3 Best Sights in Side Trips from New Orleans, Louisiana

The bird sanctuary on the southeast edge of Jungle Gardens is sometimes so thick with egrets that it appears to be blanketed with snow. The largest egret colony in the world (20,000) begins nesting here in February or March, and offspring remain until the following winter. Herons and other birds find refuge here as well.

This 170-acre garden has trails through stands of wisteria, palms, lilies, irises, and ferns, and offers a lovely perspective on south Louisiana wilderness. Birdlife includes white egrets and Louisiana herons, and there's also a 900-year-old statue of Buddha. These gardens belonged to Edward Avery McIlhenny, the son of the Tabasco company's founder, who brought back plants from his travels: lotus and papyrus from Egypt, bamboo from China. You can park your car at the beginning of the trails and strike out on foot, or drive through the gardens and stop at will.

Tabasco was invented by Edmund McIlhenny in the mid-1800s, and the factory is still presided over by the McIlhenny family. Tabasco is sold all over the world, but it is aged, distilled, and bottled only here, on Avery Island (these days the peppers themselves are mostly grown in Central and South America). You can take a self-guided factory tour that lasts about an hour and a half and highlights the production process along with conservation efforts on the island. You can also grab a meal at the on-site Tabasco Restaurant 1868, which includes a Bloody Mary bar and a boatload of Cajun classics—all infused with your favorite varieties of Tabasco sauce, of course. The Jungle Gardens and Bird City are adjacent.