UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 took place July 19, 2025, at the Smoothie King Center, but a fight weekend in New Orleans is about far more than the main card. Bayou Swamp Tours runs 90-minute bayou trips about 30 minutes from downtown, an adrenaline match for any fight fan. Here's how to build the perfect weekend.
When Is the Best Time to Plan Your New Orleans Trip?
New Orleans welcomed roughly 18 million visitors in a recent year, according to New Orleans & Company. July highs average about 92 degrees while January highs average about 62 degrees, and the city sees about 62 inches of rain a year, per the National Weather Service. The French Quarter, founded in 1718, covers about 78 square blocks of walkable history. Explore more things to do in New Orleans.
How Can You Add a Swamp Tour to Your Itinerary?
Bayou Swamp Tours runs 1-hour-45-minute trips departing about 30 minutes from downtown, with French Quarter hotel pickup available. Small airboats hold 6 to 10 passengers and large airboats hold 15 to 27, and you may spot some of Louisiana's roughly 2 million wild alligators, per the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. Book an airboat tour or read our latest bayou guides.
Take a Swamp Tour – Nature Meets Adrenaline
Before the punches start flying, get your blood pumping on the water. Bayou Swamp Tours is one of the best experiences New Orleans has to offer. Choose between high-speed airboats that rip through the marsh or slower, scenic pontoon boats perfect for spotting gators, wild hogs, eagles, and more.
- Airboat tours are ideal if you want speed, thrill, and up-close encounters with Louisiana’s wild side.
- Pontoon tours offer a calmer vibe—great for groups or those who want to soak in the atmosphere.
The best part? They offer easy shuttle pick-up from your hotel, so you can stay focused on enjoying, not planning.
How to Explore the Haunted Side
After your swamp run, switch gears and dive into the shadows of the French Quarter with Big Easy Ghost Tours. These walking tours hit haunted houses, cemeteries, and dimly lit alleys, all while guides recount centuries of eerie local legends. It’s the perfect atmospheric ramp-up to a night of blood, sweat, and combat.
Your Itinerary: Pre-Fight Power Flow
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Friday Morning | Head out early for a Bayou Swamp Tour (choose airboat or pontoon) |
| Friday Afternoon | Return to the city, relax, hydrate |
| Friday Evening | Join a Ghost Walking Tour |
| Saturday (Fight Day) | Brunch, explore lightly, rest up — doors open early evening for UFC 318 |
Planning what to do before UFC 318 in New Orleans doesn’t need to be complicated. You just need to stack the right mix of adrenaline and culture.
Why These Tours?
Real Encounters, Not Tourist Traps
Bayou Swamp Tours is known for its knowledgeable guides and authentic routes. You’re not just floating through swampland—you’re in it. The airboat gets you moving. The pontoon slows you down. Both get you closer to Louisiana’s heart.
Ghost Tours With Grit
These aren’t kid-friendly Halloween gimmicks. Big Easy Ghost Tours brings the real stories, dark history, and authentic pacing you’d want before a night of UFC intensity. It’s immersive, memorable, and just the right amount of eerie.
C. Location, Location
Everything is timed and placed with your convenience in mind. Bayou pickup happens right at your hotel. Ghost tours meet you in the French Quarter. No wasted time. No random detours. Just optimized fun.
Optimize Your UFC Weekend
- Book early. This is a fight weekend. Everyone’s in town. Don’t wait.
- Pack right. Lightweight clothes, comfy walking shoes, sunscreen, and bug spray.
- Hydrate and recharge. These aren’t Netflix-in-bed activities.
- Bring a camera. Especially for the swamp—alligators don’t pose twice.
- Balance. Go airboat if you want full-throttle. Pick pontoon if you want to chill.
Frame the Weekend Like a Fighter
Here’s the thing: UFC 318 isn’t just the fight. It’s the whole build-up. The story you get to tell. The vibe you bring into the arena. By exploring the wild bayous and haunted streets beforehand, you’re living the narrative, not just watching it.
What to do before UFC 318 in New Orleans? This.
It’s what turns a cool trip into a core memory.
Final Checklist
- ✅ Book Bayou Swamp Tours
- ✅ Lock in your Big Easy Ghost Tour slot
- ✅ Schedule your day so you’re sharp, rested, and ready by fight time
Make UFC 318 more than a ticket. Make it a story. Own the days before the card even starts.
So if you’re wondering what to do before UFC 318 in New Orleans, now you know. Do it right. Do it all. Then walk into that arena like you earned your seat in the front row.
Frequently Asked Questions
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