New Orleans and Natchez Fall Pilgrimage
Introducing Our Brand New Plantations Tour to Natchez, Mississippi, Led by Tour Director Linda Melnyk
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Join our esteemed tour director, Linda Melnyk, as she takes you on her insider’s tour that showcases the perfect combination of Southern Hospitality . . . the Cajun charm of New Orleans and the antebellum history of Natchez. As an independent travel agent, Linda has more than 16 years in planning group tours and individual vacations. From her home base in Brentwood, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville, she frequently leads groups at her favorite destinations in the U.S. and around the world. We are fond of saying that you haven’t seen a place unless you’ve seen it with Linda!
Exclusively for Women In New Orleans
In Natchez
Overall
Not Included:
Day 1 – Saturday, October 3: New Orleans Arrival on Own
Our hotel, the “Four Diamond” Royal Sonesta, is ideally situated on Bourbon Street, in the heart of the French Quarter. Regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of traditional French Quarter design, the hotel’s regal ambiance is enhanced by charming gabled windows, French doors and wrought-iron balconies. Guest rooms are spacious and comfortable with the latest amenities, including flat screen TV, high-speed wired and wireless Internet, mini bar, iron and ironing board, in-room safe, hairdryer and make-up mirror. Just outside, the lively French Quarter serves up an eclectic gumbo of activities – charming bistros, boutiques, antique shops and art galleries, historic sites, and sensational live entertainment. Tonight, we’ll meet in the hotel for an optional drink before dinner to get acquainted, followed by a welcome dinner in a nearby restaurant. (D)
Day 2 – Sunday, October 4: New Orleans Breakfast at Hotel We will start the day with breakfast in the hotel’s coffee shop. Then it’s off for a private guided morning tour of the charming city of New Orleans – both by motorcoach and on foot – including the Garden District, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cemetery and a drive through a Hurricane Katrina recovery zone. Later, a sumptuous Sunday Jazz Brunch will be served at the world renowned Court of Two Sisters restaurant, a dining institution started by an aristocratic Creole family. Afterwards, the rest of the day is at leisure to explore the antique and boutique shops in the area, or to sightsee on your own. In the evening, you may wish to partake in local custom with a stop at Pat O’Brian’s for a drink (the Hurricane is a favorite). Or take a short walk along famous Bourbon Street, perhaps listen to some jazz at Preservation Hall, try your luck at Harrah’s Casino, or enjoy a coffee and chicory (a traditional favorite of New Orleans) and beignets at Café DuMonde. Linda will be available to offer many suggestions for your free time. (B, L) Day 3 – Monday, October 5: New Orleans / Nottoway Plantation / Natchez Breakfast at the Hotel After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart around 9:00 am and start the 3-hour drive to Natchez. Along the way we will stop at Nottoway Plantation House, regarded as one of the largest antebellum homes in the south. After the tour, enjoy lunch on your own on the plantation grounds. The site offers both a full-service restaurant and a café. After lunch, you will have time to explore the grounds or visit the gift shop. We will arrive in Natchez in the late afternoon. Founded in 1716, Natchez is one of Mississippi’s oldest cities and its first capital. Located along the Mississippi River, Natchez is rich in American history and natural resources. As a major producer of cotton, the city prospered through the use of slave labor. From this fortune, large plantation homes were built. Each year in the fall, 18 privately owned antebellum homes open their doors to the public for just two weeks of “history and hoopskirts, festival and food.”
Our accommodations for the next two nights will be the Natchez Eola Hotel. Located in the downtown historic district, the hotel is within easy walking distance of many attractions, including Natchez-Under-the-Hill, riverboat gambling, Antiques Row, the museum, churches, and carriage-drawn city tours. Built in 1927, renovated in 1998, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Natchez Eola Hotel offers its guests the ambiance and charm of the Old South with the convenience of modern amenities. Grand and stately, the hotel is furnished throughout with fine antiques, original oil paintings, statuary, fountains and lush florals. Guestroom amenities include
cable television, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board.
This evening, we’ll enjoy dinner at Lansdowne, a plantation house (circa 1853) that is owned and occupied by the direct descendants of George Marshall, for whom it was custom built. Members of the family will be present to greet us, and following dinner, will give a tour of their home and will recount tales of its history. The house contains the original furniture, a major collection of antique silver, and the original Zuber wallpaper. Dinner will be served in the formal dining room and stately hall of the main house. Entertainment of Old Time Spirituals is included with the meal service. (B, D) Day 4 – Tuesday, October 6: Natchez
After breakfast, a docent will escort a tour of Rosalie Mansion (circa 1820) while giving the rich history of Natchez. Located on the Mississippi Bluff, Rosalie Mansion is near the site of the Natchez Indians’ massacre of the French at Fort Rosalie. It was also the headquarters of the Union Army during the Civil War. Our next stop is Brandon Hall (circa 1856). The Plantation house stands in greatness on a hill overlooking the Natchez Trace. Then, we’ll stop by Selma (circa 1811), which was built by Gerard Brandon; father of first native born governor of Mississippi. Your afternoon is free to explore the shops and historic sites in Natchez. Or perhaps enjoy one of the famous libations at Fat Mama’s. Around 5:00 pm, we’ll take a scenic carriage ride to Stanton Hall (circa 1857), located in beautiful, historic downtown Natchez. Following our private tour of the home, one of the most magnificent and palatial residences of antebellum America, we will dine in the Carriage House. Following dinner we’ll be treated to stirring Gospel Music, sung by the Amos Polk's Voices of Hope Spiritual Singers. (B, D) Day 5 – Wednesday, October 7: Natchez / New Orleans / Departure Breakfast After breakfast, we’ll depart historic Natchez and return to the Big Easy for your flight home. Drive time is about 3 hours. As we plan to leave at 9:00 am, your arrival at the airport will be about 12:00 noon. Therefore, we suggest that you schedule your return flights after 2:00 pm. (B) For more information, see: |
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Welcome to ‘Nawlin’s!Here, you’ll find the history as colorful as the local architecture, with food that is legendary. The city is a mélange of cultures and cuisines . . . beginning with its French heritage and complimented with a dash of Spanish, Haitian and Creole influences to give it spice and originality. 
Breakfast
Trips designed by women for women