(C) Louisiana's Culinary Influences
Beignets, Tabasco & Pralines
Get ready for the ultimate Louisiana experience - hit the road for cultural and culinary adventure across Louisiana. We'll start our journey in New Orleans, known for music and Mardi Gras, and continue on to a beautiful plantation on our way across Louisiana. We'll discover the wild bayous of Lafayette. Revel in the traditions as we savor local cuisine and visit a Creole village to learn the story of this unique region. We'll enjoy down-home cooking such as gumbo and jambalaya. Relax during a boat ride through a south Louisiana swamp to explore the bayous and their moss-draped cypress trees with a chance to see alligators, egrets and herons. Let the good times roll!
(C) Louisiana's Culinary Influences
May 17 - May 23, 2020Highlights
- Enjoy lunch at a Southern Plantation
- Venture by boat through the Louisiana Swamp
- See where Tabasco Sauce is made
- Visit an alligator rescue
- Small group no larger than 14
- Time to explore personal interests
- Suggestions for things to see and do
- And More...See itinerary for details
Itinerary
Sunday, 17 May 2020: Arrive New Orleans; Welcome Dinner (D)
Welcome to New Orleans! Schedule your arrival no later than 4:00pm and take local transportation to the hotel. Our tour begins at 5:30pm in the courtyard of our French Quarter hotel. After introductions, we will dine together at a local restaurant and get better acquainted. Overnight New Orleans - 2 nights
Monday, 18 May 2020: Beignets & Cafe Au Lait; Cooking Class; Free Time (B,L)
We begin the day with a traditional New Orleans breakfast, beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. Then, we head to a cooking class to explore cooking some local cusine like gumbo, red beans and rice, pecan pie, and pralines. Afterwards, there is free time to explore the French Quarter on your own or maybe head over the Garden District. Your Tour Leader will have suggestions for you.
Tuesday, 19 May 2020: Depart New Orleans; Houmas House; Group Lunch; Travel to Lafayette; Group Dinner (B,L,D)
We leave New Orleans today, stopping at one of the most beautiful plantations and gardens in the South, Houmas House, in Darrow, La. Before lunch, there will be time to walk around the beautiful grounds, which has been called the “crown jewel” of the River Road. Tonight, we'll enjoy a group dinner. Overnight Lafayette - 3 nights
Wednesday, 20 May 2020: Jefferson Island Gardens; Tabasco Factory; Martin Accordions Factory (B,L)
We begin our morning on Jefferson Island. Jefferson Island is filled with diverse history, such as the tree where Jean Lafitte, the French pirate, buried his treasure. Some of the coins that were found in the tree are on display in the Joseph Jefferson Home, which we’ll tour this morning. The mansion, built in 1870 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a charming Victorian style mansion, with a fourth-story cupola. It stands as the centerpiece of the Gardens filled with magnificent plants and peacocks. After lunch in the mansion's cafe, we'll visit the Avery Island Tabasco Factory and see how Tabasco is produced, from the pepper greenhouse to the bottling plant. Music is an integral part of life in Acadiana, and the accordion is a traditional element. We’ll visit a local accordion factory, owned and operated by the same family, the Martins, for more than 30 years. We’ll not only see how they make their hand-crafted instruments but we’ll also hear some authentic Cajun music!
Thursday, 21 May 2020: Crawfish Farm; Alligator Rescue; Free Time (B,L)
Spring is crawfish harvest season in Louisiana! Today, we'll visit a working crawfish farm and learn all there is about Louisiana's #1 crustacean and the state's famous crawfish boils. Afterwards, we''l visit the local alligator rescue to see the gator orphans and learn how they are cared for. We'll return to Lafayette for free time. Your WTT Tour Leader will have ideas and suggestions for you, based on your interests.
Friday, 22 May 2020: Creole Village; Farewell Luncheon; Swamp Tour (B,L)
Leaving Lafayette, we’ll stop at a local folk life village. Opened in 1990, Vermilionville preserves the heritage of Native American, Creole, and Acadian people on a 23-acre site. In addition to restored original homes representing an early Acadian settlement, local artisans demonstrate a variety of essential crafts performed by the early settlers. In the afternoon, we'll venture by boat through a south Louisiana swamp. We’ll see moss draped cypress trees and perhaps egrets, herons, or even an alligator. We conclude our day near the New Orleans airport for convenience sake. Overnight New Orleans - 1 night
Saturday, 23 May 2020: Return Home from New Orleans (B)
Sadly, our time together has come to an end. Based on the departure time you provide WTT, your Tour Leader will organize travelers into small groups so you can ride-share to the airport if you wish.
