The Oak Alley Plantation Tour is one of the most magnificent plantation tours near New Orleans because of the 28 evenly spaced, huge oak trees that go from the river road to the plantation house. It looks like the movie, “Gone with the Wind.” The Greek Revival home dates back to 1837. Located on the grounds is a restaurant, blacksmith shop, souvenir shop and antique farm equipment for a comprehensive plantation experience. The tour of the Oak Alley’s house will be conducted by guides in authentic plantation style apparel. Walking is required for this tour. The plantation house to the restaurant and souvenir shop is about 1 block in distance. You will also find benches along the path shaded by the oaks.  Then, hold onto your hat. The airboat tours are a high-speed adventure that is part tour and part ride. You will experience the best of both: a swamp tour and an airboat ride. You will travel at high speeds in the airboat then slow down and stop for pictures. Along the way, you will get a personal tour by your local captain. The airboats have stadium seating, so that the person in front of you does not obstruct your view. So every airboat seat is great for experiencing the tour and viewing the wildlife. Yes, gators will get close, real close - so close that you will be able to look into their reptilian eyes. Alligators do hibernate in the colder months, but your experienced captains know where to look for them. On average, during the winter, you will have a better than 50/ 50 chance of seeing a gator. In the warmer months, you will see a gator. Every airboat tour is unique and you never know what will be around the next corner. The area toured will be a combination of swamp, marsh and lake. So you may see anything from a bald eagle to a pelican to osprey to an owl. It is that diverse. The airboats will be driven by a 454 Chevy engine that will produce speeds of up to 35 miles an hour. They are propelled by a huge fan that will blow air from the back of the boat in excess of 200 miles an hour. These tours are truly a blast. Ride in inches of water and go where traditional boats cannot go. The boats were designed to take you to inaccessible areas of the swamp, places that you cannot reach by foot or car for a unique experience.