Creole cooking, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Jack Daniel's Distillery and Graceland are a few of the features you'll experience on this wonderful trip through the south! Visit New Orlean's French Quarter and enjoy a swamp cruise of the bayou in Atchafalaya Basin.

Day 1 - Arrive Nashville (2 nights)
Welcome to Nashville, Music City USA! A complimentary transfer is provided to the tour hotel. Your Tour Director is at the hotel this afternoon to greet you and answer your questions. Join us at 6:00pm for a Welcome Drink at the hotel.

Hotel: Gaylord Opryland Resort

Day 2 - Nashville sightseeing – Grand Ole Opry evening
This morning we explore the world’s country music capital starting with Music Row, the heart of Nashville’s entertainment industry and home to a number of record labels, radio stations and recording studios such as RCA’s legendary Studio B. We also see historic Printers Alley, the Wildhorse Saloon and the historic Ryman Auditorium, host of performances by all-time greats including Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. We then head to picturesque Lynchburg for a visit to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. We are joined by our host and whiskey expert, and hear about “Mr. Jack,” the man who created the famous Tennessee whiskey. We watch and learn about the whiskey-making process as it happens, from the iron-free spring that churns the water for the whiskey, to the barrel rooms where it slowly ages. We are then treated to a delicious luncheon with each course based on the perfect ingredient… Jack Daniel’s! Back in Nashville, we attend a live evening recording at the Grand Ole Opry, one of the most influential live shows in country music history and the oldest continuous radio program in the United States. (Full breakfast / Be My Guest dinner)

Day 3 - Nashville - Memphis (2 nights)
This morning we visit the famous Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, a treasure trove of historic country video clips, recorded music, fabulous costumes, instruments and other memorabilia which tell the story of country music. Next we head to Memphis, the city of soul, rhythm and blues. Enjoy a city tour and learn about Memphis’ role in the birth of the Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll. See Beale Street, BB King’s Blues Club, the Mississippi River and the infamous Lorraine Hotel. This evening is at leisure. (Full breakfast)

Hotel: Marriott Memphis Downtown

Day 4 - Memphis – Graceland excursion
Today we visit Elvis Presley’s amazing Graceland, the King’s final resting place. Graceland is a one-of-a-kind journey through Elvis’ humble beginnings and rise to superstardom with an up-close and personal look at his influence which forever changed music. There is plenty of time to explore the mansion and the many exhibits including Elvis’ cars, custom jets and eclectic collections. Later we return to the hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure, but not before our Tour Director reveals a Hidden Treasure to us! (Full breakfast)

Day 5 - Memphis – Natchez
We enter the state of Mississippi and head downriver to Natchez, a charming town located on a bluff above the Mississippi River. Hundreds of 19th century southern homes still grace the bluff, lovingly preserved to their antebellum grandeur. We view the best sights in town and join a guided tour of Stanton Hall, the palatial home of a Mississippi cotton broker, built just before the Civil War. Here we learn about the gracious lifestyle that existed once upon a time in old Natchez. Tonight we enjoy a Highlight Dinner at a beautiful Natchez mansion, where the elegant service, atmosphere and garb of our hosts bring us back to that bygone era. (Full breakfast / Highlight dinner)

Hotel: Natchez Eola Hotel

Day 6 - Natchez – Cotton Country – Lafayette
Crossing into Louisiana, we stop at Frogmore Cotton Plantation & Gins. Here we are joined by a costumed guide and get insight into the contrasts between a working cotton plantation of the early 1800s and a modern cotton plantation and gin of today. This afternoon is spent exploring fascinating Cajun Country, a unique blend of French, Creole and Caribbean influences. Experience Cajun culture first-hand during our visit to Vermilionville, a recreated Cajun village re-enacting life in the Acadiana area between 1765 and 1890. See another side of this life in Lafayette, where the beautiful Acadian homes of the wealthy elite line the streets. This evening, bring your dancing shoes as we liven things up with a Cajun-style Highlight Dinner and live Cajun music at a local restaurant. (Full breakfast / Highlight dinner)

Hotel: Hilton Lafayette

Day 7 - Lafayette – Swamp tour – Oak Alley – New Orleans (2 nights)
Look out for alligators and other wildlife as we cruise deep into the bayous and backwaters of the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in the United States. Back on land, we follow the Mississippi River to Oak Alley Plantation. Here, we tour the gracious home and grounds and hear tales about life for both master and slave during the heyday of Louisiana’s sugarcane industry. This afternoon we arrive in New Orleans, the “Big Easy.” (Full breakfast)

Hotel: New Orleans Marriott

Day 8 - New Orleans sightseeing
New Orleans is known for its great food, fun atmosphere and wonderful music, the happy results of a cultural mix unlike any other in the United States. Led by our local guide, we explore this vibrant and colorful city starting with the historic French Quarter, one of America’s oldest and most unique living neighborhoods. See the French Market and Jackson Square, before heading out to the elegant Garden District, known for its marvelous examples of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture. Next we visit one of the “Cities of the Dead,” and learn about the city’s unusual above-ground burial system. The afternoon is at leisure. This evening we toast our southern journey with our Farewell Dinner at the iconic Court of Two Sisters restaurant. (Full breakfast / Farewell dinner)

Day 9 - Depart New Orleans
A complimentary transfer is provided to New Orleans International Airport. (Full breakfast)

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PRICES
From approx $1,799 US per person double occupancy