2 Days: New Orleans and the Bayou
Two days from New Orleans covers exactly one real day trip, and it should be the swamp: Jean Lafitte’s Barataria Preserve is 25-30 minutes away and needs no rental car at all. For River Road’s plantations, see the 3-day version ; for the full loop through Baton Rouge and Lafayette, jump to 7 days .
Book these before you go:
- Book a Barataria swamp tour on GetYourGuide
- Check French Quarter or Garden District rates on Booking.com
| Day | Stop | Drive time from NOLA | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans | - | Basecamp, arrival, one night in the city |
| 2 | Jean Lafitte Swamp | 25-30 min | Barataria Preserve pontoon tour, no car needed |
Day 1: New Orleans basecamp
Land at Louis Armstrong International (MSY), 25-30 minutes from the French Quarter by taxi (a flat $36 for one or two people) or rideshare ($35-55); see current shuttle and taxi options at flymsy.com . Base yourself in the Quarter or the Garden District for the one night you’re in the city; our New Orleans guide covers where to eat and what to see there in full, since this itinerary is only about what’s outside it. Don’t rent a car for this trip, tomorrow’s swamp tour runs a guided van and picks you up directly.
Do you need a rental car for this trip?
No. A pontoon swamp tour is a guided-van operation from downtown pickup points, and there’s nothing else on a 2-day plan that needs a car. Save the rental for a longer trip that reaches River Road or Baton Rouge, both of which do require one.
Day 2: Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour
Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours, based in Marrero on the West Bank, is 25-30 minutes from downtown and runs a 1h45m pontoon tour through Jean Lafitte National Historical Park’s Barataria Preserve: $32 adult, $12 for kids ages 3-12, departures roughly at 10am, noon, 2pm and 4pm. Book ahead if you’re traveling March through August, the sell-out season for every swamp operator in the area. Alligators, herons and turtles are the standard sightings; check nps.gov/jela for current preserve conditions before you go.
Which swamp tour, Jean Lafitte or Honey Island?
Jean Lafitte is the right call for a 2-day trip: closer at 25-30 minutes, and the standard, well-run introduction to Louisiana wetlands. Honey Island Swamp, near Slidell, is wilder and less crowded but 30-45 minutes out, worth adding only if you extend this trip; see the 7-day itinerary for both tours in one plan.
Fly out that evening or the next morning. Two days is a taste of the region, not the full picture, but it’s an honest one: one authentic day trip beats a rushed attempt at two.