(C) Louisiana's Culinary Influences
May 17 - May 23, 2020Pricing
Room Share
$2,113.00Single Room
$2,736.00Non-Members
ADD $50.00Status of this Tour
Do not Display to the Web
Tour Pricing Includes
- All meals and activities expressly listed in the itinerary, PLUS...
- All tipping of local guides
- WTT Tour Leader to enhance the individual & group experience
- Arranged room sharing with another solo traveler
- Travel Dollar credits (a benefit of WTT membership) toward future travel with WTT
Not Included In The Price
- Airfare or other transportation to and from the tour
- Airport transfers
- Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary
- Beverages other than coffee, tea & still water unless otherwise noted
- Any personal expenses or expenditures
- Any pre- or post- tour arrangements
- Any gratuities for the WTT tour leader
- Travel Insurance
Payment Dates -and- Cancellation Terms for This Tour
At Space Reservation: Initial Deposit is due.
Tuesday, 19 Nov 2019: Initial deposit cannot be parked and is forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
Monday, 17 Feb 2020: Payment in full. 50% cancellation penalty after this date.
Thursday, 2 Apr 2020: 100% forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
Please review our Terms and Conditions before making your reservation. You will be required to confirm you have read and agree to WTT's terms & conditions before our website will allow you to submit the Reservation FORM.
By submitting the Reservation Form you are providing your electronic signature that you are authorizing WTT to charge your credit card the required amount due for the tour at this time, and to charge your credit card in a separate transaction for the membership length selected, if applicable.
Travel Insurance: It is your responsibility to purchase the amount of travel insurance you determine is appropriate to protect you from the risk of financial loss should you have to cancel your tour, or should unforeseen events, due to no fault of WTT, prevent the tour from operating in whole or in part as originally scheduled.
WTT does not sell travel insurance. As a convenience, we will email you information from 2 reliable travel insurance providers at the time we confirm your reservation, however you can purchase insurance from any provider you choose.
You can review the insurance information from TravelGuard to get an idea of rates.
(C) Louisiana's Culinary Influences
May 17 - May 23, 2020Flights, Transfers & Lodging
Arrival & Departure Information
Travelers will make their own air arrangements as follows:
Arrival Airport: MSY - New Orleans, LA (Louis Armstrong New Orleans Int'l Airport)
Arrival Date: Wednesday, May 5th. Arrive no later than 4:00pm.
Arrival Transfer: Use local taxi or public transportation. Details included in Final Travel Instructions.
Departure Airport: MSY - New Orleans, LA (Louis Armstrong New Orleans Int'l Airport)
Departure Date: Tuesday, May 11th. Depart at your convenience.
Departure Transfer: Use local shuttle or taxi. WTT Tour Leader can assist with ride-share coordination.
Lodging / Hotels
New Orleans, LA: Hotel Provincial
Lafayette, LA: Hilton Garden Inn Lafayette/Cajundome
New Orleans, LA: Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Airport
In the unlikely event WTT is unable to provide the hotel accommodation(s) listed, for whatever reason, WTT will substitute similar quality accommodation(s) at no additional cost to the traveler.
Want to Arrive a Day Early?
- The room (standard check-in times apply)
- Optional activity suggestions prior to tour
$180.00 Roomshare $357.00 Single
The pre-tour package is an optional service. Rates are established at time of tour posting. Early check-in is solely at the discretion of the hotel and cannot be arranged in advance.
Additional Reminders About This Tour
- This tour uses a 15-passenger Mini-Coach for transportation while on tour. Learn more about The WTT North American Travel Experience by downloading/opening the pdf.
(C) Louisiana's Culinary Influences
May 17 - May 23, 2020Destination Information
What do others say about this tour and traveling with WTT?
How Does Room Sharing Work?
Traveling Solo? Most of the women on your tour are traveling solo!
- If you wish to share with another solo traveler, select this option on the Reservation Form and your tour price will automatically be based on the room share price.
- Or, you may select a single room, when available, on the Reservation Form and your tour price will be automatically based on the single room price.
- These choices are clearly stated on the Reservation Form.
