2016 Secret Garden Tour: Dates TBD
Join Huron Tours and Travel, your garden tour experts, for a fabulous visit to the Secret Gardens of New Orleans (and much more!).
We are awaiting some final details before we can announce our 2016 dates for this wonderful trip. If you request a brochure, we will keep you updated as we finalize these details. Below is our information from 2015 to give you an idea of what to expect!
Spring is such a wonderful time to visit New Orleans! Everything is blooming so beautifully, and the temperatures are perfect. No mosquitoes, no outrageous heat, a gentle breeze, the clang of the streetcar cruising up St. Charles Avenue. It won't take you long to understand why so many people love New Orleans so strongly...
Huron Tours attended the fabulous "Secret Gardens of New Orleans Tour" a few year ago, and just knew our guests would love it as much as we did. The tour takes you through many wonderful private gardens in one of the most exclusive zip codes in the US. Each garden is presented by a landscape or garden expert. You'll hear about what's growing, the philosophy behind the plant and design choices, a quick history of the property, and have time to ask questions.
Huron Tours has arranged a magical getaway in New Orleans centered around the Secret Gardens Tour. We'll enjoy world class cuisine, explore the New Orleans Botanical Gardens with a private guided tour, see the city with our favorite private guide, and enjoy the atmosphere as only New Orleans natives and locals can show you.
Huron Tours attended the fabulous "Secret Gardens of New Orleans Tour" a few year ago, and just knew our guests would love it as much as we did. The tour takes you through many wonderful private gardens in one of the most exclusive zip codes in the US. Each garden is presented by a landscape or garden expert. You'll hear about what's growing, the philosophy behind the plant and design choices, a quick history of the property, and have time to ask questions.
Huron Tours has arranged a magical getaway in New Orleans centered around the Secret Gardens Tour. We'll enjoy world class cuisine, explore the New Orleans Botanical Gardens with a private guided tour, see the city with our favorite private guide, and enjoy the atmosphere as only New Orleans natives and locals can show you.
Thursday March 19, 2015 ~ Arrival in New Orleans, Welcome Dinner at
Tableau Restaurant
Jackson Square in New Orleans
Arrive this afternoon and explore the French Quarter from our perfectly located luxury French Quarter boutique hotel, the Hotel Mazarin. You'll love the Mazarin's location in this quiet and charming area the world-famous French Quarter which makes easy exploring of some of the French Quarter's attractions: Royal Street (the best of the French Quarter with wonderful art galleries, restaurants, and quality music); The New Orleans historical collection (a charming museum); New Orleans's most sophisticated shopping mall; Harrah's casino; the Mississippi river and paddle-boats; and of course all the fabulous architecture and hanging plants that adorn the streets.
This evening experience New Orleans dining at its finest when you join us for a fabulous "welcome to New Orleans" dinner at Tableau Restaurant (follow the link for an interesting article on Tableau - opens in a new window. You'll see first hand why New Orleans has such a high reputation for culinary imagination and quality.
This evening experience New Orleans dining at its finest when you join us for a fabulous "welcome to New Orleans" dinner at Tableau Restaurant (follow the link for an interesting article on Tableau - opens in a new window. You'll see first hand why New Orleans has such a high reputation for culinary imagination and quality.
Friday March 20, 2015 ~ Botanical Garden Visit, Lunch at Ralph's on the Park, Visit and Tour of Longue Vue House and Gardens
Whimsy in the Botanical Garden
A very exciting day is in store for us as we are treated to our first look at some of the great gardens of New Orleans, The New Orleans Botanical Garden and Longue Vue House & Gardens.
We'll begin our day with a private tour of New Orleans’ Botanical Garden. Opened in 1936 as New Orleans’ first classical garden, the collection consists of over 2,000 varieties of plants from all over the world, set among the Nation’s largest stand of mature Southern Live Oaks. The site also contains the Conservatory of the Two Sisters, the New Orleans Historic Train Garden, the Yakumo Nihon Teien Japanese Garden and theme gardens containing aquatics, roses, native plants, and ornamental trees, as well as shrubs and perennials.
After our tour of the botanical garden you will have time to visit the New Orleans Museum of Art’s magical Sculpture Garden. Home to over sixty sculptures by a wide variety of artists, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is set in a stunning environment of meandering footpaths. The garden itself is a work of art as it is set under Cypress and Magnolia trees as well as centuries-old oaks.
We'll begin our day with a private tour of New Orleans’ Botanical Garden. Opened in 1936 as New Orleans’ first classical garden, the collection consists of over 2,000 varieties of plants from all over the world, set among the Nation’s largest stand of mature Southern Live Oaks. The site also contains the Conservatory of the Two Sisters, the New Orleans Historic Train Garden, the Yakumo Nihon Teien Japanese Garden and theme gardens containing aquatics, roses, native plants, and ornamental trees, as well as shrubs and perennials.
After our tour of the botanical garden you will have time to visit the New Orleans Museum of Art’s magical Sculpture Garden. Home to over sixty sculptures by a wide variety of artists, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is set in a stunning environment of meandering footpaths. The garden itself is a work of art as it is set under Cypress and Magnolia trees as well as centuries-old oaks.
