Tastes and Sounds of the South

The beating heart of America's Music City will chart your pace as you prepare to embark on a leisurely pilgrimage to discover the tastes and sounds of the South. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception.

The famous Nashville Sound comes alive this morning as RCA's Studio B reveals the legends of Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves and Roy Orbison. 'Dive into Culture' and gain insights into the life and music of Johnny Cash during a private performance of original Cash tunes with one of Johnny's family members. Our acoustic journey continues with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to see Elvis' Solid Gold Cadillac limousine and Jim Reeves' tuxedo jacket.

In the morning, we will visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, then continue our discovery of Nashville on a 'Your Choice' sightseeing experience, exploring either the Johnny Cash Museum or the Ryman Auditorium. Amble through Broadway's honky-tonk scene or perhaps enjoy the gut-busting flavours of homegrown hot chicken or biscuits. This evening, the sound of country music fills the air as we head to the Grand Ole Opry to watch a performance of America's longest running live radio programme. Then, you will have the option to join a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry or you can spend the day at leisure.

Head to Beale Street, the birthplace of Blues, Soul, and Rock 'n' Roll, where we'll meet a musician and Local Specialist to learn about the musical heritage of Memphis. In the afternoon, you have the option of visiting the National Civil Rights Museum. Enjoy a Regional Dinner this evening.

Worship at the altar of the King, Elvis Presley, and head to Graceland, paying tribute to the man who changed the face of American popular music and culture. Then, pay a visit to Sun Studios, which sought to immortalise the raw energy of Beale Street, recording the first Rock 'n' Roll single in 1951. This evening is free.

Kick off this morning's musical interlude at the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, before saying so long to Memphis, bound for our next destination, Natchez. Located along the shores of the mighty Mississippi River, the city was once one of the USA’s pivotal centers for trade, cotton and sugarcane exports in the South. Travelling through Natchez, you’ll unlock the South’s turbulent past by learning about its history and culture through the people who are local to the region on an orientation tour of the city. Natchez is in the heart of the Mississippi, and there’s no better way to end the day than with a taste, quite literally, of Southern hospitality. Tonight will be an evening to remember, as you 'Connect with Locals' in one of the region’s beautiful historic homes, where your hosts will open their doors for us. First up, you’ll be welcomed by the talented Joe Stone, a concert pianist and historian who’ll give you a tour of his home, before sitting down to feel like part of the family at the main event, a traditional, three-course 'Be My Guest' experience, a delicious home-cooked meal by a local chef, topped off with wine.

Today offers another encounter with American history as we 'Dive into Culture' at Frogmore Plantation and Gins. As you explore the property, from the original gin through to modern day through the eyes of our hosts Buddy and Lynette, you’ll learn of the incredibly harsh realities of this trade and the mark it made on Southern history. Continue through the Louisiana countryside for another chance to learn and appreciate the stories of the south at Oak Alley Plantation, with its perfectly manicured gardens and quarter mile canopy of 300-year-old oak trees. The spicy scents of Creole cuisine linger long after this evening's visit to the New Orleans School of Cooking where we enjoy a fun cooking demonstration with a passionate New Orleans local and a Regional Dinner of delicious and hearty Creole cuisine, one of the region’s most iconic tastes.

Let the good times roll in New Orleans today, tracing the cosmopolitan history of one of America's oldest cities with a Local Specialist, stopping at City Park and one of the ornate above-ground cemeteries. Spend the afternoon soaking up the laid-back vibes of The Big Easy. The afternoon is yours to explore on your own.

Today is yours to explore the French, Spanish and Creole sights and sounds of New Orleans. If you're feeling adventurous, visit Marie Laveau's Historic Voodoo Museum. This evening, join your Travel Director and new friends for a Farewell Dinner at the famed Court of Two Sisters.

For now, it's 'Au Revoir' New Orleans, but not 'Adieu'. Take a transfer to New Orleans International Airport or extend your stay in New Orleans at the Sheraton New Orleans.