This morning we begin our tour to the wonderful Old South of pre-Civil War days. We stop in Atlanta where we tour the Wren's Nest, the historic home of author and journalist Joel Chandler Harris. Harris, a fiction writer and folklorist, wrote many of the “Brer Rabbit” stories. The home was built in 1870 and expanded in the 1880's, in the Queen Ann Victorian style.

We travel to the west bank of the Mississippi River for a tour of Mardi Gras World. Here you can see artists and sculptors as they create floats, costumes and props. Next we enjoy a guided tour of New Orleans, including the French Quarter, the Garden District, and Lakefront. We check into our downtown hotel for a 2-night stay. The remainder of the evening is free.

We visit the National World War II Museum. From the beaches of Normandy to the sands of Iwo Jima, the exhibits here are a blend of personal accounts, artifacts, documents, photographs and original film footage. The stories of the dozens of amphibious landings and the thousands of men and women who made the Allied victory in World War II possible are told through three floors of exhibit space. In addition, see the show “Beyond All Boundaries,” a unique and powerful 4-D cinematic experience available nowhere else in the world. It tells the tale of the Greatest Generation's journey from Pearl Harbor into the fire of epic battles to America's final victory in the “War That Changed the World” in the words of the veterans themselves. We travel out of New Orleans to plantation country. Oak Alley Plantation is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Together we will tour the “Big House” then you'll have time to see the Gardens, Blacksmith Shop, Slavery exhibit and take in the Sugarcane Theater. A bountiful cajun style buffet lunch is included before we return to New Orleans. This evening is free to enjoy the atmosphere of old New Orleans. For dinner on your own you may want to try a bowl of Cajun Gumbo or Crawfish Etouffee! (L)

This morning we board an old-fashioned paddle-wheeler for a relaxing cruise down the Mississippi River. As we cruise, we'll enjoy gorgeous views of New Orleans. Today we have a late lunch in the heart of the French Quarter at the Court of Two Sisters, one of the city's oldest and finest dining establishments. We say goodbye to New Orleans and travel into Alabama for our final night. (L)

While in Montgomery, we visit the Legacy Museum which opened to the public in April, 2018. The museum, built on the site of a former warehouse where slaves were imprisoned, uses unique technology that helps dramatize the enslavement of African Americans. We arrive home late this evening, bringing to an end a beautiful tour of New Orleans and the Old South.