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Laura Plantation
2247 Highway 18
Vacherie, LA 70090
225-265-7690
Laura is a little different than
most of the Louisiana antebellum plantations, in that it is built in
the French "Creole" style, rather than in the style of the English or
American antebellum homes common throughout the area. While it has the
wide veranda that most plantation homes had, the ceilings were not quite
as high, and the architectural style is noticeably different. According to Mr. Norman Marmillion, owner and manager of Laura,
"Twenty five years ago, before we knew anything about Laura or her
Memoirs, we wanted to save this small place. It was because of those
last houses you can see in the back. We have four of the old slave
cabins standing. There were once 69 cabins and people lived in those
houses until 1977."
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Nottoway Plantation
31025 Louisiana Hwy. 1
White Castle, LA 70788
225-545-2730 or 866-527-6884
The largest of the Antebellum
Plantations remaining in Louisiana, is Nottoway Plantation, located on
River Road (LA 405), in White Castle, south of Baton Rouge. It was
second in size and grandeur only to Belle Grove Plantation Home, which
suffered a series of disasters, and finally succumbed to fire. Nottoway was built in 1857 by John Hampden
Randolph, of Virginia, who amassed a great fortune in sugar. The house
has 50 rooms, which were certainly needed, as John Randolph had 11
children. It is said that Nottoway was the first Plantation Home to have
a bathroom on the second floo
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St. Joseph Plantation
3535 Highway 18
Vacherie, LA 70090
225-265-4078
St. Joseph Plantation is
one of the few fully intact sugar cane plantations in the River
Parishes. In addition to the Manor Home, we have numerous outbuildings
for you to explore. These include original slave cabins, detached
kitchen, blacksmith’s shop , carpenter’s shed, and schoolhouse.
Several buildings have been moved to their present location from another
part of the property, but most remain exactly where they were built.
Composed of 2500 acres (including our “sister” plantation, Felicity),
our property stretches back from the Mississippi River as far as the eye
can see - and beyond! Take a walk through time
as you enjoy a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the many
interesting people who have called this plantation "Home."
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Houmas House Plantation
40136 Highway 942
River Road
Darrow, Louisiana 70725
225-473-9380
One of the most visited Antebellum Plantation Homes near New Orleans is the Houmas House Plantation. Not only do tourists come by the busloads, but locals may make the drive to spend a couple of hours on the grounds, followed by lunch in nearby restaurants, before returning home. Houmas is a home with the architectural style that most people envision when they think of the old plantations. It was used as the filming location for the film "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charolette," starring Bette Davis. Located in the small river community of Darrow, LA, it sits on a few acres on the Mississippi River, much smaller than the 20,000 acres that it once had. The present Houmas House was built in 1840 by Col. John Smith Preston, on land originally owned by the Houmas Indians, hence the name.
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Destrehan Plantation
13034 River Road
Destrehan, LA 70047
985-764-9315 or 877-453-2095
Destrehan Plantation was built in 1787, originally of West Indies new orleans plantation architecture, but later renovated to the then popular Greek Revival Style. It is the oldest documented plantation house left intact in the lower Mississippi Valley. The plantation bears the name of its builder, Jean Noel Destrehan, who acquired the estate from his father-in-law, Robin de Longy. It was here that the process of producing granulated sugar was perfected, and helped to establish sugar cane as the major crop of the area, replacing indigo. After years of neglect, restoration is now continuing. Today, the house is open for guided tours, and is available for dinner parties, wedding receptions and special events.
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San Francisco Plantation
2646 Hwy 44
Garyville, LA 70051
985-535-2341 or 888-322-1756
In Garyville, La. stands the most distinctive
and authentically restored 'great house' in color and design in
Louisiana with five hand painted mural ceilings, faux marble and bois
wood graining, and includes one of the finest collections within the
U.S. Built in 1856, by Edmond Marmillion in Old Louisiana
Colonial-Steamboat Gothic Style, this National Landmark offers a museum
store, 1830's Slave Cabin, and1840's one-room Schoolhouse nestled under
300 year old Live Oaks. Opened daily for tours with period dressed
guides sharing the French and German heritage of the family, slaves and
civil war. 'Best Historic Plantation Tour in Louisiana' says E. R.
Troha. Tours begin daily at 9:30 / last tour at 4:40. Tours
begin every 20 minutes daily and one of our period dressed guides will
captivate your attention through a 45 minute tour of all 14 rooms of the
plantation + schoolhouse + slave cabins.
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Oak Alley Plantation
3645 Louisiana 18
Vacherie, LA 70090
225-265-2151
Oak Alley is truly the quintessential Southern Antebellum Plantation
home. It is a massive Greek Revival home, supported by 28 columns, each 8
feet in circumference, with 15 foot high ceilings and 16 inch thick
brick walls. The 13 foot wide veranda surrounds the house on all four
sides, offering a splendid view, and ample shade and protection from the
sun or rain. From the main entrance, two rows of 14 magnificent oak
trees (now 250 years old) line the walk to the Mississippi River, a
quarter mile away, hence the name "Oak Alley".
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New Orleans Museum of Art
1 Collins Diboll Circle
City Park
New Orleans, LA 70119
504-658-4100
The New Orleans Museum of Art, the city's oldest fine arts institution, has a magnificent permanent collection of more than 40,000 objects, valued in excess of $200 million. The collection, noted for its extraordinary strengths in French and American art, photography, glass, African and Japanese works, continues to grow. The five-acre Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA is one of the most important sculpture installations in the United States, with 50 sculptures situated on a beautifully landscaped site amongst meandering footpaths, reflecting lagoons, Spanish moss-laden 200-year-old live oaks, mature pines, magnolias, camellias, and pedestrian bridges.
