Destrehan Plantation, at 13034 River Road in St. Charles Parish, is the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley. Built in 1787 and run by the nonprofit River Road Historical Society, it draws visitors who want a direct, guided look at Louisiana’s colonial and antebellum past, including the lives of the enslaved people who built and sustained it.
Costumed historical interpreters lead tours through the main house. Its French Colonial construction, raised living floor, and wraparound galleries later received Greek Revival updates, so visitors can see how Creole building methods changed over time. Admission includes the guided tour, live historical demonstrations, and self-guided time in the dependency buildings and on the oak-shaded grounds. Exhibits address the 1811 German Coast slave uprising, whose tribunal met on the property. The on-site gift shop stocks regional books and crafts.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The grounds open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They close on major holidays, including Mardi Gras, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Tours start at 9:30 a.m. and run every 30 minutes, with the last one at 4 p.m. Plan on one to two hours (Tour Louisiana). General admission costs $27. Seniors and active military pay $25, children ages 7–17 pay $16, and children 6 and under enter free. Groups of 20 or more need a reservation (Destrehan Plantation). Weekday morning tours tend to be the quietest. In autumn, nighttime ghost tours are popular. The plantation sits about 10 minutes from New Orleans International Airport and 30 minutes from the French Quarter, so it fits easily into a River Road day trip.
