It’s jazz, cotton, sugar cane, iron-laced balconies, and great, white plantation homes. It’s glittering steamboats, trudging barges, and mammoth cargo ships on that big, muddy river. It’s bayous, crawfish etoufee, and sweet southern drawl. It’s Pre-Mardi Gras New Orleans and delightful Dixie – AND it’s all ours!

 

Included meals are denoted: Breakfast: B, Lunch: L, Dinner: D

 

DAY 1              

This morning we depart Albuquerque and fly to New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico. Nicknamed the "Big Easy," it's known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene and spicy, singular cuisine reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African and American cultures. Embodying its festive spirit is Mardi Gras, the late-winter carnival famed for raucous costumed parades and street parties. We visit the week before Mardi Gras, when the crowds are less but the city is still festive.

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DAY 2              B, D

Today we enjoy a city tour of New Orleans by motorcoach as well as a French Quarter walking tour. We see such wonderful local sites while our guide immerses us in the culture and sounds of New Orleans. Enjoy a festive night parade, as we watch the krewes revel in the season.

 

DAY 3              B, D

This morning we visit the National World War II Museum, made up of multiple sections, each containing a different exhibit that explores the events of the Second World War. Tonight we board a steamship for a River Cruise, which includes dinner! Enjoy the old-time atmosphere and narration from your captain as we sail the Mighty Mississippi, with a wonderful meal included.

 

DAY 4              B, L

Today we see a famous plantation and drive the back roads of Cajun Country. Houmas House is a traditional set up that houses sugarcane gardens. The setting of the place is of the 1800's, offering tourists a picturesque view of the natural gardens, with rare species of plants. The tour provides information on how the wealthy families during those period lived in the mansion and about its historical significance. On Avery Island, we will have lunch at 1868 Restaurant as well as tours of both the Tabasco Factory and the Jungle Gardens, which features azaleas, “gators,” and nesting snowy egrets. Two night’s lodging in Lafayette in the heart of Cajun Country. 

 

DAY 5              B, D

Visit Acadian Village, a small 19th-century Cajun bayou community, which includes genuine Cajun homes relocated and combined with recreated period buildings and a Native American museum. Marvel at the idyllic scenery as you ride through cypress-lined swamps, over the Mississippi River’s suspended bridge and deep into Cajun country. A Cajun guide awaits at the water’s edge to take your small group on an unforgettable wildlife-spotting expedition through remote swamps. Spy nesting alligators, snakes, raccoons and nutria, get great up-close photos, and learn about the history and mystery of the swamps and the Cajun people. Group farewell dinner this evening.

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DAY 6              B

This morning we fly home, with terrific memories of our tour in Southern Louisiana.

 

Itinerary subject to change