Side Trips from New Orleans
 

We will be in NOLA in May for 10 days, 3 of which will be devoted to the Rotary International Convention. We have been to the city a couple of times, done a plantation tour, a swamp tour and once went out to Lafayette for a few days. Any suggestions for an overnight trip from the city would be appreciated. Thanks!

We enjoyed this park as a day trip from New Orleans: http://www.stateparks.com/jean_lafit...d_reserve.html

Have you been to Natchez, MS? It's quite a pleasing place--
about a three-hour drive.

HTTY

Madewood Plantation in Napoleonville is a wonderful old plantation that serves a great dinner and breakfast.

Natchez was also the first place that came to my mind, since you have sufficient time.

You don't have to drive as far as Natchez. Near Vacherie, you find two wonderful plantations:

Laura Plantation, which is one of the oldest plantations and Oak Alley Plantation, which is one of the most splendid ones.

www.lauraplantation.com
www.oakalleyplantation.com

Driving time to Vacherie is about one hour. You can easily visit both plantations in one day.

Thanks to all of your for your replys.

We have already visited Oak Alley, Laura & Madewood on a plantation tour a number of years ago.

Natchez sounds like it would be perfect. Any recommendations for lodging?

Two urban options to consider are Baton Rouge, LA and Jackson, MS. There are about a day's worth of attractions in each. Both have state capitol buildings that are splendid, with the one in Baton Rouge especially stunning.

While we're on the subject of NOLA side trips, is anyone out there a bird photographer familiar with the NOLA area? I'll be there in early April, primarily for French Quarter Fest but I would like to make a day trip somewhere in the area. I would guess there ought to be quite a few migrant birds in the area at that time.

dwooddon - My husband got some fabulous pictures of birds at Lake Martin near New Iberia and St. Martinville. Blue heron, igrets, cormorants, and a bunch of others that I don't know the names of. Also, at Avery Island where the Tabasco factory is, there is a habitat for the egrets (pretty sure it is egrets - the white ones that look sort of like herons). You can tell I am not the birder in our family - LOL. Anyway, Tabasco people maintain this sanctuary habitat and have developed a place called Jungle Gardens around it. That was a surprise highlight of our trip to that area - both Lake Martin and the Jungle Gardens.

Another time, we went on a swamp tour with Capt Nick's out of Lafite south of New Orleans in Bayou Barataria. This is only about an hour from the FQ, so pretty convinient. We saw tons of birds on that trip too.

Drive Highway 90 through Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Gulfport and Biloxi to Mobile. Katrina did a powerful amount of damage to a beautiful area along Highway 90. Go S of Mobile on the E side of Mobile Bay and spend the night at Grand Hotel at Point Clear, AL. It's about a 3 hour drive to PC but you should stop in BSL, PC, Biloxi and Mobile. Go to Wentzell's Oyster House in Mobile for lunch.

Just north of Natchez is a lovely little town called Port Gibson. My husband and I came across it many years ago, driving from Vicksburg to Natchez. As we drove thru the town (Church Street, which is the main road), we passed one historical marker after another. We got to the far end of the town, looked at each other, and drove back to the tourist information building. Our "plan" had been to spend the day in Natchez, but we ended up spending most of the day in Port Gibson.

http://www.portgibsononthemississippi.com/welcome.html

Go to The Old Country Store at Lorman for good country food if you happen to be between Natchez and Vicksburg, MS. Stay at Monmouth if you get to Natchez.

Old Country Store @ 18801 Hwy 61, Lorman, MS 601 - 437 - 3661.
Monmouth Plantation @ 36 Melrose Avenue, Natchez, MS 601 - 442 - 5852.
http://monmouthplantation.com/

The Natchex Grand Hotel is nice but I like Monmouth best. Ask for a newer room out back at Monmouth. Go to The Castle Restaurant at Dunleith for dinner. Go to Biscuits and Blues for good comfort food. Bowie's Tavern and Breaud's are both nice. Have lunch at Carriage House and tour Stanton Hall.

Natchez Grand Hotel @ 111 South Broadway Street, Natchez, MS 601 - 446 - 9994.
http://www.natchezgrandhotel.com/
The Castle Restaurant and Pub @ 84 Homochitto St., Natchez, MS. 601 - 446 - 8500.
http://www.dunleith.com/castle-overview.html
Biscuit's and Blues @ 315 Main St., Natchez, MS. 601 - 446 - 9922.
http://www.biscuitsandblues.com/
Bowie's Tavern @ 100 Main St., Natchez, MS. 601 - 445 - 6627.
Breaud's Seafood and Steak @ 511 Main St., Natchez, MS. 601 - 445 - 8502.
Carriage House Restaurant @ 401 High St., Natchez, MS. 601 - 445 - 5151.
http://www.stantonhall.com/

There is plenty to see & do right here in the city. You can get a combo state museum pass for the Cabildo, Presbytere, Old US Mint, & others.

Try driving to Gonzales, take 44 towards the river, eat at "The Cabin" @ Burnside (Jumb Shrimp), cross Sunshine bridge, stay at Cabanhosse Guest House B&B, get restaurant advice from Gail, continue trip up to the largest Plantation Home, Nottaway @ "White Castle", then, catch IH-10 W, exit Henderson, double back to Pat's Restaurant (waay better than any in N.O.) for crawfish bisque +/or platter. Continue to Lafayette,check into Holiday Inn Express on Ambasador Caffery, get supper reservations @ Charley G's (the only non-N.O. - LA) Restaurant recommended by the Brennans).
next day, drive South through New Iberia, see "Shadows-on-the-Teche early, take HWY 14 W to Avery Island Botanical Gardens (Home of "Tabasco" hot sauce}; then, go back on HWY 90 to Jeanerette, get on old HYWY to the "Yellow Bowl" for late lunch, continue back on HWY 90 to New Orleans. Can be done in 2 days, 3 or 4 is better. If you want a real "swamp tour", McGee's (down levee near Pat's / Henderson), is much better than those nearer N.O.) Atchafalaya = largest swamp in North America, biger than Okefenokee, Everglades Swamp, + Big Thicket, put together. If more time, Jefferson Gardens and Rip van Winkle Gardens are also off HWY 14 near New Iberia.
We live here and do this once in a while.
leVieux

The Tabasco tour is intersting, bt doesn't take too long.

Not a day trip, but the most interesting side trip I took from NO was to cross the lake and then drive around on the small roads. It was real backwoodsy - very interesting

Here's another vote for The Castle Restaurant at Dunleith!