College Visit Guides

Fly-in guide · 2 days, 2 campuses

Nicholls State and LSU New Orleans in 2 Days: A Bayou and Lakefront College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing Nicholls State University and LSU New Orleans in two days: how each school's visit works and where to sign up, Nicholls' free visitor parking permit and LSU New Orleans' free parking token, four hotels in Thibodaux and by the New Orleans airport, drive times along the bayou to the lakefront, a sibling stop at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, and New Orleans weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 30, 2026.

A two-story red-brick building with a white columned portico and triangular pediment reading C C Elkins Hall, framed by two tall trees, with a concrete walk and landscaped beds in front under a clear blue sky
C. C. Elkins Hall on the Nicholls State University campus in Thibodaux, Louisiana (April 2005). Photo: Z28scrambler · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
Nicholls State University (Thibodaux, LA) · LSU New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
Days
2 days: Nicholls in Thibodaux on day 1 and LSU New Orleans on the lakefront on day 2 (about 86 minutes apart by car with no traffic).
Fly into
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), about 70 minutes from Thibodaux and 26 minutes from LSU New Orleans with no traffic.
Best base
Hampton Inn & Suites Thibodaux, about 6 minutes by car from Nicholls, with free breakfast and free parking listed on Expedia.
Car or no car
Plan on a rental car. Thibodaux is about an hour from the airport, and both campuses have visitor parking set up for drivers.
Registration
Book each visit on the school's own page: Nicholls' Daily Campus Visits portal and LSU New Orleans' events and campus tour calendar.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents bringing a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see two public Southland Conference universities in south Louisiana: Nicholls State, home of the Colonels, and LSU New Orleans, home of the Privateers.

Nicholls sits on Bayou Lafourche in Thibodaux, and LSU New Orleans (formerly the University of New Orleans) is on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, about 15 minutes from the airport by the school's estimate. Check both athletics calendars for home games on your dates. The photo in this guide shows C. C. Elkins Hall on the Nicholls campus.

Why this order

  • Day 1: fly into New Orleans, drive about 70 minutes to Thibodaux and take Nicholls' student-led campus tour.
  • With extra time in Thibodaux, the free Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center is about 4 minutes from Nicholls by car.
  • Day 2: drive about 87 minutes to LSU New Orleans for its tour and admissions presentation, then fly home from MSY, about 26 minutes away.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
  • Nicholls offers in-person campus tours by appointment Monday through Friday. Pick a date on the Daily Campus Visits portal to see the time slots; tours are a guided walk through campus facilities, buildings and amenities.
  • Nicholls group tours must be booked in advance, with separate request forms for high school and for elementary and middle school groups.
  • LSU New Orleans campus tours run Monday through Friday, led by an admissions tour guide, and each one includes a presentation on the application process, financial aid and academic programs before heading outside.
  • LSU New Orleans group tours run Monday through Thursday for organizations and high school groups in grades 9–12, and requests need to go in at least 3 weeks ahead. Open houses are held each fall and spring.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • New Orleans is warm most of the year: January averages about 63°F highs and 46°F lows at the airport, with about 5.2 inches of rain.
  • Summer is hot and wet: July averages about 91°F highs and 77°F lows, and June is the rainiest month, with about 7.6 inches.
  • Fall is the most comfortable visit season: October averages about 81°F highs and 64°F lows and is the driest month, with about 3.7 inches of rain.
  • Check the Colonels and Privateers athletics calendars for home games on your dates, since game days bring extra traffic and parking demand.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. New Orleans traffic can add a lot, so leave extra time. Nicholls times are to the campus at 906 East 1st Street, and LSU New Orleans times are to 2000 Lakeshore Drive.

Arrival: fly into New Orleans and drive to Thibodaux

  1. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) → Hampton Inn & Suites Thibodaux

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~70 min, 48.0 mi
    Driving
    Rental car

  2. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) → Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thibodaux

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~68 min, 47.2 mi
    Driving
    Rental car

  3. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) → Days Inn & Suites Thibodaux

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~70 min, 48.0 mi
    Driving
    Rental car

  4. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) → Hilton New Orleans Airport

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~12 min, 4.8 mi
    Driving
    Rental car or hotel shuttle
  • Hilton New Orleans Airport lists a free 24-hour airport shuttle on Expedia. It works best if you'd rather stay by the airport and drive to Thibodaux and back on day 1.

Day 1: Nicholls State University

  1. Hampton Inn & Suites Thibodaux → Nicholls campus (906 East 1st St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~6 min, 2.9 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  2. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thibodaux → Nicholls campus (906 East 1st St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~2 min, 0.8 mi (about an 18-minute walk)
    Driving
    Drive or walk

  3. Days Inn & Suites Thibodaux → Nicholls campus (906 East 1st St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~6 min, 2.8 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  4. Hilton New Orleans Airport → Nicholls campus (906 East 1st St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~64 min, 44.9 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  5. Nicholls campus (906 East 1st St.) → Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 2.2 mi (about a 33-minute walk)
    Driving
    Drive or walk
  • Every vehicle parked on the Nicholls campus needs a permit, including in visitor spaces. Get your free visitor permit before the tour (see the parking section below).

