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Louisiana

Jazz, Jambalaya and Joie de Vivre in New Orleans

Program No. 21665RJ
Get to know New Orleans as you explore the French Quarter and Garden District, take in a jazz performance, learn to cook Cajun-style and enjoy plenty of time to explore on your own.

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DATES & starting prices
PRICES
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Jan 7 - Jan 12, 2024
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1,899
Jan 14 - Jan 19, 2024
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1,899
Feb 4 - Feb 9, 2024
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1,899
Feb 18 - Feb 23, 2024
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1,899
Mar 3 - Mar 8, 2024
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1,899
Mar 17 - Mar 22, 2024
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1,899
Apr 14 - Apr 19, 2024
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1,899
Apr 21 - Apr 26, 2024
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1,899
May 5 - May 10, 2024
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1,899
May 19 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Oct 6 - Oct 11, 2024
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1,899
Nov 3 - Nov 8, 2024
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1,899
Jan 5 - Jan 10, 2025
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1,999
Jan 26 - Jan 31, 2025
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1,999
Feb 16 - Feb 21, 2025
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1,999
Mar 9 - Mar 14, 2025
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1,999
Mar 23 - Mar 28, 2025
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1,999
Apr 6 - Apr 11, 2025
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1,999
Apr 20 - Apr 25, 2025
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1,999
May 4 - May 9, 2025
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1,999
Oct 12 - Oct 17, 2025
Starting at
1,999
Nov 2 - Nov 7, 2025
Starting at
1,999
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Jan 7 - Jan 12, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Jan 14 - Jan 19, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Feb 4 - Feb 9, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Feb 18 - Feb 23, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Mar 3 - Mar 8, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Mar 17 - Mar 22, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Apr 14 - Apr 19, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Apr 21 - Apr 26, 2024
Starting at
2,379
May 5 - May 10, 2024
Starting at
2,379
May 19 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Oct 6 - Oct 11, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Nov 3 - Nov 8, 2024
Starting at
2,379
Jan 5 - Jan 10, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Jan 26 - Jan 31, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Feb 16 - Feb 21, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Mar 9 - Mar 14, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Mar 23 - Mar 28, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Apr 6 - Apr 11, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Apr 20 - Apr 25, 2025
Starting at
2,499
May 4 - May 9, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Oct 12 - Oct 17, 2025
Starting at
2,499
Nov 2 - Nov 7, 2025
Starting at
2,499

At a Glance

It’s the New Orleans of your imagination: the sound of Jazz drifting up Bourbon Street, a nearly miraculous bowl of gumbo, the charm of a Garden District mansion. Join us for an unforgettable stay in the Crescent City as you hear, taste and see all that New Orleans is famous for and learn about the intriguing side of the city that few outsiders know. Discover the literary landmarks of Tennessee Williams, visit the World War II Museum, learn the secrets of creole cooking from a local chef and much more. You’ll have plenty of time on your own to stroll Bourbon Street, walk the levee, eat beignets and Muffaletta sandwiches or ride a streetcar named Desire.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Amount of walking and standing varies with your level of exploration. Walking is on city streets and uneven surfaces such as cobblestones.
Independent City Discoveries
Independent City Discoveries
Learn with a Group Leader and enjoy educational programming while also getting substantial independent time to explore on your own. Most Independent City Discoveries include lectures, self-guided excursions and passes for public transit and museums.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Walk with an expert through the Garden District, then delve deeper into locales of your choosing via streetcar.
  • Enjoy a performance at a New Orleans jazz club as a primer on the city’s world-famous music scene.
  • Watch a cooking demonstration as you dine at the New Orleans School of Cooking, and get recommendations for further culinary explorations from experts and longtime residents.

