Louisiana’s 7 Outdoor Adventures You Must Have Never Thought Of (2024)

From what all is tucked beside four walls and doors, Louisiana has much more at its outdoor. Basically, the heart and soul of Louisiana lies in its bayou, swamps, salt domes, and all other possibilities of nature. At first, your itinerary of expectations may hold a different scenario of Louisiana; however, once you are in the State, you will witness how the picture changes slowly. Louisiana’s outdoor adventures are so vivid that you must have never thought of them. While some of them may sound known, others can literally blow your mind.

An authentic sportsmen paradise, Louisiana is made for taking travellers on new paths. You may have explored multiple great State and National Parks in America; however, once you step inside the border of the ones in Louisiana, that old school monotonous visual will change for you. There are plenty of outdoor adventures to do in Louisiana. And the best part is, almost everyone can do and enjoy them.

Louisiana’s 7 Outdoor Adventures You Must Have Never Thought Of

Exciting enough, right? Then why wait? Let’s begin with the ultimate itinerary of must to do outdoor adventures in Louisiana.

1. Spend Your Vacation In A Rented Boat House

Ditch the obvious hotel and forest camping locations and give a try to houseboats. Louisiana is definitely one of those states that makes you feel cooler (not with the temperature, of course). For climbing a ladder up then camping, travellers here can consider renting a boathouse. It will let you relax over water, soak in the views, and get away from basically everything and everyone. You can either rent your slot at group boats and enjoy yourself with strangers or plan a cosy romantic getaway. There are several great boathouse renting options in the State including,

• At Atchafalaya River Basin (the biggest river swamp of America).
• At Cajun Houseboats.
• Houseboat Adventures at Cypress Cove Landing (Interstate 10 (I-10) somewhere between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, specifically Hendersonville). They offer a more luxurious experience than others.
• The Summer Time in the Avoca Island Cutoff.

2. Go for Swamp Tours

By far the most-loved outdoor adventure in Louisiana, Swamp tours are something that everyone should try. The flatlands of Louisiana are filled with swamps all across the State. However, to have one fine experience, one must always choose guided tours. Without local’s knowledge and experience, you may come back knowing nothing about this extravagance of Louisiana’s unique ecosystem. The guided swamp tours in Louisiana takes you through cypress groves and let you experience the insides of this ecology. Expect spotting flora, fauna, birds along with some historical points. Here are a few considerations for the same,

• Swamp tours at Atchafalaya River in south-central Louisiana. (It is one of the last wilderness areas in America).
• Champagne’s swamp tours at Lake Martin (full of ecological and historical wonder)
• New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours at Bayou Bienvenue of the Manchac Swamp.

3. Ride An Airboat In Lafitte

Another thrilling ride that takes you amidst swamps and bayou is surely that of the Airboats. These tours basically operate near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve on Louisiana’s historic swamplands. The tours operate every day from 10 am to 4 pm, except during winters. Each tour lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes, excluding the hotel pickup time. You can choose from both small and large airboats; both can load 10 and 21 passengers, respectively. Each airboat is equipped with Chevy 454, 450 horsepower engine that will take you through an experience like never before. Expect a diversity of Flora and Fauna on your way, especially bayou’s native creatures, Alligators. However, kids below 5, pregnant women and people with serious medical conditions are not allowed in airboats.

4. Hatch Alligator On Your Hands

Yes, you read it right. When in Louisiana, you can actually HATCH AN ALLIGATOR ON YOUR HANDS. The Insta-Gator Ranch at the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain offers an alligator hatching opportunity to the visitors. It is basically a working alligator ranch where you can get personal with alligators in several ways. During the hatching season from mid-August through early September, you can book your schedule. It is when you can hold a gator egg on bare hands and let it naturally hatch. If there’s no available opportunity during your visit, the Ranch staff will reschedule it for another day or give you a refund. Along with that, you can also learn about alligators, the history of the industry and even shop for accessories.

5. Bike Along The Natural And Human-Made Trails Amidst Louisiana’s Woodland

For scenic biking enthusiasts, Louisiana offers a number of great opportunities. Several trails are passing across a number of Louisiana cities. The wheel you bike along will take you through the charming natural scenery, which softly changes from forest to bayou. You will witness everything from native plants to animals and the unique ecosystem of the State. Here are a few great biking trails to cover when in Louisiana,

• The Lafitte Greenway and Bayou St. John (Begins from the Basin Street Trailhead and goes through Tremé, Lafitte, and Mid-City).
• Creole nature trail + All-America Road scenic byway
• The Tammany Trace was built over the old Illinois Central Railroad (It is 31 miles long, connecting different communities and cities. Also, the most beautiful biking trail in Louisiana)

6. Explore The Pepper Plantation Salt Dome On Avery Island

Every other table today has a Tabasco sauce bottle, but do you know where it initially came from? The original recipe of Tabasco sauce was generated at Avery Island by Edmund McIlhenny in 1868. Since then, it has passed through generations served to your plates. Today, all Tabasco fans can tour pepper farms, Tabasco production facility, salt mine, and a dedicated museum. Here you can learn about literally everything associated with Tabasco sauce. When here, do not miss visiting the Jungle Garden, exotic flora and a bird sanctuary.

7. Have a Walk Soaking In The Beauty Of Louisiana Gardens

Louisiana is home to some of the beautiful gardens in South America. Thanks to its flatlands, suitable weather conditions and ecosystem, the State is blessed with numerous and beautifully landscaped gardens. From the scents of azaleas and magnolias to the grandness of camellias and oaks and the diversity of greens, gardens in Louisiana will fill your heart with happiness. To have all of these beauties, tranquillity and refreshment, consider the following attractions,

• R. W. Norton Art Gallery Gardens, Shreveport
• Jungle Gardens, Avery Island
• Afton Villa Gardens in St. Francisville
• Hodges Gardens, Florien
• Rip Van Winkle Gardens, New Iberia
• Gardens of the American Rose Center, Shreveport
• Botanic Garden, Baton Rouge