After we depart City Park, we'll enjoy lunch together at "Ralph's On The Park." Nestled among live oaks, this Brennan family restaurant offers a fresh spin on New Orleans’ eclectic comfort foods with gracious hospitality, all in an iconic location. Built in 1860 by a French immigrant to serve as a coffee shop and concession stand for nearby City Park, the building is as amazing as the food.
After lunch we'll travel a short distance to Longue Vue House & Gardens. The home and gardens were born of the dreams of Edgar and Edith Stern, pillars of the New Orleans community, and is a wonderful oasis of beauty set in charming New Orleans. The Longue Vue House is one of the last great houses to be custom-built in America, taking the Platt brothers three years (1939-1942) to create.
The ever-changing gardens of Longue Vue provide an inspiring destination year-round. The collection includes an azalea walk, a stunning alley of Oaks, and the Pan Garden, which is the setting for a sculpture of Pan, the Greek God of nature and is planted with historic azaleas, Japanese magnolias, sweet olives, and amaryllis. The ”Yellow Garden,” the ”Spanish Court Garden,” and the ”Canal Garden” are all inspired by Edith Stern's travels around the world. The Walled Garden was originally designed as a kitchen garden and served as a “victory garden” during WWII.
Dinner this evening is on your own and if you would like try your hand with lady luck after dinner, Harrah’s casino is just steps from our hotel.
After lunch we'll travel a short distance to Longue Vue House & Gardens. The home and gardens were born of the dreams of Edgar and Edith Stern, pillars of the New Orleans community, and is a wonderful oasis of beauty set in charming New Orleans. The Longue Vue House is one of the last great houses to be custom-built in America, taking the Platt brothers three years (1939-1942) to create.
The ever-changing gardens of Longue Vue provide an inspiring destination year-round. The collection includes an azalea walk, a stunning alley of Oaks, and the Pan Garden, which is the setting for a sculpture of Pan, the Greek God of nature and is planted with historic azaleas, Japanese magnolias, sweet olives, and amaryllis. The ”Yellow Garden,” the ”Spanish Court Garden,” and the ”Canal Garden” are all inspired by Edith Stern's travels around the world. The Walled Garden was originally designed as a kitchen garden and served as a “victory garden” during WWII.
Dinner this evening is on your own and if you would like try your hand with lady luck after dinner, Harrah’s casino is just steps from our hotel.
Saturday March 21, 2015 ~ Secret Gardens Tour, New Orleans City Tour, Afternoon Tea in lovely setting
Greorge Rodrigue's Famous "Blue Dog" (in yellow).
Today is a very special day designed just for Huron travelers. We’ll board our private deluxe motor-coach and travel to Uptown New Orleans to join the Secret Gardens Tour, benefiting brain injury recovery. This private tour is led by landscape and design experts and will showcase the gardens of the stately homes and mansions in this prestigious neighborhood opened exclusively for this charitable event. This tour will highlight the natural beauty found within the private gardens near and along famous Audubon Park.
A "Secret" Courtyard
After our garden tour, we’ll enjoy a private city tour of New Orleans with highlights of the Garden District and French Quarter. We’ll see lovely St. Charles Avenue with its stately homes, beautiful live oaks and iconic streetcar. Our tour of the city’s Garden District features homes representing all styles of popular architecture from antebellum times to the early 20th century. In particular, the houses showcase that essential British element of taste, the homeowner’s garden. The grounds of these residences were designed to be as impressive as the structures and were protected, yet accented, by their scrolling cast-iron gates. A visit to this historic neighborhood is like strolling through a living museum and it remains one of the most well-preserved and impressive collections of historical homes in America.
Tea at Windsor Court
After we see the Garden District, we’ll head back into the French Quarter for a tour of the historical and architectural highlights before we experience the delightful New Orleans tradition of afternoon tea at The Windsor Court (New Orleans' most luxurious hotel!)
This isn't just any afternoon tea - it's Windsor Court’s "Royal Tea" featuring the finest loose-leaf teas, an incredible first course of assorted tea sandwiches as well as smoked salmon and caviar canapés, strawberry and walnut scones, and assorted sweets featuring tartlets and petits fours. You'll also enjoy a nice glass of sparkling wine, Chardonnay, or Spanish sherry as a perfect ending to a perfect afternoon. A truly quintessential New Orleans experience.
This evening, dinner is on your own. Make sure you consult our extensive New Orleans Restaurant list included in your tour documents for our recommendations. We'll be happy to make reservations at any of the area's most popular establishments.
This isn't just any afternoon tea - it's Windsor Court’s "Royal Tea" featuring the finest loose-leaf teas, an incredible first course of assorted tea sandwiches as well as smoked salmon and caviar canapés, strawberry and walnut scones, and assorted sweets featuring tartlets and petits fours. You'll also enjoy a nice glass of sparkling wine, Chardonnay, or Spanish sherry as a perfect ending to a perfect afternoon. A truly quintessential New Orleans experience.
