Things to do near New Orleans Airport (MSY) for 6 hours (or less)

In a time when travel is challenging and flights get canceled or delayed all of a sudden, one should make the most of a bad situation and turn it into something great. Here’s a list of things to do near New Orleans Airport on a layover or if your flight is delayed or canceled and suddenly have half a day or 6 hours or more before you fly out. 

This is part of our Louisiana series. Read more about our other posts here:

• Plantations near New Orleans or Baton Rouge LA
• One Day in Lafayette Louisiana (A History Tour)
• Things to do in Kenner LA: Rivertown
• 3 Outdoor things to do near New Orleans

Other layover and day trip ideas:

• 12 Hour Lisbon Layover? Head to Sintra Portugal: An Itinerary
• Day Trips From Bilbao
• Tulsa Day Trip to Bartlesville OK (For Free or Cheap)
• Day Trip to Woolaroc Museum and Nature Preserve
• Where to go on Day Trips from Huntsville AL
• How to go on a Day Trip to St John from St Thomas
• One Day in Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas)
• Water Island USVI (Day Trip from St Thomas)

Can I take an Uber around the New Orleans Area? 

Yes, there are Ubers around and you can get one quickly within the airport vicinity. However, if you are looking to visit some plantations using ride sharing apps, your best bet would be to visit Destrehan Plantation. 

Going to Oak Alley and Laura is considered going to the “countryside” and Ubers may not be available there. Please do not try to get one-way Ubers without arranging your return in advance. You may get stuck there and it is not a good place to be in especially if you need to go back to the airport at a certain time. 

Can I take a bus from New Orleans airport to the French Quarter? 

Yes you can but the bus times are a bit sporadic and don’t go regularly, like every 20 minutes. There are actual schedules, so if you missed one bus, you may end up waiting hours for the next one.  Not too ideal if you only have a few hours before your flight. 

If you can make the bus schedule times work, then great! It will only cost around $5 round trip for the bus compared to around $50 round trip for an Uber from New Orleans airport to New Orleans French Quarter. 

From the French Quarter, you can walk to Bourbon Street, Cafe Du Monde, as well as other New Orleans highlights. 

Rivertown: a museum lovers paradise

If you’re visiting or stopping over on a Monday, then you’re out of luck. Rivertown’s museums are all closed on Mondays. However, any other day and you are welcome to explore all 16 blocks of this historic district that has multiple museums. This area is perfect for those traveling with little ones since you can go to the Kenner Planetarium and Megadome Cinema.

We usually love going to science museums with our children especially if they have hands-on exhibits. Immersing a young one early with these activities is a great way to expose them to learning, even while on vacation. 

While I have not personally been to Rivertown (I only had half a day on a Monday so the museum was closed), there are also shops and restaurants in the area. There’s also Lasalle’s Landing, also in Rivertown, which has a walking path you can take on not-so-hot and humid days.

Take an airboat tour with Ultimate Swamp Adventures 

Address: 450 Laroussini St, Westwego, LA 70094

Louisiana is surrounded by so much water that you’ll see a few companies offering boat tours. However, Ultimate Swamp Adventures has an advantage: you can take an air boat through a state park which overlaps with a National Park. 

You will see signs where the National Park boundary is during the tour.  Your guide will also tell you about the over water bungalows that they are renting through the state park too. There’s an abundance of alligators and fun in the area as you zip quickly through the water and go through a power tower.

To save more on your excursion, sometimes tour tickets are available on Groupon. You can get a few dollars out of the full fare by going this route! 

Pro Tip: there are only 4 toilets at Ultimate Swamp Adventures so expect a long line after the end of each tour. The airboats do not have a toilet onboard so plan accordingly. 

Another pro tip: This activity is outdoors and will continue whether it rains or not. There is no shade or cover on the airboat tour. If it starts pouring, you may get soaked. If you are worried about your personal belongings getting wet, bring a waterproof bag. You should also bring a change of clothes in case you are going back to the airport and flying out later that day. 

