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Southern Sights and Sounds

£3,695.00

Visiting historic RCA Studio B where the legendary Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers and hundreds of other famous singers made their recordings. It will give you goosebumps.

One of our bestselling itineraries, our two-week Southern USA tours put the focus on the region’s rich cultural heritage. As well as delving into the Deep South&s Civil Rights history, we’ll uncover its musical roots as we visit Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans – the birthplaces of jazz, blues, country and rock ‘n’ roll. This departure coincides with New Orleans& famed Mardi Gras, when the city fills with a party atmosphere, music, dancing and parades.

  • 15 excursions & visits
  • 6 meals
  • Active traveller pace
Category:

Your itinerary

Day 1 – Atlanta

Our door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your flight to Atlanta.

Atlanta Marriott Marquis (4-star)

Day 2 – Atlanta – Chattanooga

This morning we take a tour of the city forever associated with ‘Gone with the Wind’, including the national memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. We then journey to Chattanooga.

Holiday Inn and Suites Downtown, Chattanooga (3.5-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Atlanta guided city tour (morning)

View of Chattanooga along the Tennessee River, USA

Day 3 – Chattanooga

Railway enthusiasts still flock to this town, which has the largest old-time steam railroad in the south. Today we board an equally exciting means of transport – The Incline Railway – which runs steeply up Lookout Mountain and affords wonderful views. The rest of the day is free.

Holiday Inn and Suites Downtown, Chattanooga (3.5-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Journey on the Incline Railway (morning)

Breakfast

Free time

Epic view across Lookout Mountain in Georgia, USA

Day 4 – Lynchburg – Nashville

Over 150 years, Jack Daniel’s charcoal-mellowed Tennessee whiskey has become the top-selling American whiskey in the world. We take a tour of the distillery – where the sauce has been manufactured since 1866 – and discover what makes Jack Daniel’s so special. After, we continue our drive to toe-tappin’ Nashville.

Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Tour of Jack Daniel’s Distillery (morning)

Breakfast

Jack Daniels in Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA

Day 5 – Nashville

Welcome to the country music capital of the world, Nashville. Walk in the footsteps of musical greats on our guided tour, which ticks off Studio B and the Country Music Hall of Fame. This evening we’ll head out to experience a celebration of country music from past to present at the Nashville Nightlife Dinner & Show. This evening of live music is accompanied by an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Nashville guided city tour including Studio B and Country Music Hall of Fame (morning)Nashville Nightlife Dinner & Show (evening)

Dinner

View of Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Day 6 – Tupelo – Memphis

The sleepy town of Tupelo, Mississippi might not feature on this itinerary if the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll hadn’t been born here. At the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum, we’ll have time to explore his humble two-roomed childhood home and browse the small museum. We head to Memphis this afternoon for yet more musical treasures. We’ll wander past the illuminated signs of Beale Street on our orientation tour. A real ‘pinch-me’ moment for music aficionados.

Hampton Inn Memphis-Beale Street (3-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum (morning)Memphis orientation tour (afternoon)

Exterior of the house where Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi

Day 7 – Memphis

“The walls have ears, ears that hear each little sound you make every time you stamp, throw a lamp,” sang Elvis Presley. A wish list-worthy moment for any Elvis fan, today we’ll visit Graceland. While you might not glean much from the walls themselves, there are plenty of stories to hear as you as you wander through the rooms of Elvis’ home, full of memorabilia about his life and career. Spend some time soaking up all the corners of his home and gardens. You’ll also have access to the Automobile Museum, where his lavish aeroplanes are kept. You’ll have a free afternoon in Memphis, so maybe spend it the way the music legends would want – listening to live music. Wander through Beale Street Entertainment District and you’ll hear the sounds of Delta blues, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz and gospel drifting from bars and clubs. Take your pick, order a drink and take it all in.

Hampton Inn Memphis-Beale Street (3-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Graceland and Elvis Experience tour (morning)

Breakfast

Free time

The bright lights of Memphis, USA

Day 8 – Natchez

The pace slows slightly as we follow Ol’ Man River to Natchez, where historic antebellum homes and quintessentially Southern moss-covered trees offer small town charm. A one-time central port for the cotton trade in the early 18th century, Natchez is home to grand old mansions and estates – an indication of the sumptuous scale of society life. We’ll visit the Frogmore Cotton Plantation, which really highlights the contrast of working as a planter or slave in the early 1700s.

Natchez Grand Hotel (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Frogmore Cotton Plantation (morning)

Breakfast

Antebellum Classical Revival mansion in Natchez, Mississippi

Day 9 – Natchez – New Orleans

After visiting the palatial Greek Revival residence, Stanton Hall, we cross into Louisiana towards New Orleans – taking a shortcut over the spectacular Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, one of the world’s longest overwater bridges. As the hometown of jazz, New Orleans is a worthy stop on our itinerary, and you’ll have the afternoon to explore as you please.

Sheraton New Orleans (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Stanton Hall visit (morning)

Breakfast

Free time

Streetcar in downtown at twilight, New Orleans, USA

Day 10 – New Orleans

As one of the highlights of New Orleans& calendar – and it&s most famed celebration – Mardi Gras draws crowds to the city to join the celebrations each year. You have a free day to take in all that Mardi Gras has to offer – the party atmosphere, heart-thumping music, elaborate costumes, and vibrant parades making their way through the city.

Sheraton New Orleans (4-star)

Today includes…

Free time

Mask and bead decorations outside a house celebrating Mardi Gras, USA

Day 11 – New Orleans

Breakfast time in New Orleans means coffee and beignets. These sugar-dusted square doughnuts are served piping hot – and they’re bite-sized, so you can definitely justify more than one. Explore the French Quarter, where the colourful mix of culture and lively bohemian atmosphere is too easy to fall in love with. Or head for a wander down vibrant Bourbon Street for bright neon lights and toe-tapping tunes. Optional excursions to experience the city are available and this evening, you’ll have the option to cruise, dine and enjoy a live jazz band aboard The Natchez Steamboat on the Mississippi River.

Sheraton New Orleans (4-star)

Today includes…

Free time

Night views of New Orleans, USA

Day 12 – Monroeville – Montgomery

We wave goodbye to New Orleans early this morning as we set off for Montgomery. We stop along the way for a mooch around Monroeville town and its old courthouse, made famous by the film of Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. In Montgomery, your evening is free to spend as you please.

Renaissance Montgomery (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Monroeville with entry to the Old Courthouse Museum (morning)

Court Square Fountain - Artesian Basin in Montgomery, Alabama

Day 13 – Montgomery – Atlanta – In flight

A tour takes you on a journey through Montgomery’s rich history, focusing on the 1960s American Civil Rights Movement and pausing at the restored parsonage that once served as the home of Martin Luther King Jr. We’ll also visit the Hank Williams Museum. Later, we transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight.

Montgomery – Atlanta – In flight

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Tour of Montgomery including Hank Williams Museum (morning)

Wing of a plane in flight looking down on clouds

Day 14 – departure

Upon arrival, our vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.

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