Arrive in New Orleans at your leisure and meet up with your new and/or old friends as you enjoy free time in the city before our welcome dinner.

Enjoy a free morning to rest and explore the Big Easy! You may wish to attend mass in the famous St. Louis Cathedral or join in on the second line all for the Joan of Arc Parade which will be taking place on Tuesday night.

At 3PM, we will gather in the lobby and depart for our French Quarter food tour sampling some of the best dishes and cocktails the Vieux Carre has to offer! This will completely constitute your dinner for the day.

Food and cocktails throughout the French Quarter.

Depart the hotel just before 9AM in the morning and tour the incredible Laura Plantation with a very rich history and first-hand accounts from life here. Our tour guide will be none other than my dear friend, Joseph Dunn, who will have dined with us at our welcome dinner. We will return at approximately 1PM.

Enjoy the rest of the day exploring this amazing city before catching a jazz performance at the iconic Preservation Hall at 7:30PM or if interested, join me on an optional and free tour of the Sazerac House at 3PM.

This interactive experience immerses you in the history of the iconic Sazerac cocktail. During the self-guided tour, you’ll discover the art of cocktail-making, explore the origins of the Sazerac, and even enjoy tastings of unique spirits. The beautifully restored building features engaging exhibits that bring the city's vibrant cocktail culture to life. Don't miss this chance to sip and savor the rich traditions of New Orleans! Best of all, it's FREE.

Enjoy your last day your way! You are more than welcome to tag along with Jewel and do whatever she decides or pick any of the suggestions from the LONG list you will be provided of amazing things to do in the city.

We will conclude the day all together at 6PM for a farewell dinner at a restaurant right in the heart of the French Quarter before watching Krewe de Jeanne d' Arc parade! 

Depart for home on your own with a camera full of awesome shots and a life more enriched with amazing memories! Hopefully you love this place like Jewel does and find yourself itching to get back.

LA State Museums - Admissions to each museum is $11 for adults and $9 for students or seniors. If you purchase admission to 2 or more of these museums, you may be able to receive a discount. This can be done at any location. All museums are open from 10AM to 4PM with the last admission at 3:30PM. https://louisianastatemuseum.org/region/new-orleans

• The Presbytere - Right in the heart of Jackson Square to the right of the St. Louis Cathedral (which you must pop in if you find it open), this houses a fabulous first floor dedicated to Hurricane Katrina and the second floor is dedicated to all things Mardi Gras.

• The Cabildo - To the left of the St. Louis Cathedral, this is the location of the signing of the Louisiana Purchase and now houses a plethora of historical items related to the history of New Orleans and southern Louisiana.

• The Jazz Museum - Located at the end of the "French Quarter" directly behind the French Market, this used to be a mint. The lower floor still pays homage to that period and the rest of the museum is dedicated to all things Jazz. If you are a TRUE jazz fan (while I love it, I have to admit I didn't know who hardly anyone featured in the museum was), this may be a spot for you!

The Historic New Orleans Collection - Located right on Royal Street, this is an awesome museum that has all things New Orleans and is free to visit and open from 9:30AM (10:30 on Sundays) - 4:30PM https://www.hnoc.org/visit

New Orleans Museum of Art - Beautifully located in City Park, you can access this by taking the Canal Streetcar City Park/Museums. The museum is open from 10AM - 5PM (except Mondays). After viewing the various art exhibits, you may wish to roam the grounds and visit the Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors. https://noma.org/

The Sazerac House - "The Sazerac cocktail gained fame in New Orleans in the 1850s and is served all around the world to this day. This is your place to see how the Sazerac is part of the customs, traditions and culture of New Orleans. You will get to sample various cocktails and receive recipes as well. Tours are free, reservations for tickets are required with the last tour taking place at 4:20PM.” Open daily from 11AM - 6PM.

https://www.sazerachouse.com/visit/

Any of the museums listed above can certainly be family friendly (even the Sazerac House), but there are several other great spots in the city that may appeal to families.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - located within walking distance of the hotel or just a short street car ride down Canal, this aquarium is rated among the top 10 in the United States.

