Mardi Gras - New Orleans 2014
Lousiana Group Tours
February 25 - March 2, 2014
Mardi Gras, Gators, Carriage Ride & More!
Package Includes:
February 25, 2014
Arrive at airport in early or late afternoon
We stop for lunch if visitors want to have lunch before going to the hotel. Zea’s is a good choice for lunch. Optional stop depending on arrival time.
Driving tour of French Quarter to acquaint visitors with area
Check into Royal St. Charles Hotel – 1335 St. Charles Avenue – New Orleans, Louisiana 70130.
Depart for dinner. Dinner is included at Restaurant de Piero. It is in the little village of Kenner. Restaurant is located in a charming old home. Piero Cenni’s restaurant originally opened farther up the same railroad line, in the old part of Pontchatoula, Louisiana. Before Katrina hit New Orleans it was moved to Kenner. Centanni meals a hundred years in Italian and that is about how old the house is that houses the restaurant. Piero Cenni is a native of Romagna region of Italy whose capital city is Bologna. The area is known for a distinctive style of Italian cooking. The most famous dish from there is pasta with tomato based, long cooked meat sauce. The chef uses grass fed beef, wild caught fish and pasta is made in house with free range eggs. They offer more grilling than many Italian restaurants.
After dinner guide/driver will go with you into the French Quarter to enjoy music or whatever interests you.
Overnight – Royal St. Charles Hotel – New Orleans, Louisiana
D
February 26, 2014
Breakfast included at Daisy Dukes Restaurant- Daisy Dukes is just around the corner from hotel and we meet there at 8:00 a.m. If you prefer, meet in lobby of hotel at 7:45 a.m. and walk with the guide.
New Orleans City Tour Guide, will meet at Daisy Dukes for start of New Orleans City Tour. We tour Garden District, Business District, French Quarter, etc.
Arrive at World War II Museum and enjoy lunch on own in the museum. You will have time to visit gift shop. Visit Museum and view exhibits.
Beyond All Boundaries with Tom Hanks. (Important to be at the film at 2:00 p.m. as it is only shown on the hour. This is not to be missed).
Depart Museum
Free time in French Quarter
Depart - Dinner on own at Elizabeth’s Restaurant– Elizabeth’s Restaurant is in the By Water District and is one of the restaurants where locals love to have dinner. This is a real New Orleans experience. Famous chefs are often seen eating in the establishment. The food is real New Orleans cuisine. The building is quiet rustic and basic.
The parade passes in front of hotel tonight. There is app on cell phone that is mardi gras parade tracker and it will track where the parade is located. This will give us idea when it will reach hotel. There are often breakdowns or other problems so it does not have schedule that you can depend on. The parades are Krewe of Ancient Druids and Krewe of NYX.
Visit Bourbon Street and you may want to visit Pat Obrien’s Bar. Pat OBriens is one of the most famous restaurants in New Orleans. They are known for hurricanes and for the piano bar. Their courtyard is a must see. Be sure to cash in your hurricane glass as there is deposit on the glass.
Overnight – Royal St. Charles Hotel
135 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, La. 70130
504-587-3700
B
February 27, 2014
Depart for breakfast at Café du Monde. The breakfast is beignets, coffee, orange juice, hot chocolate. When we arrive at Cooking Class there are food samples waiting for us and we prepare a meal that we eat in class. The lighter breakfast works better before Cooking Class.
Depart for New Orleans School of Cooking. Meet in lobby of hotel. You will have time to shop in Cooking School before class starts and after class ends.
We continue to Katrina exhibit where you view exhibits about Hurricane Katrina. The tour is self-guided and there are videos and other commentary to give you the history. Katrina Exhibit and Carriage ride are on Jackson Square. You will enjoy the square as it is lined with small shops and artists working around the square.
Enjoy a New Orleans Carriage ride through the French Quarter or a Bike Taxi ride through the French Quarter.
Visit St. Louis Cathedral on own and enjoy French Quarter shops or Café du Monde.
Free time in French Quarter
We depart from lobby of hotel. We offer meal on own in By Water District tonight.
Tonight Krewe of Babylon, Krewe of Muses, and Krewe of Chaos are parading. We return to hotel for you to see the parades in front of hotel.
After parades there will be time to enjoy French Quarter and it is in walking distance from the hotel.
Overnight – Royal St. Charles Hotel – New Orleans, Louisiana
BL
February 28, 2014
Depart for Fat Hen Restaurant and enjoy breakfast on St. Charles Avenue. Fat Hen is know for their Southern Biscuits. The biscuits are delicious.
Depart for Houma, Louisiana and enjoy tour on the way to Houma.
Visit a working alligator farm and hear how eggs are gathered and how the alligators are raised until they are sent to market. Visitors view different steps of raising alligators.
Lunch on own at Plantation Inn Restaurant
Visit Water Life Museum and view interacting exhibits dealing with seafood and oil industries. Learn how the industries affected our local economy.
Visit Terrebonne Art Guild and meet some of the local artists. Visitors enjoy artwork and also jewelry that was made by local artists.
Visit Mardi Gras store and see how the float riders buy their throws.
Check into hotel
Depart for included dinner at Big Al’s Restaurant – Enjoy a real Crayfish Boil with potatoes, corn, crackers, dip and dessert. Alternate meal will be chicken plate for non seafood eaters. Mardi Gras Krewe meets us at restaurant and gives gifts to visitors.
Overnight – Quality Hotel – Houma, Louisiana
BD
March 1, 2014
Breakfast included
Full Breakfast included
Depart Quality Hotel
Driving tour of Cajun Bayou Communities. Visitors meet some of the locals and see how they live. View swamps, marsh, seafood factories, above ground cemeteries, fishing communities, etc. Meet local French people and visit with them.
Lunch on own at Bayou Delight Restaurant – Great local food. French speaking people in the restaurant.
Swamp boat tour in into the deepest swamps of Louisiana. Enjoy viewing animals, waterfowl, reptiles, and lots of Cypress trees and other vegetation. Hear the local Captain give history of swamps.
Daiquiri Shop
Return to hotel for rest before dinner
Depart for Twelve Oaks Plantation. Enjoy meal, as you would have on a working plantation. The owner prepares the meal. Entertainment included at the meal. The home is a stately old home with huge Oak Trees in front. There are many collections in the home that visitors enjoy viewing. The property was a sugar plantation.
We depart for Krewe of Houma Mardi Gras Parade.
Overnight – Quality Hotel – Houma, Louisiana
BD
March 2, 2014
Breakfast included
Luggage outside door Quality Hotel
Depart Quality Hotel
Meet ZZ one of the new Swamp People. He just signed contract and will be on television in a few months. Hear about his alligator hunting.
Depart for River Road to visit Laura Plantation with tour on the way.
Laura is a Creole Plantation and the tour will take you through the home and you will view many other houses on property. Visitors learn about Creole history and hear how the Creoles had different lifestyle than Acadians. The Tales of Brer Rabbit were started here.
Oak Alley for lunch on own and visit to gift shop. Very large gift shop on site of restaurant. They offer deli meal or meal in restaurant.
Depart for Airport
B
Total Cost:
$1,299.00 Double
$1,599.00 Single
Cost includes: meals as noted, local transportation, tours, attractions, lodging, airport transfers, and tour guide throughout.
Deposit:
Full payment is due December 28, 2013. We need rooming list by December 28, 2013.
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