We made the 2.5 hour trip to Avery Island the first time we visited New Orleans. Even if I didn't love tobasco sauce it would have been a fun little stop. You pass through some nice bayou scenery on the way, there's plenty of cajun souvenirs to buy, and Avery Island is very close to Lafayette. Some plantations and small attractions are also on the way. There's a good sized tabasco store there, this company really knows how to merchandise, and you can tour the plant and watch the workers making the Tabasco. There's also a small museum for the sauce, explaining how the Mcilhenny family started making it right after the civil war and it began to catch on. There's also some kind of big garden in the immediate area that we didn't get a chance to see.

I live here in New Iberia. I was a little shocked not seeing the Avery Island/Pepper Factory as a Main Attraction. So I figured I'd share a little on it. The Pepper Facory is one of the oldest in the World. Avery Island is a wonderful place to take aa drive with the kids. There are many flowers to see, all native to the lands. The Budda Temple is always a main highpoint. The water gardens have become a refuge to many of the Egrets in this area. There are many things to see and do there. Going to Avery Island, you can do both things at once: tour the Gardens as well as the Pepper Factory Its just a very nice relaxing place to see alone or with family and friends.

Just back from a trip to Avery Island, LA and an OUTSTANDING visit to the Tabasco Factory and Jungle Gardens. We rented a car in New Orleans and made the approximate 2 hour trip East to Avery Island, passing some beautiful swamp land on the way. Along the way we saw cypress trees, egrets, herons and lots of interesting small bayou towns. Once to Avery Island, we toured the famous Tabasco Factory - a short but very interesting and fragrant tour! We stopped at the gift shop (great stuff in there!) and then headed out to the Jungle Gardens (located also on Avery Island and started by the McIllhenny family - founders of Tabasco Sauce). Jungle Gardens are home to a myriad of wildlife, and we saw more alligators than you can shake a stick at! Don't feed them! All in all, it was a terrific day trip from New Orleans, and I would HIGHLY recommend it as a side trip if you're headed out the the Big Easy! :) We're still enjoying all the Tabasco products we bought at the gift shop, and we can't wait to make another trip to our favourite state...LOUISIANA!