Road Scholar : Home
The Cajun Experience in Music, Food, and Dance

Program Number: 5629RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/23/2013 - 9/28/2013; 10/14/2013 - 10/19/2013; 11/4/2013 - 11/9/2013; 12/2/2013 - 12/7/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana
Price starting at: $599.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: History & Culture Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 14; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 5 Dinners    

Help yourself to a heaping portion of folk heritage and savor the history, lifestyles, food, language and music of Louisiana’s French-speaking communities. Learn about traditions old and new and watch local artisans at work. Tap your toes to the fiddle and accordion as you learn about Louisiana music’s unique sound. Just like local folks, enjoy down-home cooking featuring dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya and étouffée. It's all here in the heart of Cajun Country.




Highlights

• At the Jean Lafitte Acadian Culture Center, learn about the deportation of the Acadians from Canada and their arrival in present-day Louisiana, then continue to Vermilionville for a narrated walk through the folk-life village.
• Learn the Cajun waltz and the two-step in an entertaining dance lesson.
• Visit New Iberia and the Shadows-on-the-Teche, where you learn about the history of this beautiful old home, as well as the influence of sugarcane farming in the area.



Activity Particulars

Moderate walking and standing up to 1.5 hours.




Date Specific Information

9-23-2013, 10-14-2013, 11-4-2013, 12-2-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by University of Louisiana at Lafayette.




Lafayette

Two hours west-northwest of New Orleans, Lafayette is vibrant with Cajun and Creole culture. The city hosts a number of arts, music and food festivals dedicated to preserving the Louisiana Acadian spirit, celebrated in the upbeat tempos of Cajun music.
Accommodations
Comfortable hotel with fitness center, outdoor pool, wireless internet connection and an on-site restaurant. Complementary airport shuttle service.
Meals and Lodgings
   Hotel Acadiana
  Lafayette, LA 5 nights
 Hotel Acadiana
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Description: In the heart of Cajun Country. Just minutes from UL Lafayette, Vermilionville, and other tourist attractions. Approximately 3.0 miles from airport.
  Contact info: 1801 W. Pinhook Rd.
Lafayette, LA 70508 USA
phone: 337-769-9408
web: www.thehotelacadiana.com
  Room amenities: Complimentary high speed internet, 32" flat panel television,mini-fridge, coffee station, blow dryer, iron & ironing board. Microwave available upon request.
  Facility amenities: Seasonal outdoor pool, fitness room. Complimentary laundry facilities, 24 hour business center.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: $65 Arrangements must be made directly with the hotel. (337) 769-9408
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: $65 Arrangements must be made directly with the hotel. (337) 769-9408
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
4:30PM in the hotel meetomg room for a welcome and orientation. You will be staying at Hotel Acadiana that night.
  End of Program:
Breakfast is served from 6:00 - 9:00. Depart after breakfast. You will be staying at Hotel Acadiana the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Completed health form returned to Program Coordinator prior to arrival. Valid photo ID such as driver's license.
  Parking availability:
Parking is free for the length of the program at the hotel.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Lafayette, LA
  Nearest highway: Lafayette is located at the intersection of Interstates 10 and 49.
  Nearest airport:  Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT) featuring service with American Eagle, Continental, Delta, and Northwest Airlines.
  From End of Program
  Location: Lafayette, LA
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Lafayette

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
phone: 337-233-8120
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

No charge
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

10 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

approximately 3 miles
   

The Hotel Acadiana has airport transportation available. Please include your flight arrival information and shuttle request on form included with preparatory materials. You may call the hotel a day or so before arrival to confirm your shuttle request if desired.
 

Lafayette

 

From Bus Terminal

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
City/Dixie Cab
phone: 337-237-3333

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approximately $10.00
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

20 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

approximately 5 miles
   

Taxi ride is at your own expense. Other cab companies include: Quality Cab Service: 337-235-8993 The hotel shuttle might be available, but airport transport gets first priority. Call the hotel to ask if shuttle is available at (337) 233-8120.