Audubon Zoo - an easy ride on Uber or down the Magazine street bus line located right near Audubon park and the Tree of Life (both highly recommended if you are making your way down this far anyway). This is a great time for the whole family to enjoy and a very nice zoo! Open from 10AM - 5PM Thursday through Monday. Tickets for both are available at the following link and prices vary by age and day of visit. https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/tickets

Mardi Gras World - A totally and uniquely New Orleans experience, you will be able to see exactly what goes into making the amazing floats featured in the Mardi Gras parades. Their size will astound you as will the amount of work and detail required to make them what they are. Open from 9AM - 5:30PM with the last tour taking place at 4:30PM, it is slightly out of walking distance, but a free shuttle is available from various walkable points near hotels in the CBD and the French Quarter. Cost for adults is $29.95 and for, students, children, and seniors is $24.95. https://www.mardigrasworld.com/tours/

Since there are so many fabulous things to experience in NOLA, I advise you take the time to look over the map and decide where you really want to go and want to spend your time. I am going to put only my top favorite spots in here so you can prioritize if, and only if, you trust my judgement as an authority on the topic and a general source of which would reflect your own desires. For example, I am not really a shopper, and thus will not include the main shopping areas here, but they are all located and coded appropriately on your map so you can be sure to make your own level of awesome happen with each minute in NOLA.

The Tree of Life - Located in Audubon Park, this tree is seriously HUGE!!

Louis Armstrong Mural - Located on O'Keefe Ave in the Central Business District, this is a really neat mural that seems completely 3D.

Armstrong Park and Congo Square - A must see spot just outside of the French Quarter rich in history.

**Bars... there are a lot... the hotel actually has a pretty impressive bar and you may find yourself just plopping down there and relaxing!

Hot Tin - This bar has my favorite views in all of city and is located right off of the St. Charles street car line.

Rosie's on the Roof - Another favorite bar with incredible views of the city, especially at night. Located right by the WWII museum, it is themed as such.

The Black Penny - A cool local place on Rampart in the French Quarter with a very wide selection of beers. Much cheaper than other watering holes.

Jewel of the South- One of the top ranked cocktail bars in the city which opened only a few years ago. I am definitely going to make it there this year, so let me know if you want to join me on this pilot endeavor.

**Restaurants... hmm... Is it possible to have a bad meal in the Big Easy?

I think the answer may very well be a resounding NO, it's not. I have put MANY restaurant recommendations in your Google Map for you, so please review in advance. SUPER SHORT LIST below:

Mr. B's Bistro - Possibly one of my best dining experiences ever and the drinks do not disappoint either.

Muriels - A super cool and "haunted" dining spot right on the corner at Jackson's Square. Food and drinks are always on point here.

Cornet - A little less fancy, but delicious nonetheless. Great balcony seating overlooking a not too crazy section of Bourbon Street and located across from Preservation Hall.

Cafe du Monde - No trip to NOLA is complete without a beignet here!

I hope those on this trip will find themselves as fascinated in the history of this amazing city as I am. I have collected several books over the years and am learning more and more every time I visit NOLA. The books you see are some of my favorites. My collection is still growing and this is not all of it.

For example, the book you see pictured titled Intimate Enemies is about Micaela Leonarda Antonia de Almonester Rojas y de la Ronde, Baroness de Pontalba. She is responsible for the construction of many of the buildings in the French Quarter, but namely, the Pontabla buildings that flank both sides of Jackson Square. Her life and odd marriage were definitely something! She was a woman way ahead of her time!

Several others like the Beautiful Crescent and The World that Made New Orleans are both great books that capture the history of the city and all of the various different groups that have ruled it at one point in time.

You may or may not be aware of the dark side of New Orleans history, such as the area formerly known as Storyville around the turn of the century. Lifetime movies have nothing on the tales that originated out of this place around the turn of the century. I’m pretty excited to check out the new museum devoted to this section of town which just opened.

Not to mention others regarding Hurricane Katrina; how it happened, why it was so devastating and how this city is incredibly and beautifully resilient!

While it may very well be snowing and blowing in some parts of the USA. in early January, it is usually in the 50s or 60s in New Orleans. Keep in mind it is always humid and this makes it feel colder than it is. I advise everyone pack clothing that is comfortable to layer. Perhaps wear a light jacket or sweatshirt on the day of departure and pack other long-sleeve shirts and long pants. Before you pack, check the weather for the area to have a better idea of what you will need. Bank on doing A TON of walking, so please make sure you wear comfortable shoes as you will surely be getting your steps. It is possible we may face rain, so packing a small umbrella or rain jacket, it is advisable. Pack all items in a personal item (such as a back pack or something that will fit under the seat of a plane) and a carry-on suitcase (one that will fit in the overhead compartment in the plane). Most airlines will charge for a larger suitcase (checked bag).

