Overview
The River Parishes are the Louisiana parishes that line the Mississippi River in the eastern part of Acadiana, from the Mississippi state line to just outside the New Orleans metro area. From Baton Rouge north, the parishes are on the west bank of the river (we have placed Baton Rouge in the Florida Parishes). The parishes between Baton Rouge and New Orleans straddle the river and, in particular, form a unique area known as the "Acadian Coast." This was an area that the first Acadian (now Cajun) exiles settled when they arrived in Louisiana from Canada. The region's parishes are Ascension, Avoyelles, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and West Baton Rouge.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 42°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jun and Jan. (climate data from nearby Baton Rouge)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BTR Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Baton Rouge — 6 mi away. Directions
- LFT Lafayette Regional Airport, Lafayette — 53 mi away. Directions
- MSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans — 62 mi away (major hub). Directions
Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Vacherie — Oak Alley Plantation, Whitney Plantation, Laura Plantation.
- Day 2: LaPlace — 1811 Kid Ory Historic House (old Woodland Plantation).
- Day 3: Marksville — Tunica Biloxi Regional Indian Center & Museum Complex, Hypolite Bordelon Home, Northup Trail, Edwards Plantation Site.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in River Parishes
Vacherie
City / town · 7 listings
LaPlace
City / town · 6 listings
Marksville
City / town · 6 listings
Port Allen
City / town · 6 listings
New Roads
City / town · 5 listings
Luling
City / town · 4 listings
Donaldsonville
City / town · 3 listings
Plaquemine
City / town · 3 listings
Simmesport
City / town · 2 listings
Saint Rose
City / town · 1 listings
Cities
- Donaldsonville
- LaPlace
- Luling
- Marksville
- New Roads
- Plaquemine
- Port Allen
- Saint Rose
- Simmesport
- Vacherie – several plantations can be visited by the public
Other destinations
- Atchafalaya Basin (also known as Atchafalaya Swamp) - enormous swamp around the Atchafalaya River
See
Historical plantation homes dating back to the 1800s are on both banks of the river and some are open to the public, ranging from non-profit educational facilities to commercial tourist attractions with major amenities. Pre-Civil War, there were hundreds of wealthy plantations along this trail, growing mostly sugar cane. Most are gone today, but locals have worked diligently to keep the remaining plantations viable and open to the public for visiting.
- Houmas House Plantation, in Darrow , is a historic plantation established in the 1700s that operates as a museum and inn.
- Nottoway Plantation near Plaquemine is reputed to be the South's largest and looks like it could be the White House. It functions as a hotel and restaurant but is also available for tours.
- From the town of Vacherie, you can visit:
- Evergreen Plantation: A plantation house constructed in 1790 with a grand staircase and 22 slave quarters .
- Oak Alley Plantation: Famous for the beautiful alley of multi-century old oak trees at the front of the property, this plantation includes a historic "big house" (where the owners lived), gardens, and reconstructed slave quarters.
- San Francisco Plantation: "The Most Opulent Plantation in the South". A national historic landmark that is open for tours.
- Whitney Plantation: The only plantation museum with a focus on slavery. This sugar cane plantation intertwined the lives of German immigrant owners and African-American slaves. Part museum, part art gallery, part living history.
Go next
- The rest of Acadiana
- Central Louisiana – to the north
- Florida Parishes – to the east
Nearby
Baton Rouge
City / town · 65 listings · 0 mi away
St. Francisville
City / town · 3 listings · 27 mi away
Atchafalaya Basin
Park · 5 listings · 30 mi away
Krotz Springs
City / town · 7 listings · 36 mi away
Henderson
City / town · 5 listings · 39 mi away
St. Martinville
City / town · 8 listings · 46 mi away
Thibodaux
City / town · 6 listings · 50 mi away
Franklin
City / town · 7 listings · 50 mi away
My experience
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