L’Hermitage hotel, pool, and white sand private beach!
No beachy, sunshine daydream would be complete without reflecting on the most glamorous beach resort I have ever visited (possibly the most glamorous in the world), the gorgeous Hotel Hermitage Barrière in La Baule-Escoublac, France. Thinking about the few days my family vacationed there is more relaxing than a scalp massage. It is a historic hotel directly on a beautiful white sand beach on the Brittany Peninsula. Are you concerned the food will not be the best you’ve ever tasted? Don’t worry – the regional delicacies are crepes, hard cider, goat cheese, sea salt and caramel… so yeah… every meal is amazing. The hotel operates a glorious seafood restaurant directly on the beach.
This is real.
The breakfast at L’Hermitage was so amazing that my sister and I woke up as soon as possible so we could spend at least 90 minutes enjoying the buffet every day. The quaint surrounding town has perfect boutiques, great restaurants and amazing vacation homes. In WWII, the Germans did not surrender La Baule-Escoublac until eight months after VE Day and the towns natural and architectural beauty makes it easy to understand why. It really is perfect.
El Castel
In my google search of “best beach resorts in Spain” I stumbled across Es Castell on the island of Mallorca. Although it is about a thirty minute drive from the beach I would be MORE than willing to spend a few days there. The hotel is a beautiful Sixth Century property expertly remodeled into a luxury boutique hotel. The combination of soft beds, medieval structures, gorgeous sunset views from the pool, and amazing food sounds idyllic. Do yourself a favor and click through all the pictures on their website. WOW!
Wow… November is super murky, foggy, and soggy here in Minnesota. I am already dreaming of a beach vacation! This does not bode well for my mental health for the rest of November – March.
For this hypothetical vacation we will not have a ton of itinerary stops. We will travel to one spot and relax on a beach. Here are some potential locations:
Captiva Island
South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island features almost 20 different pools and a full service beach with umbrellas, chaise lounges, snacks and full bars. Sigh! Relax on land with a full spa, golf course, tennis courts, and bicycle rentals. The entire resort village is a protected wildlife sanctuary so we will have a good chance of seeing awesome wild life like manatees and lizards. I know Brent will be especially interested in the guided Kayak Tours. Mmmm… my only concern is the family focus. Since we don’t have any children, we might want to go somewhere with fewer kids.
The Colony Club
Obviously I LOVE historic hotels and am very interested in The Colony Hotel and Cabana Club. This bright yellow beauty was built in 1926 and features a private beach, great looking restaurants, gold and tennis. If we get tired of relaxing on the beach (not likely) we can explore the Wakodahatchee Wetlands and visit antique shops on Atlantic Avenue.
More snippets of great beach resorts later…
Commander’s Palace
For our final morning in New Orleans we are going to start strong BRUNCH STYLE at the Commander’s Palace! The restaurant has a delicious looking menu with apparently famous Bloody Marys. Mmmm! Although the main dining room has always enjoyed an impeccable reputation, the Palace also features upstairs “dining rooms” where townsmen and riverboat captains used to enjoy the company of ladies of ill repute In the 1920s.
The Garden District
Then we will enjoy a self-guided walking tour of the Garden District from Frommer’s. Even though the Garden District and the French Quarter are both architecturally significant and were built around the same time period. They differ dramatically in style. The French Quarter was originally settled by the Creole community and the Garden District (then a separate city called Lafayette) was settled by Americans who relocated to Louisiana after the Louisiana Purchase. The Frommer’s walking tour includes architectural and historical details about 22 significant buildings. The 22nd one is a list of three different tasty coffee shops for our afternoon snacks!
Hurricane Katrina
Our next tour will be kind of a bummer, but I think it is an important part of our contemporary history… and I don’t really want to sidestep it. So we will go on a Hurricane Katrina Tour. Several companies offer them – Gray Line New Orleans, Historic New Orleans Tours, Inc., and Big Easy Tours. These all seem to be about $50 for a three hour, guided bus tour that goes through the levees that broke and the neighborhoods that were most affected. I am mostly interested in the tour to hear an eye witness account of the natural disaster. Although all the tours seem fairly similar, I think we will choose Gray Line New Orleans because it seems to also focus on the recovery and ongoing development and not just the devastation.