Day 2: LSU New Orleans, then fly home

  1. Hampton Inn & Suites Thibodaux → LSU New Orleans campus (2000 Lakeshore Dr.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~89 min, 62.7 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  2. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thibodaux → LSU New Orleans campus (2000 Lakeshore Dr.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~87 min, 61.6 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  3. Days Inn & Suites Thibodaux → LSU New Orleans campus (2000 Lakeshore Dr.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~89 min, 62.6 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  4. Hilton New Orleans Airport → LSU New Orleans campus (2000 Lakeshore Dr.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~27 min, 16.0 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  5. LSU New Orleans campus (2000 Lakeshore Dr.) → Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~26 min, 15.8 mi
    Driving
    Drive
  • Stop at the front counter of the Privateer Enrollment Center before you leave and ask for a token for the free visitor parking lot.
  • Allow plenty of time to return a rental car and check in at MSY after the visit.

3. Campus by campus

A two-story red-brick building with a white columned portico and triangular pediment reading C C Elkins Hall, framed by two tall trees, with a concrete walk and landscaped beds in front under a clear blue sky
C. C. Elkins Hall on the Nicholls State University campus in Thibodaux, Louisiana (April 2005). Photo: Z28scrambler · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Nicholls State University (Thibodaux, LA)

Where visits start
  • Pick a date on Nicholls' Daily Campus Visits portal to see the time slots and schedule your tour. Nicholls offers morning and afternoon tours.
  • Tours are by appointment Monday through Friday. Groups use the separate high school or elementary and middle school group tour request forms.
Visitor parking
  • Every vehicle parked anywhere on the Nicholls campus needs a permit, and visitor spaces still require a visitor permit.
  • Get a visitor permit by bringing a picture ID to the Office of Parking Services in the Police Department in Calecas Hall, or fill out the online visitor form ahead of time and have the permit emailed to you. If the form gives an error, email parking@nicholls.edu with the requested details.
  • University Parking Services is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 985.448.4942.
Getting there
  • Nicholls is about 70 minutes by car from the New Orleans airport with no traffic, by OpenStreetMap routing. Plan on a rental car.
What to know
  • The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, is about 4 minutes from campus by car, with free admission.
Contact
Nicholls Admissions: 985-448-4507 or nicholls@nicholls.edu. Nicholls State University, 906 East 1st Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301, 1-877-NICHOLLS.

Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Nicholls: Campus tour and group tour requests · Nicholls: Admissions · Nicholls: Visitor Parking permit form · Nicholls: University Parking Services

Campus

LSU New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)

Where visits start
  • Choose a campus tour on LSU New Orleans' events calendar. Tours are led by an admissions tour guide and start with a presentation on the application process, financial aid and academic programs.
  • The Privateer Enrollment Center, the school's one-stop shop for admissions and enrollment services, is on the first floor of the Earl K. Long Library.
Visitor parking
  • Free visitor parking is in the pay lot west of the library. Ask for a token at the Privateer Enrollment Center's front counter before you leave.
  • The parent FAQ adds that tour visitors can get a visitor parking pass at the Office of Admissions and should park in student zones. The Visit Us page notes street parking and campus lots are available for visitors.
Getting there
  • LSU New Orleans says the campus is about 15 minutes from the New Orleans airport. From I-10 East, take Exit 236A onto Elysian Fields Avenue north to Lakeshore Drive; from I-10 West, take Exit 238 at Allen Toussaint Boulevard and follow signs to campus.
What to know
  • Can't make it in person? LSU New Orleans offers a virtual tour, and open houses each fall and spring add time with faculty, departments and current students.
  • The parent FAQ notes the campus is in a residential part of New Orleans, about fifteen minutes from Downtown and the French Quarter.
Contact
LSU New Orleans Admissions: admissions@lsuneworleans.edu, 504-280-6595, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148.

Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: LSU New Orleans: Visit Us (tours, group visits, open houses) · LSU New Orleans: Admissions Contact Us · LSU New Orleans: Campus Map · LSU New Orleans: Virtual Tour · LSU New Orleans: FAQs for Parents

4. Where to stay: Thibodaux near Nicholls, or by the New Orleans airport

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickBudget

Hampton Inn & Suites Thibodaux

826 N. Canal Blvd., Thibodaux, LA 70301

Why here

  • It's about 6 minutes by car from Nicholls, 70 minutes from the New Orleans airport and 89 minutes from LSU New Orleans with no traffic.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists a free buffet breakfast, an outdoor pool, a gym and free self-parking. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thibodaux

122 Emporium Dr., Thibodaux, LA 70301

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's the closest of these four to Nicholls, about 2 minutes by car or an 18-minute walk, and about 68 minutes from the New Orleans airport with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists a free buffet breakfast, a seasonal outdoor pool (May to September) and a gym. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Thibodaux

158 Glenwild Dr., Thibodaux, LA 70301

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 6 minutes by car from Nicholls and 70 minutes from the New Orleans airport with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists a free on-the-go breakfast, a seasonal pool (April to December), free self-parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Pets aren't allowed. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateMid-range

