8 Days/7 Nights

Louisiana & Mississippi’s Southern Charm

Explore the majestic Greenwood Plantation…revel in the sweet sound of our Delta Music Tour of the Old Frogmore Plantation…and watch out for alligators and more as we venture deep into Cajun Country!

Tour Highlights

• Savor a delectable lunch and ­cooking demonstration at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
• Meet bayou country locals who earn a living from the land and sea.
• Tour Greenwood Plantation with its impressive Greek Revival-style mansion and live oaks draped with Spanish moss.

Itinerary

Day 1—New Orleans: Welcome to The Big Easy! Get acquainted with your fellow travelers and meet your World Wide Country Tours Director at tonight's welcome reception. Relax and enjoy the first of two nights at our comfortable New Orleans hotel. Welcome Reception included.

Day 2—New Orleans: Enjoy a day of thrilling sights in fabulous New Orleans. Visit the famous French Quarter, see the stately homes of the Garden District and view some of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. Then enjoy a delectable lunch and cooking demonstration at the world—famous New Orleans School of Cooking.

After lunch, board the Steamboat Natchez for a relaxing two-hour cruise on the Mighty Mississippi from the heart of the French Quarter to a time when cotton was king along this glorious river. Meals included: B, L.

Day 3—Plaquemine Lock/ St. Francisville/Natchez: We'll travel west to Plaquemine Lock State Historical Park. Bayou Plaquemine served as a navigable artery into the heartland of Louisiana until 1952.

Lunch today will be at the impressive Greenwood Plantation. Rick and Carolyn Barnes' Greenwood home, a Greek Revival mansion set among live oaks draped with Spanish moss, is considered to be the South's finest example of classic colonial architecture.

You'll -explore this magnificent home's rich past and its original builder's prominent role in Louisiana history.

We'll continue on to Natchez, Mississippi, home for the next two nights. Meals included: B, L.

Day 4—Natchez/Vicksburg: An unforgettable "Old South" experience awaits you after breakfast today. Visit Vicksburg, Mississippi, known as the "Red Carpet of the South." Explore the city's fascinating history and tour Vicksburg National Military Park—one of the most renowned Civil War sites in the country!

Enjoy lunch on your own in Vicksburg, then return to Natchez and experience "life along the Mississippi" with a horse drawn carriage ride through the oldest city on the river. Tonight we'll treat you to dinner at a Natchez restaurant overlooking the Mississippi. Meals included: B, D.

Day 5—Frogmore/Lafayette: Find your seat in the original pews of an 1800's plantation church for an unforgettable musical adventure! Our Delta Music Tour of Frogmore Plantation -features outstanding vocalists and historical narration that will give you a glimpse of plantation life.

Next, we're off to Cajun country to visit the Jean Lafitte Acadian Cultural Center, featuring exhibits on Cajun culture and the history of the Acadian people in Louisiana. Meals included: B, L.

Option—Randol's Restaurant: Join us on the town tonight for dinner and dancing at Randol's, a popular local favorite. Sit back and enjoy the unique flavors of Cajun cooking, then kick up your heels and join in the fun. As the ­locals say, "Laissez les bons temps rouler!" (Let the good times roll!) Price per person: $30.

Day 6—Avery Island/Houma: Today, explore Avery Island Jungle Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, home to countless varieties of exotic plants and wildlife. Get up-close looks at herons and egrets, which nest here in the spring. There’s a chance we’ll catch a glimpse of deer, bears and alligators as well!

Things "heat up" at the world’s one-and-only TABASCO® Pepper Sauce ­factory. See first-hand how this favorite spice is bottled and packaged. After a delicious lunch, we'll tour Conrad Rice Mill—the oldest operating rice mill in the United States. You'll learn about its history and major importance in Cajun cooking. We'll stay tonight in Houma, gateway to the heart of bayou country. Meals included: B, L.

Day 7—Houma: Travel into bayou communities where folks earn their living from land and sea. See oyster, shrimp and soft shell crab operations and meet the families who work them. Then climb aboard a Mardi Gras float. This evening, enjoy a wonderful farewell dinner with your traveling companions. Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 8—Houma/New Orleans: This morning, venture into the Louisiana swamps filled with Spanish moss and Cypress trees. See reptiles, ducks and maybe an alligator or two. After a short trip back to New Orleans, head home with unforgettable memories of Louisiana and Mississippi’s southern charm. Meal included: B.

Accommodations

• Days 1&2: Holiday Inn Superdome, New Orleans, LA
• Days 3&4: The Natchez Grand Hotel, Natchez, MS
• Day 5: Hilton Lafayette, Lafayette, LA
• Days 6&7: Hampton Inn Houma, Houma, LA