Plantations of Louisiana

For a taste of history and the Old South, try visiting on of the many Louisiana plantations on your next vacation, especially around Baton Rouge and New Orleans. There are even some fine Southern Louisiana plantations worth visiting around Lafayette. Many of the elegant, sprawling, historical landmarks offer tours where you can experience the taste of the South before the Civil War.

One of the great things to do on any Louisiana vacation is to stay in the plantations in Louisiana who operate as bed and breakfast hotels. Staying overnight in one of these treasured landmarks, is an experience of a lifetime. But beware! Most of these old plantations in Louisiana have stories of ghosts that still haunt the circular staircases and manicured grounds.

New Orleans:

You might recognize the Destrehan Plantation home, as it appeared in the movie “Interview With a Vampire”. Minutes from New Orleans, this majestic home overlooks the Mississippi River. Built in 1787, this is one of the must-see plantation homes in Louisiana.

On the River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge you will find some of the best collection of southern Louisiana plantations such as the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. Another beautiful home that has appeared in many a Hollywood movie, it is full of period antiques and Louisiana artwork. The best part of this plantation home is the12 acres of gardens, ponds and a majestic live oak alley.

Oak Alley Plantation is another jewel of the Louisiana plantations. It is often on the list of New Orleans day trips from the city, making it one of the most famous plantations in Louisiana. The entrance is a canopy of breathtaking giant live oak trees. You can even get rooms and spend the night at this grand plantation. Beautiful cottages and delicious food, it’s on the top of the things to do list when you visit Louisiana.

Ormond Plantation, another of the great Louisiana plantations, also offers bed and breakfast accommodations. You can enjoy the rooms decorated with period antiques and a breakfast on the porch in the morning. Enjoy the striking grounds, which are often the backdrop for many a southern wedding.

Baton Rouge:

Located inside Baton Rouge, the Magnolia Mound Plantation is a rare example of the architecture the early settlers used in this city. Located in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, BREC"s Magnolia Mound Plantation is a rare survivor of the vernacular architecture influenced by early settlers from France and the West Indies. The plantation is home to many festivals and events that seek to preserve the history of the city of Baton Rouge.

North of Baton Rouge is a small town named St. Francisville, with a large collection of Lousiana plantations.

The Rosedown Plantation is a State Historic Site and has 28 acres of gardens maintained by the Louisiana parks and recreation. You can also find several plantations that have tours but also operate as bed & breakfasts.

The Cottage Plantation is a bed breakfast plantation with an antiques store and a large porch. You can enjoy an overnight stay in a cottage, play croquet in the yard or swim in the pool. The Butler Greenwood plantation has one of the best preserved Victorian parlors on display as well as a gazebo and windmill cottage for overnight stays.

The Myrtles Plantation is the most famous due too its reputation for being the most haunted plantation in Lousiana. You can spend the night in one of the 11 rooms and enjoy a breakfast on the spacious porch the next morning.

Lafayette:

On the road west from New Orleans toward Lafayette you can find more Southern Louisiana plantation homes like the amazing Madewood Plantation built in 1846, with gorgeous rooms filled with antiques. It operates as a bed and breakfast, so you can spend the night in Southern luxury and enjoy a mint julep on the veranda.

Another one of the amazing Southern Louisiana plantations is the Chretien Point Plantation, 15 minutes north of Lafayette. Also operating as a bed and breakfast there are many antiques decorating the rooms and original painting on the walls of its first inhabitants. It was built in 1831 and today operates as a bed and breakfast on 20 secluded acres.

There are several other plantation homes that dot the countryside in this great state. Feel free to explore and take advantage of the plantation home tours on your next Louisiana vacation.