I want our last dinner to be special – and New Orleans Online has a lot of great, romantic suggestions! Of the many wonderful suggestions, I think we will choose The Bombay Club. I was a little confused by the name, but it sounds wonderful. From the photo gallery on the website you can see it has a really old school and private vibe (hardwood floors, wingback leather chairs, and a classic martini menu) with Creole cuisine. PERFECT.
Then back home to Minneapolis!
TO THE SWAMP!
After a full day of viewing historical houses I know Brent will be ready for some outdoor adventures!
Callas Cakes
Obviously we never do anything without a hearty breakfast. This morning we will enjoy a feast at The Old Coffee Pot Restaurant (8:00 am – 11:30 pm). This well-reviewed restaurant has been open since 1894. They serve something called Callas Cakes, which seem to be deep-fried, rice-based doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar and served with grits. Critical note – This restaurant serves breakfast ALL DAY. We are going to eat a lot because 1. That is what we do and 2. We are going to embark on a swamp adventure.
Boardwalks on the Barataria Preserve
Oh, this is a skink.
Jean Lafitte National Park encompasses six unconnected parks in Louisiana. Barataria Preserve is about 30 minutes away from the French Quarter and offers about nine miles of connected trails that work their way through hardwood forests, swamps and a few manmade canals. Boardwalks provide a safe and dry place to walk through the swampier areas. I am particularly looking forward to the marsh Overlook Trail which is the best place to get a (hopefully distant) view of an American Alligator. Other wildlife we might encounter includes: frogs, snakes, skinks, and armadillos – oh my! Here is a very helpful guide to all the available trails.
For our next activity, I thought about touring the Longue Vue House and Gardens. The house and elaborate gardens were built in the 1930s for Edgar and Edith Stern. The house is three stories including a basement (very rare for New Orleans). There are 14 different gardens that range dramatically from wildflower to formal. Although it looks very beautiful, we are only in New Orleans for a brief time and I think we are going to visit a plantation instead. So I guess this day will not be entirely free of historic houses… but what are you doing to do?
Laura Plantation
Laura of Laura Plantation
So instead we will venture out to Laura Plantation. …but obviously after lunch! For lunch we will look for a restaurant on River Road. Contenders include Jenny’s Overstuffed Po-Boys and Chicken Shop, Nobile’s Restaurant & Bar, and Aunt Ellie’s Home Town Cookin’. I think we will need to do some looking to make a final decision, but no matter what we are going to enjoy a hearty, delicious meal!
Laura Plantation is a Creole Plantation named for a previous owner. In the Louisiana Creole Culture the family business was passed down to the most capable child regardless of gender. Female leadership was common and equally brutal as other plantation owners. In 1936, THE Laura of Laura Plantation wrote a book about her life and four generations of plantation history. Therefore the tour includes lots of personal insight into the difficult life of everyone on the plantation. The tour includes the main house built in 1805, the gardens, the sugar plantation, and slave cabins.
Cajun Encounters
…and for the final adventure of the day… drumroll please… a Night Tour of Honey Island Swamp! Cajun Encounters will pick us up at the hotel. You watch the sunset in a small flat bottomed boat. Then all the creatures of the swamp come out… The pictures look very fun! Honey Island has its own mythical creature (since 1963) that American Indians call Letiche and Cajuns call Tainted Keitre. It is basically a smelly, gray haired bigfoot with webbed toes… I am sure the Honey Island Swamp Monster will seem much more believable late at night!
The French Quarter presented a lot of top contenders for our afternoon.
