I've been itching to visit the South... I love Oak Trees, Spanish Moss, lanterns and I guess alligators. 😂 So we decided to spend our spring break getting Southern fried in Louisiana and Mississippi. Spring is a great time to visit... the weather's perfect and we didn't see any mosquitos!
Here's our one week itinerary in the South:
Day 1: Flew to New Orleans, drove to Houma.
Day 2: Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge & Oak Alley Plantation
Day 3: Natchitoches, Ruston & West Monroe
Day 4: Natchez drove to Biloxi
Day 5: Biloxi
Day 6: Biloxi drove to New Orleans
Day 7: New Orleans and a late flight home
Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge
We had originally planned on taking a boat ride at this refuge but ended up taking the trail that runs along the bayou. We saw baby alligators, birds and lots of Spanish Moss, the tree canopy makes you feel like your walking in the Amazon. The trail leads to a wooden viewing platform that gives you views of the swamp. The majority of the wildlife refuge is only accessible by boat so keep that in mind if you visit.
Oak Alley Plantation
Visiting Oak Alley has been on my bucket list for years. I've seen it in movies and was excited to finally see it in person. It is amazing to walk under the massive Oak trees and see all of the beautiful flowers. The plantation gives you a good insight into the life of plantation owners and slaves. The Slavery at Oak Alley Exhibit is a reconstruction of the original slave living quarters. You can stay in one of the cottages on the grounds and visit other plantations nearby.
Another beautiful plantation...
We drove the scenic highways as much as possible which made the drive more enjoyable.
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is Louisiana's oldest city and full of Southern charm! It's the perfect place to settle into a B&B and stroll through the Historic district along Cane River. We explored the Cane River Creole National Historic Park and saw some of the South's oldest Plantations.
Historic District
Next we stopped in Louisiana's oldest General Store and bought one of my favorite pastimes... Marbles!
Steel Magnolia B&B
Natchitoches was the filming location for the movie Steel Magnolias. This was M'Lynn's home... now a B&B. I learned on our visit the movie was based on a true story. After Robert Harding's sister passed away he wrote about her life. The characters were his mothers friends from Natchitoches. He said they were witty, clever and spoke in bumper stickers. You can get a map and see all of the different filming locations in Natchitoches. A popular time to visit is during the Christmas Festival, the same one that was featured in Steel Magnolias.
Ruston, Louisiana
My brother played football at Louisiana Tech so we stopped to see his old stomping grounds. BTW Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty was a quarterback here in the 60's. 😃
West Monroe, Louisiana
We enjoyed our self guided tour at the Duck Commander. My husband was a Duck Dynasty fan so we had to stop. My girls loved getting their very own duck calls.
Kiroli Park, West Monroe
We loved Kiroli Park so much we spent several hours here. We hiked on the trails that wind through the pines and streams. We fed ducks and played at one of the four playgrounds.
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the oldest settlement on the Mississippi River and has more antebellum homes than any other place in the United States. One of the suggested stops is the Historic Natchez Cemetery. It was established in 1822 and has beautiful views of the Mississippi River... one of the prettiest cemetery's I've seen. We visited the grave of Tripod, the cities 3 legged feral cat 😸(front lawn of city hall). If you have time, take a carriage ride through town to learn more about Natchez's history.
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is on the Gulf of Mexico and known for it's casinos. We wanted some time to relax on the beach and didn't want to drive too far so this was the perfect stop for us. Besides going to the beach there is a lot to do to keep the kids entertained. We spent one evening bowling and playing arcade games.
Honey Island Swamp Tour, Slidell Louisiana
A swamp tour gives you a glimpse into life on the bayou. Some people live here full time and it was fun to see their homes. We also saw Cyprus tree's, feral hog, snakes, turtles and birds. It was a cold day so we didn't see alligators. Our guide told us he grew up swimming in this bayou and was never bothered by the alligators. 😳 I'll stick to swimming in pools.
New Orleans- St. Louis Cathedral
We spent our last two days in New Orleans before flying home. It was a great place to end our vacation in the South. New Orleans has a rich history. The architecture is stunning and it has a constant festive vibe. And yes, we found kid friendly activities!
Jackson Square
We loved seeing the artist and their artwork in Jackson Square.
Carriage ride
We took a horse-drawn carriage ride in New Orleans, it was a great way to see the French Quarter. Our guide was informative, entertaining and full of Southern charm.
Cafe Du Monde
We were in beignet Heaven at Cafe Du Monde! Since the beignets are so popular people are lined up waiting to get them! You can get beignets to go if your in a hurry or visit their other location at Riverwalk (not as crowded). We went to both locations and tried to eat as many beignets as possible! 😋
Streetcars
Streetcars are an inexpensive way to get around New Orleans. It cost $1.25 per ride and you'll need the exact change. A route to not miss is on the St. Charles Streetcar. You'll pass the Garden district that has antebellum mansions, beautiful gardens and 19th-century tombs.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
My girls loved this aquarium and the 3D movie that is included in the ticket price. Another option with kids is to see parade floats under construction at Mardi Gras World.
New Orleans City Park
We went to the City Park before we headed to the airport. This park is huge (1,300 acres)! They have a botanical garden, carousel, amusement park, museums etc. You can rent bikes and paddle boats and get more beignets at the mobile Cafe Du Monde! 😋
Within City Park is StoryLand... I think the cutest playground I've ever visited! We climbed Captain hooks pirate ship, walked through a rocket ship and slid down Jack and Jill's Hill. The fairy tales are surrounded by Oak trees dripping in moss. Nearby is an amusement park, it's not open everyday so check availability before you go.
The fun continued on our flight home... the girls passed out pretzels. I'm so happy my daughters were able to experience the Southern culture. That is what traveling is all about... seeing the way others live, appreciating the differences and enjoying the beauty!
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