Attractions and other places we visit.
We did a guided tour of the historic tombs in St Louis Cemetery Number 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
An interactive map:
We checked in for the tour at the visitor info building across the road:
It has train exhibits:
A map with the area of the city that was flooded highlighted in red:
Then on to our guided tour of St Louis Cemetery Number 1:
Fascinating stuff.
White in New Orleans, we visited a couple of units of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve.
The first unit was the French Quarter visitor center in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.
Another unit was Chalmette Battlefield, site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815:
We visited Oak Alley Plantation, a historic sugar plantation west of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Map:
One reason we chose to tour this plantation was that they acknowledged the history of slavery as part of the establishment:
They had exhibits on the slave quarters, work, and other conditions:
Some nice gardens:
The big house:
Sugarcane theater, with a video on sugarcane harvesting:
We had a guided tour of inside the big house. Unfortunately they don’t allow photos inside:
A view of the oak trees from the second floor balcony:
The wrap-around balcony:
After the tour inside, we walked around the gardens some more:
Then went to the cafe for lunch, followed by the gift store:
Fascinating history.
A timelapse from my 360 camera of an airboat swamp tour near New Orleans.
We took a swamp tour on an airboat, via LaBiche Swamp Tours. Though more of a bayou tour, with a brief trip through a swamp.
We saw a bunch of birds, and some alligators, on a small six-passenger airboat.
A map of the area:
We booked via Mona Lisa Lounge, a nearby dive bar, who provided a bonus pre-tour beverage, some beads, and conversation with the very drunk wife of the owner:
We then proceeded to the tour dock:
The waiting area:
Our airboat:
A larger airboat:
Heading out through the bayou:
The alligators were starting brumation, so were less common, but we did see a few. Here’s our first alligator sighting:
A video of a swimming gator:
A video of airboat travel:
Another video of a swimming gator:
Our airboat:
Another airboat:
A rescued gator back at the dock:
A fun experience.
We did a bit of exploring of New Orleans, Louisiana, including walking around the French Quarter, a quick drive through the Garden District, and elsewhere. This post has an assortment of pictures from the city.
An interactive map:
Lots of pictures from the distinctive French Quarter:
We had a jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters:
A beignet and coffee snack:
Even the cops have swag:
We stopped at another Cafe Beignet for coffee beans (that were kinda gross), and also picked up some tasty pralines:
A brief drive through the Garden District:
Hale Boggs Bridge:
Veterans Memorial Bridge:
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway holds the Guinness World Record for longest continuous span over water in the world, at 23.83 miles (38.35 km) long:
A couple more shots from the French Quarter to finish up:
The city certainly has a lot of character.
We drove along about 140 miles of the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. A weird park barely wider than the road, with thousands of years of history.
Though we drove both ways on that portion, so a total of about 280 miles, plus some detours, over two days.
We also drove past Elvis Presley’s birthplace and Tupelo National Battlefield, and visited Meriwether Lewis National Monument.
An interactive map (see the NPS site for the full route map):
Tupelo:
Back to the Parkway:
Alabama state line:
Tennessee River:
Tennessee State Line:
Meriwether Lewis National Monument, where Lewis of Lewis & Clark died and was buried:
Laurel Hill Road:
Sunset:
A nice scenic drive, with some interesting stops.
We visited Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, in Memphis, Tennessee.
An interactive map:
Gate to the visitor center:
Welcome to Graceland:
We had a reservation for a self-guided tour of the Graceland mansion. We each had a somewhat trashed iPad and headphones with an audio and video guide for the tour:
Shuttle bus across the road to the mansion:
Graceland mansion:
Upstairs was not included in the tour; it’s private to the family:
Backyard:
The manager’s office:
More exhibits, starting with Elvis as a child and his parents:
Gym:
Horses:
The Presley graveyard, where Elvis and his family are buried:
Then we shuttled back over the road to the museum area, and lunch at Gladys’ Diner:
We of course had to have grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches:
Gift store:
Elvis exhibits:
An interesting experience.
We visited Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Map:
An interactive map:
An impressive architectural feature is Anthony Chapel, which we had to quickly visit as it was about to be closed for a wedding:
A waterfall:
Model trains:
This was in early November, so they were in the process of adding holiday decorations:
An impressive treehouse:
A very nice garden, highly recommended.
