Can You Hold a Baby Alligator in New Orleans?
Sometimes -- but honestly, no tour of ours can promise it right now. Some of our swamp tour captains keep a rescue baby gator aboard and let guests hold it, depending on the operator, the season, and who's working that day. Treat a hold as a lucky bonus, not the plan. What every tour does deliver is the real Louisiana swamp: wild alligators, herons, and turtles in their natural habitat, 30 minutes from the French Quarter, with a Cajun captain who knows where to look.
Tours for this experience
Very PopularNew Orleans Small Airboat Swamp Tour
Small Airboats seat no more than 10 people and get deeper into the bayou than the larger boats. Fast, loud, and thrilling — with a smaller group, you'll feel every bit of it.
Best ValueSignature 16-Seat New Orleans Airboat Swamp Tour
Our Signature 16-seat airboat is the #1 choice for New Orleans swamp adventures. The perfect balance of thrills, intimacy, and value. It's our most-booked tour and the one we recommend to first-time visitors.
PremiumNew Orleans Premium VIP Airboat Swamp Tour
The ultimate VIP swamp experience. With only 6 guests, you'll enjoy an intimate, exclusive tour that reaches hidden areas larger boats can't access. Perfect for photographers, couples, or anyone wanting the most personalized Louisiana bayou adventure.
Family FriendlyNew Orleans Super-Sized Airboat Swamp Tour
The 30-passenger Super-Sized Airboat packs the most powerful engine on the bayou. Fast, loud, and thrilling, it delivers serious thrills at the best airboat price in New Orleans.
Family FriendlyNew Orleans Covered Pontoon Boat Swamp Tour
The swamp tour for everyone — no age limits, no weight limits, no restrictions. Our covered pontoon is the most comfortable ride on the bayou: shaded from the summer sun, and if a light shower rolls through mid-tour, you’re in the driest seat in the swamp. At $37, it’s the most affordable swamp tour we offer.
Compare Every Swamp Boat
Any of these boats might have a rescue baby gator aboard, and none of them promises it. Pick your boat for the ride -- speed, size, and who in your group can ride are the real differences -- and let a hold be a nice surprise if it happens.
| Tour | Price | Capacity | Duration | Speed | Thrill | Sells Out | Pregnant / Under 5 / Back-Neck OK? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP AirboatExclusive | $124 Book → | 6 | ~105 min | High speed | Highest | Very high | No |
| Small Group AirboatIntimate | $94 Book → | 10 | ~105 min | High speed | High | High | No |
| Signature AirboatTop Overall Pick | $75 Book → | 16 | ~105 min | High speed | High | High | No |
| Super AirboatBig Groups & Budget-Friendly | $64 Book → | 30 | ~105 min | High speed | Moderate | Moderate | No |
| PontoonIncredible Value | $37 Book → | 72 | ~90 min | Laid back | Low | Low | Yes |
The Honest Answer: Sometimes, Never Guaranteed
Handling and displaying live alligators to the public requires a state alligator exhibitor's license, and almost no swamp tour operators in the area hold one. We used to offer a small-boat tour whose captain did, which let us guarantee a hold -- that tour is no longer running, and we'd rather tell you that plainly than let you book around a promise nobody can keep.
What still happens, regularly: some captains keep a rescue baby gator aboard and pass it around when conditions allow. Whether yours does depends on the operator, the season, and who's working that day. Kids and grandparents light up when it happens. It's just not something any honest company should sell you as a certainty.
What Happens on the Airboats and the Pontoon
Book the pontoon or one of the airboats (Signature, Small Group, Super-Sized, or VIP) and a hold is possible, never promised. Some captains keep a rescue baby gator aboard depending on the day, the season, and who's working, and if yours does, it's a bonus, not a checklist item. Don't book an airboat specifically to hold a gator, book it for the ride and the wildlife, and treat any hold as a nice surprise.
Seeing a Wild Gator Is Not the Same as Holding One
Every one of our swamp tours, airboat or pontoon, goes through real alligator habitat, and most trips spot wild gators in the water, especially March through October when they're more active. But a wild alligator swimming past your boat and a baby alligator resting in your hands are two different experiences. The wild sighting is common on any tour and never guaranteed, since these are wild animals. The hold is the rarer, luck-of-the-draw one.
You might also be looking for
Book Your Gator Tour
Book online or chat with us for personalized recommendations.
Book Your Gator TourFrequently Asked Questions
Which tour guarantees I'll get to hold a baby alligator?+
None of ours, currently -- and we'd rather say that plainly than sell you a maybe. Guaranteeing a hold requires a captain with a state alligator exhibitor's license, and no tour in our current lineup has one. Some captains keep a rescue baby gator aboard and pass it around when conditions allow, but that's a bonus, never a promise.
Can I hold a baby alligator on the airboat or pontoon tours?+
Maybe. Some captains keep a rescue baby gator on board and let guests hold it, but this depends on the operator, the season, and who's working that day. It's a nice bonus if it happens, not something to book around.
Why can't any tour just promise a gator hold?+
Licensing. Handling and displaying live alligators to the public requires a state alligator exhibitor's license, and almost none of the swamp tour operators in the area hold one. Captains who carry a rescue baby gator do it informally when conditions allow, which is why no honest operator here sells the hold as a certainty.
Is it safe to hold a baby alligator, if the chance comes up?+
Yes. The captain handles every transfer, the babies are gentle, and their teeth aren't going to get through your fingers. Kids and grandparents love it when it happens.
Will I see wild alligators?+
Most trips do. Every one of our swamp tours goes through real alligator habitat, and gators are most active March through October -- they slow down in cold weather. Sightings aren't guaranteed on any tour, they're wild animals, but your Cajun captain knows exactly where they like to hang out.
Still Exploring?
Seasons of Wonder: Find The Best Time for Your New Orleans Swamp Experience
Discover the best time to visit New Orleans' Louisiana swamps on airboat or pontoon tours, enjoying diverse wildlife, captivating flora, and unique seasonal experiences.
Gator Facts: Things You Might Not Know About Alligators
Beloved sports team mascot, apex predator, survivor – you could use any of these terms to describe the alligator. While these creatures probably walked among dinosaurs, they managed to adapt, evolve
Not Sure Which Tour is Right for You?
We've been helping visitors pick the perfect tour since 2008. Chat with us and we'll give you personalized recommendations based on your group.
Local tour experts in the French Quarter · (504) 226-5433 · Open daily 8am–7pm
Why Choose Gators & Ghosts?
We're locals, not a faceless booking site. Every tour is curated by experts who actually live in New Orleans.
3,000+ Five-Star Reviews
Real guests, real reviews. Thousands of families and groups have trusted us with their New Orleans trip — and told their friends about it after.
Family-Owned Since 2008
Aunt and nephew team — not a corporate chain. We'll give you an honest recommendation even when it means suggesting a less expensive tour.
One-Stop Shop
Swamp tours, ghost tours, plantations, city tours — one place to compare, book, and ask questions instead of juggling a dozen browser tabs.
Talk to Local Experts
Not sure which tour to pick? Chat with us or call (504) 226-5433 — real locals who'll point you in the right direction.
French Quarter Location
Walk in, say hi, ask us anything at 728 St. Louis Street. If plans change day-of, we're right here in the Quarter — not in another state behind a 1-800 number.
Curated by Insiders
Every tour on our site is hand-chosen. We know the operators, we've done the tours, and we only sell what we'd recommend to friends.