Located about 140 miles west of New Orleans, Avery Island is a destination for lovers of the famous Tabasco brand Pepper Sauce. The company has been here since the original red Tabasco was created in 1868 by Edmund McIlhenny. Avery Island is home to the Tabasco pepper fields, a historic salt mine, the Tabasco Factory, and the 170-acre Jungle Gardens.
Tour
A factory tour of the facility provides background on the company and McIlhenny family, as well as the history of the island. The tour takes you through the process of making Tabasco from harvesting to bottling. If you are in the factory Monday to Thursday, you can even see the sauce being bottled!
After visiting the museum and factory, take a self-guided tour through the grounds, following the numbered signs. Our favorite stop was the barrel warehouse to see the pepper mash aging process. The mash is aged in white oak barrels for three years before it is turned into sauce.
The last stop on the tour is Restaurant 1868, a casual restaurant featuring Cajun food seasoned with Tabasco sauce. To get a real taste of Louisiana, try the Pepper Barrel Crawfish Etouffee. You can also build your own bloody mary with Tabasco Bloody Mary mix and garnishes.
Cooking Demo
For a truly unique experience, buy tickets to a cooking demo from Chef Jeremy Conner to learn the secrets of cooking Tabasco-inspired Southern cuisine. A three-course lunch is included.
Tabasco Country Store
Purchase Tabasco souvenir items you can’t find anywhere else, from apparel to Tabasco-flavored lollipops at the Tabasco Country Store. You can also sample a variety of Tabasco products, including BBQ sauce, dips, and jalapeno ice cream.
Jungle Gardens
After the tour take a ride through the Jungle Gardens— 5 miles of drive-through trails covered with azaleas, camellias, and bamboo. Nature lovers and bird watchers will enjoy the landscape and abundant wildlife, including thousands of snowy egrets that nest there.
Tabasco Factory, Avery Island
Highway 329
Avery Island, LA 70513
