Buggy Rides!
Elvis the Mule!
Buggy Rides: Five reasons to hop in the carriage
1. It’s OLD.
Taking a buggy ride is taking a step back into the past. I’m doing a bit of research for a fiction project set in the Civil War. In 1861, the first mule-drawn streetcars come to Canal Street. They blend in with all the horse- and mule-drawn wagons and Hanson cabs taking goods and people around the city. When you book a buggy ride, you step back into that. OK, OK, I’ll grant that it’s a challenge to send yourself back to 1861 when Decatur Street is full of traffic, but once you turn off onto the less-jammed streets, you can close your eyes and listen to the clop-clop of the mule’s feet.
2. It’s INFORMATIVE
Buggy rides used to get a bad rap from the local tour guides and those of us with an interest in history. Some of the tall tales told by buggy drivers were awful. When people would come to the old New Orleans Mailing List (pre-WWW days) with history questions, one of the common responses was, “That’s buggy ride history.” No longer! Buggy drivers are licensed tour guides. They have to pass the same history test the on-foot tour guides do. They give you an informative story
3. It’s DIFFERENT
Seeing the city from a buggy allows you to cover more ground in a short period of time. It’s a good combination with a traditional walking tour. Get my friend Loki to show you around the Garden District and/or the Cemeteries, on one of his Two Chicks Walking Tours jaunts. Take in all the architectural history of the Quarter with Grey Sweeney Perkins, on one of her Friends of the Cabildo tours. Then ride a buggy for a totally different experience!
4. It’s ROMANTIC
You don’t want to hear the tour? Just climb into the buggy with your honey and ride around. Take in the Quarter. Cuddle.
5. It’s FUN!
Day or night, riding a buggy around the Quarter is just plain fun. It’s great way for a family with kids to get off their feet for a little while. Older folks can get out of the sun while still “doing something.”
Take The Tour!
Elvis can’t wait to meet you!
Want to take a buggy ride? Contact my friend Nancy Landry. She and Elvis will gladly show you around!
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