Only minutes from the skyscrapers of New Orleans, this swamp on the West Bank of the Mississippi River is the real thing – and Westwego Swamp Adventures will show you all you need to see. Louisiana’s watery environs are filled with birds, animals, and plant life that exist nowhere else in North America. A trip into the wilds here is like venturing to another continent. The route follows the trail of Jean Lafitte, the local pirate and smuggler who fought alongside the Americans at the Battle of New Orleans. Because this is the closest swamp to town, the tour takes less time than others: about two hours. The tour can pick you up at your hotel. Transportation from downtown is an additional.