The next time you're in New Orleans, take some time to add some culture and tranquil beauty to your visit with these plantation tours, including Houmas House and Oak Alley Plantations and Gardens.

Houmas House, located in Darrow, Louisiana, is one of the South's oldest and most beautiful plantation estates.  Known as "The Crown Jewel of Louisiana's River Road," the 23-room mansion includes a vast collection of antique furnishings and magnificent objets d'art.  Period-dressed tour guides lead you through the mansion, after which you can enjoy a self-guided tour of the surrounding lush gardens.

Oak Alley Plantation Antebellum Manor House and Grounds, known as the "Grande Dame of the Great River Road," is admired as one of the most spectacular antebellum settings in the South.  Stroll the grounds while sipping a mint julep, and enjoy plenty of shopping and dining.