EVENT A: OAK VALLEY PLANTATION TOUR
Wednesday, September 9 (1000-1500) 10:00 am-3:00 pm
Feel the gentle breeze of Southern hospitality on a tour that takes you back to the glory of the Old South! You’ll experience a bygone era in one of the South’s most beautiful settings – Oak Alley Plantation, built in 1839. Marvel at the unbelievable quarter-mile long alley of 28 magnificent Oak trees, each over 250 years old, and view the Majestic Cypress Trees in Louisiana’s swamps bordering the Mississippi River.
Your tour will reveal the fascinating stories of the home and its history. Perhaps the most photographed plantation ever, Oak Alley has been the setting for such motion pictures as Interview with a Vampire, Primary Colors, and the wedding of Bo and Hope from the daytime soap opera, Days of our Lives. Lunch will be on your own. Note: This is an historic home. Access to the second floor is by stairs only.
EVENT B: JAZZ LUNCH CRUISE
Thursday, September 10 (1100 – 1400) 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Let us take you back to when life was as slow and graceful as the current on the Mississippi. Savor the beauty and romance of the New Orleans skyline aboard Natchez –the last authentic steamboat on the Mississippi River. Be amazed by the sights of one of the world’s most active ports and the beautiful view of New Orleans from the comfort of your paddle-wheel river boat. The decks, engine room and bars will all be open for your enjoyment after lunch. Included in the lunch/jazz ticket price is the bus transfer, the paddlewheel cruise, buffet lunch, and jazz band entertainment, and applicable taxes. Gratuities and Alcoholic Beverages are not included in the price of the ticket. A great day out!
EVENT C: NEW ORLEANS CITY EXCURSION
Thursday, September 10 (1400 – 1700) 2:00 pm-5:00 pm
Travel through three centuries of history as you see some of New Orleans’ top attractions. Absorb the sights & sounds of the world famous French Quarter and historic Jackson Square, home of the Cabildo and Presbytere Museums. Visit one of the historic cemeteries referred to as “Cities of the Dead,” and learn about this unique above ground burial system. Marvel at stories of voodoo and piracy on Bayou St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and his band of pirates, as you make your way to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, where you will see the longest bridge over water in the world, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Follow the path of the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, the oldest continuously operating passenger railway system in the world, past the homes of former Kings & Queens of Mardi Gras, stately mansions and the world-famous, exclusive Garden District. This is a mostly riding tour with a stop at the museum and time on your own in Jackson Square. At the conclusion of the tour you will have time to explore the French Quarter before meeting the bus for the ride back to the hotel. You may want to stay on in the French Quarter and have dinner.. It’s a short walk or a quick cab ride back to the hotel.
EVENT D: NEW ORLEANS COOKING DEMO & LUNCH
Friday, September 11 (0900 – 1230) 9:30 am-12:30 pm
“Make Your Mouth Happy” – Welcome to the Fun, Food & Folklore of the New Orleans School of Cooking! Don’t miss this entertaining class where you will learn the basics of Louisiana cooking in a way you’ll never forget. Fun is the primary ingredient in this kitchen! The Creole/Cajun experts will demonstrate how to cook some New Orleans specialties such as Gumbo, Jambalaya, Shrimp Creole and Pralines. Your chef demonstrators will also tell of New Orleans history, some tall tales and trivia. After the demonstration, enjoy a luncheon of the foods prepared by the chefs and of course, recipes to take home. Something different! (Round-trip bus transfer included)
EVENT E: NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM
Friday, September 11 (1000 – 1430) 10:00 am-2:30 pm
Spend the day at the National WWII Museum. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as the country’s official World War II Museum. This remarkable attraction illuminates the American experience during the WWII era with moving personal stories, historic artifacts and powerful interactive displays. From the Normandy Invasion to the sands of Pacific Islands and the “home front”, the museum brings to life the teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifice of the men and women who won the war and changed the world. You will have the day to visit the museum at your own pace. Your exciting day includes the film “Beyond All Boundaries”, narrated and produced by Tom Hanks, a unique and powerful film about the Greatest Generation’s journey. There is a café on-site. Round-trip bus transfers included.
EVENT F: CAJUN BAYOU TOUR
Saturday, September 12 (1000 – 1500) 10:00 am-3:00 pm
Journey by boat, Cajun-style, for a 1 hour 30 minute tour through the heart of Southern Louisiana’s swampland on this Cajun Bayou Tour. Experience real-life adventure from the comfort of a swamp boat. Tour back into the privately owned meandering bayous and take a look into the past. View moss draped cypress trees, fascinating plant life and the creatures who make their homes here. Your Cajun guide is a native of the area who will share with you the legends and lore of Louisiana’s still untamed wilderness.
BANQUET DINNER
Saturday, September 12 (1800) 6:00 pm at the Hotel
Join your friends for the Banquet Dinner at the Hotel. Cocktails, from the cash bar will begin at (1800) 6:00 pm; dinner will be served at (1900) 7:00 pm. Please call MRP if you have any dietary constraint. Please make your entrée selection from the Chicken, the Blackened Pork Loin or the Vegetarian options on your reservation form.
EVENT CANCELLATION INSURANCE
Protect yourself from unforeseen expenses caused by sickness, injury, or any other causes that impact your travel plans. If you have not purchased cancellation insurance, all tour and meal money is non-refundable 6 weeks prior to the reunion. This insurance enables a refund of Tour & Banquet expenses up until midnight before your reunion starts. If you need to cancel – please call our office immediately (817-251-3551) for a cancellation number.
Reservations are due by July 29, 2015
Late reservations accepted on a space available basis with a $15 per person, late fee. For more information call Eileen Monday-Friday @ 817-251-6633 or email: info@MilitaryReunionPlanners.com. Requests for refunds must be made in writing and postmarked before due date above. No refunds will be made after this date, unless you have purchased Tour Cancellation Insurance. There is a $10 per person refund processing fee. Your cancelled check is your receipt and proof of purchase. There is a $25 return check fee for NSF. Military Reunion Planners (MRP) will not be held liable for failure of vendors to provide contracted services or any injuries/accidents that may occur during the reunion. Sorry, no refunds will be given starting at midnight the day before the reunion. Reunion info and a reunion roster with your event orders will be posted on the VP-4 Association website.
Important Reunion Notes:
- Tours require a minimum of 30 people to operate. Refunds will be given on any cancelled tour.
- Please understand that a certain amount of walking is necessary from the bus to attractions and in some instances to also see the attractions. Please consider your abilities before purchasing tours.
- All tour times are subject to change. A final itinerary will be available at registration.
- Late reservations taken on a space available basis with a non-refundable $15 per person late fee.
- Call Eileen or email MRP if you need to add, cancel or modify your reservation at 817-251-3551 or email info@MilitaryReunionPlanners.com. MRP agents are available weekdays from 9-4 CST. You must leave a voice message to get a call back.
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