New Orleans and the Bayou April 1 8, 2019

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1 Monday, April 1, 2019 Tuesday, April 2, 2019 Depart on your own from your local airport on your included outbound flight. (Expect an early morning departure) Page 1 Arrive in New Orleans, check into the newly renovated LaQuinta Inn. The entire group will ne pre-registered and pre-keyed to hopefully avoid any confusion during check-in. Your luggage will be delivered to your room by the hotel s staff. Meet your local licensed guide in the hotel lobby Commence your visit on a history tour of the New Orleans French Quarter. Explore the storied streets of the Vieux Carre where legend and documented history converge. From the dynamic Mississippi River to the serene courtyards, experience the Vieux Carre with the city's best guide. Discover everything from the outrageous colonial history to Creole culture, from piracy to architectural masterpieces. Dinner tonight will be served at the second oldest restaurant in New Orleans! Located in the heart of the French Quarter, facing the historic French Market, Tujague's (two jacks) has retained its reputation for providing an unforgettable dining experience in the original Creole tradition. Tujague's has been a favorite for over 150 years, entertaining and satisfying the appetites of delightfully robust patrons to the French Quarter. The original Creole tradition of hand selecting fresh produce purchased daily from the open French Quarter market also continues today, ensuring cuisine of the finest possible quality. Sit back, relax and enjoy course after famous course of traditional New Orleans dishes and drinks! After we will return to the hotel for the evening or you can enjoy Bourbon Street on your own. Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide in the lobby. The tour will include Garden District where were built the large, elegant mansions exemplifying styles, including Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne Victorians. Travel down stately St. Charles Avenue along the streetcar line where two of the most prestigious colleges in New Orleans are located; Tulane University and Loyola University. Pass by Audubon Park, which is a 400-acre park located in uptown New Orleans between St. Charles Avenue and the Mississippi River, near Tulane University, built on the site of the 1884 World's Fair. City Park is another area you will enjoy. At 1,300 acres, it is one of the second largest urban park in the country. The first parcel of land was acquired in 1854, making it one of the country's oldest park. You will enjoy a history of New Orleans including the first settlers, religion, culture, and of course, Mardi Gras. Make a stop at an above ground cemetery known as The City of the Dead Next time for lunch and a bit of shopping on your own in The French Market District, which encompasses six blocks on the riverside of the Lower French Quarter. The district includes over 20 unique retail shops, performance venues, restaurants, cafes, a flea market and a farmer s market. In addition to the recreational shopping opportunities and ongoing free special events, the District boasts historical monuments such as

2 Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Washington Artillery Park (across from Jackson Square) and New Place de France (home of the Joan of Arc statue), public art, scenic walkways, and convenient riverside parking. Page 2 The French Market, America s Oldest Public Market, has existed on the same site since What began as a Native American trading post has become a cultural and entertainment destination that hosts annual festivals and events like The Creole Tomato Festival, French Market Christmas Tree Lighting, and Boo Carré Halloween and Harvest Festival. The recently renovated farmers market is home to a diversity of food vendors serving prepared foods as well as fresh produce stands. Located in French Market, the Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in Beignets were brought to Louisiana by the Acadians. These were fried fritters, sometimes filled with fruit. Today, the beignet is a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. They are served in orders of three. Wash your beignets down with a delicious cup of Café Au Lait. The perfect way to enjoy a moment or two in the market.. You know this is going to be a fun tour as soon as you arrive at Mardi Gras World. Colorful Mardi Gras props, like a gigantic jovial jester, fiercely realistic alligators, and a gorgeously exciting Marilyn Monroe with skirt flying, greet one and all to this amazing fantasy factory. You will even view the most awesome floats ever built for carnival - the Orpheus 140-foot triple-tandem sea monster "Leviathan" and the 240-foot quintuple-tandem "Captain Eddie's S.S. Endymion," with tens of thousands of fiber optic lights. After a brief introduction by a knowledgeable guide and a spirited video about the history of Mardi Gras and the company, you can dress up in authentic, ornate carnival costumes. Visitors tap into their imaginations, as the ladies don sequined headdresses, gowns, and the gentlemen wear regal coats of armor, imagine yourself as a noble king or queen of the ball! Evening free to explore and dinner on your own Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide in the lobby. Start your day with a walking tour of the "American" section of New Orleans, built to rival the architectural splendor of the Creoles' French Quarter! Enjoy a walk through this historic and elegant neighborhood, known for its Greek Revival and Italianate architecture. View the former residence of celebrated author Anne Rice, as well as the house where Jefferson Davis died in Enjoy some late morning free time and lunch on your own. After lunch, tour and visit the National World War II Museum and the film Beyond All Boundaries. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as the country's official World War II Museum, this remarkable attraction illuminates the American experience during the WWII era with moving personal stories, historic artifacts and powerful interactive displays. From the Normandy invasion to the sands of Pacific Islands and the Home Front, the Museum brings to life the teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifice of the men and women who won the war and changed the world.

