Putting on the Ritz in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

You’re invited to witness the rebirth of a region following Katrina, the greatest of all storms. Spring comes early in this region. Our timing at the start of the season assures cool breezes and low humidity. Of course, real Southern Hospitality knows no season. You can expect that served up daily in heaping portions!

Quick Information

3 nights in the Iberville Suites by Ritz Carlton in the French Quarter
2 nights oceanfront at the luxurious
Beau Rivage in Biloxi
Scenic tours of each destination
Visit Long Vue House and Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Shrine
Sunset cruise on the Gulf of Mexico
11 fabulous meals including the Court of Two Sisters and Brennan’s, 3 breakfasts, 2 expanded continental breakfasts, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
Round trip airfare Sacramento/New
Orleans
Door-to-door airport transportation
Tour Director: Clayton Whitehead

Trip Itinerary

Day 1

New Orleans is back, better than ever and ready to welcome you with open arms. And what a welcome it will be as your coach pulls up in front of the city’s finest accommodations, the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Two hotels in one, we’ll be staying in the casual and comfortable Iberville Suites, offering a separate parlor and bedroom for your pleasure. Dinner tonight is served at the famed Court of Two Sisters hidden away in the heart of the Quarter. Iberville Suites by Ritz Carlton – 3 nights (D)
Day 2

The morning opens with a true New Orleans tradition: Breakfast at Brennan’s. Save room for the Bananas Foster, a dish invented here. Take a walking tour of the famous French Quarter (which is actually Spanish, just one of the many curiosities the city holds), then you’ll have free time to continue your exploration on your own. In the evening, learn the secrets of great Cajun and Creole chefs at the New Orleans School of Cooking. (B,D)
Day 3

The morning is free to do as much or little as you please. In the afternoon, take a driving tour of the city, including areas destroyed and reborn in Katrina’s wake. A visit to Long Vue House and Gardens will show you how the rich and famous lived in days of yore. Dinner promises to close your time in New Orleans in style. (ECB,D)
Day 4

Head east across the waters of Lake Pontchartrain to the great state of Mississippi. Biloxi awaits, along with your exclusive oceanfront accommodations and exciting casino action. Beau Rivage – 2 nights (ECB,D)
Day 5

A morning tour of Biloxi and her sister city, Gulfport, culminates with a visit to Beauvoir, the retirement home of the one and only president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. A shrine, though battered, it proved too strong and proud to fall to Katrina’s fury. Enjoy libations aboard a sunset sailing cruise before your Farewell Dinner, serving up the bounty of the Gulf. (B,D)
Day 6

How about a beach walk to begin your leisurely last morning? A lunch of “home cooking” and the drive back to Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans brings your adventure to a close. (B,L)