Highlights:

• Visit the Grand Ole Opry - the Madison Square Garden of Country Music
• Enjoy the three best musical cities in the USA 
• Learn about the culture and the cult following of some of the biggest stars - Johnny Cash, Elvis, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain and many more
• Understand what it is that makes these three cities so inspirational for aspiring stars
• Understand the home of the Blues in New Orleans
• Learn the history of Louisiana and Tennessee from the days of European arrival to the current day
• Enjoy some fo the best food in the United States - New Orleans in particular has some of the best cuisine on the planet due to its French influences and abundant fresh and tasty ingredients 
• Return home having experienced the very best of the South - you'll be impressed by the culture, live music, friendly people and excellent hospitality you'll experience. 

 

Included:

 

• 4 Star Accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast Basis
• Meet and Greet at Airport
• Transfers to and from hotel
• Expert driver/guide
• Comfortable touring vehicle
• Local knowledge, recommendations and help with any bookings you want to make
• Porterage - 1 piece per person in and out of hotels

 

Not included

 

• Flights - purchase your own flights in and out of destination 
• Gratuities minimum recommended - $10 per person per day
• Lunches and Dinners - we like our guests to be able to choose their own dining options
• Any entrances to museums, attractions and concerts - most of what you're looking for will be free entrance anyway. 

 

Detailed Itinerary:

 

Day 1

Fly into Nashville International Airport close to city, Meet and Greet and transfer to the hotel in the centre of this incredible southern city famous for its warmth and hospitality. Once you've had a chance to freshen up we'll meet our driver/guide outside the hotel for a panoramic tour of the city. We'll stop in areas important for the music scene and show you the highlights which you'll be exploring over the coming days. We'll pass by the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry - two of the Meccas for lovers of American music.  We'll return to the hotel so you can have a relaxed evening. All restaurant options are within a short walking distance of your hotel.

 

Day 2

 

Today, in the company of our local expert guide, is your opportunity to explore some of the incredible art galleries of the city - Belmont Mansion, Lane Motor Musuem, the Parthenon, Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum and Frist Art Musuem. Nashville is a city which over the last ten years has been booming economically so this has attracted a well educated workforce and one of the results is excellent sightseeing. After so much culture, it's a good idea to relax with a soft drink or a beer and some food so we'll head over to Nelson's Green Bier Distillery, meet some locals and learn about their lives as well as the product they are making here. As so many people have moved to Nashville from outside the area in recent years, you're likely to get some stories as to why people are living in and enjoying Nashville.

 

Day 3

 

Just a short walk from the hotel today are two more excellent museums that we recommend splitting up into a morning and afternoon visit.  Start off with the Tennessee State Museum and then it's over to the Johnny Cash Museum and Cafe. Made even more famous by the Joaquin Phoenix film "Walk the Line," Johnny Cash is a cultural icon whose lyrics have inspired and made people passionate about American Country Music. This evening enjoy some of the best Southern BBQ or a range of other dining destinations. The city is well known for offering a very eclectic and diverse range of eateries. 

 

Day 4 

 

Today we're heading south-west on the famous I-40 freeway between Nashville and Memphis. We'll spend three nights in this famous city on the banks of the most iconic American river, the Mississippi. Today we want to explore the importance of Black America - the Slave Trade, European Colonialism, the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King, who was shot in this city during a very heated decade in American 20th century history. We'll trace the origins of Black History right from the beginning of slavery on the continent right up to the election of Barack Obama. The activities today will be the National Civil Rights Musuem and a panoramic city tour stopping in all the right places to take pictures and see all the highlights, then we'll check into the hotel. 

 

Day 5

 

Today is a day with many options available to our guests - we would certainly like you to enjoy the great food of the city which is world renowned as well as experiencing the sights and sounds of this great Musical Destination. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is a must visit to this famous record label if you're tracing your lyrical heroes. If you want to go further with the ethnicity and cultural makeup of the deep south, the Cotton Museum of the Memphis Cotton Exchange over by the Mississippi is definitely worth while. Then there's the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and and very interactive Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum, all within very short walking distance of one another. 

 

Day 6

 

Today it's all about the King, Elvis Presley, and we start with a visit to his mansion, Graceland. This is clearly one of the highlights of the trip and we'll take a privately guided tour. You'll see exhibits, his car collection and two jets as well as some incredible interiors and rooms belonging to of one of the most successful artists of all time. After Graceland, we're going to one of the best musical visits in the country, the famous Sun Studios which is known as the birthplace of Rock 'n Roll and where Elvis recorded his first song. 

 

Day 7

 

Today we leave behind the Musical Powerhouse state of Tennessee (Country, Blues and Rock 'n Roll) and continual our musical journey into Mississippi with a stop in Jackson to visit the State Capitol building with guided tour. You'll learn about the culture, politics and economy of the state, as well as the archiecture and construction of this wondrous Neo-Classical building. We'll have lunch here and explore some different foods to the ones we've known and loved in Memphis and Nashville. We continue south and arrive in the evening at our hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

 

Day 8

 

Welcome to the home of Jazz, our fourth major musical genre in 8 Days. Today we have a walking tour of the central part of New Orleans, pointing out the best dining options, the best museums and the best musical options for your evenings. There is an abundance of live music in New Orleans, a city where tradition and history are so important.

The famous Creole cooking style is French inspired and so there's a love of all things sauces, seafood and technique. In a sense, the music and cuisine of the city are interlinked as they are combinations of European-American and African-American influences and that's what makes the city so great. The late afternoon and evening are yours to explore, relax and re-energise for an action packed day tomorrow. Try out the local cuisine and see some live music performances. 

 

Day 9

 

There are so many cultural highlights to explore and today we're focusing on the French quarter, known for its incredibly beautiful period homes and bright colours. Your local guide will show you Louis Armstrong Park, The National WW2 Museum and Jackson Square. We suggest you take a cruise on the Mississippi and learn more about its impact on the city and the history of the USA.

 

Day 10 

 

Today we'll go to the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge to understand the flora and fauna of the region. The wealth of the region has always been linked to the meeting point of the Mississippi and the Atlantic, the food is so special for this reason.

We want to epxlore the impact of Hurrican Katrina and what it means to live in an area where flood defences had to be rebuilt to protect the city from further devastation. Over at the Refuge, we'll meet the local guide who will take us on an outdoors walk and you can ask any questions about the sea, the river, the bay and the many aquatic creatures living in their waters. It's also an excellent area for bird spotting. We'll head back to the city and the last evening is yours to enjoy all the best musical flavours of America.

 

Day 11 

 

Fly out on an early afternoon flight from New Orleans and catch your connection in time. Why not take another American journey with us now that you've come so far - see our many American offerings to make this the very best discovery you can. 

We're glad you've been able to enjoy the musical talent and culture of these three states - Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. You'll have traced your lyrical stars and the icons of American music from Garth Brooks to Shania Twain and from Elvis and Johnny Cash to Louis Armstrong. Another trip of a lifetime had by all, this time with the best musical and cultural twists you could have dreamed of.