WTT > Travel Calendar

Louisiana Cajun & Creole Culture

Tabasco, Alligators and the "Big Easy"

May 17 - 23, 2020

Itinerary &
Daily Schedule
Tour Pricing &
Important Details
Destination
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Frequently Asked
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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!

Print Itinerary & Details

Itinerary

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

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.

To View Tour Pricing & Important Details: Return to Top of Page

Room Share	Single Room	Non-Members	Status of This Tour
$2,113.00	$2,736.00	ADD $50.00	Space Available

$250.00 Due at time of Reservation

Your Tour Includes...

HIGHLIGHTS and EXPERIENCES:

Small group no larger than 14
Enjoy lunch at a Southern Plantation
Venture by boat through a Louisiana Swamp
See where Tabasco Sauce is made
Visit an alligator rescue
WTT Tour Leader to enhance the individual & group experience
Time to explore personal interests & suggestions for things to do
And More...See itinerary for additional highlights and experiences

PLUS...

All tipping of local guides
Transportation in WTT's own Mercedes mini-coach
Arranged room sharing with another solo traveler
Travel Dollar credits (a benefit of WTT membership) toward future travel with WTT

Lodging

New Orleans, LA: Hotel Provincial
New Orleans, LA: Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Airport
Lafayette, LA: Hilton Garden Inn Lafayette/Cajundome

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.

Meals

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.

Activity Rating

As a solo traveler you are responsible for yourself, your possessions, your physical fitness, and all other aspects related to participation in the WTT tour you have chosen.

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)

Activity levels are subjective and based on the reader's interpretation. Almost everyone overestimates their abilities. Therefore, it is your responsibility to read the itinerary and understand what you are doing throughout the tour.

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

Want a Roommate...or not?

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.

A few facts about sharing a room:

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

Arrival and 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: Sunday, May 17th. 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: Saturday, May 23rd. Depart at your convenience.
Departure Transfer: Use local shuttle or taxi. WTT Tour Leader can assist with ride-share coordination.

Want to Arrive a Day Early?

Worried about possible flight delays? Consider arriving one day before the official tour start date. Many of our travelers choose this optional service. Your pre-tour package includes:

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.

Important Reminders About This Trip

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.

Payment Dates and Cancellation Policies

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 travel and cancellation policies before making your reservation. You will be asked to confirm you have read and understood WTT's travel polices before we will accept your reservation.

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect you in the event you need to cancel your tour. WTT will mail you information from 2 reliable travel insurance providers at the time we confirm your reservation.

You can review the insurance information from TravelGuard to get an idea of rates.

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

Important Reminders

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.

Packing Suggestions

In general the temperature, rainfall and humidity levels vary based on the time of the year. We suggest you monitor weather apps before you depart for the most current information. For United States travel weather refer to http://www.weather.gov/.

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—
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.

Luggage

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.

Fitness

Walking is a key component of all WTT tours. On some days, between walking tours and personal exploration you can expect to walk 3-5 miles over the course of a day, often over uneven or unpaved terrain. Although the activity level on this trip may not appear strenuous, we believe you will enjoy the tour more if you possess a general level of fitness and endurance.

Money

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.

Tipping

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I Find…

My Trip Information

When to Arrive and Depart (i.e. Making Travel Arrangements)

Arriving a Day before the Tour Begins

Activity Rating

Payment and Cancellation Penalty Dates for this Tour

Still Can’t Find what you’re looking for?

What if…..

State Department Alerts and Warnings

I Need to Cancel

Preparing for Your Trip

Trip Specific Details

Meet Your Tour Manager

When to Make Your Airline Reservations

Do I need a Passport or VISA?

Immunization and Shot Recommendations

Partial Payments and Final Payment

Meet Your Fellow Travelers

Meet Your Tour Leader

Final Travel Instructions

Room Sharing Tips

WTT Policies and Cancellations

General Policies

Cancellation Policies

Cancellation Date Reminders

Can WTT Cancel a Tour?

If you wish to express your interest in this tour, do so by completing this pre-reservation form. Remember that a pre-reservation does not require any money and there is no obligation whatsoever. Once this tour is finalized, including pricing, hotels, firm dates, etc., those who have sent in a pre-reservation will be contacted via email. *** You will be asked to decide if you want to make a deposit. If you are no longer interested after being contacted, you don’t have to do anything!

***Note: We give notification priority to members of Women Traveling Together (WTT) first, followed by non-members.

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk *

Information we need to know about you

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Are you a current member of Women Traveling Together? * Yes
No

Trip Information

Name of Trip *

The following date option(s) are available for this tour. There may be one or more choices displayed as dates, months, or seasons. Please choose ONE. *

This trip is my # * choice for

Note: You can pre-register for a maximum of 3 trips by filling out this form for each trip you want to pre-register for. If you designate more than one trip with the same ranking only the last trip submitted with that ranking will be saved.

There is no obligation to go on standby. If we have a cancellation, we will notify those on standby in the order you were put on the standby list**. If you are notified of a space on the trip, you will be required to pay the full amount of the trip at that time.

**We give notification priority to members of Women Traveling Together (WTT) first, followed by non-members.

To be placed on Standby, please complete the following:
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk *

Information we need to know about you

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone

Do you want to roomshare with another traveler? * Yes
No
Are you a current member of Women Traveling Together? * Yes
No

Trip Information

Name of Trip *

Special Instructions Is there anything else we need to know?

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