I am planning a trip for students I teach to Savannah and New Orleans this April. I am wondering about any walking tours, historic tours and must-see attractions that I should take the kids to see.
(1) All of the students have mild learning differences, but also get fatigued and over-stimulated quickly. However, most of them have choices to make about activities to go on while on the trip;
(2) I am responsible for the Paranormal aspects of the trip (ghost tours, etc. Any Ghost tours, especially ones with incorporate local history, culture and heritage would be great, along with ones to avoid (I like to know more than the internet can tell me);
(3) We are planning side trips to the plantations along the Mississippi River as well during our time in Louisiana. Any tips on what to see are also helpful.
Thanks a bunch! I have come to rely heavily on tips from the members on TripAdvisor in planning my trips for my students. It helps them to lead fuller lives and learn more about themselves and those around them by having these travel opportunities be enjoyable experiences.
Dave
New Orleans %26amp; Miss River Must-See's, esp GHOST tours!
I%26#39;m not a fan of ghost tours, so I%26#39;ll defer to others on the ghost tour recommendations.
Your choice of plantations will probably depend on your choice of transportation. If you%26#39;re going with an organized tour, I believe most of the organized tours that leave from New Orleans go to Laura and Oak Alley plantations. Neither of these are my favorites. I prefer Nottaway and Houmas House, but they%26#39;re farther upriver and you%26#39;d need your own transportation. However, if most of your students have never been to a plantation, Laura and Oak Aley should do just fine. The grounds at Oak Alley are particularly impressive. I suggest that you don%26#39;t even consider eating at the restaurant there. It%26#39;s very ordinary and there are better choices available to you.
April is one of the two busiest months of the year in New Orleans. Lodging is often scarce and expensive. If you haven%26#39;t already secured lodging, you should begin that process immediately. The weather in April is usually wonderful. It%26#39;s a great time to be visiting New Orleans.
Enjoy.
New Orleans %26amp; Miss River Must-See's, esp GHOST tours!
Ghost tour, conducted by ISPR, Mortuary on Canal St.. Check out website, www.ispr.net for more info. You might want to check online, there are several ghost tours here, don%26#39;t know exactly what you like, some are good, some are mostly shtick. The old cemeteries are very interesting. For sheer horror, you might want to take a tour which includes passing by the LaLaurie mansion on Royal St., I feel it only fair to warn you, the story of Madame Delphine LaLauire is very intense and viewed as obscene and quite upsetting to many, you may want to google before deciding on this.
The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville is haunted, (yes, I do have first hand experience there) but I find the day time tour far ';creepier'; (for lack of a better word) than the night time tour, there%26#39;s something about the gazebo and roaming the far reaches of the property in the day light. From a historic perspective, the best plantation tour (IMHO) is Laura, the slave cabins are still standing, For aesthetics, Oak Alley is stunning.
As for Savannah, I liked the book (Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil) tour even more than the ghosts tours.
ENJOY!
Thanks for your input so far - it%26#39;s GREAT! This is just what I need!
I did get lodging already (a Hampton Inn in the Central Business District) as of last April - I like to book these things way in advance whenever possible. Plus, I will look into some of the tours suggested so far (some of the kids are from the area, but for most, this will be their first trip).
Keep the ideas coming!
Dave
If you%26#39;re interested in authenticity, you might consider Evergreen Plantation. Tours are currently by appointment only, but I%26#39;m sure they%26#39;d be happy to accommodate your group. They aren%26#39;t open for unscheduled tours because Evergreen is still a working plantation. Evergreen%26#39;s double row of 22 slave cabins is unmatched by any plantation in the US.
Here%26#39;s a link to their web site:
http://www.evergreenplantation.org/
Just as loveNola indicated the ISPR would be a great tour as its choices would be like being with the Ghost Hunters on TV. I was on it before Katrina and also had experiences at the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville; I%26#39;d rec. seeing Laura Plantation and since its so close..Oak Alley.
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