Le Sieur de Bienville founded colonial New Orleans on a crescent bend of the Mississippi River in 1718. Today, New Orleans is known the world over as The Big Easy, a vibrant city that never sleeps, famous for its charming riverboats, intimate live-music venues, exciting Bourbon Street, hot and spicy Creole cuisine, Mardi Gras, great shopping, fascinating museums and a seemingly endless parade of festivals. Day or night, there's so much to do you'll want to stay longer. ….and remember, international visitors get Tax-Free Shopping at over 1200 stores and malls in Louisiana!
Day 4: New Orleans to Houma/Thibodaux
(60 miles/96 km)
For a taste of traditional Cajun culture, nearby twin cities of Houma and Thibodaux more than satisfy. An eerie swamp tour is a must and you might even catch a glimpse of an alligator. You can even stay at the home of a local Cajun family, see shrimp boats, enjoy some of the world's best fishing, visit interesting Cajun bayou country, or impressive Madewood and Southdown Plantations. Kick up your heels and dance a two-step to the Cajun beat. Enjoy traditional blackened red fish and shrimp étouffée.
Days 5 & 6: Houma/Thibodaux to Lafayette/New Iberia
(85 miles/136 km)
Explore author James Lee Burke's hometown by learning about plantation life at Shadows-on-the-Teche Plantation, the only National Trust Historic House Museum & Garden in Louisiana. Visit Avery Island to see how Tabasco makes its world-famous pepper sauce (and bring home samples from Tabasco's Country Store), tour Avery Island's Jungle Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, and the stunning Rip van Winkle Gardens. At the heart of Acadiana is Lafayette, known as "the Capital of French Louisiana." Learn more about the origins of the Acadian culture at two fascinating living history museums, Acadian Village and Vermilionville. Lafayette, and the small towns surrounding it, add flavour to the gumbo by having incredible festivals and clubs where you can sample traditional Cajun cuisine and hear and dance to authentic, lively Cajun and Zydeco music.
Day 7:
Lafayette to Lake Charles
(72 miles/115 km)
With a wealth of festivals and parades and Cajun/Zydeco music, a thriving arts community, the historic Charpentier District with its unique angular architecture, riverboat gaming and shows, and a white sand inland beach, Lake Charles is the beating heart of Cajun Country. Experience the breathtaking views of "Louisiana's Outback" by driving the Creole Nature Trail National Scenic Byway. Lake Charles has five large casinos with hotels, including the brand-new l'Auberge du Lac Resort, with a Tom Fazio golf resort on-property. You can also enjoy a thoroughbred race at Delta Downs in nearby Vinton.
Day 8: Lake Charles to Alexandria/Natchitoches
(90 miles/144 km) www.LouisianaFromHere.com
At Loyd Hall Plantation, they say the violin-playing spirit of a Confederate spy appears on the second floor veranda at midnight. Harlem Renaissance writer Arna Bontemps was from Louisiana, and his home is now an African American Museum and Cultural Center in Alexandria. England Air Park and Retirement Community is America's best example of the re-use of an Air Force Base with pleasant housing, a top-notch hotel & restaurant, and a state-sanctioned Audubon Golf Trail course.
Founded in 1714, Natchitoches is the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territories. The 33-block National Historic Landmark district is a shopper's paradise full of historic Bed & Breakfasts. Take a walking tour to get a close look at the lacy ironwork of the old Creole townhouses or board a vintage-style streetcar for a guided tour of the filming sites of the movie "Steel Magnolias", written and filmed here. At the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, you can find out about the social practices of the interesting Creole culture based here. Melrose Plantation and Bayou Pierre Alligator Farm are also a "must see" while in the area.
Day 9 & 10: Natchitoches to Shreveport-Bossier City
(60 miles/96 km)
The second most-visited city in Louisiana after New Orleans, Shreveport-Bossier will surprise you. Six large casino-hotels provide 24-hour Las Vegas-style entertainment and nationally-known performers. Harrah’s Louisiana Downs is the third-largest horse racetrack in the U.S. The riverfront has been transformed into a paradise for shoppers, festival goers, and sightseers. The GM Hummer 3 is manufactured in Shreveport. Interested in guns and roses? Shreveport-Bossier has Barksdale Air Force Base, where you can get up close to the B-52 airplane workhorses and other aircraft (www.8AFmuseum.net), or you can visit the national headquarters of the American Rose Society. Animal lovers should not monkey around, but get involved with Chimp Haven. Finally, Elvis has not left the building, but is enshrined at www.StageOfStars.com
Day 11: Shreveport-Bossier to Vicksburg (155 miles/248 km)
Continue on I-20 East to Monroe and one of North America’s most important archaeological sites, Poverty Point. Discover rural Mississippi and the warm hospitality of the quaint and historic town of Port Gibson en route to Vicksburg. Learn about the battle of Vicksburg, turning point in the Civil War, as you tour the vast Military Park. Then visit Vicksburg's Old Court House Museum or Coca-Cola Museum or relax on a boating excursion on the Mississippi River.
Day 12:
Vicksburg to Natchez
(70 miles/110 km)
Travel to Natchez the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River and once home to more millionaires than anywhere in the USA. Enjoy a walking tour of some of the 500 antebellum (pre-Civil War) structures. Watch the sunset over Ol' Man River and sample Natchez-Under-the Hill, once known for its saloons and gambling, now offering bars, restaurants, gift shops and casino gaming.
Day 13: Natchez
Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Natchez and travel back in time to the elegance of the "Old South" as you tour the beautiful plantation homes. For a special treat you might want to stay overnight in one of these antebellum mansions and experience first-hand their distinctive comfort and charm. Visit the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and discover the long history of this once-great civilization.
Day 14:
Natchez to Baton Rouge
(92 miles/150 km)
At the heart of Plantation Country on the Mississippi River, south of St. Francisville, lies Baton Rouge, Louisiana's capital city. The art deco State Capitol building, soon to be world-famous in the film “All The King’s Men”, is the tallest in the U.S. and offers great views of the city and river from its observation deck. As the capital city and home to LSU and Southern universities, you can visit a wealth of museums, including the destroyer USS Kidd and the sparkling new Shaw Center for the Arts. Nearby is the unique LSU Rural Life Museum and Windrush Gardens. Baton Rouge is a perfect hub from which to experience the splendid plantation homes along the Great River Road, or the swamps and good times of Cajun Country.
Day 15: Baton Rouge
to New Orleans (75 miles/120 km)
View the grand mansions along the Great River Road on your way back to New Orleans for your return flight home.
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