General Notes

Program includes independent time to explore the city. Group Leaders will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities provided in preparatory materials. You may enjoy a more inclusive, easier-paced "Signature City New Orleans" (#2856) or "New Orleans at a Slower Pace: A City of History, Culture and Celebration" (#1475).
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Angela Carll
Angela Mequet Carll is a native New Orleanian who was a writer for “The Times-Picayune” for 30 years. She holds a master’s degree in English with an emphasis on Southern Literature and is the author of “Where Writers Wrote,” a book about writers in New Orleans. She has taught at Tulane University, is a graduate of ITMI, and a licensed New Orleans exploration leader. Angela has been a group leader for Road Scholar since 2016 and brings a wide variety of experiences to her groups.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Nellie Watson
Nellie Watson View biography
Nellie Watson’s love of architecture was born at an early age, growing up in the unique environment of New Orleans’ old neighborhoods. Studying architecture and design in college, her career began at two architecture firms before establishing her own company — Watson & Withrow, Inc. After working the Louisiana World Exposition in 1984, she founded Watson Models, working on major development projects around the world. Nellie gives workshops on the art of model making and enjoys sharing her love for the local culture and architecture.
Profile Image of Brian Altobello
Brian Altobello View biography
Brian Altobello is a native of New Orleans with a Master’s degree in U.S. History and 29 years of teaching experience. He is an Army veteran and author of three books, most recently “Whiskey, Women, and War: How World War I Shaped Jim Crow New Orleans” (University Press of Mississippi, 2021). Married to a travel writing teacher, Brian currently works as a curriculum specialist in the New Orleans area.
Profile Image of Angela Carll
Angela Carll View biography
Angela Mequet Carll is a native New Orleanian who was a writer for “The Times-Picayune” for 30 years. She holds a master’s degree in English with an emphasis on Southern Literature and is the author of “Where Writers Wrote,” a book about writers in New Orleans. She has taught at Tulane University, is a graduate of ITMI, and a licensed New Orleans exploration leader. Angela has been a group leader for Road Scholar since 2016 and brings a wide variety of experiences to her groups.
Profile Image of Milton Carr
Milton J. Carr View biography
Milton Carr was born in Tremé, a cultural center of New Orleans. After studying in San Diego, Milton returned home to New Orleans where he worked for Domino Sugars. During his 33 years at Domino, he became interested in sugar cane’s connections to slavery and the economic history of the city. Milton has been a licensed New Orleans guide since 2001, and is a one-of-a-kind expert on the city's unique music, history, culture and heritage.
Profile Image of Wolf Kassmeier
Wolf Kassmeier View biography
Wolf has enjoyed acting as a group leader since 2000, sharing time with guests in New Orleans, throughout Louisiana, and over-the-road ranging from National Parks in the West to Chicago. For approximately five years he served onboard Amtrak trains as a regional expert. A native Nebraskan, Wolf lived in New Orleans for thirty years.
Profile Image of Dave Roberts
Dave Roberts View biography
Dave Roberts was born in New Orleans and baptized in the same church as Louis Armstrong. He received his B.B.A. from Loyola University (New Orleans) and his M.B.A. from the University of New Orleans. For many years he worked at Loyola University as the director of student finance. Dave started working as a New Orleans group leader in 1997. His expeditions are a blend of history, architecture, food, music, writers, movies, and current events.
Profile Image of Doreen Ketchens
Doreen Ketchens View biography
Doreen Ketchens is a musician whose primary interest lies in spreading the culture and traditional music of New Orleans all over the world through performances and education. As the leader of the jazz band Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans, she has been called "Queen Clarinet," "The Female Louis Armstrong," and “Lady Louie” by critics who have heard her perform. Doreen's Jazz New Orleans has represented New Orleans around the world, performing in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, South America, Russia and the U.S.
Profile Image of Nellie Watson
Nellie Watson View biography
Nellie Watson, a native New Orleanian, has always had a deep passion for the local environment. She has enjoyed sharing stories with Road Scholar for over 20 years, and is also a provider for aerial flightseeing tours of the endangered wetlands. With a background in architecture and a B.F.A. in environmental design, she began her career at two large international architectural firms, had her own residential design firm, and is currently is a professional model maker for major film productions like Marvel and Disney.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead (America's Haunted Road Trip)
by Kala Ambrose
