If the last time you visited Avery Island was on a yellow school bus during a field trip, it’s high time for a return visit to the historic home of Acadiana’s most famed product: TABASCOⓇ brand hot sauce. This brand is so beloved around the world that Avery Island has become an international travel destination, and it’s right here in our back yard.
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At Avery Island, Tabasco® creates hot sauces in a variety of formulas and flavors
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A Tabasco greenhouse, where peppers are grown from seedling starts to mature plants.
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Young pepper plants inside a Tabasco greenhouse
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Inside the Barrel Aging Cooperage, where pepper mash aging magic happens.
First things first: Find out how this iconic condiment is created by taking the TABASCOⓇ Brand Factory Tour & Museum. This self-guided tour gives guests an inside look at the journey which transports TABASCOⓇ hot sauce from the fields of Avery Island to tables around the world. Stop 1 visits the Museum, housed in a chic, but cozy, wooden cottage—and offering a glimpse (or a deep dive, it’s up to you) into the storied histories of the TABASCOⓇ brand and the McIlhenny family, via exhibits of family photographs and TABASCOⓇ artifacts. Some, like a collection of Native American projectile points, and the fossilized tooth of a mastodon excavated by Avery Island salt miners in 1889, were unearthed from the grounds of Avery Island itself. Stop 2 takes you to the Greenhouse to view the famous peppers themselves, from seedlings to mature plants.
A McIllhenny family member tastes pepper mash for quality control.
The process of creating good hot sauce is revealed to be as involved and complex as the making of a fine wine
Stop 3 visits the Barrel Aging Cooperage, where the pepper mash aging magic happens, and the process of creating good hot sauce is revealed to be as involved and complex as the making of a fine wine. Stop 4 follows the process to the Blending Room where, once the mash has been aged for approximately 28 days, it is blended into the sauce we know and love. Then it’s on to the Bottling Line stop, where you get to live out your “Laverne & Shirley” dreams. Ok, not really; you can’t touch them, but you can watch as bottles pass through their final phase of production before being packaged for distribution to 195 countries. The tour ends at the TABASCOⓇ Today exhibit, which offers some unforgettable photo opportunities, like those giant TABASCOⓇ bottles … perfect for your Instagram!
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Ancient live oak groves shade public picnic areas at Avery Island
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Avery Island abounds with native wildlife, including snowy egrets, roseate spoonbills, and abundant alligators.
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A stone bridge crossing a waterway in Avery Island's beautiful Jungle Gardens
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In late winter and early spring, camellias brighten the gardens at Avery Island.
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Tabasco Logo
Picture-perfect moments don’t end at the museum, though. Jungle Gardens at Avery Island is a highly sought-after backdrop for bridal, engagement and family portraits. Visit and you’ll see why: these historic gardens were created in 1920 by arctic explorer, naturalist, and conservationist Edward Avery “Ned” McIlhenny, lovingly referred to as “Mr. Ned.” The 170-acre gardens’ design were heavily influenced by Asian landscape design, and present a breathtaking showcase rarely encountered in Louisiana. Wander through one of the oldest timber bamboo groves in America, featuring over 64 varieties sourced through Ned McIlhenny’s relationship with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Or admire the iconic Buddha statue Mr. Ned received as a gift, which is estimated to be 900 years old. To enhance your self-guided tour, take advantage of Avery Island’s virtual tour application, accessible through your phone. Jungle Gardens is also home to a variety of local wildlife. For example, Mr. Ned’s Bird City rookery, founded in 1890, is home to thousands of egrets, and played a critical role in the conservation of this native bird.
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Restaurant 1868
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Hearty gumbo is on the menu at 1868 Restaurant
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Getting a taste during the Tabasco Culinary Experience tour
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Picking up some pointers during a Tabasco cooking class
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Restaurant 1868 serves Bloody Marys spiced with Tabasco® brand hot sauce (of course).
Of course, no-one visiting Avery Island leaves hungry! Restaurant 1868 is a casual spot that will cure all of your Cajun cravings. Named as an homage to the year TABASCOⓇ was founded, the Cajun cottage-style restaurant feels as if it has always been a part of Avery Island. Its convenient location makes it easy to drop in during any part of your day, be it for a snack in between tours, or for refueling after a day spent roaming the gardens. The menu features many of Louisiana’s greatest hits, from crawfish pies to poboys, and plenty of spicy treats in-between, all created by culinary mastermind, chef Nelson Boutte.
For those interested in taking the culinary experience of TABASCO® to the next level, begin at the TABASCOⓇ Country Store, where you can dive in to samples of pepper flavored ice cream, amongst other treats. Even better, sign up for the TABASCOⓇ Culinary Experience. This guided culinary demonstration connects flavors with history and includes a mash tasting and a Bloody Mary flight. Those looking to take home some authentic Cajun cooking tips might also want to sign up for the TABASCOⓇ Cooking Demo. Led by Chef GiGi Patout, whose family history is rooted in the culture of New Iberia and its culinary traditions, the event serves as a culinary introduction to some of TABASCOⓇ’s most popular dishes, and ends with a four-course meal.
It doesn’t matter if you are in search of a day trip for the family, a group getaway, an exciting date, or an opportunity to better understand the best of Louisiana culture, you’ll find it at Avery Island. There is truly something for everyone, and it’s only a short drive away.
For more information about visiting Avery Island—home of TABASCO® hot sauce—and to sign up for classes, trips and tours, visit tabasco.com/visit-avery-island/
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