Mar 8 - Mar 18, 2024
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DATES & PRICES
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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon: Program Registration & Orientation: 4:30 p.m. After you have your room assignment, check the message board for the location to register with the Road Scholar program staff, which is also where the Orientation session will take place. You will get any updated information. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions you have about the program. In addition to Road Scholar exclusive lectures and field trips, you are welcome to enjoy activities and events separate from the Road Scholar program during free time aboard the American Queen. The vessel’s daily program will be delivered to cabins each evening with a schedule of the next day’s activities. Meals in the J. M. White Dining Room will feature cuisine that blends local flavors and fine culinary traditions. There is a more casual atmosphere in The Front Porch. Dinners aboard will include complimentary house wines, house-select beers, coffees, teas, soft drinks. Ground travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. As a special bonus, you will have vouchers to use at a popular New Orleans jazz club and the Louisiana State Museum.
Dinner: Dinner will be served at Hotel Monteleone this evening. During dinner, we will enjoy a private jazz performance.
Evening: Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 26 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time. Walking about 8 blocks and standing during field trip; city streets and sidewalks.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served at the hotel.
Morning: We’ll take a field trip via motorcoach with expert on-board commentary for an overview of the city. We’ll make stops at highlights such as Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou St. John, City Park with its magnificent oak trees and Sculpture Garden, and one of the famed and mysterious above-ground cemeteries where the departed — from pirates to voodoo queens — are interred.
Lunch: Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, off a select menu.
Afternoon: With our local expert, we’ll ride down famous St. Charles Avenue under beautiful old oak trees. We’ll then go on a walking field trip in the aptly named Garden District, one of the loveliest neighborhoods in the country. It was laid out in 1832 for incoming, well-to-do Americans who were not interested in mingling with native New Orleanians. The feeling was mutual! Grand houses were built on large lots. The rest of the afternoon has been left free for you to relax at the hotel or visit other sites before dinner.
Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. We have provided restaurant suggestions in your account. Your Group Leader will also be happy to offer suggestions. From fresh seafood to Po’ Boys and so much more, the city is justly famous for its eats. Please note, that if you plan to eat at one of the more popular restaurants in the city, advanced reservations are highly recommended.
Evening: At leisure. Experience nightlife in the French Quarter. If you’re a music aficionado, there are lots of options. We have provided a voucher (drink included) for Fritzel’s European Jazz Club. The French Quarter has something to offer for almost every interest and taste.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking according to personal preference at World War II Museum and during free time.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served at the hotel.
Morning: We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the National World War II Museum. Formerly known as the D-Day Museum, the National World War II Museum was founded by eminent historian Dr. Stephen Ambrose, author “Band of Brothers” and other best-sellers. During our self-directed exploration, we will be able to walk through three buildings that house exhibits highlighting the role of participants from world leaders to the everyday men and women whose contributions helped to win the war, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Many items in the vast collection — such as uniforms, weaponry, vehicles, medals, diaries, letters, artwork, photographs, and other mementos — are on display while thousands of records and archives are available to scholars for ongoing research. We’ll also see the film “Beyond All Boundaries” narrated by Tom Hanks. Through first-person accounts and amazing special effects, we’ll take a self-directed journey through the war that changed the world.
Lunch: Lunch will be served at the museum.
Afternoon: This afternoon has been left free for you to explore the city. You can use vouchers we’ve provided to explore the Cabildo and Presbytère — key components of the Louisiana State Museum — flanking St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. All were constructed during the Spanish period (1795-1799). The Cabildo displays artifacts of American history as well as rarities such as Napoleon’s death mask. The Presbytère’s interactive exhibit on Mardi Gras traces the annual celebration from its origins to the present day with an exquisite collection of artifacts and memorabilia. Another exhibit expresses Louisiana’s saga of resilience in the face of disasters. You might also like to stroll along Royal Street with its antique shops, visit the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, sit back and have café au lait and beignets at the 24-hour Café du Monde, or any of the many other opportunities to experience the people, cultures, and celebrations of New Orleans.
Dinner: This evening, we will go to the world-renowned New Orleans School of Cooking where an expert local chef will teach us how to cook Creole and Cajun and explain the difference. We’ll see the preparation of traditional dishes, then have them for dinner. Recipes will be included.
