Avery Island Attractions
Avery Island was created by ancient salt deposits beneath the Mississippi delta. It is the home of Tabasco Sauce and a rock salt mine that has been used since the Civil War. The salt was originally used as a food preservative.
Jungle Gardens on Avery Island has a wide variety of camelias, azaleas, tropical plants and is a bird sanctuary developed by the late Edward Avery McIlheny. During nesting, it is home to more than 20,000 herons and egrets. The Chinese Garden has bamboo stands and a Buddha dating from A.D. 1000.
EA McIlhenny was the founder of the McIlhenny Company and created Tabasco Sauce after receiving a special variety of red capsicum pepper seeds from Central America in 1868. Visitors to the island can tour the factory.
Tips: There is a toll to get on the island.