America's Music Heritage

​Our day begins with an included tour of Atlanta, including entrance to the Martin Luther King museum.

Get to know your travelling companions better over a welcome dinner this evening. ​

​Nashville is both the capital of Tennessee and the country music capital of the world. This is where we spend the next two nights, with a sightseeing tour of its highlights included on day 3. Enjoy dinner and live music with our optional evening out.
On day 4 we'll visit Studio B, which became famous in the 1960s for its part in the Nashville Sound, which revived the popularity of country music. We'll also head to the Country Music Hall of Fame, to see a huge collection of artefacts connected with the genre.
The perfect way to end the day is with an optional evening concert at the Grand Ole Opry, one of the most important venues for country music anywhere in the world.​​

​Sitting on the Tennessee River is the area of Muscle Shoals, and it's where we head for an overnight stay.

Another day inspired by music begins with a visit to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame to see exhibits ranging from gold discs to costumes worn by the likes of Hank Williams and the Commodores. We also step inside the FAME Studios, where music legends such as Aretha Franklin, Little Richard and Otis Redding have recorded, and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. ​

​We make our way to another great musical city today – Memphis, which is located on the banks of the Mississippi River.

En route we call at Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. We'll see the house where he was born and visit a museum which is home to one of the finest collections of Elvis memorabilia in the world.​

​On day 7 we'll learn more about Elvis, starting with a visit to Sun Studios, where he made his first recordings. Next we'll head to Graceland, the opulent mansion where the King of Rock 'n' Roll lived until his untimely death in 1977.

You can explore Memphis at your own pace on day 8. A stroll along Beale Street, which is lined with blues clubs, restaurants, shops and bars, is a great way to soak up the city's vibrant atmosphere​.

​We'll leave Memphis today and head to Natchez. This historic city boasts a great number of well-preserved antebellum mansions and we will step inside one of these today. Stanton Hall was built in 1859, and was occupied by Union troops during the American Civil War. Our guided tour here will give us a fascinating glimpse into the life of wealthy cotton merchant, Frederick Stanton, and his family.​

​New Orleans is our destination today, and we'll stay here for two nights. Also known as the 'Big Easy', this exciting city is the home of jazz, and on our walking tour of the French Quarter we'll hear snatches of music as we stroll along historic streets.
This evening, you could head to Bourbon Street with your travelling companions to enjoy a drink and a meal and soak up the lively atmosphere of this iconic street, where music spills from every doorway.​ 
Alternatively, if you want to enjoy a real southern experience, why not join our optional excursion. You'll board an authentic paddle steamer and cruise along the Mississippi River as you enjoy dinner accompanied by live jazz music.

​We'll discover even more of New Orleans on an included sightseeing tour this morning.

The rest of the day is free for you to spend as you wish. Why not join one of our optional excursions. You can explore Louisiana's swamps and visit a plantation. ​

Founded in 1702 as Louisiana's original capital, Mobile is in our sights today. Our afternoon tour will introduce its highlights, which include beautiful mansions and pristine gardens.

This evening why not head to a seafood restaurant, Mobile's location on the Gulf of Mexico means you'll be spoilt for choice.​

Our final destination is Montgomery, where we stay tonight. En route we'll make a stop at Monroeville, the hometown of Harper Lee, whose novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a classic of modern American literature. Here we'll see the building which was the inspiration for the courthouse that appeared in the film adaptation. We'll also call at Selma, the starting point of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights march. This historic protest, and the participation of Martin Luther King Jr, raised awareness about the need for a national Voting Rights Act.
We then continue to Montgomery. This is where, in 1955, black seamstress Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, therefore violating segregation laws and ultimately helping to initiate the civil rights movement.​

​Today we'll head to Atlanta for our overnight flight back to the UK, arriving on day 15.​