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2008 Cajun Country October 13 - 24, 2008 Louisiana It's finally finished! It's going to be a great trip! |
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Our Cajun country tour starts in Acadia Parish (County) of southern Louisiana an area first settled by the Acadians who were exiled from Nova Scotia. You’ll learn all about the Cajun lifestyle both then and now and how Crowley, LA became the “Rice Capitol of the United States”. A trip to the restored Ford Motor Building and The Grand Opera House of the South is on the agenda. You’ll visit a working Acadian/Creole farm and learn about the farming history of the area. While here lunch will be prepared by the Great Granddaughter of the original farmer. Cajun music is a very big part of this area and its people. You’ll see how a local musician creates the Cajun accordion and dance to the music. At a rice/crawfish farm the farmer will explain how the 2 crops of rice and crawfish are rotated and how they harvest the crawfish. The world famous Tabasco Pepper Sauce factory is located in this area and our tour will include a film, the Factory viewing gallery and the TABASCO Museum. We’ll drive through the lush tropical gardens located here where our guide will explain the salt mines located under this “garden”. Of course a trip to the Bayou country wouldn’t be complete without a “Swamp Tour”. An entertaining and informative Cajun guide will explain everything as you glide through the Atchafalaya Basin. Alligators, beautiful birds and other wildlife are often sighted. You’ll also have free time to look for all the “frog murals” as Rayne, LA is the Frog Capitol of the US. We happen to be here during the Rice Festival in Crowley so you’ll be able to join the festivities of this local festival. Our last three days will be spent in New Orleans. Our campground (built after Katrina) is located in the heart of the 9th Ward, the area hardest hit by the hurricane. We’ll be able to see how they’re rebuilding the area. You’ll see the levee that was “breached” during the hurricane and the resulting devastation. Our city tour will include the history of the original city, the French Quarter and why it was built at this location on the Mississippi River. You’ll visit Jackson Square and travel along Esplande Avenue with a view of the architecture that New Orleans is famous for. You’ll see the cemeteries unique to southern Louisiana and the causeway over Lake Ponchartrain, the longest bridge in the world. As we travel down St. Charles Avenue you’ll see Tulane and Loyola Universities. St. Charles Avenue better known as “Millionaire’s Row” boasts stately mansions and lush tropical gardens. Our final tour will be to Oak Alley Plantation. With a quarter-mile long alley of 28 magnificent oak trees, each over 250 years old it is one of the most photographed plantations ever. A guided tour will reveal the fascinating stories of the home and its history. As we travel back to town you’ll view the majestic Cypress trees in the Louisiana swamps bordering the Mississippi River. Our farewell dinner will be a jazz cruise down the Mississippi River onboard the Steamboat Natchez, a fitting way to end our Cajun Country Tour. Cajun Country Trip Suggested Agenda (Subject to Change) Day 1, Monday, October 13 Check-in/Orientation/Welcome Dinner at campground Day 2, Tuesday, October 14 Bus Tour Agricultural Tour – A visit to a working farm where we will meet the farmer who takes you out to the fields to see the rice or crawfish, the boat and traps. He explains how he uses the same land for both “crops”. He also has a most amazing collection of farm “toys”. We’ll have lunch at the farm. Then we’ll visit a Cajun accordion maker who will demonstrate the skills of making the accordion that all Cajun musicians use. We’ll listen to toe-tapping Cajun Music as we browse the shop filled with musical instruments and CD’s of renowned Cajun artists. A tour through the German community of Robert’s Cove where we’ll enjoy the tranquility of a small rural chapel built in 1890 to serve the spiritual needs of the early German residents. In the museum costumed guides will explain the history, artifacts and lovely crafts of their heritage. Day 3, Wednesday, October 15 Bus Tour/Swamp Tour We’ll visit St. Martinsville where the Acadians settled in 1765 when they were banished from their homeland of Acadia. We’ll visit the museum and the local Catholic Church known as the “Mother” church of Acadians. After lunch on your own we’ll take a swamp tour. We’ll enjoy the tranquility of gliding through our Atchafalaya Basin with an entertaining and informative Cajun guide. Day 4, Thursday, October 16 Free Day – Free time to return to areas you want to see more of or visit the town of Rayne, known as the “Frog Capital of USA. There are beautiful murals on many of the buildings downtown. There is also a cemetery that is listed in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not”. Nearby Crowley’s Residential Historic district boasts 200 homes on the National Register of Historic Places. At the recently restored Ford Motor Building we can view a film of the settlement of Crowley, the emergence of the Rice Industry and why it is known as the “Rice Capital of USA”. There are also pristine vintage Ford vehicles and the original elevator and assembly components. Day 5, Friday, October 17 Free Day with suggested sightseeing on your own in Lafayette including Vermillionville a Cajun/Creole Park recreating life in the Acadiana area from 1765-1890. Other sites are the Acadian Cultural Center, which tells the story of the Cajun people who settled the prairies, bayous and marshes of southeast Louisiana after their deportation from Nova Scotia and the 500-year-old St. John Cathedral, which is on the National Register of Historic Properties. Day 6, Saturday, October 18 Bus Tour We’ll visit the oldest operating rice mill in the United States. Then we’ll go on to the world famous TABASCO pepper sauce factory and the lush tropical gardens of Avery Island. Following lunch on your own we’ll visit Shadows-on-the-Teche an elegantly restored 1834 sugar plantation home on Bayou Teche. Day 7, Sunday, October 19 Free Day to rest before the next portion of our trip. Day 8, Monday, October 20 Travel Day – From Rayne, LA to New Orleans, LA Day 9, Tuesday, October 21 Bus Tour of New Orleans We’ll enjoy the sights and sounds of the famous French quarter and historic Jackson Square, home of the Cabildo and Presbytere Museums. We’ll see the landmarks and splendid architecture that made New Orleans famous. The elegant Garden District section of the city was built in the 1800’s to rival the architectural splendor and beauty of the French Quarter. And of course, we’ll visit one of New Orleans’ famous cemeteries Day 10, Wednesday, October 22 Free Day Sightseeing on your own Day 11, Thursday, October 23 Plantation Tour/Farewell Dinner We’ll take a walk back in history as we visit one of the old south’s beautiful plantations. Day 12, Friday, October 24 Farewell Continental Breakfast Package Cost Includes: 11 nights camping with full hookups Crowley area bus tour and Crystal Rice Plantation tour w/lunch Cajun Accordion Maker, Rice/Crawfish Farm, German Community bus tour w/lunch Tabasco Factory, Plantation Home & Rice Mill bus tour w/Lunch Swamp Tour and St. Martinville “Evangeline” bus tour w/Lunch New Orleans City bus tour & Katrina tour Plantation bus tour Catered Welcome Dinner Dinner Cruise on Steamboat Natches w/bus transportation Souvenir Packet including special embroidered shirts Experienced Wagonmasters Package Price: Price for 2 people in 1 unit: $1695.00 Price for 1 person in 1 unit: $1150.00 Additional Adults: $550.00 Package Requirements: Deposit Due: $100.00 per unit Rendezvous Deadline: September 13, 2008 Rally Limit: 27 units or 54 people Rendezvous Point: Rayne, Louisiana 
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