Built in 1787, Destrehan is the oldest documented plantation house in the lower Mississippi Valley, sitting about 23 miles upriver from New Orleans along River Road. The French Colonial and Greek Revival architecture survived the Civil War largely intact, and the 45-minute guided tours do a good job covering both the grandeur and the grim realities of the enslaved people who built and sustained the place.
Beyond the main house, several outbuildings and the grounds are open to explore at your own pace. The plantation hosts period craft demonstrations and a popular fall festival with food and music each November. Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.