Hilton New Orleans Airport

901 Airline Dr., Kenner, LA 70062

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 12 minutes from MSY and 27 minutes from LSU New Orleans by car with no traffic, but about 64 minutes from Nicholls, so it suits families who'd rather stay by the airport.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists a free 24-hour airport shuttle, a pool, a gym, a restaurant, paid self-parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Pets aren't allowed (service animals are welcome). Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Stay in Thibodaux for the Nicholls day: the Hampton Inn is a few minutes from campus with free breakfast and parking. If you'd rather not drive the bayou road at night, the Hilton by the airport keeps day 2 short.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

At the hotels

All three Thibodaux hotels list a free breakfast on Expedia, and Hilton New Orleans Airport lists an on-site restaurant.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center

314 St. Mary St., Thibodaux, LA 70301

A National Park Service site in Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve with exhibits and films about Acadian (Cajun) life and ranger-guided boat tours of Bayou Lafourche, about 4 minutes by car from Nicholls. The park charges no admission fee. It's open Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sundays, Mondays, federal holidays and Mardi Gras, so check the park's page for hours before you go.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Getting to campus

  • At Nicholls, get your free visitor parking permit in person at Calecas Hall with a photo ID or online ahead of time; every car on campus needs one.
  • At LSU New Orleans, ask for a free parking token at the Privateer Enrollment Center counter before you leave.

Flying in and out

  • MSY is about 70 minutes from the Thibodaux hotels and about 26 minutes from LSU New Orleans with no traffic. Ending at LSU New Orleans keeps the drive to your flight short.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: New Orleans International Airport station)

  • Spring: April averages about 79°F highs and 62°F lows, with about 5.2 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July and August average about 91°F/77°F, with about 7 inches of rain each.
  • Fall: October averages about 81°F/64°F with about 3.7 inches of rain; November averages about 71°F/54°F.
  • Winter: January averages about 63°F/46°F and December about 65°F/48°F, with about 5 inches of rain a month.

Parent checklist

  • Book a Nicholls campus tour on the Daily Campus Visits portal.
  • Request a Nicholls visitor parking permit online, or plan to pick one up at Calecas Hall with a photo ID.
  • Book an LSU New Orleans campus tour on its events calendar.
  • Book flights into MSY and a rental car for both days.
  • Book a hotel in Thibodaux, or by the airport if you'd rather drive out and back.
  • Pack an umbrella and light layers; south Louisiana gets rain in every season.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Nicholls State University and LSU New Orleans): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Nicholls State University
  5. Nicholls State University Athletics (official site)
  6. Nicholls State University Athletics: Staff Directory
  7. Nicholls State University Athletics: schedule of events
  8. NCAA Directory: LSU New Orleans
  9. LSU New Orleans Athletics (official site)
  10. LSU New Orleans Athletics: Staff Directory
  11. LSU New Orleans Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

Plan this trip

Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.

Which schools?
Driving or flying?

How the email works. Your plan appears right here on the page. If you add your email, we'll email you the full plan from hello@collegevisitguides.com, sent by our email provider, Resend. It isn't instant: a person reads each plan before it goes out, and it arrives once it's been reviewed. We store your request (your email, the trip, schools, dates and travel choice) privately to send it; we don't send or store the home city you type. If you tick the box, you'll also join our occasional newsletter, which is sent with Kit. Every email has a one-click unsubscribe link. Only if you use the route planner in your plan is the starting point you type there sent to our map provider, Geoapify, to plan the drive; we never store it. Privacy

Sources

All checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Nicholls State University Admissions: Tour
  2. Nicholls State University: Daily Campus Visits (official sign-up)
  3. Nicholls State University: Admissions
  4. Nicholls State University: University Parking Services
  5. Nicholls State University Parking Services: Visitor Parking
  6. Nicholls State University: Contact
  7. LSU New Orleans: Visit Us
  8. LSU New Orleans: Events and Campus Tours (official sign-up)
  9. LSU New Orleans Admissions: Contact Us
  10. LSU New Orleans: FAQs for Parents
  11. LSU New Orleans: Admissions
  12. LSU New Orleans: Virtual Tour
  13. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn & Suites Thibodaux (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Houma-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Suites-Thibodaux.h2303755.Hotel-Information)
  14. Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thibodaux (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Thibodaux-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-Suites-Thibodaux.h102645823.Hotel-Information)
  15. Expedia listing: Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Thibodaux (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Houma-Hotels-Days-Inn-Suites-By-Wyndham-Thibodaux.h2027062.Hotel-Information)
  16. Expedia listing: Hilton New Orleans Airport (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/New-Orleans-Hotels-Hilton-New-Orleans-Airport.h23090.Hotel-Information)
  17. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  18. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  19. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  20. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, New Orleans Intl AP, LA (USW00012916)
  21. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (NPS): Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center
  22. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (NPS): Fees
  23. Nicholls Colonels Athletics: Calendar
  24. LSU New Orleans Privateers Athletics: Calendar