- All shared rooms are non-smoking
- Your roommate will be of similar age
- No special requests about your roommate can be accommodated
- See "Frequently Asked Questions" for more details
How Active is this Tour?
Because of this requirement, WTT tours are not suitable for anyone who is physically challenged, walking impaired, or is a slow walker that cannot keep up with the pace of the group.
The activities on this tour are rated as follows:
- 75% Easy
- 25% Moderate (walking and standing for up to 2 hours)
If you are in doubt as to your ability to meet the physical activity requirements, you should not sign up for this trip.
Read more about Activity Levels
What meals are included and how are dietary restrictions accommodated?
- 6 Breakfasts
- 5 Lunches
- 2 Dinners
Selections for the included lunches and dinners will highlight the local cuisine. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary requests can be accommodated on this tour with limited selections.
What clothing and items should I pack for this trip?
In general this time of year, the average temperature during the day is in the mid-80s, dropping to the 60s at night.
For This Trip You Will Need—
- Comfortable, casual clothing that layers easily
You May Also Want—
- Smart-casual wear if you'd like to dress up a bit for dinners.
- Lightweight but warm jacket/sweater for the cool mornings and evenings or the unusually brisk day.
- Inexpensive rain poncho or travel umbrella, just in case
- Swimsuit - all hotels have a pool.
- Bring what you need to get a good night's sleep, such as ear plugs, white noise generator, sleeping pills, etc. Unfamiliar noises of all types can disrupt your rest.
Good Packing Habits—
- Pack a limited amount of comfortable, casual clothing that layer and coordinate. Your fellow travelers will not mind or even notice – seeing you in the same clothing.
- Bring only two pairs of everyday shoes: one pair of well-broken-in walking shoes, and a second pair that could do double-duty as a walking shoe or a slightly dressy shoe.
- Pare down your beauty regimen to the bare minimum and always pack travel-sized toiletries.
- Pack medication in your carry-on and pack only as much as needed for the duration of your tour plus a few extra days as a precaution.
What are the luggage restrictions for this tour?
On every WTT tour, our policies regarding luggage restrictions are driven by the physical space limitations of the vehicles we use and the requirement that all travelers be able to manage their own belongings without assistance.
- It is best to travel as lightly as possible. Most travelers regret when they have packed too much.
- You may bring one suitcase plus small shoulder bag/day pack/purse.
- Maximum suitcase size: 25-inches in height as measured from the FLOOR to the top of the retracted handle. The small case in a 3-piece luggage set easily meets this requirement and should be plenty roomy for this length of trip.
- Suitcases larger than 25" in height will not fit in the WTT coach; don't bring them.
- The maximum weight of your suitcase should not exceed 30 pounds, as you will need to lift it into the coach luggage compartment.
- You are responsible for managing your own belongings. We expect you to take your belongings from the coach to your room and to bring it back to the coach and load it on days we change hotels. We do not provide luggage pulls; they are not safe and are inconvenient. The possibility of steps exist at most hotel entrances.
How much money should I bring on this tour?
Only you can determine the optimum amount of cash to take on tour. When budgeting for out-of-pocket expenses, there are several aspects to consider: the number of meals you are responsible for, the amount of money you like to have on-hand for snacks and drinks, and your individual shopping interests and habits.
- Notify your credit card issuer that you will be traveling and provide dates of travel.
What are the tipping guidelines for this tour?
All tips to local guides during your tour have already been paid on your behalf.
- You are responsible for tipping wait-staff, porters, or other individuals who provide a service to you at the hotel, or other public locations.
- You may want to tip your WTT Tour Leader for an outstanding job. The amount is entirely a personal preference. If you'd like a guideline, consider $8-$10 per day.
What other Additional Information do I need to know?
- This tour uses a 15-passenger Mini-Coach for transportation while on tour. Learn more about The WTT North American Travel Experience by downloading/opening the pdf.
Can I transfer my deposit to another tour?
To get off this tour and register for another tour, you must follow these steps - in the order shown:
2) WAIT before submitting your new reservation! You must receive the Cancellation Confirmation email before submitting your new reservation. This can take up to 2 business days. The Cancellation Confirmation email will list the amount of parked credits from this tour that are now available to use on a new reservation.
3) COMPLETE the new Reservation Form and USE the parked credits towards your deposit on the new tour.
Note: If you used Parked Credits to pay the deposit on this tour, these credits cannot be used a second time and are not eligible to be transferred.
What happens if I need to cancel this tour?
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