Tour times are from 9:45 am, 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm. The tours run close to 2 hours (1 hr 45 mins on average). Same tour times apply whether you’re taking the air boat tour or the regular boat tour.

Is it worth it to do an airboat tour in New Orleans? 

Yes, absolutely! This is a side of the city that is rarely seen. Most people think of New Orleans as a party city but there is so much more to see and experience outside the city. 

Within a few minutes drive are plantations that offer history and an insight on what life was like in the 1700s. The mighty Mississippi River flows through the city, making it an ideal spot to trace how the river gave the city life and destruction. With water everywhere, there are swamps and bayous to discover. These swamps and rivers showcase nature within a few minutes from a big city. 

This is a chance for folks to see alligators up close in the wild. Florida and Louisiana are known for their gator populations, and they are definitely a sight to see. However, if traveling with a toddler, we would suggest taking the regular boat tour instead of the air boat tour to at least contain the little one on a boat. The air boat has no bathrooms and is open to the elements, so they may end up falling over on the side and being gator food. 

Learn about slavery at Destrehan Plantation 

Destrehan Plantation Address: 13034 River Rd, Destrehan, LA 70047

The closest plantation to New Orleans Airport, Destrehan Plantation can easily take up to a few hours and is a great place to explore outside the airport. You will need a guided tour to see the main house, and you can walk around and see the grounds after. There’s plenty of history in the area, and it is an eye opening experience to hear about the enslaved people’s stories and a little known uprising. 

Visit Bayou Segnette State Park 

Bayou Segnette State Park is so close to Segnette Landing and Ultimate Swamp Tours. It is literally a 5 minute drive if you have a rental car. Inside the state park, there’s a playground, walking trails, and even affordable overwater bungalows available for rent! 

We passed by the overwater bungalows on the boat tour and they seemed really nice. They are two bedrooms and have a kitchen area so renters can just cook their meals. There are roughly 2 bedrooms per bungalow which can fit a small family. 

The best part is that the parking lot is just in front of the villa. Need to buy groceries or go somewhere in general? A few steps away and you can get on your vehicle and drive away to civilization and back to your floating home for the night! 

Visit Jean Lafitte National Historical Park  

I never thought there would be a national park near the New Orleans area but there is! Bayou Segnette State Park is technically connected to the Jean Lafitte National Park. 

Honestly, you won’t even know the difference between Jean Lafitte and Bayou Segnette unless you looked closely during your tour. There will be a marker that identifies the border between the two parks. 

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park is composed of multiple sites located miles apart. There are various visitor centers, a preserve, a battlefield, and more! You can Uber to these sites but note that it is easier to hop on a car or pick one site to visit if you don’t have a lot of time. 

Where to eat near Bayou Segnette State Park, Westwego

Segnette Landing is a small restaurant offering Cajun cuisine like gumbo and jambalaya. It is conveniently located between the fish market and the boat dock for Ultimate Swamp Adventures. In fact, the restaurant is in a converted home so don’t be afraid to walk on up and inside. 

The restaurant asks if you are trying to catch a boat tour because they do have menu items available within a few minutes after you order. Such was the case for my gumbo order. It arrived a minute after the order was placed and was piping hot! 

Looking for places to stay or to book activities near New Orleans airport? Use the map below!

Please note that these are affiliate links and these bookings are of no additional cost to you. Whenever you do book a vacation rental, activity, restaurant, or hotel using our links we earn a small commission that helps keep the site running.

What to do close to New Orleans (MSY) Airport 

Hopefully all these sites are of interest to you or your travel companions (family, friends, or significant others). If you only have half a day or have 6 hours or less to spend in New Orleans, the list above gives you a chance to leave the airport and explore a new place. 

Who doesn’t want to explore a new place instead of just looking at the same old airport shops? I’ve also found that some of the hotels closer to the airport are cheaper than staying in New Orleans proper, both in terms of points or cash. This is also a great introduction to the city without spending a lot to stay downtown. 

Have fun on your quick trip to New Orleans! 

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A big thank you to Visit Jefferson Parish for hosting me on this half a day tour!