Best of New Orleans & Louisiana - 4 Days

New Orleans - Treme - Marigny - Bywater - New Orleans. Meet your guide and fellow travellers early this morning at a central New Orleans location (to be advised before departure) to begin your adventure. We start with a walking tour of the French Quarter, known for its vibrant streets, wrought-iron balconies, and rich blend of cultures. Along the way, we’ll explore how this unique heritage has shaped the city’s renowned food scene, with opportunities to sample beignets, crawfish, gumbo and pralines. Key sights include Jackson Square and St Louis Cathedral, with more history unfolding along Bourbon Street, famed for its music, nightlife and deep-rooted jazz heritage.

Later, we switch to our vehicle to explore some of New Orleans’ other fascinating neighbourhoods. In Tremé – the oldest African-American neighbourhood in the United States – you can delve into the roots of jazz in Storyville, or join a licensed local guide for a visit to the St Louis Cemetery. We’ll also pass by the New Orleans Jazz Museum, with optional admission available for music enthusiasts.

In the Marigny district, you’ll find Frenchmen Street and its iconic jazz clubs, as well as colourful Caribbean-style architecture. We recommend trying a hot sausage po-boy or a stuffed beignet at one of our favourite local spots. Then, in the Bywater, discover New Orleans’ creative spirit through its murals and street art. Take a walk in Crescent Park along the Mississippi River, sample the New York Times–recommended praline bacon, or join us at “Nola’s Backyard Party” – a casual local spot with live music, wine and cheese.

New Orleans - Louisiana Plantation - New Orleans. Today we leave the city to explore Louisiana’s plantation history. Your local guide will lead the journey to one of the region’s antebellum estates, where you’ll gain insight into the daily lives of enslaved people before the Civil War. Exhibits and hands-on demonstrations provide a moving and educational experience, offering a deeper understanding of this complex history. Some plantations may be familiar from films such as Django Unchained and 12 Years a Slave. We’ll pause for lunch at a traditional Cajun or Creole restaurant, where the menu reflects the region’s culinary heritage and seasonal ingredients.

In the afternoon, we return to New Orleans to explore the lasting impact of Hurricane Katrina. We’ll drive past one of the breached levees and tour the Lower 9th Ward, where you’ll hear powerful stories of resilience and recovery from a local perspective. You may be surprised to learn that notable figures such as Fats Domino and Magic Johnson have ties to this community. This eye-opening experience also connects to broader themes of environmental change, coastal erosion and disaster recovery in Louisiana.

Your visit contributes to the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, supporting efforts to protect and sustain the state’s fragile ecosystem.

New Orleans - Mississippi Gulf Coast - New Orleans. We begin the day with classic beignets from a local bakery – a French tradition brought to New Orleans in the 18th century, now a staple of Creole home cooking. From here, we head to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a guided shrimping tour. Over 90 minutes, you’ll learn about the shrimping industry’s sustainability efforts, vessel operations and catch techniques, including how shrimp are frozen using CO2 technology.

Afterwards, we return to New Orleans for lunch before continuing to the Honey Island Swamp – one of the most unspoilt river swamps in the country. Glide past moss-draped cypress trees on a narrated boat tour of this protected wildlife sanctuary. As you explore the 250-square-mile swamp, you’ll learn about the area's ecology, folklore and local wildlife. With nearly 70,000 acres preserved by The Nature Conservancy, this is a rare chance to experience the raw beauty of southern Louisiana’s wetlands.

On your final morning, enjoy free time in the French Quarter for some last-minute shopping or sightseeing. After hotel checkout, the tour concludes with an airport transfer.