rain on the forecast. It was just going to be cold so we bundled up. The tour was done by Grey Line Tours. It was fabulous. We were instructed to meet at the Natchez dock at the lighthouse. We checked in at the lighthouse and were told to go to stand in lane 1. Note, go to the bathroom before showing up. There isn't one close by and none in the bus. The process was easy to check in. You were given a QR code, but they just checked off your name instead. The bus was heated and not too hot. It was very comfortable and I was able to take off my jacket and I was ok wearing my sweater. The tour guide used a mic and talked the whole time. It was a lengthy ride. Pointing out other plantations and other roadside finds. He gave us history and background. Everything could be heard clearly too. That was a big plus with such a large group. When we got to the plantation and swamp he let those guides take over and he just waited around till we were done. If we had questions he was available and some took him up on that offer. I would highly recommend this tour company. It exceeded our expectations.

    Photos
    Gray Line New Orleans
    Gray Line New Orleans - Whitney Plantation - Slave Kitchen

    Whitney Plantation - Slave Kitchen

    Gray Line New Orleans - Whitney Plantation - Blacksmith building

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    Whitney Plantation - Blacksmith building

    St. Joseph Plantation - tours - Updated July 2026

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