Avery Island Experience- Tabasco & Jungle Gardens Self-guided Tour

The self guided Tabasco Factory was well done bottling was occurring and the unusual samples in the company store at the end of the tour was a pleasant surprise. Jungle Gardens were easy to navigate by car.

Great day trip from New Orleans if you have time. The tour is self guided and well done. Great gift shop and eatery. Quick drive through the jungle garden ended our day. Appreciated the fact that both venues are well organized.

Nice easy pace self guided tour. Very interesting and relaxing

Great tour, start at the ticket building and learn a lot about the family that started it. Different areas in the factory you will go to and able to see how it is bottled. If you have problems walking, you may not want to do the tour, as there is lot of walking and going up stairs. Visiting the gift shop was great as they have samples to taste in the back of the store. The ice cream was amazing.

Since I'm a hopelessly loyal fan and user of Tabasco sauces, I'm probably not neutral in my review but ..... Planned to visit for many years and finally made it happen. A self guided tour, with interactive TV-screens explaining the steps and processes. Of course a merchandise store and a limited "restaurant". Loved it‼️You get to know a lot of interesting information about "how and why", but secrets like the vinager etc remains.

This was awesome! The wildlife is great to see, the tour is interesting and surprising. We had a great tour by Lisa. I did almost melt in the August heat on the first stop but then we hit some AC 🤣. She was fun and the tasting at the end was great. Definitely recommend the guided tour!

I recently visited the Tabasco Factory in Avery Island with 3 of my children, ages 14, 12 & 10. We had a blast! The moment you step out of your car, you can feel the hot sauce in the air (and definitely smell it). It's a working factory with a small history museum, and it is well worth the price of admission for the self-guided tour. There is ample signage at each stop along the tour so that you can follow along. (They do offer a tour app for iPhone, which you can access at the museum, but as it isn't yet available on Android devices, we couldn't try it.) Some of the information at the stops is repetitive with what you read in the museum, but not terribly so. It was hot, but the buildings were air-conditioned, but do watch for the heat in the middle of summer. My 14-year old and I really enjoyed the tasting station at the end of the tour. It is located along the back wall of the store. I expected my kids to not last too long, but between the tour, the tasting and then driving the gardens, we were there for over 3 hours. For the gardens, you can drive through them and then get out at various locations. If you are used to flower gardens, this will be different. It's more about greenery and atmosphere and there wasn't as much to read or help guide you (aside from the designated stopping points), but for botany hobbyists, it is probably wonderful. If you like hot sauce or history, we certainly recommend the museum & factory.

So besides this Louisiana blistering heat!! The experience was better than expected. From learning of the history, to seeing the process of how this deluxe hot sauce is made. The food in the cafe was good well seasoned. And the gift shop with the taste testing and so many other items it’s so hard to choose because you literally want to buy everything in there. If you ever visit the Lafayette area this is a must go. Let’s not forget the incredible sights of the 3 mile 30-45 min ride in your car of the beautiful sights and wildlife.

It was a very interesting visit with lots to see and well laid out. Good value for money and the jungle gardens were a bonus but didn't see an alligator.

I wouldn’t walk this as it is a bit of a walk and weather can change quickly. Thoroughly enjoyed the self guided tour and all the education that is provided.

We just showed up and bought tickets. We toured the museum, watched a couple short movies (which were excellent) and then explored the other 8 buildings at the Tabasco Factory. Then we toured the store and tasted the different tabascos. We even tasted tabasco flavored ice cream. It was all yummy and I am not a Tabasco fan. I did find some at the store I liked. So I am now a fan. We then drove around Jungle Gardens. We saw alligators, deer, the bird sanctuary which is full of beautiful white birds, the Budda, and so much more. There were workers tending the grounds. To keep it in such great shape they must work year around. So glad we came here and did this

We opted to take the Tabasco guided tour, which was about a two hour experience. Lisa was our tour guide and not only do I feel like we’re friends now😉, but I also feel like I know so much about the Tabasco experience. Throughout the tour, Lisa explained the detailed steps of the Tabasco making process while sharing wonderful stories about time-honored family traditions. I had heard good things about this tour, but Lisa took it over the top. Definitely worth your time and money to visit Avery Island and take a tour with Lisa!!