______ Valid ID

______ Cell phone (loaded with important info) and charger

______ Medications

______ Glasses, contact lenses, sunglasses

______ Clothing - sweatshirt, jacket, shoes, etc

______ Toiletries (all liquids must be in a clear plastic bag; nothing to exceed 3 Fluid Ounces in carry on)

______ Pre-packaged snacks if you choose

______ Refillable/portable water bottle (useful/cost-saving)

______ Credit cards

______ Cash for tips or as preferred (keep in mind street musicians)

Please make sure you have my cell phone saved in your list of contacts so you can easily update me if you have any delays or issues arriving in New Orleans. I would also appreciate knowing your estimated arrival time prior to December 30th.

Q: What technology or apps should I have on my phone before this trip?

A: BASIC TEXTING: In case you are out and about and see something awesome that others should know about, or maybe you want to connect with others to make plans on the fly, I will create a group chat for us. I will send out reminders while we are on tour in this group message setting as well. I typically use WhatsApp for this, however, as there are so few of us and this is a domestic trip, we will keep it simple.

• I love it when people share their great pics in our groups. Rumor has it I may or may not offer a cool prize for the person who shares what I deem to be the best picture with the group by Tuesday night!

GOOGLE MAPS: This is non-negotiable. A general "go to" for getting around in any new place, please make sure you have downloaded Google Maps on your phone and have also downloaded your interactive plotted map of all of my top places. I have put a ton of time into making sure that every activity we will be doing as well as every tried and true place I enjoy in NOLA is listed, described, and photo attached in this map. Trust me, with this, you can never say you don't know what to do nor should you really be able to get lost! Here is the link to your NEW ORLEANS MAP.

LIFE 360: In the event you fear in any way you may get lost or you are afraid you are incapable of having tons of fun on your own with the guidance found in this document and want to locate me at any time and tag along with whatever awesomeness I am creating in my life at the moment, this is the app for you! I will post the invitation code for our Life 360 circle on Thursday, 1/1 in the What's App group. Codes are only good for 2 days. If you find having your location able to be tracked and able to track that of others just plain creepy, no need to download this app.

LE PASS MOBILE APP: Some of you may be perfectly content to never venture out anywhere that is not within walking distance of the hotel; however, while Uber may be convenient, you are really missing out if you do not utilize the public transportation system in NOLA. For just $3 a day, or $8 for 3 days, you can get unlimited rides on any bus or streetcar in the city. You can purchase your Jazzy Pass with $3 cash once you board your first bus or streetcar for the day (what we typically do) or you can purchase it on your phone with the app and scan your phone each time you board. The app will show you where the buses and streetcars are in real time and is super user friendly. I'm happy to walk anyone through this and even do a little session on it in the lobby post-ghost tour for any who are interested! See the image to the right to view my favorite routes (St. Charles and Magazine should be a definite must to favorite and utilize).

FRENCH QUARTER TOURS APP: This can be found right in the App store and is fabulous for the nerds among us. It is a totally free app produced by the Historic New Orleans Collection that offers information on several of the buildings in the French Quarter. If you are one who likes to just bumble around and take in the scenery and not spend a lot of money, this app is for you. It also features several free walking tours you can do with various lengths and times (Music, Literature, Free People of Color, Slave Trade, Around Jackson Square, Lower Quarter, Around the Courthouse, Bourbon and Beyond).

Q: Can I get by without these apps?

A: You can, but if you miss out on something, I cannot be held responsible!

Q: How much cash should I bring?

A: Credit cards are accepted essentially everywhere. The amount of cash you bring really depends on your general tipping preferences as well as spending habits. All tips for group activities has already been included and therefore any tipping you do would be over and above or on your own.

• Gratuity is included for our welcome dinner and farewell dinners as well as guided tours and drivers, but if you feel anyone did an exceptional job, I'm sure no one will scoff at receiving an extra tip around the holidays. Please give any additional you wish and thank them personally before parting ways. This is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL.

• For hotel staff, recommendations range from $1-$5 a night with a thank you note left behind.

• Having extra $1's or $5's to tip street musicians and performers is really useful. I have to be honest. I don’t love it when I see people who are clearly enjoying the performances, taking lots of pictures and videos, but never putting so much as a $1 in containers set out to pay.

Q: How do I get to and from the hotel?

A: Ubers and Taxis are readily available at the airport. Generally, when I am heading down the large staircase near the baggage claim in order to exit, I start pulling up the Uber App on my phone and locating one. I have never had it take me more than 5 minutes from the time I have programmed it into the app for one to reach me. Bank on spending at least $40 (and the same when you depart the hotel and return to the airport) with tip to get into town. If you would like to know if you are arriving at the same time as anyone else and are interested in sharing a ride, please speak to me ahead of time to connect you. I am happy to help anyone navigate this process before departure.

