A quick guide
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- 2Your interests
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Find your way around the grounds
Use the live satellite view to orient yourself, then open directions when you are ready to travel.
The Daily Tour
The core experience — a guided walk through the main house and an original enslaved cabin, then the grounds and exhibits at your own pace.
A historical interpreter guides you through the main house and an original enslaved cabin, sharing the stories of the Destrehan family and the enslaved men and women who ran the plantation. Your ticket also includes:
- Access to the Jefferson Room and the Herbert J. Harvey, Jr. Legacy Room
- The Miller-Haydel Museum's two exhibits, plus the Louisiana Farm Barn
- Self-guided time on the grounds and dependency buildings
- A daily historical demonstration
- A self-guided QR code tour in English, French, Spanish, and German
Special experiences
Add-on tours that pair the plantation with something extra.
Spuddy's Cajun Cooking Experience
The plantation tour, a live cooking demonstration with Maitland "Spuddy" Faucheux of Spuddy's Cajun Foods, and a lunch or dinner in the historic Mule Barn. Allow 4.5 hours total. $80/person plus state & parish tax (seafood menu +$6); group bookings require 35–150 people, 30 days' notice. Contact Melissa Monica, (985) 764-9315 ext. 2.
Details →
Destrehan & Houmas House Combo Tour
See two River Road plantations in one day — Destrehan and Houmas House, combined into a single ticket.
Details →Seasonal & haunted tours
Runs seasonally — cross-linked from the Events calendar every October.
The Spirits of Destrehan
Hosted with NOLA Ghost Riders — a 2+ hour interactive tour of the Big House and grounds with a paranormal-investigator storyteller, dowsing rods, K2 meters, and spirit boxes. Thursday–Sunday at 7:30 pm; arrive by 7:00 pm on-site, or board the bus at VooDoo Tavern & Poboy's (1140 Decatur St, New Orleans) by 6:30 pm.
Details →
The Curse of Destrehan
Also called "The Hauntings of Destrehan" — a guided after-dark walk through the manor and grounds with dowsing rods and EMF readers, plus true-to-history ghost stories. Runs Thursday–Sunday, March 5–May 31; 6:30 pm start, ~90 minutes. $35 adults, $20 kids 6–17, $30/person for groups of 10+. Off-season, book by appointment (min. 8 guests, 1 week ahead) with Brenda Benoit, (985) 764-9315 ext. 3.
Details →Group, private & student tours
| Tour type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | $27 / adult | Military & Senior (60+) $25, Child (7–17) $16, under 6 free. AAA and military ID discounts accepted at the door. |
| Private tour | $38 / person | Minimum 4 people, book 2 weeks ahead, offered 15 minutes before/after the hour. Free for the group if booked by a tour operator. |
| Group tour (20+ adults) | $19 / person | Plus one complimentary admission for the tour director and bus driver. Book at least 2 weeks ahead with Melissa Monica, Public & Media Relations, (985) 764-9315 ext. 2, melissa@destrehanplantation.org. |
| Student field trips → | Contact us | Booked through the Heritage Education Program — contact Brenda Benoit, ext. 3. |
What you'll see: exhibits & grounds
The Jefferson Room
A document signed by Jefferson and Madison.
Miller-Haydel Museum
The 1811 Uprising and Rost Home Colony exhibits.
Louisiana Farm Barn
A sugar and textile museum on the grounds.
Map of Grounds →
Self-guided walk through the dependency buildings.
Plan your visit
Getting here & transportation Full page →
10 minutes from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, with free on-site parking and luggage storage. Uber and Lyft both serve the plantation.
Tickets & booking
- Book a specific time — arrive early or late and your ticket is still honored for the whole day.
- Reservations aren't required for individual visitors — walk-ins are welcome during regular tour hours — but are recommended for larger groups or peak season.
- Groups of 20 or more require a reservation at least two weeks ahead.
- All major credit cards accepted.
- Booking with a Groupon voucher: choose "Buy Tickets," pick your date/time and guest count, then enter each voucher's unique code under "add promo or discount code" at checkout.
Photography & recording
- Personal-use photography is welcome as long as it doesn't delay the tour, except in one designated room where photos and video aren't permitted.
- Flash photography and video/audio recording are prohibited inside the house during guided tours.
- Family portraits on site cost the regular admission fee per adult/child photographed; the photographer is admitted free. Allowed anywhere on the grounds except inside the house.
Cancellations
- Written or email notice required at least 24 hours before your tour date.
- No-shows are not refunded.
Accessibility & pets
The gift shop, main house, and Miller-Haydel Museum are handicap accessible. The house tour involves walking with seating available in one room; the self-guided grounds can be explored at your own pace with breaks as needed. Pets aren't permitted on the property, with the exception of service animals.
Hours & holiday closures
Open 9:00 am–5:30 pm daily. Closed on New Year's Day, Mardi Gras Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Ready to visit?
Tours run every half hour, 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Grounds and the gift shop stay open until 5:30 pm.