Once Amber and I both had graduated from college, we started going on yearly vacations with each other. Our first big trip together was New Orleans in 2017. We had planned this vacation for a number of years because the main event of the trip was the Supernatural Convention at the end of our week there.
Day 1
We flew out of MCI super early in the morning. This was Amber’s first big plane flight; she had done a smaller plane when we had gone to Chicago for a weekend trip. We didn’t sit next to each other on our first leg, Amber was in the front of the plane, and I was all the way in the back. We had a connecting flight in Charlotte and had to rush to make it, luckily, we were able to sit next to each other. As the plane landed in New Orleans, we were super excited because this was our first time in Louisiana.
Once landed we headed to our VRBO, located in the Art District of New Orleans. I had picked this location due to its proximity to the Convention Center. It was also close to the National World War II Museum. We got a quick bite at El Gato Negro, best way to described it is Mexican with New Orleans flair. I got fresh catch tacos and Amber got shrimp quesadillas.
After eating we walked down to Jackson Square. When walking around, we saw so many beads hanging from trees as well as a bra. While in Jackson Square, we also attended mass at St. Louis Cathedral. The cathedral is super pretty.
After mass we went to watch the Halloween parade: Krewe of Boo. This parade was created in 2007, it’s a Mardi-Gras-inspired parade. There was an array of artistic floats that tossed beads but also some themed cups. The Grand Marshal in 2017 was WWE Superstar The Miz. We sat along the parade route near Emile’s.
We ended our day by watching some Ghost Adventures in the VRBO apartment.
Day 2
Today we decided to go to the National World War II Museum. We got the Plus pass which included admission to Beyond all Boundaries and Final Mission: The USS Tang Submarine Experience. The lady at admission saw that I was wearing a Supernatural shirt and was super friendly because she also really liked the show.
We started our experience by watching Beyond All Boundaries which is a 4D experience narrated by Tom Hanks. It showed the whole war and was really moving as it made both Amber and I start crying at various points.
Afterwards we went to our Final Mission. This immersive experiences places visitors aboard the USS Tang for its fifth and final patrol on October 25, 1944. We got to relive the last battle as each of us received a different crew member’s job to perform. It was quite the hands-on experience as you learn about the USS Tang. At the end of the experience, we discovered that both of our crew member that we were being died. There were only 5 that had survived to suffer on in Japanese captivity.
We then went to the beginning of the museum. At each exhibit we got to scan our tag to learn about our individual in World War II. I had Charlotte Walsh who was a Holocaust survivor. Amber had a soldier who died during D-day on Omaha beach. His brother would win the medal of honor. We also found out that the soldier was buried in Manhattan, Kansas.
There was so much to see and do that we were there until close.
Day 3
We ventured to the famous Café du Monde to have, of course, beignets and café au lait. Now I don’t like coffee but café au lait was just my style.
We then walked to go on our city bus tour which would take us around various areas of New Orleans like the French Quarter, City Park, St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, and the Garden District. Our bus driver passed around photos of the results of Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) and how years later they were still trying to rebuild.
From our bus tour we went on a boat tour. This was Amber’s first time on a boat! We traveled down the mighty Mississippi down to the site of the Battle of New Orleans. On our steamboat they had a jazz band playing and we were able to explore and see the engine room.
Once the tour concluded we had lunch at Central Grocery which is known for their muffuletta sandwich which is Italian meats and olives. I quite enjoyed it, Amber not so much. We only got one sandwich since they are so huge.
We then explored the French Market and I got a few geocaches.
Day 4
We visited Louisiana’s first museum, Confederate Memorial. This museum was one I didn’t have originally planned but it was definitely one of our favorite places we visited. They had so many items from the Civil War and this museum was also a reunion hall for the Confederate soldiers.
After exploring the museum, we met up with a fellow Supernatural fan who wanted to go to a cooking demo. We watch as a lady cooked and talked about the history of what she was making. Her first dish was Corn and Crab Bisque, which is where my love for bisque started. This was Amber and my favorite; we would later try to recreate it without much success. Next was Chicken Etouffee and then Pralines.
That night we did our Ghost Tour.
Day 5
We hopped on the St Charles Streetcar and went down to the Garden District to explore Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. This cemetery was founded in 1833, it is notable for the architectural significance of its tombs some of which are oddly colored such as bright pink, orange, or green.
Museum of Death was one of Amber’s most anticipated parts besides the convention of course. It had lots of memorabilia from serial killers. Tons of plaster masks or Death Masks, of notable dead individuals like Abraham Lincoln, Robin Williams, Humphry Bogart, and Marlon Brando to name a few. There were films of 9/11 of the World Trade Centers, and crime scene videos.
Day 6
Today we explored St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Our tour guide took us around the various tombs such as Marie Laveau (the Voodoo queen of New Orleans) and Nicholas Cage’s future tomb. The creepiest part was that anytime they dig a new foundation for a building there is a high potential of finding old bodies. So it is no wonder why New Orleans is known as the city of the dead.
Our next adventure was to Oak Valley Plantation, which is most known for being in the movie Interview with a Vampire. Oak Valley Plantation is still an active sugar cane plantation. There were 6 slave quarters that were reconstructed on site (originally around 20), which we are able to do a self-guided tour through these.
We then had our tour of the “Big House.” The coolest part was a huge fan that was in the middle of the dinning room because it was original to the house and was used to keep the flies off the food. During the filming of Interview with a Vampire they actually put a protective jelly on the house and burned it! Before we left, we got the iconic picture in front of the house with the 300-year-old oak trees.
From here on out our trip to New Orleans was then devoted to the Supernatural Convention where we got to meet various actors from Supernatural. It was a wonderful star-studded experience. I met Jensen Ackles and forgot how to function.
First Day
Second Day
Third Day
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