LA or Bust - 2009 Trip - Day 8

Start Location: New Orleans, LA
Ending Location: New Orleans, LA
Miles Today:
Trip Miles: 2870
States Visited: 10
National Parks Visited: 1
Low Temp: ° F
High Temp: ° F
Min Elevation: '
Max Elevation: '

Route Map:

We planned a Grayline bus tour this morning and it ended up being a really good choice.  It poured for about 2 hours this morning - must have been a couple of inches of rain.  As it worked out, we were on the bus almost the entire time it rained.  We made one stop and it let up during the stop.  

The tour was billed as a combination New Orleans city tour/Hurricane tour.  We started in the French Quarter then went on to the 9th Ward where some of the greatest damage occurred.  It was truly amazing how many thousands of houses are still boarded up and unlivable.  After that we visited many of the famous neighborhoods, an above ground cemetary, several major universities as well as Lake Ponchartrain which is where the water actually came from that caused much of the flooding and damage.  The map shows the route of the tour as well as our wandering.

We spent the afternoon exploring the shops and attractions around the French Quarter.  We ended up the evening with dinner at Bubba Gump's and a giant Pina Colada followed by another stroll along Bourbon Street.

Tomorrow morning we intend to take the Causeway across Lake Ponchartrain, the longest bridge in the world, and then travel towards Natchez where we pick up the Natchez Trace Parkway and begin working our way north.