3 Thursday, April 4, 2019 The Museum is an incomparable experience for all generations and not to be missed on any visit to New Orleans. Come learn with your mind and your heart that freedom isn't free. Meet living American heroes, the WWII veteran volunteers. Celebrate the American Spirit at the National World War II Museum. Page 3 Beyond All Boundaries, created exclusively for The National World War II Museum, is a unique and powerful 4-D cinematic experience available nowhere else in the world. Created and crafted with 21st-century technology and utilizing a 120-feet wide immersive screen, the production plunges viewers into the 20th-century s most titanic struggle. It tells the tale of the Greatest Generation s journey from Pearl Harbor into the fire of epic battles to America s final victory in the War That Changed the World in the words of the veterans themselves. The Museum is honored to have Tom Hanks as Executive Producer and the voices of some of Hollywood s top stars bringing to life the words of actual World War II participants and war correspondents. Dinner tonight, will be served at the historic Court of Two Sisters Restaurant located in the heart of the French Quarter. It is known for its large, picturesque dining courtyard, daily Jazz Brunch and romantic Creole dinner. Experience the ambiance of the largest outdoor dining courtyard in the French Quarter with flowering plants and flowing fountains. Enjoy a romantic Creole-style dinner surrounded by softly glittering glass lights. Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel, check out, meet your guide in the lobby and depart for Houma We invite you to join us for a unique journey back to the early days of Louisiana bayou and swamp explorations on a narrated and guided swamp tour. Swamp creatures, seeing the boats daily, recognize them as part of their normal environment. Unafraid and responsive to their boat captain's call, they peek out from underbrush and between moss-draped trees and shrubs, frequently coming directly to the boat. In the safety and comfort of the boat, you can actually come within a few feet of jumping gators. As your boat drifts through the waterways, you will learn about the Louisiana Wetlands, the inhabitants of the swamp, particularly the life and habits of the American alligator. Lunch today will be a Creole Buffet under the party pavilion on the grounds of the Gator Farm, while taking in the views of the bayou. Red Beans with Sausage, a staple in every house on Monday s which was laundry day. A hearty Chicken Stew with sides of Potato Salad and Mixed Vegetable. Save room for the tasty Peach Cobbler. After lunch see real live alligators up close and personal at this full time working alligator farm. See gators of all sizes, from new hatchlings to full grown monsters! Greenwood Gator Farm houses and hatches 5,000-10,000 alligators each year. Come take a guided tour of how Louisiana alligators are born and raised and learn about the centuries old art of alligator hunting from real life hunters. You'll find out how they go from an egg to boots and purses and sauce piquantes! Next, you will visit and tour the Ardoyne Plantation. This unique home was built in 1894 and is considered by the National Register of Historic Places to possibly be the largest and most elaborate remaining example of rural Victorian Gothic architecture in the state of Louisiana. This is one historical treasure one must see to believe, as

4 Page 4 it is filled with original family furniture and antiques. Direct descendants of the original owner still reside in the home today and are there to share the stories passed down through six generations of this historical sugarcane plantation. Check into the Houma Homewood Suites, set in the swamplands of southern Louisiana. While enjoying a welcome reception, your luggage will be delivered to your room by the hotel s staff. Dinner tonight, will served at the hotel. Friday, April 5, 2019 Partake of a full hot breakfast at the hotel, check-out, meet your guide in the lobby, depart for Lafayette Start your day at the home of world-famous TABASCO Sauce, on Avery Island, which lies about 140 miles west of New Orleans. Surrounded by swamps and marshes, Avery Island is a mysteriously beautiful place where the pepper fields grow, the factory hums, and the Mc Ilhennys and their employees continue to live and work much as they have for generations. Avery Island is a natural paradise, inhabited by exotic plant and animal species from around the world. And under the Avery/Mc Ilhenny family's careful management, it has remained that way to this day. Lunch on your own. After lunch you will visit and tour the exotic Rip Van Winkle Gardens which is a massive scale-down from wilderness to flower in a design of interlocking small gardens, splashes that seem like passing suggestions of Paradise and responses to a need for peace and beauty. Deep within the garden lies the Joseph Jefferson Mansion, built in 1870 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is a charming twenty-two room Southern mansion, with a fourth-story cupola. Jefferson sited it among 350-Rip year-old-oak trees high atop the salt dome, at an elevation of 75 feet above sea level - almost unheard of in the coastal areas of south Louisiana. Arrive in Lafayette, understand how tradition, culture, arts and entertainment mix together to offer an array of downtown experiences, during some free time downtown. From dining and nightlife, galleries and museums, shops and services, there is something for everyone. The scenic streetscapes will guide you to your downtown destination, showcasing cultural icons that make the downtown unique. So, step out and enjoy Lafayette's culturally rich yet cosmopolitan energy and vibe. It is sure to please! Check into the Drury Inn & Suites for the next two nights. As previously noted you will be pre-registered and your luggage will be delivered to your room by the hotel s staff. Take advantage of the complimentary snacks and beverages offered at the 5:30 Kickback in the hotel lobby. Dinner tonight will be served at Randol s Restaurant, including Live Cajun Dance Music and the opportunity to dance like a local. The spirit of Randol's is deeply rooted in the values and traditions of Cajun culture. Each day, trucks deliver fresh produce and seafood from the Gulf of Mexico to the restaurant. They raise their own crawfish, crabs, and grow their own fresh herbs. Everything prepared at Randol's starts with the freshest and best

