What's the best airboat experience for you? Is it to get down to New Orleans and get up close and personal with the alligators in the Louisiana swamps? Or perhaps you want to skim the surface of the Everglade's water as you fly between the tree tunnels. Both sound great, don't they? So which one is best for you?
Let's compare!
The New Orleans Backstory (2012)
Dustin and I booked a trip to NOLA a few years after Katrina. The city was still definitely recovering from the devastating effects of the hurricane. I will say it was odd to travel downtown and see one skyscraper completely remodeled and the one next to it something you'd see straight out of a Zombie Apocolypse. I knew it took time to recover from such a devastating disaster but it was definitely an eye-opener for me, and I am forever grateful because of it. I grew up a lot during that trip and experienced a lot of different things, from Southern Hospitality to the unique cuisine, to the history and the culture.
What Made The NOLA Swamp Tour Unique
And what influences culture more than the animals native to the area? Well, there can be a significant amount but I definitely have to say alligators are a force to be reckoned with. We were able to book a Swamp Tour from the hotel. They picked us up and it was just a short drive to their dock in New Orleans so there wasn't any driving for us involved, which was helpful since we didn't exactly have wheels.
The Quirky NOLA Land
And let me tell you, there were a boatload of them critters. Not that you could immediately know, sneaky devils. So imagine this: you slide onto a fan boat (yep a tiered boat with one of those giant fans strapped to the back) and off you go, zipping across the water.
A few trees with Spanish moss wisping from the branches dotted alongside the river banks. Now, think of a prairie - yep, a prairie. Tall, wheat-like-grass that is a few feet tall. Now, break the land apart like your tearing apart a puzzle. The gaps wiggle around no-nonsense. Some areas are just wide enough for that fan boat to slip between. Other places spread out wide so that it actually resembles a narrow river or lake. Now, imagine Doctor Strangle controlling this all and is meticulously pushing some of the puzzle pieces back together while tearing others apart. Yeah, that's right. The prairie land pieces are forever changing. Thus, the puzzle pieces aren't really connected to the "ground." They are floating on top of the water. The waves/current/wind push them around. Talk about an incredibly unique experience! To know that your ride will be unlike others was pretty cool.
The Ancient NOLA Critters
There were a lot of birds and critters that lived in that tall grass, but it all fell short compared to the ancient reptiles. Alligators were everywhere... well that became apparent after the Boat Captain coaxed them out with their favorite dessert.
What is that?
Marshmallows!
Yeah, it blew my mind too.
But the Captain slowed the boat down in a wide, more lake-like area and tossed out some mellows.
I swear a dozen eyes popped up out of the water. They eagerly swam to gobble up their treat. By swim, I mean with a few swift flicks of that tail they were next to the boat. The sheer power in those animals was apparent.
It was bonkers.
My Favorite NOLA Experience
After navigating through the prairie puzzle, the Captain stops the boat and asks who wants to wrangle an alligator. I couldn't yell YES fast enough!
And I wasn't disappointed in the beast I got to wrangle at all. The NOLA entire experience was life-changing in many ways, but this is one of my absolute precious moments in my life.
The Everglade's Trip Backstory (2020)
After learning about how the Everglades were slowly drying up and being taken over by urban development, I was determined to see them. So when my BFF-B asked if I wanted to take a quick Girls Trip down to Florida in January to hang out with her family and check them out, I was sold. (Like she had to dangle that proverbial carrot in front of me. Let's face it, she had me at Florida in January.)
What Made the Everglade's Airboat Ride Unique
We penciled out an afternoon to head to Everglades City (less than an hour drive from Naples), where some of the best tours were given. Her dad and stepmom had gone on this particular airboat ride before so they knew that Captain Jack was the best guide. What was bonkers about this is that within minutes of pulling away from the tourist-infested boat dock, we were surrounded by swampy, muddy Everglades. Luckily it was January, so the mosquitoes weren't out yet. It wasn't horribly hot but sunny enough to wear shorts. I was in hog heaven.
The Epic Everglade Formations
What was so unusual about the Everglades was that it was very much a well-defined river structure, unlike NOLA. The river snaked around these skinny trees and bushes that would intertwine with each other like they were magically drawn to each other. They twisted up a few stories above us, forming tunnels in some areas. And it wasn't like this would be easy to get through. You'd need a machete and a power drink to make any dent in the Everglades. The walls nature made were thick!
The Many Everglade's Critters
Captain Jack slowed down to show some alligators that were 50+ years my senior before zipping down the narrow river path. Can you find this bad boy?
When we finally pulled over, I expected Captain Jack to whip out some marshmallows to feed the hungry gators.
I was wrong.
So wrong.
I was reminded quite quickly that I didn't always know what was going to happen. Did Captain Jack toss a treat into the water? Yup. A dog treat. Did a critter come up to eat it? Yup. A bottom-feeding Catfish and a hundred of its closest friends.
I was so grossed out until Captain Jack drifted us closer to some trees alongside the riverbank and lets us feed some little forest bandits.
So the big question is did we get up close and personal with any alligators?
Welp we tried! But he wasn't hungry or was camera shy... or had his eyes on a bigger treat - ME! Waiting for me to fall in. BFF-B said I was hanging over the edge. But a girl had to get the right angle! :)
My Favorite Everglade's Experience
There is something magical about flying across the top of a river bed so fast that tears are leaking from your eyes. As you are going full-speed at a forest line, Captain Jack dodges the fan boat into an alcove at the last minute and find yourself inside a twisted forest. It was positively enchanting.
The NOLA Swamp Tour vs. Everglade's Airboat Ride
So which one is better? Obviously it depends on what you are looking to experience. Both have their uniqueness and quirks. I was happy to experience both and recommend doing it if you want to see a less touristy event in either place. Once you get out in nature, you realize who is actually boss and it isn't humans! #mothernature
Follow Me On Pinterest
So I pinned a lot of different travel ideas on Pinterest (love this app - follow me if you want @peppsarah) But I'm always looking to do something different, something unexpected... along with that obvious MUST TRAVEL IDEAS. So, without further adieu, here's my must-do adventure list!
Moderate!
