Absorb the history of the Old South during the antebellum period starting via air-conditioned motorcoach transportation to the country's most photographed plantation—Oak Alley. Explore the interior of the manor itself on a guided tour, learning about the legacy of the estate and the dark history of slave labor upon which it relied.

Meet up with your guide near the river in the French Quarter and hop in a vehicle for the ride out of the city. Swap urban landscapes for sprawling, cypress-filled wetlands as you meander past coastal bayous, and pass the vast and shallow waters of Lake Pontchartrain on your way into the River Road region.

Slip into a bygone era, driving along the muddy Mississippi by long-shuttered plantation homes. Upon arrival at Oak Alley, cruise beneath the quarter-mile (0.5-km) alley of live oaks that mark the entrance to the plantation. Head inside for a guided tour of the 1839 mansion, which reveals the history of the people who called the National Historic Landmark home, including the slaves who worked there. After gaining insight into the plantation's dark past, spend some free time exploring the grounds before your ride back to New Orleans.