Southern Charms & Florida

Welcome to New Orleans! Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m. this afternoon to answer any questions.Once settled into your hotel, perhaps head out and start exploring this vibrant city full of character, interesting shops, and delicious Cajun and Creole cuisine.

Your guided tour this morning is dedicated to the sights and sounds of this unique, culturally rich city. First, visit the French Quarter, including St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Next, learn about the city’s unique burial customs at an above-ground cemetery, followed by a leisurely drive down historic St. Charles Avenue to enjoy its stately mansions and clanging streetcars. A lavish optional brunch at the iconic Court of Two Sisters features many of New Orleans’ culinary classics as well as live music. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Perhaps today, or tomorrow, take an optional Plantation Tour to learn more about southern history and culture or cruise down bayous seeking out alligators on an optional Swamp Tour.

A day to explore at your own pace. Stroll through the centuries-old French Quarter or take a carriage ride while listening to tales of voodoo queens and pirates. History enthusiasts may venture out to a plantation to catch a glimpse of life the way it used to be in the Old South. Get jazzed about music on an optional jazz dinner cruise aboard a traditional paddlewheel steamboat.

Drive through the heart of Cajun Country to Baton Rouge. Visit LSU Rural Life Museum & Windrush Gardens to explore cultural features of 18th and 19th century rural Southern life as well as their expansive gardens. Then go on an orientation tour of the city that features the art deco State Capitol, the tallest in the country. Next, on to Natchez, a thriving port in the golden years of the cotton trade. This evening, perhaps join our optional dinner and Historic Antebellum Home Tour.

Drive through rural Mississippi to Memphis. On arrival, see city highlights on an included orientation tour. Don’t miss an optional excursion to the birthplace of Rock-n-Roll at Sun Studio, followed by dinner. Then perhaps venture out later to Beale Street where Delta blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R & B, and gospel join in a melting pot of American music.

A trip to Memphis would not be complete without visiting Graceland, the palatial home of “The King,” Elvis Presley. Our guided audio tour focuses on the opulent 15,000-square-foot mansion and the meditation garden where Elvis, and his daughter and grandson, are laid to rest. Later, if you haven’t done so already, get a taste of Memphis with some authentic southern barbecue, visit the National Civil Rights Museum, or experience the world-famous Duck March at the elegant Peabody Hotel.

This morning, leave the “Home of the Blues” as you head for Nashville, the “Capital of Country Music” with an afternoon arrival. This evening, you have reserved seating for an unforgettable show at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, a mecca for country musicians since 1925.

Its association with country music has made the name “Nashville” world famous, but it’s not just music fans who will find this bustling Southern city a delight. Start your day with a visit to RCA Studio B, one of the country’s most revered, and Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio. Afterward, sightseeing includes the recording studios of Music Row, a life-size reproduction of the Parthenon, the State Capitol, and Bicentennial State Park. The remainder of the day is free. Perhaps take an optional excursion to the Country Music Hall of Fame with its glittering costumes, rare instruments, and Elvis Presley’s “solid gold” Cadillac.

First stop today is Chattanooga, home of the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Then, enter the “Peach State” of Georgia and journey to its fast-growing metropolis, Atlanta, home of 1996 summer Olympics. An orientation tour is followed by a visit to the National Park Visitor Center that honors civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. This evening is at leisure.

Head south through rich, rolling farmland to the historic seaport of Savannah for a 2-night stay. En route, make a lunch stop in Macon, “Where Soul Lives”, and home of music greats Little Richard and Otis Redding. Arrive in Savannah and begin soaking up its sultry charms. After an orientation tour, stroll the historic squares shaded by huge live oak trees and surrounded by charming churches and elegant homes.

A day at leisure. Perhaps explore the city on the optional Hop on/Hop off Trolley and see attractions like City Market, Forsyth Park, and the Mercer House, or spend time shopping on cobblestoned River Street. This evening, perhaps seek out some Low Country cuisine at one of the many local restaurants.

Travel into the “Sunshine State” of Florida, stopping first at St. Augustine, the oldest European founded city in the United States. You will see the Government House and the Spanish fortress, Castillo de San Marcos, on your orientation tour. Then drive to magical Orlando for a late afternoon arrival.

Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights to explore this city and all of its attractions further.