A Cajun Mardi Gras and More Tour!
Featuring…Lafayette VIP Mardi Gras Experience, Acadiana Country, Natchez, Cotton Alley, Cajun Swamp Tour, Mobile and Bellingrath Gardens
February 10-16, 2024
Tour Number R004
7 Days - 6 Nights – 9 Meals
Welcome Aboard! Travel in comfort aboard our deluxe motor coach as we begin our journey south to Lafayette, Louisiana, "The Heartbeat of Acadiana", where you can truly feel the pulse of Cajun Country. This cultural oasis on the bayou blends contemporary sophistication of a cosmopolitan city with a unique heritage and culture hard to find anywhere this side of Europe. And there’s so much more to see and experience on this Cajun adventure…graceful pre-Civil War homes in Natchez, Frogmore Cotton Plantation, Avery Island, home of TABASCO Pepper Sauce, and enjoying a VIP Mardi Gras experience at the Lafayette Mardi Gras Festival Parade. After a Cajun Country Swamp Tour we will also include a visit to Bellingrath Gardens before heading home. Sign up early so you don’t miss the bus for this unique Cajun adventure!
Day 1: We’ll depart bright and early this morning as we set our sights south to Louisiana Cajun Country. Our overnight stay will be near Memphis this evening.
Day 2: Our travels today take us to Mississippi and the river town of Natchez, rich in history and culture. Our guided tour will take us past graceful pre-Civil War homes and we’ll take a tour of one of the lovely elaborate antebellum mansions. Dinner will be included this evening. B, D
Day 3: Crossing into Louisiana, we stop at Frogmore Cotton Plantation and Gins. Here we will join a costumed guide and get insight into the contrasts between a working cotton plantation of the early 1800’s and a modern cotton plantation and gin of today. We’ll pass through Baton Rouge and on to Lafayette, the “Capitol of Acadiana”, in the very heart of Cajun Country. Here we will enjoy a special treat as we tour Martin Accordions to see how accordions are made. Junior Martin and his family custom craft fine diatonic accordions used by professional and amateur musicians around the world. Tonight, we enjoy an excellent meal at one of the city’s fine restaurants. B, D
Day 4: Today we will enjoy a “VIP Mardi Gras Experience”. In Lafayette residents celebrate Mardi Gras with parades, beads and doubloons, Mardi Gras Indians with elaborate dancing and costumes, various styles of king cakes and more. This morning we’ll have access to the bandstand and viewing area at King Gabriel’s Parade in the heart of downtown, complete with covered seating and private restrooms. We’ll sample king cake, boudin and sip on Lafayette’s signature cocktail “The Rouler”. This afternoon, we’ll travel deeper into Cajun Country and visit the Tabasco Sauce Factory on Avery Island where we’ll learn about the growing, crushing, aging and bottling process of this famous pepper sauce. We’ll take time to shop for some of their fine products at the company gift shop located nearby. We’ll return to Lafayette this afternoon to refresh and enjoy dinner together. B, D
Day 5: This morning we will set our sights for the Cajun Bayou Country! Our drive will take us deeper in Cajun Country as we pass through New Iberia, Franklin, and Morgan City. This afternoon we take a real Louisiana Cajun swamp tour. We’ll see alligators and other bayou wildlife on this exciting tour. We travel to Mobile for our overnight stay at the Drury Inn. B
Day 6: Early today we depart and travel along the picturesque Gulf Coast through Gulfport. This afternoon we visit beautiful Bellingrath Gardens, known as the Garden Spot of the South. The 800-acre estate consists of virgin forests and some 75 acres of planted gardens by the river. We spend our last night in Birmingham at the Drury Inn. Enjoy the Kick-Back reception. B
Day 7: Today we make our way home, anxious to tell our family and friends about the time we have had in the Bayou Country! B
Tour Inclusions:
Round-trip Transportation via Croswell Deluxe Motorcoach
Six (6) Nights Accommodations
Six (6) Breakfasts, Three (3) Dinners
All Admissions & Attractions as described above
All Taxes & Gratuities on included Meals & Lodging
Luggage Handling
Tour Cost Per Person:
$1299.00 Double Occupancy
$1199.00 Triple Occupancy
$1899.00 Single Occupancy