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The Ogden Museum of Southern Art
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art
925 Camp Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
504-539-9650
The Museum's holdings include Southern artworks from Washington, D.C. and 15 Southern states spanning the 18th-21st centuries, and include paintings, prints, watercolors, photographs, ceramics, sculpture, crafts and design.
Collections include The Roger H. Ogden Collection,The Andrews-Humphrey Collection, The Michael Brown and Linda Green Collection, The Mary Lee Eggart Collection,The Sonia and Isaac Luski Collection,and The Will Henry Stevens Collection.
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Christmas In New Orleans
New Orleans/French Quarter
December
504-522-5730
Make plans now to spend an unforgettable
Christmas in New Orleans. Exquisite sights, wonderful Creole food,
attractive hotel rates, and jazz concerts abound. It's all here during
Christmas New Orleans Style, a month-long celebration that offers
long-treasured Creole traditions spiced with 21st-century fun. New Orleans
celebrates the holiday season like no other place. Many of New Orleans'
finest restaurants feature special, elegant Reveillon dinners,
consisting of four and five course prix fixe menus. Start the season off right by finding the
perfect gifts for family and friends – you might even find a little
something for yourself too. Christmas Shopping in New Orleans is an
absolute treat –especially since New Orleans was recently voted the best
place for antique and vintage shopping! Tour the magnificent Celebration in the
Oaks at City Park, a festive display of nearly two million lights
decorating one-hundred-year-old oak trees. Ride a horse-drawn carriage
through the park or travel by foot or car. Don't miss “Caroling in Jackson Square” where each
caroler is given a song sheet and a lit candle, so join the crowd and
sing along to your favorite carols. Literally hundreds of special events, free music concerts, culinary and cultural happenings, and so much more.
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Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival
When Essence magazine searched for a home for an annual music festival to sponsor, they naturally fell on New Orleans. As the birthplace of jazz and one of the cradles of rock & roll, rhythm & blues, rap and other musical genres rooted in African American culture and tradition, what better place could there be for a large-scale musical event than the Crescent City.
EssenceFest has been the highlight of New Orleans summer music scene, and one of the city’s top five annual drawing cards. Many of the top-sellers in the African American – and crossover – music scene have been drawn to the fest like moths to a flame. It has become a “must” for stars making the rounds on the touring circuit. EssenceFest also gives African American artists, writers, craftsmen, culinary artists, businesspeople and others a chance to show and sell their wares. Streets in the Central Business District temporarily become outdoor markets, with booths featuring art, books, food, business, educational information and more. Also, at the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center, the Essence Marketplace features a distinctive exhibit of quality fine art and fine crafts reflective of the rich cultural heritage developed throughout the African Diaspora. Inspirational and business-related seminars, aimed at empowering African American men and women, are also held concurrent with the Fest.
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The Voodoo Experience
City Park
Last weekend of October
Halloween, New Orleans and V00D00 EXPERIENCE in New Orleans City Park –what could make for a better weekend? The three-day VOODOO EXPERIENCE will once again celebrate music, as well as New Orleans' bohemian culture, arts and cuisine. Throughout the years, the VOODOO EXPERIENCE has brought together a collection of talent that has bridged the social, economic and generational gaps by creating a unique event with a commitment to every genre of music while at the same time celebrating the sounds of the region. Three distinct performance areas–Le Ritual, Le Flambeau and Le Carnival–and eight stages each highlight a unique side of the personality of New Orleans. Set in historic City Park, amidst lush lagoons, bayous and one of the largest collections of mature oak trees in the world–all in the shadow of the New Orleans Museum of Art and just minutes from the French Quarter and Central Business District–this festive New Orleans celebration is steeped in the city's culture and influences.
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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
New Orleans Fairgrounds
1751 Gentilly Blvd.
The New Orleans "Jazz Fest" is the celebration of the unique culture and heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana. Featuring an endless amount of music, succulent local and regional delicacies, one-of-a-kind handmade arts and crafts, second line parades and so much more — there is something for everyone at Jazz Fest! With 12 stages of soul-stirring music—jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, blues, R&B, rock, funk, African, Latin, Caribbean, folk, and much more—the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a singular celebration. The event has showcased most of the great artists of New Orleans and Louisiana of the last half century and has always blended in a wide mix of internationally renowned guests.
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Satchmo Summer Fest
Old US Mint at Barracks St. & Esplanade Ave.
504-522-5730
Satchmo SummerFest started out to be a one-time salute in 2001 to
commemorate Louis Armstrong's 100th anniversary and reaffirm his vital role in the
development of American musical culture. However, the festival that year
succeeded so well that the city and the festival’s sponsor,
French Quarter Festivals, Inc., decided to make it an annual event. Satchmo SummerFest has
evolved into what one visiting music writer called “a mini-JazzFest.”
With three days of outdoor concerts, music history seminars, jazz
exhibits, a jazz mass, a second-line parade and plenty of local food
delicacies and drinks, the festival has become a travelers’, as well as
a local, favorite. Nearly all of the participating musicians are New
Orleans-based.
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French Quarter Festival
French Quarter
504-522-5730
Voted ‘Best Festival’, as well as ‘Best Event Open to the Public’, the French Quarter Festival celebrates 27 years of showcasing the finest music, food and culture this uniquely New Orleans event has to offer. The award-winning festival is a favorite of locals and tourists alike and is the largest free music festival in the South. It is a Top 20 Destination according to AAA and the Southeast Tourism Society. Over 18 stages in prime locations throughout the French Quarter present over 250 hours of the best music New Orleans has to offer with 450 musicians representing every genre from traditional and contemporary jazz to rhythm & blues and New Orleans funk, to brass bands, folk, gospel, Latin, classical and international music. More than 70 food and beverage booths located in Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint will feature authentic local cuisine from the area’s finest restaurants.