Afton Villa Gardens to Host Viking Cruise Guests

 ST. FRANCISVILLE, LA (PRESS RELEASE), November 27, 2026, Afton Villa Gardens is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Viking Mississippi LLC (Viking) to provide its Viking cruise guests stopping in St. Francisville, LA in 2026 guided tours of the Gardens, flower-arranging demonstrations and botany lectures on the stunning flora at Afton Villa Gardens, followed by refreshments. Thirty-five luxurious, specially designed vessels for Mississippi River voyages stop in St. Francisville, LA in 2026 hosting over 13,000 guests. 

Afton Villa Gardens, located in St. Francisville, Louisiana, is a historic garden dating from the mid-19th century. Afton Villa, the mansion, fell victim to a devastating fire in 1963, and only the gardens were left intact. The garden features that remain are open to the public and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHPs) by the United States Department of the Interior (DoI). As recently as December 2023, Afton Villa Gardens was ranked the second most beautiful garden in Louisiana. 

The snaking half mile entry drive comes alive in early spring with mound after mound of flamboyant red, pink, coral, rose, purple, and lavender azaleas blooming at the base of a double row of more than 200 live oaks. This avenue of color, the creation of prior owner Dr. Robert Lewis in the 1940s, ends in the gravelled court and the spot once marked by Afton Villa’s entrance. 

Boasting more than 140 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Francisville is set along one of the most historic bluffs of the Mississippi River. Enjoy the serene beauty and rich history of Afton Villa’s enchanting gardens. Upon arrival at the estate, guests are met by a historic interpreter, introduced to the Barrow family’s legacy as well as Afton’s intricate landscapes, and told of the story of the tragic fire of 1963 that destroyed the mansion. Afterward, set out on foot to discover the more than 20 acres of formal garden and pleasure grounds at your leisure. Stroll through gracefully curved lawns, vibrant flower beds and majestic oak trees adorned with Spanish moss. See the famous ruins garden and explore the historic family cemetery to gain a deeper understanding of the site’s past. 

Recognized as a significant national historic preservation and conservation effort, Afton Villa  Gardens recently completed a competitive process for funds from the National Park Service (NPS) for a Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) for additional historic research of the property for educational and interpretation purposes. The Afton Villa Garden’s HALS documentation is Housed in the U.S. Library of Congress. The HALS collections are among the largest and most  heavily used in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. The HALS  collections document achievements in architecture, engineering, and landscape design in the United States and its territories through a comprehensive range of building types, engineering technologies, and landscapes. 

Through this program, measured and interpretive drawings, written histories, and images provide a lasting record of landscapes that reflect the types, periods, and patterns of American cultural landscapes useful for scholarly research, interpretation, and education. 

For information about HALS, see https://www.nps.gov/subjects/heritagedocumentation/hals.htm