Steamboat Natchez
One that did not make the cut – through no fault of its own – is the Steamboat Natchez. Steamboat navigation of the Mighty Mississippi played a huge role in the history of New Orleans. Before steamboats, plantation owners and farmers sent their hard-earned goods to the big city on a flat boat journey that took several weeks. The arduous trip usually ended in a few days of debauchery in New Orleans. Sadly, most of my knowledge on this subject comes from Abraham Lincoln Vampire Killer… so a little in person learning couldn’t hurt! The first steamboat navigated the Mississippi in 1812 and cut the travel time in half. Until the Civil War slowed things down in the 1860s thousands of steamboats navigated Mississippi and docked in New Orleans every year. The Natchez offers dinner and jazz cruises that look great. However, we live along the Mississippi River… and we used to live right by the Ohio River, so we have already seen our fair share of steamboats.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau
So instead of the Natchez and even though I think it is INCREDIBLY creepy, we will make our way to the 1:00 pm tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. The hour long tour is offered by a non-profit group Save our Cemeteries. Tours are $10 per adult at 10:00 am daily and Friday and Saturday at 1:00 pm. 90% of ticket revenue goes to restoration projects! St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 opened in 1789 and due to some horrific epidemics was completely filled by 1829. It is the oldest in the city, predominately Catholic, and features the distinctive above ground mausoleums. The frequent flooding of the city makes underground graves impossible. Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and the first Black Mayor Ernest “Dutch” Morial are among the notable citizens buried in this cemetery. A few websites I visited have warned that St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and 2 are dangerous places to visit alone. We will certainly be on guard for pickpockets on our tour.
We will recover from the creepiness and potential muggers at St. Louis with a lovely walk through Congo Square and Esplanade Avenue. We might fortify our walk with a quick coffee at Café Treme which is locally owned and looks adorable. Back to Congo Square – slaveholders in New Orleans were required to give their slave a day of rest on Sundays. They often gathered in Congo Square to celebrate their separate culture. It is a very important place in the history of jazz music and voodoo rituals.
The Degas House on Esplanade Avenue
Esplanade Avenue was the most prestigious Creole Community address in the 1800s. Now it is the division between the French Quarter and the Faubourg Marginy. We will walk down the tree-lined avenue and admire the gorgeous houses and ironwork.
gumbo gumbo gumbo!
After a long day of walking around I am sure we will want to quickly refresh back at our hotel, The Bienville House, before dinner. For our first taste of Creole cuisine, we will take fellow travel enthusiast and Wander One Day’s restaurant recommendation and enjoy a taste of Chicken Andouille Gumbo at The Gumbo Shop.
Then – just to be sure we get the full French Quarter experience – we will walk down infamous Bourbon Street and grab a famous New Orleans drink, like the Hurricane, the Ramos Fizz, or the Vieux Carre.
Bourbon Street!
In 1541 a Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto, discovered the Mississippi River. In 1682 Robert de La Salle sailed down the Mississippi and claimed Louisiana for France. In 1721 an engineer laid the city grid of New Orleans. The city quickly became populated with ships of criminals and prostitutes from the homeland and African slaves. In 1763 the French lost the Seven Years War and quickly ceded Louisiana back to Spain before signing the formal Treaty of Paris with Great Britain. Spain ceded Louisiana to Napoleon’s France in 1800, but the Americas weren’t really his thing. Only three years later, the United States purchased Louisiana from Napoleon for $15 million. In 1812 Louisiana was admitted to the Union. New Orleans became an even more important port when steamboats began navigating the Mississippi bringing grain and lumber from the heartland. New Orleans was the biggest city in the South with around 170,000 residents during the Civil War and its complete destruction was critical to a Union victory.
Steamboats on the Mississippi River
Every time the city’s recovered from the last devastation it was brought back to its knees by another brutal battle for control, an epic fire, or other natural disaster. Despite this sad pattern, the residents always rebuilt bringing new technologies, new styles, and a little bit of the new culture to every restoration.
Royal Street
On our first full day in New Orleans, we will explore the history of the French Quarter to learn about all things French and French Creole before expanding to the other cultures and neighborhoods. We are early risers and unfortunately, my agenda items do not open until 9:30 am. To make the most of our morning we will go for a quick jog along Royal Street. The buildings on Royal Street were built in the early 1800s and have been painstakingly restrained for centuries. They now house high-end antique stores and fancy restaurants. On the run we will scout breakfast opportunities along the route. Hopefully, we will find a smaller restaurant to compare the coffee and beignets to Café Du Monde.
