Highlights

Itinerary

Day 1 – Wednesday, October 7, 2026 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans School of Cooking Demo & Dinner

Arrive today in New Orleans, LA for a two-night stay in the French Quarter.  Tonight, enjoy a Cooking Demonstration & Dinner at the New Orleans School of Cooking. It’s entertaining classes and the Louisiana General Store are located in a renovated molasses warehouse built in the early 1800s in the Heart of the French Quarter. Fun is a primary ingredient in our kitchen! Our Creole/Cajun experts teach New Orleans specialties such as Gumbo, Jambalaya and Pralines, and season them with history, trivia and tall tales. It’s a “ga-ron-teed” good time for all. (D)

Day 2 – Thursday, October 8, 2026 – French Quarter Walking Tour – Presbytere Museum – Free Time French Quarter – Preservation Hall Performance – Court of Two Sisters Dinner

This morning after breakfast, meet your local guide for a French Quarter Walking Tour. You will see the historic parts of the French Quarter, where you see some of the oldest sections of the city: Jackson Square, the towering St. Louis Cathedral, the infamous Bourbon Street, and the bustling French Market. No visit to New Orleans would be complete without a tour in one of the historic cemeteries, where you will find the above ground tombs that inhabit these “cities of the dead.”

Next, enjoy free time for lunch on your own in the French Quarter followed by a visit to the Presbytere Museum. The Presbytere houses an elaborate and exquisite collection of Mardi Gras artifacts and memorabilia. The story of New Orleans’ extraordinary Mardi Gras tradition is dynamically told in a high-tech, interactive, permanent exhibition titled “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana.” The exhibit traces the celebration from its ancient origins to the 19th century emergence of New Orleans’ parades and balls to present-day celebrations.

You will also see the exhibition, Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond offers an unforgettable experience of the power of hurricanes. Eyewitness accounts, state-of-the-art sound and video, and rare artifacts recount tragic devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

Then enjoy some free time to explore the French Quarter and French Market on your own.

Late this afternoon, head to Preservation Hall for a musical performance. Situated in the heart of the French Quarter, the Preservation Hall venue presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans Jazz concerts featuring ensembles from a current collective of 50+ local master practitioners.  On any given day, audiences bear joyful witness to the evolution of the venerable and living tradition that is New Orleans Jazz Music education.

End the day with dinner at the Court of Two Sisters. The Court of Two Sisters is more than a restaurant – it’s a legend. Enjoy delicious Creole and Cajun cuisine. Listen to authentic jazz. Pass through the 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 notion’s shop here once upon a time in the French Quarter. (B,D)

Day 3 – Friday, October 9, 2026 – Lafayette, LA – Vermilionville Living History Museum w/Lunch & Dance Lessons

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Lafayette, LA.  Arrive at Vermilionville Living History Museum in time for an included lunch. Following lunch, explore the village where costumed interpreters bring 18th- and 19th-century Acadian life to vivid detail. See restored homes, blacksmith demonstrations, and traditional crafts that showcase the resourceful culture of early settlers. Also included with your visit are Dance Lessons for the group.

Check into your hotel late this afternoon for a two-night stay.  Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Day 4 – Saturday, October 10, 2026 – Atchafalaya Swamp Tour- Festivals Acadiens et Creole – Group Hospitality Tent

This morning after breakfast, enjoy an Atchafalaya Swamp Tour. Aboard one of McGee’s sightseeing boats, your trip will take you into the interior of one of America’s greatest river swamps. This 90-minute tour through Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin Swamp on a swamp tour boat is where your tour guide will explain what it is like to live on a houseboat or stilt house and live off the land… all while pointing out the local indigenous plants and wildlife as the tour progresses.

The rest of the day will be spent at Lafayette annual Festivals Acadiens et Créoles where you will experience nonstop music, dancing, food and crafts for a genuine Cajun and Creole experience like no other.  The festival benefits the entire Cajun and Creole community — preserving its heritage, supporting its artists, and sharing its living culture with the world.

Explore the festival grounds and the artisan craft booths, enjoy live Cajun and Zydeco music from multiple stages, and enjoy dancing under the oak trees. Don’t miss the Louisiana Folk Roots Atelier, where you can participate in hands-on workshops showcasing traditional crafts, cooking, and musical traditions.

Enjoy lunch on your own at one of the many local food vendors offering Cajun classics such as gumbo, boudin, and jambalaya. Also included as part of Festivals Acadians et Creole is the Bayou Food Festival, can culinary stage that highlights the artistry and heritage of Louisiana’s cuisine. Here, local chefs and culinary artisans demonstrate traditional Cajun and Créole cooking techniques, sharing the stories behind iconic dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish étouffée.

Visit the Heritage Tent, where historians and musicians share stories of Acadiana’s French-speaking roots, followed by free time to explore or shop for local art, handmade jewelry, and culinary treasures.

Also included with your visit to the festival is a Group Hospitality Tent. This will be a dedicated place where your group can rest and refresh during the event. (B)

Day 5 – Sunday, October 11, 2026 – Depart for Home

After breakfast, depart for home. (B)

Tour Map