“Far Water sat on the far eastern edge of the vast Atchafalaya Basin, wedged on a narrow spit of land between seemingly endless miles of swamp and marshland.” (pg 26)

The Far Water estate is where Margot, her sister Veronique, and their grandmother work for the Hannigan family while they summer at the Atchafalaya Basin to get away from the sick, hot summers in New Orleans.

Today, you can go enjoy the beautiful nature at the Atchafalaya Basin. Fun fact, this is the nation’s largest swamp! You can even take part in a 2 day Historic Plantation and Atchafalaya Swamp Tour. For $699 you get to spend time at Nottoway Plantation where you can get an idea of what life was like for Margot and Veronique and enjoy dinner, breakfast and luxurious overnight rooms. On the second day you will get a guided motorboat swamp tour of the Atchafalayan Basin, maybe even see some alligators. All of this comes with a drive to and from New Orleans to make your life even easier.

“Far Water was as grand in every way as the Prytania Street mansion back in the city, thirty-five miles to the northeast.” (pg 26)

As you know, the Hannigan’s spent their summers at Far Water near the Atchafalayan Basin with Margot and Veronique, but during the rest of the year they stayed at their mansion on Prytania Street in New Orleans.

Prytania Street is in the Garden District of New Orleans, a beautiful street lined with mansions. Today, you can take take a guided tour of the Garden District with Urban Adventures to learn about the history, culture and the mansions and enjoy some local New Orleans food for about $60. You’ll even get to visit the Lafayette Cemetery where James Hannigan was buried.

“The market was on the far side of Plaza de Armas and was already swarming with people despite the early hour: holiday shoppers, soldiers in bright uniforms whom Madame had told Abigail were from another blanc country called Spain, workmen engaged in the building of the great St. Louis Church.” (pg 109)

The Plaza de Armas is where Abigail was sent shopping when her masters were holding their Revellion supper, a traditional New Orleans supper after Christmas Eve mass. While Abigal is at the Plaza de Armas she spots Simona and Josiah, but then they disappear from her view.

Today, the Plaza de Armas is called Jackson Square. It was renamed after the 1815 Battle of New Orleans for General Jackson. Enjoy a day in the French Quarter and stroll through Jackson Square. Afterwards, I highly recommend walking to Café du Monde for some world famous, delicious beignets. Free Tours by Foot also provides an itinerary for a self-guided tour around Jackson Square.

“Far below, rimming the edge of the jungle, she could just make out the red roofs of Cap-Francais and, just beyond, the small, pale dots scattered on the surface of the sea that she knew were ships.” (pg 56)

Cap-Francais, Haiti, is where Abigail worked in 1791 before she moved to New Orleans. As Abigail sat on this mountain she envisioned Cap-Francais burning.

Cap-Francais, now called Cap-Haitien is the second largest city in Haiti. You should visit the Citadelle Laferriere, a fortress on a nearby mountain top. It will be just like Abigail climbing up the nearby mountains to view Cap-Francais from above. Take this small group tour of the Citadelle Laferriere, where you will be picked up from your hotel in Cap-Haitien, take a horseback ride up the mountain to get to the fortress, and enjoy a Haitian-style lunch with live music and entertainment, all for about $185 through TripAdvisor.