We had the best time! We stayed on the property for almost three hours! The tour was very well laid out, and so very interesting! There’s a lot more to that little bottle than I realized!! We also loved the Jungle Gardens. My husband wants to do the whole thing again. We ate at the restaurant and spent too much money (haha) in the gift shop. Highly recommend.

Yes, you must go. Such a great tour. It was well laid out and I learned so much about Tobasco!! We had a great lunch at the restaurant and spent too much money in the gift shop. My husband absolutely loved the Jungle Gardens, and wants to go and do the whole tour again!! Thank you so much for the great experience.

We were on a fly drive holiday and visited Avery Island as we'd seen it on YouTube. We weren't initially wanting to go in the tabasco factory, just the jungle drive, but I'm glad we did. We both enjoyed it, it was fascinating, and the gift shop with all the free tasting was good. The jungle drive was beautiful, we saw a few alligators. We would definitely recommend visiting here 😀

Great tour. I had no clue that they 'age the mash'. Go at your own pace. Well laid out. Lots of history here. The Jungle Garden drive was awesome too. Don't miss the Bird City. You need to park your car and walk a little to see but it was fascinating. Wasn't anything blooming very end of April but I imagine it could be really beautiful. Also gators in the ponds. We did not eat in the restaurant.

A self guided walking tour of the Tabasco operation which teaches you about the peppers, process and history of Tabasco. Visit the Museum to learn about the interesting history and environmental stewardship of the McIlhenny/Avery families, then stop at the store for the tasting bar with all the flavors. Jungle Gardens is a wonderful driving tour through the gardens established in the early days of Avery Island. There are stops along the drive you can get out to explore. Download the TravelStorys app for the audio tour as you drive through the gardens, it will really add to the visit. I wouldn't have learned nearly as much without that.

We had so much fun exploring Avery Island. We met Lisa at 10am for a guided tour. Do yourself a favor and pay for a tour. We learned so much about the history of Tabasco. Highly recommend spending time in the gift shop. Please say hello to Rhonda! She’s the best.

As a big tabasco fan it was totally planned to visit this tour as we were nearby. The tour itself was really interesting and you really saw alot. A bit a pitty that nobody worked at the filling station but it was saturday but still very impressiv and the shop is just beyond..!

I’ve been going there for a long time love it every time we go beautiful and and quiet

We spent a lovely day at Avery Island exploring the Jungle Garden and having traditional Cajun fare at the restaurant for lunch. Then we took the Factory Tour and learned about the Tabasco making process with our very knowledgeable guide Lisa. She took us from the planting of the peppers to the final bottling of the hot red sauce and the can’t miss tasting afterwards. A very good day.

Very nice tour. We did go on a Sunday so the production line was down so we did not see that line. Very informative anyway however.

The culinary experience is worth every penny. Not only do you learn about the food, but you are educated on each of the sauces each that a sauce has a different flavor profile and application.

We learned the entire bottling process, though I will say some of it was redundant. The samples were fun to try. Seeing the bottling production and barrels added to the experience.

A very unique experience. Loved learning about Tabasco history. Super awesome gift shop. Loved the Po'Boy Sandwich at their restaurant. The gardens were also really cool to drive through.

Excellent tour well marked for the self guided tour. Very interesting and lots of history since its inception. Definitely recommend for all age groups 4 and up. Beautiful azaleas in jungle driving tour. And 1 alligator 🐊!!

We started our day with the 2-hour guided tour of the Tabasco Factory, led by Lisa, a long-time McIlhenny Company employee. I’m not sure the tour is always private, but it was for us. We enjoyed Lisa’s commentary and it was fun to be able to ask as many questions as we wanted. The last stop of the tour is the Tabasco Museum, which is well-done and interesting. The tour concluded with a tasting of about a dozen sauces, including some that are not sold in retail stores and some still in development, plus other Tabasco-infused products. After shopping in the gift shop, we went over to Jungle Gardens. We drove the 3-mile loop, stopping along the way at various points to walk a bit and take photos. The azaleas were at peak and were stunningly beautiful, and the live oaks (draped with Spanish moss) were some of the most impressive we’ve seen anywhere. We thoroughly enjoyed our time on Avery Island!