 

Lafayette

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
phone: 337-233-8120
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

No charge
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

20 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

approximately 5 miles
   

Please put expected arrival time on the form which you will receive as a part of your preparatory materials. This information will be forwarded to the hotel. Check with the hotel a day or two before your arrival to make sure the shuttle is available.
 
Driving Directions
  I-10 traveling from east (Baton Rouge, LA) or west (Houston, TX) Driving in on I-10 west or I-10 east, take exit 103A onto Evangeline Thruway. Travel 3 miles, and turn right onto East Pinhook Road. Travel 1.9 miles to destination. Our hotel will be on the left.
  From the airport If you've rented a car at Lafayette Regional Airport, you will exit the airport parking lot, turning left onto Blue Blvd., then left onto Surrey Street. Get in the left lane so you can turn left onto Hwy. 90 (aka Evangeline Thruway). Once on Evangeline Thruway, get in the far right lane, and travel about half a mile, turning right onto Kaliste Saloom Road. Drive 1.2 miles down Kaliste Saloom, turn right on Pinhook. The Hotel Acadiana will be about 3/10 of a mile on the right at 1801 W. Pinhook Rd.
  I-49 traveling from north If you're coming in from north of Lafayette on I-49, I-49 becomes the Evangeline Thruway once you are south of I-10. Stay on the Evangeline Thruway, about 3 miles, and turn right on Pinhook Road. Travel 1.9 miles down Pinhook, and the Hotel Acadiana will be on the left, a little past the Bayou Vermilion bridge.
  US 90 from the south If you are traveling from the south on US 90 (which is the future I-49 corridor), Hwy. 90 becomes Evangeline Thruway. Turn left on Kaliste Saloom Road. Drive about 1.2 miles down Kaliste Saloom and turn right on Pinhook Road. Hotel Acadiana is about 3/10 of a mile on the right at 1801 W. Pinhook Rd.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Welcome and Orientation
(Monday, December 2)
   
 Afternoon: Hotel check-in time is 3:00.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel or local restaurant.
 Evening: We will meet promptly at 4:30 for the program orientation. We will go through the itinerary for the week, engage in a fun colloquial vocabulary/language exercise, and have a general Q&A session. Individuals will introduce themselves to the group. It's a lively beginning to the program that is not to be missed!
   
Accommodations: Hotel Acadiana
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Jean Lafitte Acadian Culture Center; Vermilionville
(Tuesday, December 3)
   
 Breakfast: Included.
 Morning: Field trip to Jean Lafitte Acadian Culture Center to view films on the deportation of the Acadians, as well as a film about the Atchafalaya Basin. There will also be time to see the on-site museum. Afterwards, on to Vermilionville for a guided walk through the folk life village.
 Lunch: Lunch at La Cuisine de Maman (on-site cafe at Vermilionville).
 Afternoon: Delve into the fascinating and complex history of Louisiana. Current day Cajun culture is a result of not only the arrival of the Acadians, but also other groups whose cultures had an impact on the Cajun way of life. Be mesmerized by the tale, as told by a local historian.
 Dinner: Included.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Acadiana
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Cajun Dance/Accordion Factory
(Wednesday, December 4)
   
 Breakfast: Included.
 Morning: Classes: Learn the Cajun waltz and the two-step in an entertaining dance lesson. Even if you think you don't want to dance, you will enjoy the toe-tapping Cajun music ... and before you know it, you will be on your feet, unable to resist!
 Lunch: Local Cajun restaurant.
 Afternoon: Cajun food is often one pot, rustic cooking. Learn more about local food-ways, pantry ingredients,and the plate lunch culture, as related to you by your group leader and coordinator, Patti Daigle, a lifelong resident of south Louisiana. A wonderful documentary (made by grad students at UL Lafayette), "Raised on Rice and Gravy," will also be shown.
 Dinner: Local Cajun restaurant.
 Evening: Take a trip to a local accordion factory. This family run business may well be the highlight of the trip. Meet the Martin family. Patriarch, Junior Martin, his daughter, Pennye Huval, and grandson, Joel Martin. You will be informed, entertained, and touched by this heart-warming experience. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
   