Mardi Gras
Our first official agenda item will be Mardi Gras exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum (Open 9:30 am-4:00 pm, $3 per adult). Although I don’t think I am completely ready for the full Mardi Gras experience, I would like to get a little taste. The exhibit includes history, ballgowns, costumes, and behind the scenes details about police protection and parade logistics.
Jackson Square – New Orleans
Then we will wander through Jackson Square and make our way to another Louisiana State Museum operated exhibit, the Jackson House. The lavish furniture in the Jackson House (Open 10:00 am-4:30 pm, $3 per adult) shows how the common folk lived in the Antebellum Era. There is no better way to learn about history than to see how the people went about their everyday tasks. Plus, I like looking at other people’s homes and pretty furniture!
For lunch we will meander over to the Napoleon House Café and Bar for muffuletta sandwiches. Click here to see how Emeril Lagasse makes his take on the classic. Since we are in New Orleans AND on vacation, I think a lunch time cocktail is only appropriate. We will be in luck – the Napoleon House is famous for the Pimm’s Cup cocktail (Pimm’s #1, lemonade, and 7up, garnished with cucumber). The Napoleon House got its name when the home’s first occupant (the mayor of New Orleans) offered his residence to Napoleon during his exile. The restaurant has been owned and operated by the same family since 1914. Yum!
The sandwich of our dreams.
More on our afternoon later!
If we wake up early for the first flight (not our wheelhouse) we will arrive in New Orleans around lunchtime. Since this is hypothetical vacation planning we can check into the gorgeous Bienville House Hotel right away.
I don’t understand when people travel to a beautiful destination and avoid all things “touristy”. I want to see the unspoiled magnificence and true cultural identity of a community too, but the reason lots of places became “touristy” is because of their beauty, iconic status and true cultural value. Plus, we are tourists! We are on a vacation that we have worked really hard to afford and we are going to enjoy every second! I am not going to waste a single moment hiding my map (who are we kidding, cellphone) or running away from the “typical” locations.
So our first afternoon will be unapologetically touristy!
… so where is a gal who loves coffee and doughnuts to go for a quick bite to eat in the French Quarter? The Café Du Monde, of course! I think visiting New Orleans without enjoying a beignet at Café Du Monde would be like visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. According to the website, the entire menu includes: dark roasted coffee and chicory, beignets, white and chocolate milk, and fresh squeezed orange juice. I am on the fence about chicory (a baked root coffee substitute) but I am very excited for deep-fried pastries slathered in powdered sugar.
Coffee and beignets will fuel the afternoon.
I am a big believer in guided tours on the first day of vacation. I love hearing passionate, knowledgeable people talk about their hometown and it is a great way to get your actual (streets and neighborhoods) bearings as well as a general introduction to the culture and history. There are a lot of tempting tours in New Orleans and choosing one was very difficult.
I was particularly intrigued by the American Photo Safari. This group offers full (4 hours) and mini (2.5 hours) guided tours that are part historical, guided tour and part photography lesson. It is a very unique concept and I bet our pictures for the rest of the vacation would be great!
City Segway Tours
City Segway Tours looks pretty fantastic – mostly because I enjoy riding segways. In the end I decided against it because it does not explore as many different neighborhoods. This tour really stays in the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. As much as I enjoy segways, I do not want to strain to hear the tour guide over drunk people shouting “HEY! Is that a Segway?!” “HEY YOU! Can I borrow that?”
I’m leaning towards the New Orleans Culinary Bike Tour offered by the Confederacy of Cruisers. Food is very important to us, so I think a culinary tour with lots of sampling opportunities will be a great introduction to New Orleans. On bicycles we will cover a lot more ground than on foot or Segway, and you can really tell from this organization’s website how much they love and appreciate the entire city. I’m very excited by the prospect of fried oyster po’ boys, pork boudin, and raspberry snowballs – whatever they may be.
Gumbo
This is how Southern I want the trip to be!
