Cassandra Evatt rated us: 5 out of 5 stars.
Dalton was our guide on a 6-passenger airboat, and the experience exceeded our expectations! It was my husband, our 10-year-old daughter, our 7-year-old son, and two other guests who joined us that morning. My kids were a little nervous at first, but within about 10 minutes they were completely comfortable and having a great time.
We saw many alligators throughout the tour, and Dalton fed raw chicken to several of the larger ones, which was exciting to watch. One of the highlights was seeing a large female alligator guarding her nest with eggs, which we weren’t expecting to see that.
A few tips for anyone going: bring sunscreen and sunglasses because the boat is not shaded. Ear protection is provided, but you won’t need it until you leave the canal and the airboat gets up to speed, so there’s no need to put it on right away. If you do not like over-the-ear noise protection, consider bringing your own earplugs. You can also bring a cooler with drinks, which is a nice because it did get hot. Our tour was at noon, and there were not any bugs, so insect repellent wasn’t needed. We did get a few small mud splatters, so I’d avoid wearing white or light-colored clothing, and hats will blow off.
You don’t wear life jackets, but the water is very shallow in most areas (our guide said you could stand in much of it), and at no point did we feel unsafe.
I highly recommend requesting Dalton if he’s available and choosing one of the smaller 6-passenger boats instead of the larger ones. The smaller group made the experience feel much more personal, and we had plenty of opportunities to ask questions. If you’re visiting Louisiana, this is absolutely a must-do experience!