This evening, dinner is on your own. Make sure you consult our extensive New Orleans Restaurant list included in your tour documents for our recommendations. We'll be happy to make reservations at any of the area's most popular establishments.
Sunday March 22, 2015 ~ Private Guided Plantation Visits, Fabulous dinner at New Orleans' favorite French Quarter restaurant - Galatoire's
Houmas House Plantation
This morning we’ll board our private deluxe motor-coach for a day in Plantation Country visiting two of the area’s most celebrated plantation homes, Houmas House and Laura Plantation.
Our first stop will be the incomparable Houmas House Plantation where we will experience the southern splendor of the “Sugar Palace.” The plantation was first the hunting ground of the Houmas Indians and in 1712 was part of a land grant from Louis XIV, King of France, to a wealthy French settler, Antoine Crozant. By 1865 the plantation encompassed a vast 300,000 acres and by the late 1800s its new owner, Colonel William Porcher Miles, was producing 20 million pounds of sugar per year, making it one of the largest sources of sugar in America. The mansion that exists today and that we will be touring was built by Caroline and John Smith and took 23 years to complete. In 2003, Kevin Kelly, a New Orleans entrepreneur, spent over 10 million dollars on the purchase and restoration of the estate and in doing so, he has created one of the most magnificent plantation gardens in the country.
The gardens of Houmas House have been developed as a lush 38-acre panorama of indigenous Louisiana plant life and stunning exotics. The gardens are planted to reflect the unique beauty of each part of the year especially springtime.
After our tour we'll enjoy lunch in Houmas House's award-winning cafe. You will experience wonderful Creole favorites in the old Louisiana tradition of dining. The setting of the cafe could not be any lovelier with large oil paintings of garden scenes that accent the walls to create an ambience that's classic, yet comfortable.
Laura Plantation
After our Houmas House visit concludes, we'll make the short journey to the lovely and unique Laura Plantation.
Laura plantation, built in 1805, is significant for its raised Creole plantation "big house" and its rare collection of outbuildings, including six slave quarters, that illustrate the development of a sugar cane plantation from the antebellum period well into the 20th century. The tour at Laura is based on the memoirs of Laura Locoul Gore — “Memories of the Old Plantation Home” — and includes a large collection of family treasures on display. The well-known tales of Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox originated at Laura, and the parents of famed New Orleans legend Fats Domino once lived on the property.
Laura is one of only 15 surviving plantations in the state, and an actual reminder of the antebellum, post-Civil-war agricultural era in Louisiana. In our opinion, it gives the most historical view of the old South and is a plantation like no other.
This evening, put on your party dress and suits as we are scheduled to be treated to a fabulous dining experience in one of New Orleans' all time favorite establishments: Galatoire's Restaurant. We've made a reservation here a year in advance to secure the lovely private dining room where we'll enjoy our New Orleans inspired feast. Click here to read an article about Galatiore's to help get you in the spirit (opens in new window.)
Laura plantation, built in 1805, is significant for its raised Creole plantation "big house" and its rare collection of outbuildings, including six slave quarters, that illustrate the development of a sugar cane plantation from the antebellum period well into the 20th century. The tour at Laura is based on the memoirs of Laura Locoul Gore — “Memories of the Old Plantation Home” — and includes a large collection of family treasures on display. The well-known tales of Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox originated at Laura, and the parents of famed New Orleans legend Fats Domino once lived on the property.
Laura is one of only 15 surviving plantations in the state, and an actual reminder of the antebellum, post-Civil-war agricultural era in Louisiana. In our opinion, it gives the most historical view of the old South and is a plantation like no other.
This evening, put on your party dress and suits as we are scheduled to be treated to a fabulous dining experience in one of New Orleans' all time favorite establishments: Galatoire's Restaurant. We've made a reservation here a year in advance to secure the lovely private dining room where we'll enjoy our New Orleans inspired feast. Click here to read an article about Galatiore's to help get you in the spirit (opens in new window.)
Monday March 23, 2015 ~ Buggy Ride through the French Quarter, Farewell Jazz Brunch at the Court of Two Sisters
Goodbyes are always difficult but our final day of the tour ensures you end your trip in the most fantastic way possible. This morning, we’ll be picked up by a few of New Orleans’ famous carriages for a “buggy ride” through the French Quarter on our way to our Farewell Jazz Brunch at the iconic Court of Two Sisters.
We'll share our memories of a wonderful garden tour as we listen to traditional New Orleans jazz in a lovely courtyard setting. After brunch, everyone will head home with wonderful memories of terrific gardens, great food, and new friends.
So that you are not rushed at brunch, we recommend that your flights home not depart before 3pm.
We'll share our memories of a wonderful garden tour as we listen to traditional New Orleans jazz in a lovely courtyard setting. After brunch, everyone will head home with wonderful memories of terrific gardens, great food, and new friends.
So that you are not rushed at brunch, we recommend that your flights home not depart before 3pm.
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Huron Tours & Travel, Inc.
| 6221 S. Claiborne Ave., STE 586 | New Orleans, Louisiana 70125
Ph/Fax: 800.734.1192 | Email: [email protected]
Ph/Fax: 800.734.1192 | Email: [email protected]