Evening: At leisure. Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow. Have luggage ready for pick-up and transport to the American Queen in the morning.
Activity note: Walking about 4.5 blocks to/from restaurant. Getting on/off motorcoach, on/off riverboat.
Morning: Have luggage ready for pick-up and transport to the American Queen before walking to brunch.
Brunch: At the celebrated Court of Two Sisters, we’ll experience a true New Orleans delight: the Jazz brunch. The elaborate buffet offers tasty hot and cold New Orleans favorites from eggs any style to Creole jambalaya, grits and grillades, gumbo, classic desserts, and much more; coffee, tea, water included, other beverages available for purchase. Tap your toes to the music of the restaurant’s resident Jazz trio.
Afternoon: We’ll set out on a field trip and ride to Mardi Gras World, where we’ll begin with a film that documents the making of floats. A local expert will introduce some of the amazing floats that have appeared in Mardi Gras parades and some the artists are working on for the next year. We’ll also have some time to explore independently and take photographs. From the Museum, we’ll reboard the motorcoach, ride to the Port of New Orleans, and board the American Queen. After completing boarding procedures and getting your cabin, take some time to freshen up and relax. We will participate in the mandatory safety briefing with everyone on board when announced.
Dinner: Our first dinner aboard the American Queen will be at 5:15 p.m. in the J. M. White Dining room. Meals will feature cuisine that blends local flavors and fine culinary traditions.
Evening: Each evening, the American Queen staff will provide professional entertainment in the Grand Saloon. Later, enjoy music and dancing in the Engine Room Bar or a piano sing-a-long in the Main Deck Lounge.
Activity note: Getting on and off a motor coach. Golf carts are available from boat across levee; walking to plantation through gardens and standing during field trip; 3-story house with elevator.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served in the J. M. White Dining Room; early riser coffee is also available in Front Porch Café.
Morning: We will step off the boat for an expert led exploration of Nottoway — a literal “white castle” — with opportunities for taking pictures. Completed in 1859, it is the largest surviving antebellum mansion in the South and one of the most elegant. Its 64 rooms cover 53,000 square feet. Sugar planter John Hampden Randolph intended his home to be the finest anywhere and no expense was spared. Randolph filled Nottoway with extravagant features including running water, modern bathrooms, and gas lighting. The mansion sits about 200 feet from the Mississippi River levee surrounded by oaks, magnolias, and pecan trees. At a time when Greek Revival was considered the ultimate architectural style, Nottoway is distinguished by Italianate features, with square columns that reach all three levels yet look delicate from a distance. The east front of the house with its grand balconies faces the river, while the adjacent north front with its semi-circular portico overlooks gardens. The ballroom, accented by Corinthian columns and marble mantels, is all white including the floor.
Lunch: Lunch is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or Front Porch.
Afternoon: We’ll gather for a Road Scholar exclusive lecture. The remainder of the afternoon will be free to enjoy the relaxing beauty of the river as we roll along.
Dinner: Dinner will be served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room.
Evening: Enjoy great musical performances every evening.
Activity note: Golf carts available from boat to the steamboat company’s motorcoach, driving approximately 1/2 hour, getting on/off motorcoach several times.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Morning: We will visit the Louisiana State Penitentiary, the state’s maximum-security prison on 18,000 acres in Angola, widely known as The Farm. We’ll be joined by a local expert who will tell us about this penitentiary that was once a plantation, its troubled history, and how it operates today. Aboard our motorcoach, we will ride through farmland where inmates harvest more than 4 million pounds of produce annually in addition to enterprises including a license tag plant, printing services, a mattress/broom/mop shop (including suicide prevention mattresses), and a herd of 1,600 cattle. Led by a warden, we will explore the prison museum, the Red Hat cellblock, and the largest chapel where we will have an opportunity to hear the enlightening stories from current inmates. The museum was the brainchild of a warden whose stated goal was to document the history of Louisiana’s prisons and not repeat the horrors of the past. After more than a century of terrible conditions, abuses, corruption, and real attempts at reform, Angola achieved accreditation in 1994 from the American Correctional Association. ACA accreditation acknowledges “policies and procedures necessary for the operation of correctional programs that safeguard life, health and safety of the personnel who work in juvenile and adult facilities and programs; as well as the offenders who are a part of the correctional system.” Angola has partnerships with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Ashland University, and the Louisiana Department of Education that offer opportunities for inmates to participate in educational programs. Since 1965, the prison has held a professional rodeo to entertain its inmates, employees, and the public. A portion of the proceeds support the Louisiana Penitentiary Inmate Welfare Fund. Angola also has its own magazine and radio station.