5 Saturday, April 6, 2019 Sunday, April 7, 2019 ingredients available. That's the real heart of Cajun cooking. You can even take a taste of the good times with you when you leave. Enjoy a hot breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide in the lobby, depart for a visit to Lake Charles. Page 5 Alligators, birds, wildlife refuges, marshland, Gulf beaches, hunting, fishing and Cajun culture abound along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road. In Louisiana s Outback, one of America s Last Great Wildernesses, you have the opportunity to experience world-famous wildlife habitats and estuaries. The Creole Nature Trail is a journey through a wild and rugged terrain unique to Louisiana. You will stop en route, to sample some of Southwest Louisiana s favorite food, Boudin and Cracklins. When you arrive in Lake Charles, your guide will suggest a variety of restaurants for lunch on your own. After lunch you will tour The Mardi Gras Museum, which encompasses six rooms. The first room explains how Mardi Gras came about. The second room is the Captain's Den, with the third room dedicated to costume design. The fourth room gives the history of king cakes and the marvel of 12th Night. Ballroom costumes are on display in the fifth room, with the sixth room dedicated to Mardi Gras parades and all their wonder, including the sounds and excitement of a parade float that everyone can climb aboard. The Mardi Gras season which begins on Twelfth Night (January 6), is expressed on king cakes with the carnival colors of green, yellow, and purple. As a king cake is cut, each person waits anxiously for their piece to locate the small baby. Traditionally the person who finds the baby is obligated to bring a king cake to the next seasonal celebration! Enjoy this traditional and tasty treat. Next, a little refreshment at Louisiana Spirits for a distillery tour and tasting. Louisiana Spirits is the largest private distillery in the U.S. The facility offers distillery tours, a rum tasting bar and gift shop. Bayou Rum is handcrafted on site the Louisiana way in a traditional copper pot using 100 percent natural, unrefined Louisiana cane sugar and molasses. Enjoy dinner tonight at Pat s of Henderson. For more than 50 years, Pat s has served up authentic Cajun cuisine inspired by their Cajun heritage and love of great tasty food. They are an institution, and this is where the locals dine, especially when they are entertaining out of town guests. Return to the hotel in Lafayette. After breakfast, check-out, meet your guide in the lobby, depart for Baton Rouge. Your first stop in Baton Rouge will be at The Louisiana State University Rural Life Museum, which provides excellent articles, exhibits and information to those interested in the lifestyles and life-ways of the rural people of Louisiana. Containing the largest collection of material culture of 19th century Louisiana, the Museum also houses artifacts dealing with everyday rural life up to the early 20th century.

6 Monday, April 8, 2019 Page 6 Next, you will visit and tour the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens which are so much more than just a tour of a grand antebellum estate. Experience the southern splendor of "The Sugar Palace" when you step into 16 rooms filled with period antiques and Louisiana artwork. Enjoy 38 lush acres of gardens, ponds and a majestic live oak alley. Share the breeze off the Mississippi and navigate through the shadows of ancient oaks. Whether you're being guided through the mansion with its artwork, artifacts and antiques or discovering the beauty of the immaculate gardens and grounds, you will quickly understand that a visit to Houmas House Plantation and Gardens is a unique experience. A buffet lunch will be provided at Café Burnside located on the grounds of the plantation. Check into the Drury Inn and Suites, Baton Rouge. Your luggage will be delivered to your room by the hotel s staff. Again, the Drury offers a 5:30 Kick back in the lobby. Complimentary snacks and beverages will be available. Your final dinner on tour will be at Juban s Restaurant in Baton Rouge. Esquire Magazine crowned this restaurant one of the "Best New Restaurants in America." Without exception, Juban's continues to set the standard for culinary excellence in the Gulf South. Locals and international travelers alike seek out their unique, creative expressions of Creole cuisine. Enjoy a final Louisiana breakfast at the hotel, check-out, bid farewell to your guide, depart for home. Expect an early afternoon flight back to your home city.