Highlights

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Biloxi 

Today, you arrive in Biloxi, MS for a four night stay at the IP Resort Casino which towers over the scenic Back Bay of Biloxi, Mississippi.  Enjoy a luxurious stay & an unforgettable gaming experience at the Gulf Coast’s only Vegas-style ultra-lounge and 32-story hotel with great water views. Dinner is included tonight at the Casino. (D)

Day 2 – Bay of St. Louis – Biloxi Shrimping Cruise – Shrimp Boil

This morning you meet a local guide for a tour of the Bay of St. Louis. Your tour will include many local landmarks along with the historic Bay St. Louis Depot and St. Rose De Lima Church.

Then you will have time to explore Old Town Main Street, the home of 200 resident artists. The streets are lined with enough antique shops, art galleries, gift shops, boutiques, specialty shops and restaurants to please any appetite.

This afternoon as you set sail on the Biloxi Shrimping Cruise. Like generations of Gulf Coast fishermen before you, you sail the Gulf in search of dinner. You’ll feel like Bubba Gump as you toss the net and haul it back in. The ship’s crew will both educate and entertain you, demonstrating the work on a Shrimp Trawler and telling you stories of their catches and memorable voyages. You will also learn a little history of the Gulf Coast as you harvest the fruits of her sea.

Meanwhile back at the pier, once the Trawler is docked, you enjoy an old-fashioned Southern Mississippi Shrimp Boil. You will feast on succulent Shrimp, Red Potatoes, corn on the cob, and sausage. This is Mississippi Finger Food at its best – a meal on the pier. (B,D)

Day 3 – New Orleans – French Quarter – Mardi Gras World – New Orleans School of Cooking

Today, you visit New Orleans, where on arrival you meet a local guide for a city tour. You will travel by the historic parts of the French Quarter, where you see some of the oldest sections of the city: Jackson Square, the towering St. Louis Cathedral, the infamous Bourbon Street and the bustling French Market. No visit to New Orleans would be complete without a tour in one of the historic cemeteries, where you will find the above ground tombs that inhabit these “cities of the dead.”

Next, you will have free time for lunch on own and a chance to explore the French Quarter’s many restaurants, shops, boutiques and entertainment venues.

The afternoon features a visit to Mardi Gras World where you see the floats and learn the history of this famous event. Created for you by the people who bring Mardi Gras to life every year. The colors, the lights, the music, the joie de vivre; it’s all here in one magical place where you can peek behind the curtain. See Mardi Gras in the making.

Tonight enjoy a Cooking Demonstration & Dinner at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Its entertaining classes and the Louisiana General Store are located in a renovated molasses warehouse built in the early 1800s in the Heart of the French Quarter. Fun is a primary ingredient in our kitchen! Our Creole/Cajun experts teach New Orleans specialties such as Gumbo, Jambalaya and Pralines, and season them with history, trivia and tall tales. It’s a “ga-ron-teed” good time for all. Return to Biloxi after dinner. (B,D)

Day 4 – Biloxi – Walter Anderson Museum of Art – Beauvoir – Colonial Era Dinner

This morning, enjoy free time for gaming at the casino.

Lunch is included today at Mary Mahoney’s Old French House. Enjoy an upscale and elegant meal in one of the South’s most unique restaurants; centered around one of the oldest homes in America. Dine in an elegant New Orleans style courtyard under the canopy of a centuries old live oak, where for 50 years, presidents, dignitaries, celebrities, and millions of others have experienced the rich history and legendary cuisine of Mary Mahoney’s.

This afternoon you visit the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. The Anderson family is still alive and well in Ocean Springs — enjoy the murals and outdoor art inspired by this family. WAMA is dedicated to the celebration of the works of Walter Inglis Anderson (1903-1965), American master, whose depictions of the plants, animals, and people of the Gulf Coast have placed him among the forefront of American painters of the Twentieth Century.

Then visit Beauvoir, the restored home of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. He lived here after the Civil War until his death. The home was built in 1848 with a splendid view of the Gulf of Mexico. It is now a museum and includes the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library which has artifacts connected to the daily life of the Confederate Soldier, a field habitat/shelter display, as well as The Beauvoir Soldier’s Home flag.

At the end of the home’s historical tour, you enjoy a special evening. A Colonial Era Dinner, featuring recipes from Ms Davis’ Cookbook (She was the President’s daughter). This meal will be served on Beauvoir’s columned porch. Should you wish to enhance this experience we can add Southern Parlor Music to the night for a modest cost. (B,L,D)

Day 5 – Depart

After breakfast, depart for home. (B)

Tour Map