RV Rental Louisiana, LA

RV Rental Louisiana: Motorhome, Camper, & Trailer Rentals LA

Louisiana is a great place to visit if you want to experience the deep south and learn about various cultural heritages. The state has several cities, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, that feature an exciting combination of American, French, Spanish, and Caribbean cultures collectively known as Cajun or Creole. Yet, that's just a tiny bit of what Louisiana has to offer.

Topographically, the state features some beautiful bayous, lagoons, and oxbow lakes, such as Lake Pontchartrain. People spend a lot of time outdoors deep sea fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and biking. These are just some of the reasons why RV rentals in Louisiana are so popular.

If you're planning an RV vacation, we recommend a stopover in Louisiana. There's so much to see and do, and our guide below highlights some of the top attractions, events, and campgrounds to help you plan your adventure.

Popular RV Destinations in Louisiana

Fontainebleau State Park

Located on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, Fontainebleau State Park has an interesting past. A man named Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville once had a sugar cane plantation in the area, which paid for his extravagant lifestyle and was named for the European forest favored by French kings. Today, thousands of visitors enjoy the park and all of its natural wonders.

Numerous birds call the 2,800-acre park home, and more than 400 species of animals reside in the area. Human visitors, meanwhile, like to hike and bike on the Tammany Trace, which was once an old railroad track. Bordered by Bayou Cane and Bayou Castine, the park has 163 RV and tenting campsites for those wishing to spend a few nights in the region.

Laura Plantation

This Louisiana Creole plantation is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River near Vacherie. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is part of the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, and features a 19th-century raised big house and a few remaining outbuildings, including two cabins that were used by slaves.

Frenchman Guillaume Duparc built the house in 1804 and at one point owned 12,000 acres of surrounding land. The facility is one of about 15 surviving plantations in the state and is historically significant in its representation of antebellum Louisiana. It is open daily except on the Creole holidays: New Year's Day, Mardi Gras, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Cane River Creole Historical National Park

Two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in America, Oakland and Magnolia, are located in the Cane River Creole National Historical Park. They are historically complete with a variety of structures, outbuildings, and furnishings on site. There are a total of 67 structures in the park that tell 200 years of plantation stories.

Visitors can see pigeonniers, a carriage house, mule barn, blacksmith shop, plantation store, gin barn, carpenter's shop, a former slave hospital, and more on the property. Tours are available throughout the day, and there's also a free guided walking tour of the Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District.

Bogue Chitto State Park

The name of this state park in Franklinton, Washington Parish, comes from the Choctaw term "bok chito," which means "big creek." It features a gorge known as Fricke's Cave full of sandstone formations and several streams, cypress tupelo swamps, hardwood forests, and upland forests.

It’s a great place for outdoor enthusiasts. The park has 14 miles of trails for horseback riding and various places to canoe and kayak. There are 81 RV sites, an amphitheater, picnic pavilions, a water playground, a nine-hole disc golf course, and seven miles of hiking trails. Freshwater fish are also stocked in 11 lakes, which feature several fishing piers.

Grand Isle State Park

RVers who enjoy swimming in the warm gulf waters, hiking, and bird watching will appreciate this park on Louisiana's coast that features various inland channels that connect to Mississippi River bayou tributaries. There are beautiful lagoons and untouched spots of nature that beg to be photographed.  

The park is also a popular spot for deep-sea anglers. Thousands of competitors attend the Tarpon Rodeo each summer, and the offshore waters are full of speckled trout and redfish, depending on the time of year. Grand Isle is also a great spot for boating or simply kicking back and relaxing after a long day on the road.

Events and Entertainment in Louisiana

Mardi Gras

People have been celebrating Mardi Gras in Louisiana for nearly 300 years. While the most famous celebration occurs in New Orleans' French Quarter, the entire state takes part in the festivities, which draw thousands of visitors and take place each year in late February or early March.

The cities of Baton Rouge and Lafayette are more family-friendly, while New Orleans also caters to adult-themed activities. The event features lots of food, parades, and outrageous costumes that both locals and visitors show off during carnival. A popular parade tradition is collecting beads and trinkets, known as throws, from the various floats.

Football

If you're a football fan, you can catch an NFL game while traveling through the state. The New Orleans Saints' home base is the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which is where you can watch the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. New Orleans has a large Catholic community, and the team's name was based on All Saints' Day, a Christian festival.

College football fans should head to Baton Rouge to watch the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers play a game. The Division I team plays in Tiger Stadium, which can hold over 100,000 fans and is the sixth largest stadium in the world. The LSU Tigers have won four national championships, including one in 2019.

