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 the city of Natchez, Mississippi. With a little French flair and a flowering antebellum culture, Natchez is the perfect showcase of Southern history and hospitality, which you'll have an opportunity to experience when you 'Connect with Locals' in their gracious homes. Meet Joe Stone, a pianist and historian, in his 1850s home and visit the 1804 residence of Esther Carpenter, a former Four Seasons Hotel chef, with whom you'll enjoy a traditional three-course Deep South 'Be My Guest' dinner with wine.

'Dive into Culture' at Frogmore Plantation and Gins and 'Make a Difference' as you learn about efforts to preserve the cotton plantation heritage of the Mississippi Delta. Continue through the Louisiana countryside to Oak Alley Plantation along a 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 and a Regional Dinner of Creole cuisine.

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.