Travel

Item Description

Experience Hundreds of Years Worth of Stories, Celebrations and One-of-a-Kind Culture in New Orleans, Louisiana for Four Days & Three Nights at Either the Windsor Court Hotel, the Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans, or the Maison Dupuy Hotel for Two, Including Your Choice of a Tour of the City, a Ghosts and Spirits Walking Tour, an Original Cocktail Walking Tour or a Class at the New Orleans School of Cooking, and a $200 Gift Card to Your Choice of Mr. B's or Commander's Palace (Land Only)

Perhaps the best way to describe New Orleans is with a palette of the most vibrant colors - from jazz music to riverboats, Creole cuisine to the French Quarter, the Big Easy has earned its flamboyant reputation! Explore all that New Orleans has to offer on a city tour, or acquaint yourself with some of its unexpected (possibly unwanted) and mystifying inhabitants on the nighttime Ghosts and Spirits Walking Tour! You could get into a spirited exploration of the city as you make your way to historic bars and sample classic concoctions on the Original Cocktail Walking Tour, or try a class at the New Orleans School of Cooking; either way you can savor the food at either Commander's Palace, where modern New Orleans cooking meets haute Creole, or at Mr. B's Bistro where you can dine on fresh regional cuisine in the heart of the French Quarter.

A tour of the city will illuminate the fact that music is always nearby, supplied by the tolling bells of St. Louis Cathedral, the clanging of streetcars, and the rhythms of Dixieland Jazz. The thorough and fascinating introduction to the endless variety that is New Orleans includes such highlights as the Superdome, St. Charles Avenue, the French Quarter and Jackson Square. You could also opt for some paranormal activity on a nighttime walking Ghosts and Spirits Tour of the French Quarter! New Orleans is known as "the most haunted city in America", and you'll learn about the history of the colorful characters who have lived, died and chosen to remain in this 300-year old European city as you enter haunted sites and listen to ghostly stories. Will you see any ghosts? Staff and guests report regular ghost sightings - maybe you will, too!

You can also opt to see the other 'spirited' side of New Orleans on a fun and informative cocktail tour! You'll rub shoulders with local imbibers at historic bars and restaurants and sip on classic concoctions like the Sazerac and Pimm's Cup as your guide and savvy mixologists tell stories about the famous – and sometimes scandalous – histories of drink and drinking culture in New Orleans. From bars to bistros, Cajun to Creole, and French to fabulous, New Orleans is a city of flavors! The entertaining demonstration class offered at the New Orleans School of Cooking is held in a renovated molasses warehouse, built in the early 1800s in the heart of the French Quarter.

Come hungry and ready for a hearty meal at one of two New Orleans fixtures! Since 1880, Commander's Palace has been a New Orleans landmark. From your first sip of a Sazerac to your last crumb of bread pudding soufflé, you'll be pampered and delighted - and that's what New Orleans is all about! Renowned for its fresh Creole cuisine, Mr. B's Bistro, a New Orleans institution, is right in the heart of the French Quarter. Considered the original New Orleans gourmet bistro, Mr. B's Bistro creates culinary masterpieces from fried oysters on the half shell, to rich country-style gumbo, scrumptious crab cakes to the classic shrimp and grits!

You have three fantastic options for accommodations around the grand city of New Orleans, each offering a unique experience. Step into timeless hospitality at the elegant Windsor Court Hotel, where you'll find luxury, essential amenities, a superb art collection dating back to the 17th century, and the hotel's impressive collection of awards. Laissez le bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll) at the fully restored and completely renovated Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans. Renowned as one of the landmark hotels of the French Quarter, this stately hotel is located adjacent to famed Bourbon Street within walking distance of the city's most popular attractions. Or experience one of the most unique New Orleans hotels in the French Quarter, the Maison Dupuy. As one of a small handful of hotels set inside the city's Vieux Carré district, and located only two blocks from the heart of Bourbon Street, this upscale hotel beckons you to relax and escape the hustle of modern life, offering guests a distinct mixture of history and luxury unlike any other.

Your trip for two includes:
4 days/3 nights accommodations at Either the Windsor Court Hotel, the Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans, or the Maison Dupuy Hotel
All room-related taxes
Your choice of a Super City Tour, Ghosts and Spirits Walking Tour, Original Cocktail Walking Tour or Class at the New Orleans School of Cooking
(1) $200 Gift Card to your choice of Commander's Palace or Mr. B's Bistro
Free concierge reservation service

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Travel package is non-refundable and subject to availability. Certificates/gift cards cannot be replaced. Tour runs on specific days of the week and at specific times. If tour is not available, it may be substituted with equal or similar experience. Hotel may be substituted with equal or similar accommodations. Blackout dates: Jan 1, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Jul 2-5, Oct 29-31, Dec 31. Cocktail Walking Tour participants must be 21 years or older with valid photo I.D. Cost of beverages on the Cocktail Walking Tour is the responsibility of the traveler. A minimum 45 day advance reservation is required. Please contact us at auction@stmaryhs.org to find out deadline to travel.