Best-Day Adventures New Orleans & Mississippi River Cruise November 2018 - Ayelet Tours - Israel Tours - Jewish Heritage Tours - Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tours

NEW ORLEANS PRE-TOUR:

Day 1: November 7, 2018: WELCOME TO NEW ORLEANS!

• Arrive in New Orleans and transfer on own to the beautiful Intercontinental Hotel to check in.
• Mid-day meet and greet.
• This evening, we enjoy a delicious welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in New Orleans (D)

Day 2: November 8, 2018: THE FAMOUS FRENCH QUARTER

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• To experience New Orleans properly, it's best to begin your time exploring the famed French Quarter. As the site of the original New Orleans colony established by the French in 1718, the French Quarter has held on to its heritage, complete with French street names. On our walking tour this morning, we will discover the narrow cobblestone streets lined with many attractions such as Pirates Alley, the Cabildo and the French Marketplace. The neighborhood's architecture is laden with balconies designed with baroque ironwork and leafy courtyards filled with bubbling fountains. Undoubtedly, the French Quarter's main draw is Bourbon Street - New Orleans' infamous boulevard of vibe. The merchants here are stewards of a rich tradition of individuality and creativity and you'll find this street overflowing with street performers, local fare, live music and later, a boisterous nightlife.
• A testament to the coffee that the French brought with them as they began to settle along the Mississippi River in the 1700s, Café Du Monde is a renowned open-air coffee shop known for its café au lait and beignets. The tradition lives on at this iconic institution and we'll enjoy an included tasty treat.
• Later today, we'll discover how to cook and eat like a local with a top chef and culinary entertainer who brings the best of Louisiana cuisine to life before our very eyes (and mouths). Our host is more than a chef; she's a storyteller, food nerd and culinary historian who will provide an authentic, unscripted and spontaneous local adventure in food and culture! After the show, it's time to dig in! We will be served the meal we helped prepare - yum!
• Following dinner, discover why New Orleans is known as the “Birthplace of Jazz” when you take in a toe-tapping jazz revue.

Overnight in New Orleans, LA (B, D)

Day 3: November 9, 2018: ST. CHARLES AVE & THE GARDEN DISTRICT

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• New Orleans, Beyond the French Quarter: There's so much more to New Orleans and today we head out on a journey to explore the nearby neighborhoods, architecture, history and landscape. St. Charles Ave. and the historic Garden District are described as “The Jewel of America's Grand Avenues”, boasting the most superb collection of historic mansions in the south. Lafayette Cemetery #1 is the oldest city-owned cemetery and is home to one of the most elaborate above-ground crypts found in New Orleans' cemeteries. If you love the show The Originals, then you might recognize this cemetery as the home of the witches. We'll visit a slice of Jewish New Orleans, a small but resilient community that has stood the test of time, and of Mother Nature, since the first Jewish immigrant arrived in 1724.
• This afternoon we visit Louisiana's backcountry on a Swamp tour in the bayou. On our 2-hour flat-bottom boat safari, we'll sail through one of America's most unique ecosystems exploring the natural habitat of unusual wildlife and diverse fauna among the narrow slews of the swamp.
• Tonight, you'll have the option to “follow the leader” to dinner followed by one last hurrah in the “Big Easy”.

Overnight in New Orleans, LA (B)

Day 4: November 10, 2018: ALL ABOARD!

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• After breakfast, we will transfer to the boat and begin our exciting journey along the Mississippi River.
(B)

MISSISSIPPI RIVER CRUISE:

Day 1: Friday, November 9, 2018: WELCOME TO NEW ORLEANS!

• Welcome to New Orleans, the vibrant city, also known as the “Big Easy”.
• Upon arrival, transfer on own to the beautiful InterContinental Hotel to check in.
• Spend the afternoon discovering New Orleans on own.
• We'll join together this evening for introductions, a group welcome orientation and a Shabbat kiddush, followed by the option to “follow the leader” for dinner at a lively local establishment.

