Plantations Between New Orleans & Baton Rouge
Many people choose one or two homes -- Oak Alley, Nottoway, Laura, and Madewood are popular ones -- and find the quickest route (get a good map). If you choose to follow the route along the riverbanks, know that you will have to cross the Mississippi bridge a few times to see every plantation. The windy river makes distances deceiving; give yourself more time than you think you'll need. All the plantations discussed in this section are roughly 1 hour from New Orleans and approximately 15 minutes from each other.
St. Francisville & Surrounding Plantations
St. Francisville, 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, doesn't look like much on approach, but by the time you get to the center of town, you are utterly charmed. It's roughly a 2-hour drive from New Orleans and pretty much requires an overnight stay. There is lodging in town if you don't stay at one of the plantations described below, or you could decamp to Baton Rouge, but only if you have to. Contact the St. Francisville tourism information office for more information (tel. 800/789-4221 or 225/635-4224; www.stfrancisville.us; Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9:30am-5pm), or the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (tel. 800/LA-ROUGE [527-6843]; www.visitbatonrouge.com). Request their useful Baton Rouge Visitors Guide. It's worth pointing out that this is not Cajun Country; the area has American plantations only and no French history at all.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.