DESTINATION GOLF 2024
“ Tripod ” the alligator
Audubon Park GC
Atchafalaya at Idlewild GC
Then take in traditional jazz at legendary venues Maison Bourbon or Preservation Hall .
Away from Bourbon Street ’ s excesses , take a stroll along the less frenetic Frenchmen Street to take in its live music clubs , bars , cafes and restaurants . Its outdoor art market stays open until 1am most nights .
Local foods to try in the city include crawfish etouffee , sausage gumbo and po ’ boy sandwiches . Not forgetting coffee and beignets at New Orleans institution Café du Monde , busy even at 5am .
By day , visit New Orleans ’ eerie “ cities of the dead ” cemeteries with their tombs built above ground because of the high water table , take a swamp and bayou tour , discover the city ’ s mystical voodoo heritage , explore the French Quarter ’ s architecture and history on a walking tour that includes Jackson Square , the St Louis Cathedral and nearby French Market , and take a streetcar ride past the graceful homes of its Garden District or along the Mississippi riverfront .
A good place to stay within walking distance of the French Quarter is the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District , housed in a renovated 19th century warehouse .
Country Club at Golden Nugget
The Great River Road is a 100-mile road skirting the Mississippi River that ’ s known as Plantation Alley , for the number of magnificent old plantation homes dotting the riverside .
Most famous of all is Oak Alley , its grand , pillared mansion standing at the end of an avenue of giant live oaks dripping in Spanish moss . Nottoway Plantation , near Baton Rouge , is the South ’ s largest antebellum mansion and is now a luxury boutique resort . Staying there on a previous visit I could imagine the lives of luxury and privilege enjoyed by the sugar cane barons and their families as I surveyed Old Man River from my balcony rocking chair .
By contrast , a tour of Laura Plantation highlights the lives of the slaves who toiled there . The slave cabins were where traditional West African stories that later became the Brer Rabbit tales were told from the 1840s .
Food and drink are a big part of Louisiana ’ s appeal , and we get to savour plenty of both as part of our trails trip experience .
In New Orleans , we enjoy tours and tastings at the NOLA Distillery and Urban South Brewery , with dinner at the Palace Café , where jazz brunch is served at weekends , followed by afterdinner drinks at The Bombay Club .
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