"Join Kala Ambrose, your travel guide the other side, as she takes you back to her roots to discover the Spirits of New Orleans. As an intuitive child born in Louisiana, Kala Ambrose grew up exposed to a rich variety of cultures and influences. The city that had the strongest influence on Kala was New Orleans, the port city known for its bohemian lifestyle embracing art, music and spirituality. Spirits of New Orleans takes you behind the scenes with detailed information about each destination. As your travel guide to the other side, Kala shares travel tips in each chapter of the book listing the best places to stay, shop, dine and party while in New Orleans!"
Accidental City: Improvising New Orleans
by Professor Lawrence N. Powell
"This is the story of a city that shouldn't exist. In the seventeenth century, what is now America's most beguiling metropolis was nothing more than a swamp: prone to flooding, infested with snakes, battered by hurricanes. But through the intense imperial rivalries of Spain, France, and England, and the ambitious, entrepreneurial merchants and settlers from four continents who risked their lives to succeed in colonial America, this unpromising site became a crossroads for the whole Atlantic world. Lawrence N. Powell, a decades-long resident and observer of New Orleans, gives us the full sweep of the city's history from its founding through Louisiana statehood in 1812. We see the Crescent City evolve from a French village, to an African market town, to a Spanish fortress, and finally to an Anglo-American center of trade and commerce. We hear and feel the mix of peoples, religions, and languages from four continents that make the place electric-and always on the verge of unraveling. The Accidental City is the story of land-jobbing schemes, stock market crashes, and nonstop squabbles over status, power, and position, with enough rogues, smugglers, and self-fashioners to fill a picaresque novel. Powell's tale underscores the fluidity and contingency of the past, revealing a place where people made their own history. This is a city, and a history, marked by challenges and perpetual shifts in shape and direction, like the sinuous river on which it is perched."
A New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau
by Carolyn Morrow Long
"Legendary for an unusual combination of spiritual power, beauty, charisma, showmanship, intimidation, and shrewd business sense, Marie Leveau also was known for her kindness and charity, nursing yellow fever victims and ministering to condemned prisoners, and her devotion to the Roman Catholic Church. In separating verifiable fact from semi-truths and complete fabrication, Carolyn Morrow Long explores the unique social, political, and legal setting in which the lives of Laveau’s African and European ancestors became intertwined in nineteenth-century New Orleans."
Why New Orleans Matters
by Tom Piazza
In the aftermath of Katrina and the disaster that followed, promises were made, forgotten, and renewed. Now what will become of New Orleans in the years ahead? What do this proud, battered city and its people mean to America and the world? Award-winning author and longtime New Orleans resident Tom Piazza illuminates the storied culture and uncertain future of this great and neglected American metropolis by evoking the sensuous rapture of the city that gave us jazz music and Creole cooking; examining its deep undercurrents of corruption, racism, and injustice; and explaining how its people endure and transcend those conditions. And, perhaps most important, he asks us all to consider the spirit of this place and all the things it has shared with the world: its grace and beauty, resilience and soul.
A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
This classic drama follows Blanche DuBois and the issues that arise when she moves to New Orleans to live with her sister and her husband.
Rising Tide
by John Barry
An American epic of science, politics, race, honor, high society, and the Mississippi River, Rising Tide tells the riveting and nearly forgotten story of the greatest natural disaster this country has ever known -- the Mississippi flood of 1927. The river inundated the homes of nearly one million people, helped elect Huey Long governor and made Herbert Hoover president, drove hundreds of thousands of blacks north, and transformed American society and politics forever.
Life On The Mississippi
by Mark Twain
An invaluable companion to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi is Mark Twain's inimitable portrait of 'the great Father of Waters'. Part memoir, part travelogue, it expresses the full range of Twain's literary personality, and remains the most vivid, boisterous and provocative account of the cultural and societal history of the Mississippi Valley, from 'the golden age' of steamboating to the violence wrought by the Civil War.
Creole New Orleans Race and Americanization
by Arthur Hirsch and John Logsdon
This collection of six original essays explores the peculiar ethnic composition and history of New Orleans, which the authors persuasively argue is unique among American cities. The focus of Creole New Orleans is on the development of a colonial Franco-African culture in the city, the ways that culture was influenced by the arrival of later immigrants, and the processes that led to the eventual dominance of the Anglo-American community.
The Haunted History of New Orleans: Ghosts of the French Quarter
by James Caskey