Visited Tabasco / Avery Island for a tour in late January with a family group. Despite it being the day of their year-end staff party, they went out of their way to accommodate us. From the cooking demonstration (delicious shrimp etouffee) to the guided tour, it was a fascinating look into the time honored methods used to create the best hot sauces on the planet ! Lisa our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and thorough in telling the Tabasco story. I strongly recommend a visit !!!

It’s fun and easy especially if you don’t mind the drive from New Orleans and also if you love Tabasco. Even if you don’t, it’s worthwhile

Have a full tank of gas if you’re going to the Jungle Gardens. You stop a lot. It’s awesome and there’s a lot to see

Lisa was great,very informative!!!!

The whole place and it’s atmosphere was great. The tour was informative and I highly recommend drivibg through the park area. We saw beautiful landscaping and also two alligators .

Beautiful place, we had lunch took in all the attractions! Loved the ride through the Garden’s. The trees, moss , Blue Heron’s Egret’s, turtles. rabbits, & the alligator put on a special show for us along with the Egret!

This is a very well-run outfit. Very professional, clean, and well maintained. No complaints. We were through the factory tour in about 30 minutes. Took us about 75 minutes to walk the Jungle Gardens. We wanted to eat at the restaurant but it closed at 2:30. Which was a bummer since there's nothing close in the area as an alternative. Did I have fun? Yes. Did I enjoy the Gardens? yes even though it was winter and the camellias were not as full as usual and the bird sanctuary was empty. Was it worth a 2 hour drive from New Orleans? Only if you've been to NOLA before and are looking for something new to do.

Lisa was our tour guide, and she was very friendly and informative. I'm from Louisiana, and I must say that it took me way too long to visit Avery Island. I recently retired and waited for the weather to be pleasant which it was. A delightful trip with the girls!

It was very interesting and informative to see all the different types of hot sauce that is produced. We went on Saturday, so production line was not working but that did not matter to us. The warehouse was unbelievably full of barrels of hot sauce, it is truly a site. The jungle gardens are not to be missed and get out at the stops to enjoy

Well curated and easy to follow self guided tour. Enjoyed seeing the process of making Tabasco hot sauce. Jungle Gardens were beautiful! We saw gators, herons, and even an armadillo! Highly recommend downloading the app to listen to the tour in the gardens and getting out to explore the paths where the tour suggests.

What a Wonderful place! Clean, friendly folks, and so informative! We learned a lot in the tour and the beautifully maintained grounds and gardens were a sight to behold. And the tasting bar!!! Wow! Such friendly ladies , especially Donna who checked us in! Highly highly recommend!

Fantastic tour! I am originally from New Iberia and have visited Avery Island many times. My husband and I brought our friends from the Cayman Islands to Cajun Country to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. We were all so impressed with how organized and informative the tour of the Tabasco plant was. I highly recommend anyone visiting Louisiana to take this tour and learn about the history of Cajun Country.

This was a beautiful, relaxed day with the family. Schedule enough time to relax in the "jungle" I really appreciated how they preserved the natural environment. The Tabasco tour was interesting if you take the time to read through the information. We plan on going back.

Fun and interesting factory tour. The grounds were pretty and easy to navigate with an audio tour. The gift shop is great too!

Spectacular! Very informative and well maintained facilities. The gift shop and tasting bar was extensive. The staff were very knowledgeable and professional.