Accommodations: Hotel Acadiana
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Shadows-on-the-Teche; Tabasco
(Thursday, December 5)
   
 Breakfast: Included.
 Morning: We’ll take a trip to New Iberia to see the Shadows-on-the-Teche, where we will learn about the history of this beautiful old home, as well as the influence of sugarcane farming in the area. Afterwards, we’ll travel to Avery Island, the home of Tabasco.
 Lunch: Included
 Afternoon: Class: Life and Culture of the Atchafalaya Basin. Greg Guirard is a Cajun, a crawfisherman, a cypress salvager, a photographer and author. He has been following families of the Atchafalaya Basin for years. He tells their stories in photographs as well as sharing funny and interesting anecdotes. Greg is a champion of the Atchafalaya and a wonderful storyteller. Come and hear his stories and enjoy his photographs.
 Dinner: Local Cajun restaurant
   
Accommodations: Hotel Acadiana
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Dance Lesson Review/Pont Breaux's Cajun Restaurant for Dinner & Dancing
(Friday, December 6)
   
 Breakfast: Included.
 Morning: Take a driving tour of the Lafayette downtown area to see a number of murals by local artist Robert Dafford. Visit the 500 year old oak on the grounds of the St. John Cathedral.
 Lunch: Local specialty, tba.
 Afternoon: We'll have a second dancing lesson to review the waltz and the two-step. Perfect your skills before going out for a night of dinner and dancing. Graduation before leaving for dinner.
 Dinner: We'll go out to a favorite restaurant/dance hall for dinner and dancing to live Cajun music.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Acadiana
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Depart after breakfast, which is available from 6:00 - 9:00 am.
(Saturday, December 7)
   
 Breakfast: Included
 Morning: Breakfast is served from 6:00 - 9:00. You are free to depart after breakfast. Check out of hotel. Have a safe trip home!
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Lafayette, LA Acadian Village
Museum of authentic Acadian homes. Located on the grounds of Acadian Village are eight authentic Acadian houses dating back to 1800. There is a recreation of a General Store that was the main gathering place for the community. Onsite is a replica of a Chapel, the floor of the Chapel was made with long leaf pine that is over 200 years old. The reproduction of the Blacksmith Shop was built with weather-beaten, aged cypress boards. The shop is complete with original tools used by the blacksmith years ago. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information, visit www.acadianvillage.org/
  Downtown Lafayette
Shops, live music, restaurants, art museums, planetarium For additional information, visit www.lafayettetravel.com/
  Heymann Performing Arts Center
1373 S. College Rd., Lafayette, LA 70503 For additional information, visit www.ticketmaster.com/venue/221705/
  Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium
The Museum exists to encourage the discovery and understanding of the natural world, the universe, and the role of humans within them. Hours of Operation Monday - Closed Tuesday - 1:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday thru Friday - 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday - 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission Charges Adults - $8.00 Seniors (65 or older) - $6.00 For additional information, visit www.lnhm.org/
  University Art Museum
The University Art Museum's Permanent Collection consists of more than 1,500 works of art, including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, and photographs. This collection represents 18th, 19th and 20th century Louisiana, as well as the United States, Europe and Japan. Hours of operation: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday and Monday - Closed Ticket prices: Adult $5 Senior Citizens $4 For additional information, visit www.louisiana.edu/UAM/
  Zoo of Acadiana
Hours of operation are from 9am to 5pm, seven days a week. (Closed major holidays) Admission cost: $7.95* for adults $6.95* for senior citizens *plus tax. For additional information, visit www.zooofacadiana.org/
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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