Houma with Kids
Family travel guide for parents planning with children
Top Family Activities
The best things to do with kids in Houma.
Swamp Tours with Captain Billy
Small airboats that fit 6-8 people, so you're not packed in with 40 tourists. Kids can hold baby alligators and feed marshmallows to the adults. Captain Billy lets the kids drive for a minute when conditions are safe.
Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum
Interactive exhibits about local fishing and boat building. Kids can climb into a real shrimp boat and try knot-tying. The touch tank with local crabs keeps younger kids busy while older ones read about hurricane impacts.
Southdown Plantation House
Historic sugar plantation with hands-on demonstrations. Kids can grind sugar cane and taste raw molasses. The grounds have huge live oaks good for hide-and-seek during tours.
Houma Airboat Rides
Faster than the swamp tours and hits more remote areas. Teenagers love the speed and the chance to see wild boar. They provide ear protection and ponchos for the splash zones.
Regional Military Museum
Not just boring displays, kids can climb on tanks and try on real military gear. The WWII reenactors are there most Saturdays and let kids handle (unloaded) weapons. The Vietnam helicopter simulation is a hit.
Eldon's Golf & Games
Indoor/outdoor mini golf with swamp-themed holes. The arcade has actual 90s games that parents remember. Laser tag arena is small but air-conditioned, a lifesaver during summer.
Best Areas for Families
Where to base yourselves for the smoothest family trip.
Compact and walkable with the museum and several restaurants. Most family events happen here, think Saturday markets and outdoor concerts. Easy stroller access on the brick sidewalks.
Highlights: Waterlife Museum, kids' splash pad, weekly farmers market with face painting
Suburban area with the big box stores and family restaurants. Less charming but practical, you'll find everything you forgot to pack. Most hotels here have pools.
Highlights: Eldon's Golf & Games, multiple playgrounds, Target for emergency supplies
Residential area near the airport and swamp tour docks. Quieter at night, and you're 10 minutes from everything. The neighborhoods have sidewalks for evening walks.
Highlights: Airboat tour docks, neighborhood parks, local snowball stands
Technically separate but feels like Houma's bedroom community. Cheaper hotels and you're 15 minutes from the action. Good base if you're doing multiple swamp tours.
Highlights: Quiet residential feel, cheaper groceries, easy highway access
Family Dining
Where and how to eat with children.
Houma runs on family-style eating, expect big portions and servers who'll call your kids 'baby.' Most places have high chairs. But call ahead for parties over 6. Crawfish boils are the ultimate family dinner, but they're messy, bring wipes.
Dining Tips for Families
- Order kids drinks without ice, they're used to northern kids getting brain freeze
- Most places will split adult plates for free if your kids aren't picky
- Boiled crawfish season runs March-June, call to confirm they're running specials
Big tables with paper covers and buckets of crawfish. Kids get plastic bibs and can play with the shells. The spice levels are adjustable.
Fast service and sandwiches big enough to share. Most have grilled cheese for picky eaters. The counter seating works well with antsy kids.
Local drive-through that's been around forever. Soft serve and burgers served in your car, good for toddlers who've hit their limit.
Tips by Age Group
Tailored advice for every stage of childhood.
Hot, buggy, and not much shade, summer is brutal. Stick to morning activities and indoor spots 11am-3pm. Restaurants are tolerant of messes but don't expect changing tables everywhere.
Challenges: Heat exhaustion happens fast, hydration breaks every 20 minutes
- Bring a clip-on fan for the stroller
- Most stores let you use their break room for diaper changes if you ask
Perfect age for swamp tours and hands-on museum exhibits. Old enough to understand Cajun culture but young enough to be impressed by alligators. They'll love trying to catch crawfish with their hands.
Learning: Learn about wetland ecosystems, Civil War history, and Cajun French words
- Let them order their own food, servers love teaching kids to say 'crawfish' properly
- Bring a notebook for the 'gator counting' game on boat tours
They'll roll their eyes at first. But the airboat speeds and Instagram-worthy swamp shots usually win them over. Good age for more adventurous tours and late-night crawfish boils with live music.
Independence: Safe enough for teens to walk downtown during festivals, but they'll need rides everywhere else
- Let them handle the GoPro for swamp shots, they'll get better angles
- Most restaurants have WiFi if they need to post updates
Practical Logistics
The nuts and bolts of family travel.
You'll need a car, public transport is basically nonexistent and everything's 10-15 minutes apart. All the rental places have car seats. But reserve them. Roads are flat but some neighborhoods flood during heavy rain, so check weather before heading to swamp tours.
Terrebonne General Medical Center is the main hospital, 10 minutes from anywhere in Houma. CVS and Walgreens on every major road for diapers and formula. Local pharmacies (Bourg's is the big one) are friendlier for emergency baby needs.
Pool is non-negotiable in summer, temperatures hit 95°F with humidity. Ask for ground floor if you have a stroller. Most hotels have pack-and-plays, but bring your own if your kid is picky about sleep. Extended-stay suites work well for longer visits.
- Industrial-strength bug spray
- Quick-dry clothes (you'll sweat through everything)
- Crocs or water shoes for swamp tours
- Small cooler for car snacks
- Umbrella stroller (big ones don't fit restaurant aisles)
- Book swamp tours direct, cuts out middleman fees
- Eat lunch at po-boy shops rather than tourist restaurants
- Grocery shop at Rouses (local chain) instead of eating every meal out
- Tuesday is locals' discount day at most attractions
Family Safety
Keeping your family safe and healthy.
- ! Check for alligator warnings at freshwater boat launches, some are posted, some aren't
- ! Sunscreen isn't enough, bug spray with DEET is essential, near dusk
- ! Tap water's safe but tastes funky, most families buy jugs for hotel rooms
- ! Road flooding happens fast during summer storms, don't drive through standing water
- ! Heat stroke signs show up faster in kids, cool off every 30 minutes during outdoor activities
- ! Crawfish boils use serious spice, ask for mild seasoning for kids
Book Family Activities
Top-rated family experiences in Houma.
New Orleans: Houmas House Plantation Tour
Drive just under 1 hour to the heart of plantation country and visit the Crown Jewel of Louisiana's River Road. Guides in period dress lead you through the fully restored mansion, educating you about
New Orleans: Destrehan Plantation, Houmas House & Lunch
Take a guided tour of the Destrehan Plantation, the 1811 Slave Revolt Exhibit, and Houmas House & Gardens. Stop for a gourmet Creole lunch in a grand dining hall.
Explore Activities in Houma
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Houma.
See All Houma Tours on Viator