For a long time I have been intrigued with New Orleans. My parents have neighbors from New Orleans and I imagine the entire city is full of their effortless elegance and hospitality. She is gardening in her yard for more than an hour (proving this impromptu gathering is not pre-planned). She sees you walking her dog and invites you in for a drink. The conversation is effortless and suddenly you are enjoying a fabulous glass of red wine. Without any warning and with a spotless kitchen she has set an incredible cheese plate on the kitchen counter and is taking an incredibly delicious something out of the oven. This is particularly impressive because my parents live in a small town in Southern Indiana. There is not a fancy cheese store in Bloomington… Where does she get the cheese? It is truly amazing. It is part of my life plan to figure out her pantry essentials.
This is not an exaggeration.
On the other hand, I know New Orleans is not the safest city in the world. I hear from friends who have visited for work and even my parent’s completely elegant neighbors that New Orleans is dirty and you can easily walk into a very dangerous neighborhood or situation. This big, southern city with its difficult history and dangerous reality is very intimidating to someone with a solidly Midwest background…. but I still want to go so much!
Other than daydreams I know very little about the Big Easy – that stands for New Orleans, right? I do know what I want our vacation to feel like – complete Southern Elegance with delicious, gourmet meals and a healthy dose of history about this completely new area. I want to learn about the French Quarter, Creole Culture, plantation history, and Hurricane Katrina. Just thinking about planning this trip has me so impressed with the vastness and diversity of our great nation, sounds cheesy I know.
San Francisco Plantation – yes please!
Since this is just hypothetical vacation planning, I will not waste my time with the stressful flight and rental car details. That is just no fun at all.
I’ve always been a big fan of the Preferred Network of Hotels. These are independently-owned, historic properties which must retain a certain measure of quality. I’ve stayed in a few properties in the Midwest and they have all been beautiful, unique, and surprisingly reasonably priced! The Windsor Court Hotel New Orleans’ only four-diamond hotel, but I think I am looking for something a little smaller than 316 rooms.
Bienville House
I’m leaning to another member of the Preferred Network, the Bienville House in the French Quarter. It is a little smaller at only 86 rooms. The exterior has the gorgeous balconies with hanging baskets of ferns. From the photo gallery on their website it looks exactly like what I imagine when I think of New Orleans. Plus, according to the website, I Prefer members receive a gift of bottled water and local candy. I am always interested in local candy.
More details to come (obviously) but a quick look at Restaurant August has me even more intrigued. This is going to be such a delicious trip.
Saturday is our big bike ride but first thing is first and that means a delicious breakfast! We will ride our bikes for about a mile back to Canal Park and the Amazing Grace Bakery and Café. I love the tagline “Be kind – don’t eat bad bread”. I am passionate about freshly baked bread and plan on eating a big delicious meal.
North Shore Scenic Railroad
Our next stop is a few blocks away at the North Shore Scenic Railway. The Lakefront Line is a section of rail between Duluth and Two Harbors originally built in 1886. The line was first built to serve the iron ore industry. The train is now purely a tourist attraction traveling the 27 miles between Duluth and Two Harbors. They offer several different rides that look like a lot of fun including a Polar Express, Elegant Dinner, and Fall Colors tour, but we will be enjoying the one-way Bike Train. At 10:30 am we will depart, bicycles in tow for Two Harbors.
Split Rock Lighthouse
I would love to see the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, but I think the extra 20 miles on bicycle might be too much for my tired legs. It looks amazing though. If we are super motivated on our Sunday way home or have extra time, I think it would be completely worth the extra drive. Instead we will see the Breakwater and Lighthouse right in Two Harbors. It looks lovely enough and I am sure we will get some great pictures.
Then we will begin the scenic bike ride along Highway 61 back to Duluth. Highway 61 goes right along the Lake Superior shoreline the whole way, so we can anticipate a very pretty ride.
Although I am sure we will pack granola bars for snacks along the way, I am sure we will be super hungry when we get back to Fitger’s Inn. After quick showers we will be ready for a delicious meal at Fitger’s Brewhouse and Grille. I plan on a delicious hamburger and hopefully a beer sampler (I didn’t see one on the menu, but surely they offer one). The brewery offers tours on Saturdays at 3 and 4 pm. Hopefully we will be able to go for a tour, but it depends on the time. Eating a big, delicious meal will definitely come first!
