NEW ORLEANS BUS TOUR FIELD GUIDE
A day that starts beneath an oak allée and ends with the layered streets of New Orleans — plantation grandeur, Katrina-era history, and city cemeteries in one loop
A full-day outing that pairs a guided visit to Oak Alley Plantation with a three-hour city and cemetery tour of New Orleans; useful for travelers who want one logistics-packed day to see both plantation landscape and urban history.
A day that starts beneath an oak allée and ends with the layered streets of New Orleans — plantation grandeur, Katrina-era history, and city cemeteries in one loop.
This outing is divided into two distinct halves: a morning trip out of the French Quarter to the antebellum Oak Alley Plantation and an afternoon three-hour guided tour of New Orleans’ city highlights and cemeteries, with guided context on areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Oak Alley’s avenue of live oaks and the plantation grounds
Oak Alley Plantation lies roughly 70 miles from the French Quarter; you'll have about two hours on site to join the 35-minute house tour led by plantation guides and then explore the grounds on your own.
Three hours of city history and Katrina context
The afternoon segment is a licensed-guide city and cemetery tour conducted in an air-conditioned mini-bus that covers New Orleans’ cultural high points and neighborhoods affected by Hurricane Katrina’s flood waters.
Door-to-door transport and timed routing
Ground transportation is provided via the operator’s sister company, Alert Transportation: hotel curbside pick-up begins at 8:15 a.m. (allow up to 30 minutes for the full pick-up run), and the operator coordinates onward transfers after the plantation visit.
What the day feels like
How the day unfolds
Expect a long, structured day: an early-morning curbside hotel pick-up launches a roughly 70-mile drive (about 1 hour 10 minutes) to Oak Alley, where a 35-minute guided house tour is embedded within roughly two hours on site; after the plantation segment the operator moves guests onward and later delivers a three-hour, licensed-guide city and cemetery tour aboard an air-conditioned mini-bus.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who gets the most from this combined plantation and city day trip.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The full experience runs about nine hours and begins with curbside hotel pick-up at 8:15 a.m.; allow for an up-to-30-minute pick-up window as the vehicle completes hotel stops.
Don’t forget a camera; comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are advisable for the plantation grounds and brief walking on the city tour.
Ground transportation is handled by the operator’s sister company, Alert Transportation, which provides the hotel pick-up, the drive to Oak Alley, and subsequent transfers noted in the itinerary.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the entire outing?
About nine hours total, including the drive to Oak Alley and the city portion.
When does pick-up start and where is it?
Pick-up begins at 8:15 a.m. and is curbside at your hotel; the driver will go hotel to hotel and you should allow up to 30 minutes for the full pick-up run.
How long do I spend at Oak Alley and what does that include?
You spend approximately two hours at Oak Alley, which includes a 35-minute house tour by plantation guides and time for self-exploration of the grounds and gift shop.
Is lunch provided on the tour?
You can grab a sandwich at the Oak Alley gift shop if you use your time wisely; there is not an included sit-down lunch mentioned.
What does the city portion include?
The three-hour New Orleans City & Katrina Tour runs on an air-conditioned mini-bus with a licensed tour guide and covers city highlights and areas affected by Hurricane Katrina’s flood waters.
Are there age restrictions?
The tour is listed as suitable for all ages.