Cajun Food

A big part of Louisiana's identity is its Cajun food. Cajun cooking is a blend of southern American food and French cooking methods, and there are more Cajun restaurants in the state than anywhere else in the country.

No road trip to Louisiana is complete unless you've eaten a tasty Po' boy sandwich made with New Orleans French bread and filled with either roast beef or fried seafood.

Also try some gumbo (Louisiana's official state cuisine), a soup made with meat, shellfish, celery, bell peppers, and onions as well as okra or filé powder. Another popular Louisiana dish is jambalaya, a West African, French and Spanish dish made with meat, vegetables, and rice.

Campgrounds and Parks in Louisiana

Pontchartrain Landing

Pontchartrain Landing in New Orleans is a marina, villa, and RV resort that has a restaurant, bar, vacation rentals, a boat launch, and RV sites. The best part about this facility is that it's located just over 10 minutes from Bourbon Street, and guests have access to the lake and bayou.

Amenities include cable TV, Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, a children's playground, a swimming pool, hot tub, showers, and a dumping station. There's also a daily shuttle to the French Quarter and live music and BBQ at the Lighthouse Bar and Grill. The establishment also provides long- and short-term RV storage sites.

The Silver Creek Campground

If you have an ATV and like camping, then this is the place for you. The campground has a good number of trails for ATVing and is a little bit off the beaten path in a town called Mt. Hermon. There are also a lot of things to do, such as fishing or swimming in the creek or the in-ground swimming pool.

The sites are all grass but level and firm, and many are shaded. There are over 100 full hookup sites, big rigs are welcome, and the park is pet-friendly. Every year the campground hosts the Meet on the Creek Motorcycle Rally as well as the Redneck Cajun Olympics.

Peaceful Pines RV Park and Campground

Peaceful Pines RV Park in historic St. Francisville is a great place to stay if you're exploring Baton Rouge. The park has 42 sites with full hookups, water, sewage, and 30- or 50-amp electricity. Amenities include a private stocked fishing pond, swimming pool, two bath houses, laundry room, picnic tables, fire rings, and Wi-Fi.

Nearby Baton Rouge features the Old State Capitol, which is now a museum and one of the state's most popular attractions. You can also visit The USS Kidd Veterans Memorial on the destroyer USS KIDD. The ship was named after Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd, Sr., who died on the Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Lakeside RV Park

Lakeside RV Park in Livingston is close to both New Orleans and Baton Rouge, so it's a great location if you plan on exploring either or both of these two cities. Many travelers take advantage of the lake by kayaking, canoeing and paddling on its fresh water. Fishing boats are also allowed, and unlicensed fishing is permitted.

Amenities include a swimming pool, Wi-Fi, on-site grocery, a dog park, showers and restrooms, laundry facilities, a children's playground, a family game room, and a camper's R&R lounge. There are also lake-view pavilions for group and family gatherings.

RV Storage and Dumpstations in Louisiana

If you're looking for a place to store your RV in Louisiana, there are many options near the junctions of highways 10 and 49 and highways 55 and 59. Since heat and humidity can be a problem in the state, these facilities will ensure that your motorhome or campervan is protected from these conditions. Some options include:

• Ken’s RV Storage, Robert
• Park Place Boat & RV Storage, Hammond
• Toys on Wheels RV Storage, Belle Chasse

If you're looking for a place to dump your tanks, many Love's Travel Stops, TA Travel Centers, Flying Js, and other travel plazas and truck stops provide services for a small fee. The best dump stations, however, are usually located at campgrounds. Check out the following:

• Pontchartrain Landing, New Orleans
• French Quarter RV Resort, New Orleans
• Farr Park Equestrian Center & RV Campground, Baton Rouge
• Shreveport/Bossier City KOA

FAQs

1. What are RV rentals?

The benefit of renting an RV is that you don’t need to purchase one outright and pay ownership or maintenance fees. It’s a great way to see the country without making a large monetary commitment. 

2. How much are RV rentals?

RV rental rates vary depending on the size of the camper and the length of the rental. Smaller RVs may cost between $75 and $150 per night, while larger ones may cost upwards of $250. You will save money if you rent the vehicle for longer periods of time. 

3. Do I need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Louisiana?

You need to be at least 25 years old to rent an RV in Louisiana. 

4. Do I need insurance when I rent an RV?

Yes. You need insurance to protect you in case you are involved in an accident while driving a rented RV.

5. Do I need to return my rental RV with a full tank?

Check with the owner. Some rental agreements may require a full tank when you return the vehicle.

6. Are RVs pet-friendly in Louisiana?

That depends on the rental company. Many allow pets, but you may have to pay a deposit or an extra fee.