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Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Marrero, LA

Photo: Mphornet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureHistory BuffFree

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve

6588 Barataria Blvd · Marrero, LA

Why you should go…

This national park protects Louisiana's Mississippi River Delta region in six separate sites. Outside Marrero, the 26,000-acre Barataria Preserve has boardwalks through swamp, marsh and bayou where you can look for alligators and over 200 bird species. Other units include Chalmette Battlefield, site of the 1815 battle, a French Quarter visitor center, and Acadian cultural centers with Cajun music and boat tours. Hurricane Ida repairs have closed the preserve visitor center and most trails since February 2026.

  • #national park
  • #swamp boardwalk
  • #alligators
  • #birdwatching
  • #battlefield

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Airboat Adventures

    $25–$50

    Airboat and pontoon boat swamp tours through Louisiana bayous near New Orleans, spotting alligators and birds.

    3.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Louisiana Tour Company

    $25–$50

    Family-owned New Orleans operator running Barataria swamp, airboat, plantation and city tours since 1989.

    6.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Perino's Boiling Pot

    $25–$50

    Casual West Bank seafood restaurant known for boiled crawfish, shrimp and crab served fresh from the pot.

    7.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    New Orleans Airboat Tours

    $50+

    Guided airboat rides through Louisiana bayous with alligator and wildlife sightings near New Orleans.

    8.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Free

    Audubon Park

    Free

    Stroll under live oaks along a paved loop, past a lagoon and bird rookery, in a 350-acre Uptown park between St. Charles Ave and the river.

    10 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    City Park

    Free

    1,300 acres of live oaks, lagoons, and a sculpture garden, bigger than Central Park.

    14 mi awayMore like this