Old River Road Plantation Adventure — Local services in New Orleans

This tour for 2 plantations was cheaper than other companies ($90/person) and they pick up at hotels. I scheduled and paid online; however, I didn't get a lot of information from the website regarding pick up time and details. I called and was able to get information without issue. Our pick up was a little delayed due to extra loading time needed at a previous stop. The van was at full capacity and HOT - the air conditioning wasn't working properly. We received a great deal of information from our tour guide on the way to the plantations. The Oak Alley Plantation was absolutely gorgeous. A little commercialized but enjoyable. The tour guide, Samuel, was knowledgeable and nice. The one negative that really bothered me was the slave cabins - they weren't realistic and gave the impression that the slaves had a charming life in quaint cabins. The Laura Plantation tour was fantastic - our tour guide, Al, was entertaining and knowledgeable. He also gave us bonus information about Acadians/Canjuns - before which I didn't have any knowledge of and found myself looking up more information about the culture. Al didn't gloss over the lives of the slaves or how they were treated before and after the Civil War. The reason for the 3 stars was the transportation; while our tour guide was pleasant, the van's air conditioning did not work properly which made for a very uncomfortable 2+ hour ride - it was actually a relief to be out of the van because at least there was relief of air conditioned buildings and the breeze from the Mississippi. We were in the back seat of the van so we got the added bonus of the condensation from the non-functioning air conditioner POURING water down our backs at every turn on the way back to the city. The traffic was a bit much on the way back to the city and I guess the driver wanted to get back as soon as possible so we were "offered" the opportunity to walk blocks back to our hotel instead of being dropped off at the door - this was actually the better option because we were able to get off the van! I called the company and complained; the representative was kind and understanding and refunded me a portion of the cost of the tour. This rating would have been a 4-4.5 if the 2+ hour ride wasn't so miserable. Hopefully, this is something easily fixed and won't be an issue for...

My friends and I visited New Orleans for Mardi Gras and a Bachelorette celebration. Amidst all the partying, we wanted to get the most out of our visit - see some nature and learn more on the culture and history. On this tour, we were the first group to arrive at Oak Alley Plantation because our meet up time was SUPER early in the morning. Pick up was from our hotel, really appreciated that. And it was worth it to get started so early. Arriving at the Oak Alley Plantation before the other crowds allowed us the ability to reflect peacefully and with reverence on the history of slavery, commerce, architecture, stories of the families that lived and worked there, while showing respect for all the pain that was endured. Our tour guide / driver was Madison. He was really great with setting us up for what to expect and not shying away from the sad and horrible sides of American history and the atrocities of slavery. He was open, intelligent, and empathetic, I greatly appreciated the way he presented his stories, his pacing and timing in his speech, especially being a young millennial, asserted an intuitive wisdom way beyond his years. As a local, Madison gave interesting anecdotes that made the tour more personal and intimate, and he well prepped us for what we were going to experience. Prior to going on this tour, I had a few friends mention that it made them uncomfortable, the idea of touring a plantation, because they thought it would be glorifying the place and not respecting the pain and suffering of the enslaved. I went into the tour not knowing much of what to expect and I was really grateful that Madison wasn't afraid of and didn't tip toe around the tough reality that slavery was a huge part of the history. In fact Madison was so good at his job, he made the tour guides, who did a fine job, at the two plantations we visited, Oak Alley and Laura Plantation, seem amateur and simply not as good. We had a full bus that morning and everything went very smooth, the ride to and from was very comfortable. The grounds were beautiful and the overviews on property were good. I do wish I had a little more time to spend on reflection and walking the grounds, but as with any group tour, a schedule to keep things moving along is necessary. Highly recommend - Request Madison if...

I booked the swamp/Oak Alley tour for my family and I. I could have chosen a cheaper option but I really loved how it was all included and you didn't have to worry about two separate tours and shuttles and days. Lunch being included was super convenient as well. I loved the swamp tour guide, he was fun and had so many stories about gaters. The food that's included was amazing, everyone enjoyed what they chose. I got the pasta and it was to die for. They try to make it as streamlined as possible but the lunch portion feels a little rushed. We went on the swamp tour and then had 30 minutes to eat and go to the bathroom and what not, but it wasn't so bad that it was stressful as they order your food while you're still on the tour so it's ready to go. Maria, the old river road guide, had a lot of information to share on the drive and was very accurate with times, she was a nice lady, she can probably seem kind of grumpy to some just because of how she keeps to the schedule and such but she's nice. She does have a thick accent so some of what she said was hard to understand over the speaker. My only complaint was her driving, she was fine with speed and what not but her foot is so unsteady it gets pretty jerky and the car sickness is real. The plantation tour was great, I believe or guides name was Kayla, she was so awesome too. Gorgeous grounds, rich with history and very eye opening. I did wish that the gift shop had more stuff that was for the plantation, it was almost like a home store not a gift shop. But the trees at that place are full of history and life and just hit me hard, I loved them. Puts a lot into perspective. Over all, great experience. I didn't have to stress about transport and times and all of that. I do wish we had more time to wonder around the plantation after the tour but it was still good.

TLDR: Pros: all inclusive with tours, food, transportation. Great history and tour guides, beautiful views and a good time.

Cons: driver had unsteady throttle foot, caused a bit of car sickness. Some of it like lunch and plantation were...