The Great River Road — Louisiana's Most Historic Drive
The River Road — or more precisely, the two roads that run along the east and west banks of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge — is one of the most historically significant drives in the United States. For over 70 miles, this corridor was once lined with hundreds of prosperous sugar and indigo plantations, their grand houses set back from the river behind allées of live oak trees.
Today, a handful of these plantations survive as historic house museums, each offering a different window into the complex history of antebellum Louisiana. Destrehan Plantation, as the oldest surviving plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley, holds a special place of honour at the New Orleans end of this remarkable corridor.
🌟 Why Destrehan is the Perfect Starting Point
Located just 25 miles from New Orleans and 10 minutes from the international airport, Destrehan Plantation is the ideal first stop on a River Road journey. Its proximity to New Orleans means you can visit on a half-day trip, or use it as the beginning of a longer exploration of the plantation corridor heading toward Baton Rouge.
Key Plantations Along the River Road
While Destrehan is our focus, the River Road corridor offers several other remarkable historic sites. Here is a guide to the most significant plantations you can visit along the route.
🌟 Destrehan Plantation — Our Recommendation
Distance from New Orleans: 25 miles (30 minutes)
Built: 1787
Style: Louisiana Creole / Greek Revival
The oldest surviving plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley. Exceptional guided tours, powerful museum exhibitions on the 1811 German Coast Uprising and the Rost Home Colony, and beautiful grounds. The most historically comprehensive plantation museum on the River Road.
Book Destrehan Tour
Oak Alley Plantation
Distance from New Orleans: 55 miles (1 hour)
Built: 1839
Style: Greek Revival
Perhaps the most photographed plantation in Louisiana, Oak Alley is famous for its dramatic quarter-mile alley of 28 ancient live oak trees leading to the mansion. The plantation also features a strong interpretation of the lives of the enslaved people who worked there.
Book Oak Alley Tour
Whitney Plantation
Distance from New Orleans: 50 miles (55 minutes)
Built: 1803
Style: French Creole
The only plantation museum in Louisiana dedicated entirely to the history of slavery. Whitney Plantation's powerful exhibitions, memorials, and interpretive programmes make it an essential and deeply moving experience for any visitor to the River Road.
Book Whitney Plantation Tour