If you are uncomfortable using this service, please let me know and I can arrange for a scheduled private car/driver who will greet you. This service is approximately $120 each way for a standard car. If you have a larger party and would like to schedule something larger, please contact me so I can reach out to my preferred company and get this set up for you.

The same process should be utilized to get back to the airport. I can arrange a car for you if you like, or you can just get an Uber. I typically schedule my Uber the night before when I am leaving the hotel very early (which I will be... sadly!). This is very simple to do on the app.

Q: What happens if my flight is delayed?

A: I will be tracking all flights. I will be monitoring and expecting you to text me when able with updates as well. As long as everything goes smoothly, I plan on greeting you in the hotel lobby upon your arrival.

Q: What happens if my flight is canceled or majorly delayed?

A: Unfortunately, there is little I can do and I cannot recuperate the funds at that point for anything you have missed. Be sure you are in contact with your airline and working with them to get you on the soonest scheduled flight into New Orleans and we will catch up with you when we are able. It is up to you if you choose to purchase travel insurance and I always recommend it to help you recuperate any costs that may be incurred if you do have a serious delay, cancellation, or other issue that prevents you from going on the trip. I am happy to get on the phone with you and give you my best advice to handling the situation should it arise, but we all just need to be praying to the gods of travel well in advance for such a thing to NOT happen!

Q: How will hotel check-in work?

A: Check in is at 4PM., however, if you are arriving earlier, you may be able to check in early. If your room is not yet available, you will be able to store your luggage securely so you can start exploring. You will need a credit card for incidentals for the room, but all of your nights are paid for including the additional nights some of you are staying. To check out, just return your key and be sure you do not have any incidentals or tabs you need to square up.

Q: Jewel, how is the best way to reach you while we are in New Orleans or traveling?

A: Call or text me at (814) 657-2136. In the event that I am somewhere and cannot quite hear my phone, you can check for my whereabouts on the Life 360 app. I will always be letting you know where I will be headed after any planned activities and certainly welcome any of you that want to tag along and do my thing with me :) I will make sure everyone knows what room I am staying in and I will also have a list of everyone in the group's rooms as well in the event that I need it.

Q: So how safe is New Orleans?

A: Personally, I do not find it to feel unsafe at all, but I always stay in the general areas of the French Quarter, the CBD (Central Business District), and the Garden District/Uptown/Irish Channel areas. The Rozanskis also do not frequent Bourbon Street after 9PM as we tend to find that is when the "weirdos" come out. However, there may be those of you among us who say, "Jewel, you are a total stick in the mud! That's when all the fun begins!" Where you choose to go or not go at any point in time is completely up to you. As my husband often says, make bad choices, win bad prizes! This can apply to trekking around any city in the world. I have seen things online that discuss pickpockets in New Orleans, but I have NEVER seen or experienced such a thing and never once felt I needed to guard my purse or bag like I have had to in Barcelona or Rome for example. Be smart, be safe, be aware. You will see many homeless people and you will see "tent cities" under any overpasses. People may approach or ask you for money, but do not follow you like in Latin America. This is very sad to me, but it does exist so I want to honestly prepare you.

Tip: **If someone says to you, “I’ll bet I can tell you where you got your shoes.”, respond with “On my feet” and keep walking quickly. Otherwise, you will get trapped into this scenario where they will wash your shoes, sing this song, and expect money from you at the end. Not unsafe, but uncomfortable.

REMINDER OF IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:

New Orleans Police Department (504) 821-2222

New Orleans Fire Department (504) 658-4714

Should any serious emergency arise on tour, be sure to call 911.

My powers will only go so far in certain situations.

Q: There is so much in here, can I just call you before we leave and have you chat with me and develop an itinerary for my free time that seems like it would be awesome for me and my crew?

A: Absolutely, but making sure you schedule the time to do this with me ahead of time is on you, otherwise, I am banking on you studying your map and this guide!

Q: But can't I ask you what you think I should do on the fly when we are done with our scheduled activities for the day?

A: You bet! I'm here for you! That's my job... and it rocks by the way!

Q: Do I need reservations for museums, restaurants, and other places?

A: Definitely advised! I am happy to make reservations for you or purchase tickets for you (ensuring I have a proper credit card authorization form from you), with advance notice. For anything you decide to do on the fly, I am happy to assist you in attempting to secure proper tickets or reservations and will walk you through anything as needed. Again, it's my job and it's awesome!