Overview
Immerse your students in the sights, sounds, and flavors of New Orleans. Explore the Jazz Museum, cruise down the Mississippi on an evening riverboat, and take a guided tour of the famed French Quarter. Students also join a Cajun/Creole cooking class, where chefs prepare classic dishes and share the city’s food history, and venture into Louisiana’s swamplands on a guided boat tour to spot alligators and native wildlife.
Itinerary
Day 1
Travel to New Orleans, LA
Lunch
Mardi Gras World visit
Get the skinny on Fat Tuesday with a behind-the-scenes tour of the world’s leading maker of floats, sculpture and props. From the streets, Mardi Gras may look like mayhem, but there’s truly an art and science to these party parades.
Dinner
Guided ghost tour
New Orleans has over 300 years of history and mystery. Explore the haunted side of New Orleans on a ghost tour through the French Quarter and beyond.
Day 2
Breakfast
New Orleans Jazz Museum visit
Housed in the historic Old U.S. Mint, this museum celebrates jazz in the city where it was born. Through dynamic interactive exhibits, multigenerational educational programming, research facilities and engaging musical performances, the music New Orleans made famous is explored in all its forms.
French Quarter guided walking tour
Discover the rich history of one of New Orleans' most infamous neighborhoods on a walking tour that brings the neighborhood to life: Creole cuisine, antebellum architecture and voodoo traditions. Students will also see the French Market, Jackson Square, and the and the Cabildo and Presbytère.
Lunch
Preservation Hall concert
Preservation Hall is a historic music venue in the French Quarter working to protect, preserve and perpetuate the spirit of traditional New Orleans jazz. Situated in the heart of the French Quarter, Preservation Hall presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans Jazz concerts featuring ensembles from a current collective of more than 50 local master practitioners. On any given night, audiences bear joyful witness to the evolution of this venerable and living tradition.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas visit
Explore one of the top five aquariums in the country, featuring over 1 million gallons of fresh and saltwater exhibits showcasing 530 species in a variety of stunning habitats.
Evening Mississippi Riverboat Jazz Cruise with Dinner
Experience what it felt like to live in a time when life moved as slowly and gracefully as the current of the Mississippi River. Savor the beauty and romance of the New Orleans skyline aboard the authentic Steamboat NATCHEZ. Enjoy buffet-style dining, freshly prepared onboard, while the Grammy-nominated Dukes of Dixieland perform live jazz music.
Day 3
Breakfast
National World War II Museum visit
This museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations can understand the price of freedom and be inspired. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America’s National WWII Museum, it honors the spirit, courage, and sacrifices of the men and women who served on the battlefront and the Home Front.
Lunch
Course Leader-led Garden District walking tour
Hop about the St. Charles streetcar to take in views of the Garden District, known for its variety of historic homes from colorful row houses to Classic Revival mansions and charming cottages.
Audubon Zoo visit
Get a taste of the Louisiana Swamp – without getting wet! See authentic bayou wildlife like the famous white alligator amid cypress trees and Spanish moss in this imitation swamp. Sample Cajun cuisine, watch an alligator feeding, and learn about Louisiana's habitats and wildlife.
Cooking Class Demo with Dinner
Watch, learn, and eat! Sit back and enjoy watching our skilled, entertaining chefs prepare a classic Cajun/Creole meal, while learning about the vibrant history of New Orleans cuisine!
Day 4
Breakfast and hotel check-out
Cajun Pride Swamp Tours
Embark on a swamp tour featuring a private swamp refuge and narrated boat tours with alligators and other wildlife sightings.
Lunch
Depart for home
Dinner
Already Included
Transportation to & from your destination
Hotel accommodations
Meals (unless otherwise noted on your itinerary)
WorldStrides Course Leader - a dynamic destination expert who brings learning to life by leading your group's activities and discussions
Admissions to top attractions (details in itinerary)
WorldAssist staff members available 24/7/365 should your group need extra help
Free high school credit for students who choose to complete WorldStrides free online coursework post-program
Professional development credits (CEUs) for educators
Field Research Guide (Discovery Journal)
Scenes from New Orleans
Health & Safety
Additional health and safety measures may be available within your respective destination. Refer to your program-specific materials for complete details.
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance
WorldStrides provides over $2.5 million in financial assistance each year to thousands of families. Families with annual adjusted gross incomes of less than $85,000 may qualify. One simple call to Customer Service and you’ll know how much may be available for your trip even before signing up. Please note: financial assistance is given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Payment Plans
Advantage Payment Plan
At program sign-up you can opt to pay in full, or break up the cost of your trip with the Advantage Payment Plan. This plan allows you to pay a small initial deposit, then have your remaining payments spread out into affordable monthly amounts.
EZPay
We offer an EZPay option, which is a simple way to pay for your WorldStrides program by scheduling hassle-free, automatic drafts from your checking account. With EZPay, you'll never be late or miss an installment.
Fundraising Tools
Our easy-to-use tools put students in the driver's seat of their own fundraising efforts. Students can send e-cards, share links on social media, and even send out printed letters through WorldStrides' Gift of Education program. In one click friends and family members can make a direct donation to the trip - with 100% of the money raised going to offset their trip price. Thousands of students pay for their entire trip each year through the Gift of Education.
Also, WorldStrides makes program-specific scholarships available as well as other scholarship resources. Ask your Account Manager for more information about scholarships and fundraising tools.