Depending on our energy level we might continue to enjoy the Lake Walk or take a quick nap. For dinner we will go for a bit of a drive to the New Scenic Café. Based on the name, I was expecting a very casual atmosphere, but the menu looks wonderful and very seasonal. I love that is serves some flavors I think are distinctly Minnesotan like lingonberries, beets, and wild rice. As promised in the name, I really will be disappointed if we do not get a table with a beautiful scenic view of Lake Superior.
A great looking meal from the New Scenic Cafe
Then back to Duluth to watch the Renegade Improv Team at the Teatro Zuccone. The show begins at 10:30 pm, so we might have to grab a quick espresso at the Zeitgeist Arts Café next door to the theater. Although we love comedy shows, I was on the fence about improv comedy in Duluth. It is probably just prejudice against the small town in Minnesota… but according to their website, Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office) said the show is “hilarious”. If it is good enough for Rainn, it is good enough for us!
…and that is it for our long weekend in Duluth! We drive back to the Twin Cities Sunday morning.
In the not so distant past, our car windows were smashed in an effort to steal our luggage… and as fun as that was, the first thing we will do upon arrival in Duluth is try to check in at our hotel. The very least we can do is check our luggage.
Aerial Lift Bridge
During my search I was pleasantly surprised by all the great hotel options in Duluth! I am very tempted by the awesome location of the South Pier Inn on the Canal. It is located right at the foot of the Aerial Lift Bridge. If you book a Harbor-view room you can sit on your balcony and watch the boats sail by. Can you call it sailing if the boats are not wind-powered? Regardless, it sounds very relaxing, but I think for my first trip to Duluth I would like to be closer to the town – plus I am an absolute sucker for historic hotels.
…and that is why we still stay at Fitger’s Inn – Duluth’s Historic Lakefront Hotel. Fitger’s Inn is a 62-room, boutique hotel located in the 1885 historic Fitger Brewery. The Fitger’s Complex also includes several restaurants, shops, and alarmingly enough a few nightclubs… but surely a Duluth nightclub can’t be too crazy.
Fitger’s Inn
From what I can tell the Lake Walk is a paved trail along the shores of Lake Superior. I am counting on perfect weather, so we will walk about a mile from the hotel through Canal Park enjoying the beautiful fall foliage and taking pictures of the gorgeous lake views! For lunch we are depending on a great meal at a Minnesota tradition since 1976 – Grandma’s Saloon and Grill. From a quick glance at the menu, it looks like Grandma’s serves American cuisine with a few Italian (penne, tetrazzini) and Minnesota (walleye, wild rice) flavors thrown in for good measure. It will be a hearty and delicious lunch!
Glensheen Estate
We are planning on athletics and lakeshore enjoyment all day Saturday – so for the rest of Friday afternoon we will plan on learning some history indoors at the Glensheen Estate. Plus, I ADORE historical mansions. This one was built for Chester and Clara Congdon between 1905 and 1908. Chester Congdon was a minister, attorney, and iron investor that helped settle Northern Minnesota. Learning about the family and their path to success will also tell the story of the iron and transportation development of Duluth. For most of October tours run from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm. They offer a one-hour tour of the basement, first and second floors. They offer a one-hour and expanded one-and-a-half-hour tour of the house and you are free to tour the Carriage House and gardens at your own leisure.
View from Enger Park Tower
If we have time, we will make our way to Enger Park and Tower. It is an 80-foot tower dedicated to the City of Duluth in 1939 by the Crown Prince and Princess of Norway. It offers panoramic views of the city and might be a gorgeous place to take in the sunset!
For dinner we will need to carbo-load for the big bike ride Saturday (also pasta is delicious). We will quickly change at our hotel and then walk to Va Bene Berarducci’s Caffé. It looks fabulous and features Italian imports almost exclusively. We served gnocchi at our recent wedding and I love ordering it every chance I get. I am hungry just thinking about those delicious sauces and based on the location I think it will have a beautiful view of Lake Superior! YUM!
Then early to bed for a big scenic train and bike ride Saturday morning – What a day!
Future Vacations 