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If you are looking for a great summer night’s adventure for the family look no further and make a reservation to tour the Alligator Bayou Swamp. I cannot believe I have lived in Baton Rouge almost six years now and just visited the swamp for the first time last week. In case you haven’t heard, Alligator Bayou Swamp is a privately owned facility located in Prairieville that provides hands on “swamp life” encounters and a very informative tour about the cultural history of our area and life along the bayou.

The water tour is along the Spanish Lake Basin, where we watched in amazement as our tour guide fed alligators from the side of the boat, their bodies coming half way out of the water to reach the food. I secured a seat up front and watched the sun set among the beautiful cypress trees and native birds of Louisiana. We saw turtles, held baby alligators, and became very friendly with a candy-eating nutria (a strange close encounter!). The tour guides were entertaining and the staff extremely friendly.

If your family is looking for a reunion site, they have a great pavilion and also cater amazingly delicious food (including alligator). I think this spot will be a must for any out of town visitors coming my way. I can’t wait to visit again. The best way to get a true sense of the experience is to visit the Web site, where they provide numerous photos and information about the tours. Groups frequently reserve the facility to accommodate large groups or for educational programs, so plan ahead and call for reservations before you make the drive to Bayou Road. I hope you enjoy the swamp as much as I did!