This book chronicles one writer's journey to New Orleans, LA, and his quest to find the most haunted locations in the French Quarter. Tag along as he interviews eyewitnesses, historians, and tour guides in one of the most haunted cities in America, What mysterious secrets did he dig up in the dusty archives? Uncover some shocking facts about the Crescent City: how he encountered the wrath of a long-dead Voodoo Queen, had an amazing revelation about one of New Orleans' most famous haunted spots while standing at a Bourbon Street crossroads, and even got to experience his very own haunting, right in the middle of an interview. The Haunted History of New Orleans is not simply a collection of ghost stories, but instead is an experiential search for truth: a quest which will take you into the darker side of history. This book examines the amazing amounts of tragedy in the Crescent City, from the founding right up to present day. Over 35 photos and illustrations!
All The King's Men
by Robert Penn Warren
All the King's Men traces the rise and fall of demagogue Willie Stark, a fictional character loosely based on Governor Huey ""Kingfish"" Long of Louisiana. Stark begins his political career as an idealistic man of the people but soon becomes corrupted by success and caught between dreams of service and an insatiable lust for power.
Louis Armstrong: An American Genius
by James Lincoln Collier
Louis Armstrong. "Satchmo." To millions of fans, he was just a great entertainer. But to jazz aficionados, he was one of the most important musicians of our times--not only a key figure in the history of jazz but a formative influence on all of 20th-century popular music. Set against the backdrop of New Orleans, Chicago, and New York during the "jazz age", Collier re-creates the saga of an old-fashioned black man making it in a white world. He chronicles Armstrong's rise as a musician, his scrapes with the law, his relationships with four wives, and his frequent feuds with fellow musicians Earl Hines and Zutty Singleton. He also sheds new light on Armstrong's endless need for approval, his streak of jealousy, and perhaps most important, what some consider his betrayal of his gift as he opted for commercial success and stardom. A unique biography, knowledgeable, insightful, and packed with information, it ends with Armstrong's death in 1971 as one of the best-known figures in American entertainment.
Confederacy of Dunces
by John Kennedy Toole
A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel written by American novelist John Kennedy Toole, published by Louisiana State University Press in 1980, eleven years after the author's suicide. The book, published through the efforts of writer Walker Percy (who also contributed a revealing foreword) and Toole's mother Thelma Toole, quickly became a cult classic, and later a mainstream success. Toole posthumously won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981. It is now considered a canonical work of modern Southern literature, in the USA. The title derives from the epigraph by Jonathan Swift: "When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him." The story is set in New Orleans in the early 1960s. The central character is Ignatius J. Reilly, an educated but slothful 30-year-old man still living with his mother in the city's Uptown neighborhood, who, due to an incident early in the book, must set out to get a job. In his quest for employment he has various adventures with colorful French Quarter characters.
Dixie Bohemia: A French Quarter Circle in the 1920s (Walter Lynwood Fleming Lectures in Southern History)
by John Shelton Reed
"In the years following World War I, the New Orleans French Quarter attracted artists and writers with its low rents, faded charm, and colorful street life. By the 1920s Jackson Square had become the center of a vibrant if short-lived bohemia. A young William Faulkner and his roommate William Spratling, an artist who taught at Tulane University, resided among the ''artful and crafty ones of the French Quarter.'' In Dixie Bohemia John Shelton Reed introduces Faulkner's circle of friends--ranging from the distinguished Sherwood Anderson to a gender-bending Mardi Gras costume designer--and brings to life the people and places of New Orleans in the Jazz Age. A charming and insightful glimpse into an era, Dixie Bohemia describes the writers, artists, poseurs, and hangers-on in the New Orleans art scene of the 1920s and illuminates how this dazzling world faded as quickly as it began."
The French Quarter: An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld
by Herbert Asbury
Home to the notorious "Blue Book," which listed the names and addresses of every prostitute living in the city, New Orleans's infamous red-light district gained a reputation as one of the most raucous in the world. But the New Orleans underworld consisted of much more than the local bordellos. It was also well known as the early gambling capital of the United States, and sported one of the most violent records of street crime in the country. In The French Quarter, Herbert Asbury, author of The Gangs of New York, chronicles this rather immense underbelly of "The Big Easy." From the murderous exploits of Mary Jane "Bricktop" Jackson and Bridget Fury, two prostitutes who became famous after murdering a number of their associates, to the faux-revolutionary "filibusters" who, backed by hundreds of thousands of dollars of public support—though without official governmental approval—undertook military missions to take over the bordering Spanish regions in Texas, the French Quarter had it all. Once again, Asbury takes the reader on an intriguing, photograph-filled journey through a unique version of the American underworld.





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