NOLA One-Day Tour | Plantation & Swamp Tour: Nature & History in One!

When in New Orleans, how can you miss the "vintage romance of oak plantations" and the "wild excitement of swamps"? Since we wanted to check both off our list, we directly booked the Plantation & Swamp Tour one-day package on Grayline's official website ⚠️—after all, these two places are really far from New Orleans' downtown, taking about an hour by car. Booking a tour not only saves us the hassle but also lets us listen to professional explanations; it's simply a lifesaver for lazy travelers! 🌳 Oak Alley Plantation: A Century-Old Oak Feast After leaving the city, the guide started a "non-stop" commentary mode! The ride was never boring—when passing by old buildings with stories 🏘️, the driver would slow down specially to let us enjoy them up close, laying the groundwork for the plantation tour in advance. As soon as we arrived at Oak Alley Plantation, we were instantly stunned! Two rows of tall oak trees stretched from the entrance to the main house like guardians, their branches and leaves weaving into a natural arcade. Sunlight filtered through the gaps and cast dappled light on the lawn; every random shot had a retro movie vibe 📸. The guide would first confirm the meeting time with everyone, and this is a must-not-miss point: Never be late! ‼️ The bus leaves on time. It's said that last time some tourists were late, the guide left without waiting for them. Don't miss the itinerary because of ！ To be honest, I zoned out a bit during the plantation's history commentary hahahaha 🤓—the scenery around was just too charming. I couldn't help but stare at the carvings on the century-old mansion and the white doves on the lawn, filled with the amazement of "so the scenes in Gone with the Wind really exist". Fortunately, I later caught up by reading the exhibition introductions, so I didn't miss this little piece of Southern history～ 🌿 Manchac Swamp: A Wild Adventure in the Rainstorm Right after the leisurely plantation visit, the weather took a turn for the worse—thunder and lightning ⛈️, and raindrops pelted down. Luckily, the scenic area sold raincoats for $3. We wrapped ourselves up tightly and boarded the boat to the depths of the swamp, braving the rain. The 75-minute boat tour was like opening a blind box! The captain was great at livening up the atmosphere. He used a special tool to "call" alligators 🐊, and even took out marshmallows and meat to feed the animals—who would have thought that fierce alligators and cute raccoons would all scramble for marshmallows! My friend and I were shocked when we saw them gathering to fight for food, and we couldn't stop taking photos with our cameras 📸. The captain said there are often snakes in the swamp 🐍, but unfortunately, we didn't see any that day because of the rain—it was a small regret. But! Everyone got to hold a baby alligator! Its soft little body wriggled in my hands; I was a bit scared at first, but later couldn't help but stroke it several times～ Along the way, we also saw many wild adult alligators—some lying on the shore sunbathing, some swimming slowly in the water. The scene was both tense and exciting, completely different from what you'd see in the city! In the first half of the trip, my friend and I were looking around and taking photos everywhere, but in the second half, we sat down on our seats and "watched from a distance" obediently 😎—we were really intimidated by the aura of the wild adult alligators, afraid of disturbing these "swamp masters", so we could only admire their majestic appearance from afar～ #USA #NewOrleans #travel #NOLA #Plantation #Alligator #Raccoon #MyStudyAbroadLife #SeeTheWorld