New Orleans - YOUR WAY

Monday Apr 1, 2024

This New Orleans - Your Way begins this morning with motorcoach transportation out of The Villages west toward New Orleans. Overnight lodging is at the Hampton Inn Fort Walton Beach. This hotel is right on the beach and every room has a private patio or a balcony. There are several restaurants are within walking distance, offering fresh seafood and more. Enjoy a leisurely evening.

Tuesday Apr 2, 2024

Visit to Mardi Gras World - included On arrival in New Orleans the tour is likely to be too early for hotel check-in, so you will enjoy a packaged admission to Mardi Gras World. Here you see the floats and learn the history of this famous event. Created for you by the people who bring Mardi Gras to life every year. The colors, the lights, the music, the joie de vivre. It's all here in one magical place where you can peek behind the curtain and see Mardi Gras in the making. Free Time at Riverwalk or French Quarter After check-in your evening is on your own we suggest a little browsing at the New Orleans Riverwalk. This is a delightful walkway along the Mississippi River. You can just stroll along and take in the sights, or find a lovely restaurant, a dinner cruise, a museum or park benches from which to watch the river traffic and the tourists. travelers can also spend the afternoon in the French Quarter. Three Nights at Hotel Vinache - Your New Orleans lodging is at The Hotel Vinache, an elegant bouitque hotel on Canal Street just steps from the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. The hotel is currently undergoing a full renovation and will become an upscale Hampton Inn by the end of the year.

Wed Apr 3, 2024

Brunch at Court of Two Sisters - included This day starts with an included brunch at the famous Court of Two Sisters. It is more than a restaurant - it's a legend. Enjoy luscious Creole and Cajun cuisine. Listen to authentic jazz. Pass through our Charm Gates. Make a wish in the Devil's Wishing Well. And hear the story of Emma and Bertha, the two sisters who ran a notions shop here once upon a time in the French Quarter. The balance off this day is free to enjoy the diversions of the French Quarter. We suggest you begin with a horse drawn carriage tour from Jackson Square. Spend your day watching the street performers, visiting antique shops, listening to music in jazz clubs, visiting museums and shopping in boutiques. There are endless activities.

Thurs Apr 4, 2024

National WWII Museum - Included This morning we provide transportation to the National World War II Museum - admission included. From the beaches of Normandy to the sands of Iwo Jima, The National WWII Museum's exhibits are a blend of personal accounts, artifacts, documents, photographs and original film footage. The stories of the dozens of amphibious landings and the thousands of men and women who made Allied victory in World War II possible are told through three floors of exhibit space. In addition, special exhibits draw on the Museum's own collections, as well as relevant traveling exhibits to further illustrate and explore the war that changed the world. The balance of the day is free for you to enjoy The French Quarter or Vieux Carrre.

Friday Apr 5, 2024

Visit to Bellingrath Gardens & Home - As you begin your journey this morning, our group will stop in Alabama and visit Bellingrath Gardens, a 65-acre public garden and historic home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, located on the Fowl River near Mobile. Walter Bellingrath was one of the first Coca-Cola bottlers in the Southeast, and with his wealth built the estate garden and home. He and his wife Bessie, lived in the home until their death. It has since been converted into a museum. The Gardens opened to the public in 1932 and they continue to welcome visitors to enjoy year-round floral pageantry. Lunch in the Magnolia Room - After visiting the gardens a wonderful lunch will be served in the Magnolia Room at Bellingrath. Overnight Hampton Inn Fort Walton Beach - At the end of the day this tour will return to the Hampton Inn Fort Walton Beach and you have a free evening to find dinner, shop or enjoy a walk on the beach. (B)

Saturday Apr 6, 2024

Depart for home After breakfast, it's time to travel home.