Christmas in the Crescent City 25

Day 1

Welcome Aboard! Travel in comfort aboard our deluxe motor coach as we head south toward New Orleans, Louisiana. "The Big Easy" is the birthplace of jazz, delta blues, and Cajun music, home of creole cooking, antebellum mansions, Civil War battlefields, pirates, bayous, and Celebration in the Oaks. Before checking into our hotel in Dandridge, Tennessee for the night, enjoy a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 2

After breakfast we depart for Nashville, Tennessee. Upon our arrival, we climb aboard the General Jackson Showboat, an authentic paddlewheel riverboat, for a lunch cruise down the Cumberland River that includes an entertaining country music holiday show. Following our cruise, we check into our accommodations for the night at the Drury Inn & Suites. After checking into our hotel, rest, and refresh in the comfort of your spacious room before we go out for dinner and entertainment at the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater. We will enjoy Nashville's #1 Dinner Show, where you will enjoy hearing the country classics you love, and the latest hits from Country's biggest stars!

Day 3

After breakfast we depart for the "Crescent City," New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon our arrival we check into our accommodations for the next three nights at the Drury Inn & Suites, a perennial favorite of Gunther Tours. The hotel is located four blocks from the world-famous French Quarter and is adjacent to the St. Charles streetcar. Each evening from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M., the Drury Inn & Suites hosts a Manager's Reception with free hot food & cold beverages for guests, including beer, wine, and mixed drinks.

Day 4

After breakfast we meet our step-on guide, and depart for a tour of New Orleans. Absorb the sights and sounds of the world-famous French Quarter and historic Jackson Square, and follow the path of the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, the oldest continuously operating passenger railway system in the world, (until service was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina), as we tour the "Big Easy". View the homes of former Kings and Queens of Mardi Gras, stately mansions, and the world-famous Garden District, plus see Tulane and Loyola Universities, located across from Audubon Park, home of the Audubon Zoo, one of the nation's top five zoos. We conclude our morning of touring with a visit to one of the historic cemeteries, referred to as "Cities of the Dead," and learn about New Orleans unique above ground burial system. Next, we return to our hotel, and you are free to design your afternoon to do as you wish! Explore and experience the unique flavor of New Orleans entertainment, restaurants, shops, and museums all conveniently located within walking distance of the hotel. Following dinner on your own, we attend the magical Celebration in the Oaks at City Park. New Orleans City Park's largest annual fundraiser, this incredible light festival has enchanted Park visitors since the 1980s and is vital to the Park's maintenance, care, and beautification year-round.

Day 5

After breakfast we depart for Mardi Gras World. First, our guide will provide a brief introduction and followed by a dynamic video presentation about the history of Mardi Gras and the company. Next enjoy a walk among the towering figures of fantasy, and marvel at the skill and technology that animate these mega-floats. Here you will see colorful Mardi Gras props, view classic carnival floats and you will have the opportunity to dress up in authentic, ornate carnival costumes. Next, we climb aboard the Steamboat Natchez, an authentic paddlewheel riverboat, for a lunch cruise on the Mississippi River that includes live Jazz from the Steamboat Stompers! Following our cruise, we depart for The National WW II Museum. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum, and later designated by Congress as the country's official World War II Museum, this remarkable attraction illuminates the American experience during the WWII era. The Museum is a must-see for all generations, patriots, and history lovers. Powerful images, moving personal stories, interactive displays, and extraordinary artifacts bring to life the American Spirit, the courage, teamwork and sacrifice of the young men and women who won the war and changed the world. From the 1930s prelude to war, to the Normandy Invasion and the battles of the Pacific Islands, visitors trace America's role in the war and on the Home Front. Tonight, dinner is on your own.

Day 6

After breakfast settle back, relax, and enjoy the scenery on our drive back to Nashville, Tennessee. Your on-board Gunther Tours Manager will help pass the time by playing games, showing a movie or two, and scheduling quiet time to relax. Before checking into our hotel for the night, we are treated to a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 7

After breakfast we depart for the Gaylord Opryland Resort. Upon our arrival, we visit ICE! the Gaylord Opryland's signature holiday attraction. Unlike anything you have ever seen before, ICE! is a fantastical, indoor winter wonderland created by forty international artisans. Explore this unique world of imagination entirely hand-carved out of ice and celebrating the spirit of Christmas! We conclude our visit at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel with some free time to explore the lavish and elaborate holiday décor of this fabulous hotel. Enjoy lunch on your own at one of the hotel's many first-rate restaurants before we depart for our hotel accommodations in Dandridge, Tennessee. A dinner stop will be made en route to Dandridge.

Day 8

After breakfast settle back and enjoy a holiday themed movie on our drive home, while reminiscing about Mardi Gras, WWII, New Orleans and Nashville's yuletide sights, sounds, lights, and a remarkable Celebration in the Oaks holiday celebration get-away! Happy Holidays!

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D =Dinner