National World War II Museum
Founded by Stephen Ambrose, author of “Band of Brothers,” the museum opened on June 6, 2000, with more than 100,000 artifacts in its vaults. Weapons, tanks, uniforms, photos, personal letters and artworks are just a few of the pieces that tell the story of the men and women who fought in the European and Pacific theaters. Start with the 4-D overview film, narrated by Tom Hanks, then visit an interactive exhibit on submarines, learn to signal with Navy flags, hear first-person accounts and stay after the museum closes, for dinner in the American Sector Restaurant and Bar.
945 Magazine St., New Orleans, La. 504-528-1944, nationalww2museum.org, @WWIImuseum.
Plantation vacation
Louisiana is home to a remarkable collection of restored plantation homes, many of which are short drives from New Orleans. One of the oldest is Destrehan (13034 River Road, Destrehan, La. 985-764-9315, www.destrehanplantation.org), a 1787 home that hosted the committee that oversaw the Louisiana Purchase, the trial of the 1811 Slave Revolt and the Rost Home Colony for freed slaves after the Civil War. Costumed guides tell the story of the Destrehan family and offer insight into life in the 1780s. Another must-see is Evergreen (4677 La. 18, Edgard, La. 985-497-3837, evergreenplantation.org), one of the few intact properties, where visitors can view 37 buildings, including 22 slave cabins, the main mansion that dates to 1790 and 200-year-old live oak trees.
New Orleans Plantation Country, 2900 U.S. 51, LaPlace, La. 1-866-204-7782, neworleansplantationcountry.com, @NOLAplantations.
GSU tour
In Louisiana, “GSU” stands for Grambling State University, a 5,000-student institution founded in 1901. But its roots extend to 1896, when the North Louisiana Colored Agricultural Relief Association began offering education to African-Americans. It eventually joined the Historically Black College and University network and made history outside the classroom with its football team, led for 57 seasons by Eddie Robinson. He retired in 1997 with 408 wins as the first college coach to rack up 400. More than 300 of the students he coached went on to NFL careers. A museum that honors Robinson’s contributions is a must-see on the campus.
GSU, 403 Main St., Grambling, La. 318-247-3811, gram.edu, @Grambling1901.
