Drive the breathtaking Great River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge to escape to Houmas House Estate and Gardens in Darrow, one of the top plantations in Louisiana.
Giant moss-covered oaks lace the sky above as you stroll lush gardens, the aromas of traditional Louisiana cuisine fill the air at award-winning restaurants, and elegant rooms welcome you to a luxurious inn.
When you visit Houmas House Estate and Gardens, known as “The Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road,” you will be entertained and pampered until all cares fade into the background and you can simply appreciate the tranquility of this historic place.
Hour-long guided tours of the Houmas House Estate and Gardens are offered on the hour and half hour seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Your docent, dressed in period costume, brings Houmas House’s past alive through vivid stories and song. Learn about the sugar barons and their families that once lived here at “The Sugar Palace,” and explore what was once one of the largest sugar plantations in the country. Tours are also offered in French and can be booked to include round-trip transportation from New Orleans.
To move at your own pace, opt for the self-guided tour of the gardens, where the seasons are reflected by the ever-changing plants and flowers. You’ll see the herbs, fruits, and vegetables used in the restaurants at Houmas House Estate and Gardens, like basil, lemon balm, dill, mint, and edible flowers. Allow the tranquility of this oasis embrace you as you rest near the gardens’ many water features and listen to birds chirping nearby.
After your tour, head to any of the plantation’s restaurants for a memorable dining experience. At Latil’s Landing Restaurant, you’ll dine just as the sugar barons did in the 1800’s with prix fixe three- or five-course dinner (your choice) with a wine pairing available in its elegant dining room.
Head to The Turtle Bar for mint juleps or French 75s before dinner at The Carriage House Restaurant, which serves traditional Louisiana dishes with a contemporary twist. Café Burnside is popular for lunch and Sunday brunch for its delectable shrimp po’boys, crab cakes, and crawfish and brie omelets. All feature locally-grown produce on their menus.
Of course, you must visit The Wine Cellars of Houmas House with quite an impressive wine list for you to choose from—and a history that pairs well.
There’s so much to see and do at Houmas House, you could stay here all day. And all night, as it turns out. Treat yourself to a stay at The Inn at Houmas House, where you can snuggle up in luxury cottages adorned with chandeliers, fireplaces, and front porches with rocking chairs. For the peaceful opulence of Louisiana’s plantation country, look no further than Houmas House Estate and Gardens.
