Discover the Plantation Parade

Créole. Greek Revival. Neoclassical. 

The plantations of the Plantation Parade reflect the architectural style of the wealthy sugar planters who lived along Louisiana’s Great River Road, between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, more than 150 years ago, dividing their time between the expansive, lucrative farms and opulent townhouses in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The stories of the people who lived and worked here, both free and enslaved, still echo beneath painted ceilings and towering oaks, in the mansions and in the slave cabins. These plantations are only an hour's drive from New Orleans along the Mississippi river.

Oak Alley Plantation

From its beginnings as a mere land claim on a map, Oak Alley has been many things in its over 200-year history. Those who walked the grounds were French Creole, African, Portuguese, German, Irish, Italian and American. They were sugar planters, agricultural tycoons, real estate speculators, immigrant laborers, and enslaved peoples.

Today, Oak Alley is a historic site, dedicated to preserving and interpreting its history. With an emphasis on its time as a sugar plantation, visitors walk under its oak trees, experience the exhibits, interact with staff, and leave with a richer, more powerful understanding of what a plantation is. Dine on Cajun and Creole cuisine and stay the night in cottages adjacent to the historic grounds. 

Houmas House Estate and Gardens

A short drive from New Orleans is Houmas House. This historic estate boasts 38 acres of abundant gardens, three restaurants, an inn and a historic mansion open daily for tours. The guided mansion tour leads guests through the architectural evolution of the mansion and details how a succession of owners and the Mississippi River grew this manor house into today’s estate. Period antiques, artwork and artifacts assist the guides to tell the story of plantation life. Once sprawling over 300,000 acres, Houmas House has survived wars, floods, abandonment and the test of time.