We enjoyed this. It was nice to tour at our own pace. Seeing how tabascobwas made was very interesting. The gift shop with tabasco icecrram was great,

On the morning of Friday, December 27th, while returning home from our biennial FL Christmas vacation, my wife and I took an hours-long detour to Avery Island to restock our Tabasco supply - a detour we've made several times. Upon arriving at the gate, we were greeted by a cheerful man who advised us that there was currently no fee to enter the island - a pleasant surprise! Unfortunately, that was the end of our pleasant surprises on this detour. As we exited our vehicle, we noticed that there was no large colorfully-decorated sign identifying the country store. So much for taking a cool souvenir photo to post to the world. While approaching the store, I noticed that Tabasco barrels were offered for sale. I made a mental note to ask about the shipping cost for this item. On the front porch of the store was an EMPTY bucket with a sign that read something like "Free - Take One". Not sure what that was about. Upon entering the store, we approached the counter and requested the main objective of our visit - a gallon jug of original red sauce. We were disappointed when the cashier advised us that corporate had recently taken all of the gallon jugs for some specific use and that none were currently available. The cashier suggested that we could buy the gallon jug online, but even she agreed that the high cost of shipping would negate any bulk rate savings. After a quick walk around the store, I returned to the counter with 2 half-gallon jugs of original red sauce and asked if I could purchase both jugs for the same price as the gallon jug I had originally requested. Without bothering to check with a manager, both cashiers quickly dismissed my request. Is that the way you treat guests who visit your house? Hmmm. One clothing item in particular caught our eye, but we were informed that that particular item was not currently available in all sizes. It would have been nice to eventually search for that item online, but the store no longer offers merchandise for sale online anymore. Another disappointment. When I mentioned to the cashier that we may take a factory tour but were probably not interested in the Jungle Gardens tour, she suggested that we advise the ticket cashier of that fact so our ticket purchase could reflect a rate for the factory tour only. When we advised the ticket cashier of this, she explained that the tour was "bundled" as one price and could not be separated. So, one of your employees was confused, or dishonest, about that point. After exiting the store, we looked around the area a little - noticing a couple of outdoor displays - weathered/beat up/broken down. We decided not to take the factory tour. That was enough disappointment for one day. And, as a final disappointment, not one employee we asked had the faintest idea about the cost of shipping a Tabasco barrel - nor did any of them offer to research it for us. At a time when the world condiment market is flooded with a wild variety of hot sauce products, your company chooses to invite its fans to its world headquarters for a very underwhelming visitor experience. I can't help but wonder if the person in charge of this whole area is just an hourly paycheck employee or a McIlhenny family member who is doing their family business a disservice. Either way - yikes. So, I guess we'll be back in 2 years during our next biennial hours-long Avery Island shopping detour...maybe... You may want to reconsider wasting time making a detour to this "attraction".

This was a great glimpse into the history of this family run business—-a name that has become synonymous with hot sauce everywhere we’ve travelled. Learned a lot, did some fun tastings and don’t miss the beautiful drive through the jungle gardens. A highlight of our trip!

It was very interesting. We're from Nebraska visiting, and decided to tour. I liked how well everything was presented. And we loved the tabasco ice cream!

Very interesting. Factory doesn’t work on weekends. Disappointed we didn’t see it in action. Lots of history and grounds are beautiful.

Since my last name is Avery and I love Tobasco Sauce you know we had to come. Tickets were easy to buy through TripAdvisor but you can also buy there. It is a self guided tour but you get a map and a couple mini bottles of Tabasco sauce. The museum is nice with lots of history but it's maybe only 45 -1hr if you read everything. There are 9 tour stops including the grow house and barrels. Look for photo ops at almost each stop and get your pic with a huge different flavored bottle. The Jungle gardens is fantastic you really could spend an entire day out there. You can walk or drive this part. We did see a baby gator and a black snake on the path so if your walking really watch your step. There is a restaurant which has a few items but it closes at 2:30 on Saturdays. The gift shop has all kinds of fun things including ice cream - we had jalapeño and raspberry. I would totally come back and bring guests. Only reason 4 not 5 stars is the Qrcodes didn't work because we didn't have apple or no service to connect. Android users out of luck.

From the lady at the tour ticket window to the extraordinary gift shop experience, this visit is highly recommended. If you've ever used Tabasco on anything, this self-guided tour of the family business is a good one. Interesting history as well as a walk though the production facility, beautiful garden grounds and taste tests of the multiple Tabasco varieties was fantastic. The lady working the sampler bar was insightful and helpful. Raspberry Chipotle was the Tabasco flavor being featured and the soft-serve jalapeno ice cream was outstanding.