A RiverBarge Excursion is everything you’d want a vacation to be. This is a very convenient way to explore America. Once you are settled in your comfy stateroom, it’s easy to relax and leave the navigating to RiverBarge staff.
See America differently, off the beaten path, places the interstate bypasses and where the river has defined the culture.
In 2005, RiverBarge, River Explorer, was the first vessel to resume New Orleans service following the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
Barging vacations have grown in popularity. RiverBarge Excursions is a company created by New Orleans towboat and barge owner, Eddie Conrad. Sailing year-round, the company’s 198-passenger River Explorer navigate the waterways visiting riverfront cities such as New Orleans.
Built in 1998, The River Explorer is actually three different vessels lashed together like train cars. A Towboat (The Miss Nari) is the rig’s engine, with two three-deck hotel barges behind the De Soto for the cabin accommodations and the LaSalle housing the public spaces. The interior design is modern in décor, and features huge windows for viewing the passing riverscape.
The favorite perch is the Guest Pilot House, a forward-facing observation lounge with charts to study the communication between river pilots.
The Galley’s open seating has a casual dining atmosphere. There is a breakfast buffet with an egg/omelet station; lunch buffet with chef’s specialty station and supper is served a la carte with regional specialties. The dining room has large picture windows for barge to shore viewing.
The Sprague is the entertainment center where we enjoyed special nightly performances by local musicians, guest storytellers, lecturers, movies and informative films.
Before supper, guests would gather at full-service bar to enjoy a drink and hors d’ oeuvres with their new barging friends. There was a 24/7 refrigerator in the dining room for guest snacks and for those with a sweet tooth, there was a bottomless cookie jar next to beverage machine.
On this trip on the Mississippi River, we were escorted at the different landings by experts in the culture, history and sights of the area. They treated us as if we were relatives coming to visit them. True Southern Hospitality!
Our first night aboard the barge set the tone of the trip. We enjoyed a delicious jazz supper and then attended a presentation on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their efforts to maintain the Mississippi River.
Every vessel requires a safety meeting and orientation, so this was done in the morning before we traveled the Mississippi. That night Jeannie Breazeale entertained us with New Orleans jazz, followed by classical guitarist, John De Chiara, the next evening.
Our first excursion off the barge was at Natchez, Mississippi. Frogmore Plantation offered us the opportunity to see first hand how the cotton industry has evolved since the Civil War. Encompassing 1800 acres, the plantation retains 19 of its original buildings; including a rare steam powered Cotton-Gin. Today it has become a state-of-the-art computerized 900 bale-a-day Gin.
That afternoon, we took shuttles from barge into Natchez to discover their antebellum treasures.
Before the American Civil War, Natchez was one of the richest cities in the U.S. Cotton was king and the Mississippi River at Natchez served as a major port for the export of cotton to Europe.
The Natchez Visitor center showed the film “Natchez Story.” The First Presbyterian Church had a Historic Photograph collection well worth seeing. Our evening entertainment was an Inspirational Voices of Natchez concert of Traditional African American Gospel Music.
In the morning we arrived at St. Francisville. Here we visited the Myrtles, America’s most haunted home. Built in 1796, this plantation has been beautifully restored to its antebellum grandeur.
We also made a stop at historic Grace Episcopal Church that was built in 1858. Our stroll through the Church cemetery brought us to some of the most beautiful Live Oak trees in Louisiana.
Shopping at Grandma’s Buttons, a unique shop, was surprisingly informative and entertaining. So many unusual items you wouldn’t find elsewhere. The Jerry Embree Swing band was our lively entertainment this time around.
Next on the itinerary was Oak Alley Plantation. We walked over the levee and down the oak lined drive that gives this plantation its name. Built in 1836 by J. T. Roman III, the home is now almost completely hidden from view by 28 massive oaks. We found out why Oak Alley is one of the most well-known and interesting surviving plantation homes on the Mississippi.
Ronnie Kole, world-renowned Pianist and entertainer thrilled us with his talent, stage presence and personality, while Tim Langhlin Jazz Clarinetist got us ready for our two days we were to explore New Orleans.
The RiverBarge offered sightseeing opportunities in New Orleans with shuttle service through-out the days before we were escorted to airport. Those included National WWII Museum and Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World. There were also shuttles to the French market in the heart of the Historic French Quarter where the Old U.S. Mint is an added attraction.
While we were on our two-day exploration of New Orleans, we visited my long-time favorite restaurant Brennan’s. Breakfast at Brennan’s was always at the top of my list when visiting New Orleans, but dinner is also an unforgettable experience. My favorite part of the meal is choosing a dessert, especially Bananas Foster, a Brennan creation which is now World Famous! (Bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana liqueur, then flamed in rum and served over vanilla ice cream.) Our table had the two crepe specialties Crepes Bridget and Crepes Fitzgerald because they sounded equally fantastic. One crepe was topped with fudge sauce and the other strawberries. www.brennansneworleans.com
Highly recommended is The Grand Isle Seafood restaurant, one of the best seafood restaurants newly opened in New Orleans as part of Harrah Hotel complex. The restaurant was inspired by the fishing village of the same name. Grand Isle is a classic, casual eatery featuring fresh seafood, down-home favorites, a raw oyster bar and the coldest beer in town. It is a throwback to the days of great seafood that’s lovingly prepared. Here customers enjoy authentic Louisiana and home-style cooking served with one-of-a-kind New Orleans hospitality!
The fried seafood platter was a seafood-lovers dream - oysters, shrimp, fish, stuffed crab, calamari served with French fries and Cole slaw. Then there was the Grand Cold Seafood Platter: jumbo lump crab, marinated crab claws, boiled shrimp, oysters on the half shell, tartar, cocktail and remoulade. Save room for lemon ice box pie, popcorn rice pudding and white chocolate pecan pie. Check out their full menu at www.grandislerestaurant.com
Barging out of New Orleans was most pleasurable, enjoying a stress-free journey while observing nature at its very best, the birds and trees and sunrises and sunsets!