Lunch: Lunch will be served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Afternoon: We’ll gather for another Road Scholar exclusive lecture.
Dinner: Dinner will be served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room.
Evening: Entertainment is provided by the ship crew this evening.
Activity note: From the landing at Natchez-Under-the-Hill, there is a ramp up to the street; golf carts are available if needed. Short walks from motorcoach to mansions; standing inside.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Morning: We will begin the day with an exploration of Natchez by visiting Longwood Mansion. Longwood was an exotic departure from typical homes of the period, octagonal and in Oriental Revival style. Begun in 1860 but interrupted by the Civil War, only nine of its 32 rooms were finished. The numerous antebellum mansions of Natchez recall a bygone era. Following Longwood Mansion, we will take a tour of Choctaw Hall. Built around 1836, the mansion features a blend of Greek Revival and Federal styles. The four story home is characterized for its swirling oval staircase, double porches, white columns, and beautiful gardens.
Lunch: Lunch will be served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Afternoon: Following lunch, hop on/ hop off buses will be available for anyone who wants to visit other sites in Natchez. Suggested stops include Rosalie Mansion, Magnolia Hall, the Natchez Visitor's Center, Stanton Hall, and the Museum of African American History and Culture.
Dinner: Dinner will be served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room.
Evening: Nightly entertainment is provided on the American Queen ship.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach at several stops.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Morning: This morning, we will take a field trip to Vicksburg National Military Park. The Vicksburg campaign was waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The Union victory was one of the decisive moments in the Civil War. Congress commemorated the battlefield as a national military park in 1899. There are 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of reconstructed trenches and earthworks, 144 emplaced cannon, the restored Union gunboat USS Cairo and its museum, and the Vicksburg National Cemetery. Led by a local expert, we’ll make three stops: at the Visitor Center, where Park Rangers are ready to answer questions, one of the larger monuments; and the Cairo, sunk in 1862, raised from the depths of the Mississippi in 1964, and later reconstructed. Its museum displays artifacts including weapons, munitions, naval stores, and personal gear of the sailors who served on board.
Lunch: Lunch is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Afternoon: Following lunch, we will have another private lecture. The rest of the afternoon is left free for you to enjoy activities aboard the ship.
Dinner: Dinner is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room.
Evening: Nightly entertainment is provided on the American Queen ship.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach at several stops.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Morning: This morning we will have another exclusive lecture. The rest of the morning will be free to enjoy the river vistas.
Lunch: Lunch is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Afternoon: In Greenville, we’ll have an opportunity to take advantage of the steamboat company’s hop-on/hop-off bus to see the town. Significant sites include the Greenville History Museum; the Hebrew Union Temple, built in 1906, with its original stained glass windows and organ; and the Flood of 1927 Museum that presents the history of one of the country’s greatest natural disasters when the Mississippi flooded the Delta for four months. We will have a private cocktail party prior to dinner.
Dinner: Dinner is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room.
Evening: Nightly entertainment is provided by the ship crew.
Activity note: Full day on board the American Queen.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Morning: We’ll gather for another Road Scholar exclusive lecture. The rest of the morning is free for you to relax or engage in activities of your choice.
Lunch: Lunch is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room or the Front Porch.
Afternoon: We’ll gather for a final exclusive lecture. The rest of the afternoon will be left open for you to enjoy the mighty Mississippi as we head to Memphis. In the late afternoon, there will be a port stop in Tunica, MS to visit the Tunica Park Museum.
Dinner: Dinner is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: We will have one final evening of great entertainment. Then prepare for disembarkation after our arrival in Memphis, Tennessee, and final transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Check-out and disembarkation by 9:00 a.m., followed by motorcoach transfer to the Memphis Airport.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served aboard the American Queen in the J.M. White Dining Room.
Morning: After disembarking, we’ll board a motorcoach and transfer to Memphis International Airport with arrival expected by approximately 10:30 a.m. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys back home!