Drive from Slidell to Nottoway

We%26#39;re currently on our trip in New Orleans and having a wonderful time. Tomorrow (Monday 3/23) we are renting a car and driving to a morning swamp tour in Slidell. We need to end up at Nottoway in the evening. Does anybody have recommendations for things to do between Slidell and Nottoway? We are planning to see two plantations on Tuesday on our way to the airport.

Drive from Slidell to Nottoway

I%26#39;d also recommend stopping at Laura Plantation, which is about an hour away from Nottoway. Great tour and you learn a lot! There are a bunch of smaller plantations in that area too. nps.gov/history/鈥iverroad.htm

Drive from Slidell to Nottoway

You%26#39;re probably aware that Slidell and Nottoway are in opposite directions from New Orleans.

If you%26#39;re not in a hurry, my suggestion would be to take I-12 west from Slidell, towards Baton Rouge, to the US 51 exit, near Ponchatoula. Just outside of Ponchatoula, turn onto LA 22 and go through Maurepaus, Whitehall, and Head of Island. Stay on LA 22, which will cross the Airline Highway (US 61) at Sorrento, and which will then cross I-10 before running into LA 70. LA 70 will take you across the Sunshine Bridge, just south of Donaldsonville. On the west side of the river, follow the signs north to White Castle, which is where Nottoway is located.

I haven%26#39;t been to Head of Island in quite a few years, but I know there were a number of places there where you can get a good seafood lunch. They%26#39;re all concentrated around the bridge.

Hopefully, you have a late flight out on Tuesday because your visiting two plantations will take up most of the day.

We toured Houmas House this past Wednesday. It was the first time I had been there in 45 years, which was when Dr. Crozat was living there and long before it was opened to the public. It%26#39;s still a magnificent home and, in my opinion, it%26#39;s well worth the price of the tour ($20 per person). We didn%26#39;t eat at the restaurant on the property because we had other things to do.

Rod

Boston: I have a very serious problem with your time/factor. Geographically speaking, you are a far distance from Slidell to White Castle, which is where Nottoway Plantation is located on LA. Hwy 1.

This may not be a problem, if you are staying on the plantation site, and they offer such arrangements.

Since there seems to be a time constraint, between the Slidell swamp tour and the Nottoway journey, whick is quite uneventful, as there is not very much to view en route, I would suggest you eat well before you begin the journey to White Castle. I would also suggest that you read some of the recent TA forum visitor to Nottoway reviews, as they seem to be a mixed bag. Some people are positive in their comments, and others within a relative short period before, are quite negative. I have not been there in recent times, and I know they have begun extensive renovations, which apparently are continuing.

Not having first hand knowledge as to what you will actually be doing in your visit to Nottoway, seriously limits my suggestive influence. Are you, since you will be getting there in the evening actually going to stay overnight? If that is the case, I would probably suggest a quicker route, and it would be like this. When leaving Slidell, you should travel in the direction that would lead you to the intersection of I-10 and I-12. This can be tricky, so be careful to be in the correct lane, in order to merge in this crazy traffic we have here.

Get onto I-12 WEST to Baton Rouge. I would recommend that once you get onto I-12, you stay in the right lane, and let all the nuts fly by, as this is a very bad intersection with more than enough accidents in recent times. Keep on I-12 until you see the sign that says I-55 South. Get on to I-55 South and proceed all the way thereon until you come to I-10. You will then proceed to get onto I-10 WEST to Baton Rouge. Once on I-10, you will exit on the Sunshine Bridge Exit, which is clearly marked, which will bring you across the Miss. River Bridge.

Once across the river, and you can do a Google map look at this area, you need to double back and get on to LA. Hwy 1, which is the river road, and head up river to White Castle, which is where Nottoway is located. This is about 2-2.5 hours. Your breakfast will be stretched at this point...LOL.

There are signs on where to turn from the River Road on to the plantation property, but I would advise you to pay attention, as it is very easy to miss the sign and you know what that could be.

So, in short, it is a long drive from Slidell to White Castle and Nottoway, and there is not much to either see or do along this route.

As far as other plantations, I would recommend Oak Alley, and Houmas House. If you get on the plantation website for these, you can easily find them, as well as directions. A GPS would be extremely helpful in this visit, but not a genuine necessity.

Good luck on your swamp tour, watch out for the gators and have a pleasant plantation visit.

Just a note for you to chuckle a bit.

When we visited your area, we stayed at the Lennox Hotel, in Back Bay. It is near the Prudential Center and a lot of restaurants. Also, since it was Hallowe%26#39;en, we used the train to Salem on the night of the 31st, and witnessed all the celebrating. We managed this without a forum, so I am sure you can with our assist.

Good luck again...