Overnight in New Orleans

Day 2: Saturday, November 10, 2018: ALL ABOARD!

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We hop on the bus to transfer to the pier to board the Queen of Mississippi, our home for the next 5 days.
• Get settled in your beautiful stateroom and then join your Best-Day Adventures friends for lunch as we set sail from New Orleans on our 5-day/4-night adventure.
• Spend the afternoon setting sail down the Mississippi while getting acquainted with our boat, the crew and your fellow sailors.
• This evening, we say cheers to our voyage at a private cocktail reception, followed by a gourmet dinner together in the dining room.

Overnight aboard the Queen of the Mississippi (B, L, D)

Day 3: Sunday, November 11, 2018: DARROW, LA

• This morning, we arrive in Darrow, LA in the Ascension Parish between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. This city is home to several historic plantations that have made the area famous.
• After breakfast, we disembark and set out to explore the Houmas House and its history as you stroll along the gardens, ponds, and the majestic live oak alley that adorn the grounds. Discover the southern splendor of "The Sugar Palace," with its 16 rooms filled with period antiques and Louisiana artwork.
• Return to the boat for lunch and on-board activities or stay in town and discover what Darrow has to offer.
• This evening, as we set sail, we join together for the nightly cocktail hour.
• In the dining room, we sit down to another delicious dinner of regionally inspired cuisine.
• Enjoy on board entertainment throughout the evening or find a quiet corner to chat with new friends.

Overnight aboard the Queen of the Mississippi (B, L, D)

Day 4: Monday, November 12, 2018: BATON ROUGE, LA

• Breakfast aboard our ship.
• We arrive in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. This city features all the history you would expect in a state capital, but with an added downhome flavor that makes it truly unique. Led by our private guide, enjoy a tour of the cities' most famous attractions, including the interactive Louisiana State Museum and the USS Kidd, a Fletcher-class destroyer and a memorial to the men and women that served in the American armed forces. Step back in time on this amazing tour as you witness original artifacts and aircraft from World War II.
• Return to the boat for lunch and on-board activities or explore Baton Rouge's antebellum landmarks, the Old Louisiana State Capital or LSU's Rural Life Museum illustrating 18th and 19th century life.
• Tonight, as we sail the Mississippi, we join together for our nightly cocktail hour, followed by dinner and special evening entertainment.

Overnight aboard the Queen of the Mississippi (B, L, D)

Day 5: Tuesday, November 13, 2018: VACHERIE, LA

• Breakfast aboard our ship.
• Today, we visit Vacherie, LA, where we tour the famous Oak Alley Plantation. Once serving as an antebellum sugar cane homestead, Oak Alley is named after its most distinguishing feature, a row of 300-year-old oak trees. This leafy canopy forms a quarter-mile path leading to the Mississippi River. Restored to its 19th-century grandeur, this classic Greek Revival-style antebellum mansion is breathtaking.
• After our tour, sit on the west lawn and sip mint juleps before a visit to the popular gift ship known for its world-famous pralines.
• Return to the boat for lunch and on-board activities or visit Laura Plantation to learn about Creole culture and slave life or the St. Joseph Plantation and Evergreen with 37 historic buildings.
• Tonight, we say farewell to our wonderful Mississippi River cruise. After cocktails and dinner, we'll gather to reminisce about our journey together with some classic onboard entertainment and time with new friends.

Overnight aboard the Queen of the Mississippi (B, L, D)

Day 6: Wednesday, November 14, 2018: NEW ORLEANS, LA

• Breakfast aboard our ship.
• Welcome back to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, and where art and culture abound around every corner of this unique city.
• We disembark and say goodbye to our friends new and old.
• Transfer to the airport for your flight home or stay in town on your own to continue discovering all that this amazing city has to offer.

(B)

THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!!
*itinerary subject to change

BOOK THIS TOUR

Best-Day Adventures
New Orleans & Mississippi River Cruise
November 2018

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