Your journey of New Orleans’ rich and storied architecture begins with morning or afternoon pickup from your central New Orleans hotel. Climb aboard the comfortable tour van for a small-group sightseeing trip through the city. As you wind through the French Quarter, admire the fusion of Spanish, French, and Creole design styles that give the area its distinctive architectural flair. As you exit the quarter, you’ll pass the Cabildo and the Pontalba Apartments at Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, and the bustling French Market. As you cruise along Esplanade Avenue, soak up the beauty of oak-lined streets and stately Creole mansions.
Your first stop is St Louis Cemetery No 3, where you’ll witness some macabre and magnificent tombs. Enjoy a guided walk, during which you’ll learn about the above-ground burial system and see several enormous society tombs, such as the Dante Lodge of Masons. Then head by bus to New Orleans’ celebrated City Park, passing the lovely 18th-century homes of Bayou St John along the way.
Continue north for views of Lake Pontchartrain, including the world-record Causeway and the surrounding levees, before stopping at Longue Vue House and Gardens. Take time to wander through the celebrated 8-acre gardens—offering an array of brilliant flowers any time of year—and tour the opulent home with its impressive collection of 20th–century art.
You will then reach the London Avenue Canal and see its two flood wall breaches and witness the complete destruction Hurricane Katrina caused to the neighborhood of Gentilly. You can also stop to walk through the Katrina memorial and Levee Exhibit Hall and rain garden alongside the London Ave. Canal Breach.
Back aboard your van, marvel at the beautiful colonial homes along St. Charles Avenue and through the Garden District on your way to your hotel.
