Country Roads of the Deep South - Classic Group

Tour Overview

Fall in love with the Deep South during this 12-day guided tour. Let the lights and music of Nashville wash over you as you walk down Broadway. Take a guided tour of Studio B, Nashville's oldest remaining recording studio. Then head to the Country Music Hall of Fame which preserves, celebrates, and shares the important cultural asset that is country music. In Memphis, enjoy a private tour of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, a former record studio where Nashville greats recorded their music. Get the chance to explore the mansion which was the private retreat of the King of Rock 'n Roll on your own. Embrace Cajun Country and take a crawfish farm tour, where a Local Expert will help you catch your lunch. In New Orleans walk the city with a Local Expert, who will guide you through its vibrant art scene and unique architecture. Then end your trip with a bang and learn all about Mardi Gras, during an exclusive behind the scenes tour of Mardi Gras World, where the magic happens and the extravagant floats are built each year.

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Nashville: Visit Nelson’s Green Brier, Nashville's most historic distillery and home of the Original Tennessee Whiskey. Learn more about the process that creates this drink's unique taste.
• Nashville: MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® with a visit to the National Museum of African American Music, the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans. For music lovers of all generations, this museum inspires, educates, and transforms the appreciation of American music all while celebrating the central role African Americans play in creating the American soundtrack.

Top Rated Highlights

• Nashville: Nashville is a treasure trove of country music. See where it all started, taking in a live performance at the Grand Ole Opry, the show that made country music famous. Discover how the Grand Ole Opry is dedicated to honouring country music’s rich history and dynamic present, showcasing a mix of country legends -- including Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson -- and the current chart-toppers who have followed in their footsteps. Learn how the Opry has been the home to country music’s growth and change, from the first broadcast in the National Life Building on WSM’s Barn Dance in 1925 to the move into the new Opry House in 1974 and on to host the 55th Annual ACM Awards in 2020.
• Nashville: On a guided tour walk the hallowed halls of Historic RCA Studio B, Nashville’s oldest remaining recording studio.  It became a cradle of the Nashville Sound (country) in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Over 35,000 songs were recorded here by artists such as Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and even more recently, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood.
• Nashville: The famous Nashville Sound comes alive as guests learn about the country music legends, such as Jim Reeves and Roy Orbison, at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on a self-guided tour. The museum helps to "preserve, celebrate, and share the important cultural asset that is country music."
• Memphis: Explore the mansion which served as the private retreat for royalty, the King of Rock 'n Roll himself, Elvis Presley.  Graceland, a National Historic Landmark, is an exciting opportunity to get to know the personal side of "The King" in his most intimate setting. Seeing Graceland Mansion’s living room, his parents’ bedroom, the kitchen, TV room, pool room, the famous Jungle Room, his father’s office, the newly enhanced Trophy Building, the Racquetball Building. See where he and his family lived their daily life. If only the walls could talk.
• Memphis: Visit Sun Studio, also known as the “birthplace of rock and roll," where music legends, including B.B. King, Johnny Cash and Elvis recorded some of their iconic hits.
• Greenwood: Explore the Delta town of Greenwood at your own pace, before heading to the Viking Cooking School for a demonstration class that introduces you to a savoury regional specialty, Hot Tamales. Learn how tamales made their way to the Mississippi Delta.
• Natchez: Visit one of the beautiful Antebellum mansions while reflecting on the reality of America's history, and learning new lessons about the preservation efforts of later generations.
• Natchez: Test your mixologist skills as you concoct a traditional Southern cocktail, the Mint Julep. Minty, cooling and with a touch of sweetness, you're sure to learn a few party tricks to bring back home with you.
• Lafayette: Get ready for a tour of a lifetime as you adventure through moss-draped cypress trees, where graceful egrets perch just out of the reach of lingering alligators! While on the boat exploration, you'll explore the diverse natural beauty and rich ecological systems of America's largest and most mysterious swamp ecosystem, the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp.
• Lafayette: Visit the Acadian Cultural Center. Your Local Expert, a park ranger from the National Park Service, will guide you through the fascinating history, culture, plight and prosperity of the Acadian people.
• New Orleans: Make a spicy stop at the Tabasco Factory for a guided tour as you discover the process of making this world-famous red hot pepper sauce. A long-standing family recipe - TABASCO® Brand products are made by McIlhenny Company, founded by Edmund McIlhenny in 1868 on Avery Island, Louisiana.
• New Orleans: Understand what makes New Orleans -- the birthplace of music greats including Louis Armstrong, -- tick with a Local Expert. In the Garden District, walk beneath shady oak trees on streets lined with a mix of homes from single-story cottages to the grand historic mansions and lavish gardens of St. Charles Avenue on the Mardi Gras parade route. Explore Uptown and Treme as well as the heart of the city in the French Quarter, famous for its vibrant nightlife and colourful buildings with cast-iron balconies. View Bourbon Street’s jazz clubs and Cajun eateries before heading to Jackson Square where street performers entertain in front of St. Louis Cathedral.

Make Travel Matter

Memphis: End your day with an exclusive after-hours private tour at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of Stax Records and American soul music. The museum is part of The Soulsville Foundation, which aims to help young people prepare for life success and inspire future artists. Your experience advances UN Global Goal 4: Quality Education.

Memphis: Visit the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, and embark on a poignant and important tour through five centuries of the Civil Rights Movement. Pay your respects to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and learn about his impact on the country and the world. The museum is devoted to the countless brave people who were a part of the entire American Civil Rights Movement. It is one of the nation's premier heritage and cultural museums and a non-profit institution. All proceeds received go toward their noble mission - share the culture and lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement and explore how this significant era continues to shape equality and freedom globally.

Authentic Dining

Nashville: Relax and unwind before meeting your Travel Director and fellow guests to mingle before sitting down to a Welcome Dinner with wine.

Memphis: Dinner this evening will be served at The Beauty Shop, a former beauty parlour turned whimsical New American eatery, where Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla, was said to get her hair done.

Greenwood: Dine on a mouthwatering dinner at Fan and Johnny’s. The restaurant’s chef is a James Beard Award finalist and dishes include soul-food inspired creations featuring produce local to area.

Lafayette: You will be joined by a Local Expert who will help you catch your lunch the old-fashioned way, using hand nets (Seasonal). Later enjoy an authentic Cajun meal.

: Embark on a culinary adventure at the New Orleans School of Cooking for a captivating lunch and demonstration. Delve into the heart of Creole and Cajun cooking as you're treated to live demonstrations on the preparation of iconic dishes like gumbo, jambalaya and pralines. As you learn secrets behind these classic recipes, indulge in a tasting of their rich, local flavours.

New Orleans: End your day with a Celebration Dinner with your fellow travellers.

Insight Choice

Nashville: Visit Nelson’s Green Brier, Nashville's most historic distillery and home of the Original Tennessee Whiskey. Learn more about the process that creates this drink's unique taste.

Nashville: MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® with a visit to the National Museum of African American Music, the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans. For music lovers of all generations, this museum inspires, educates, and transforms the appreciation of American music all while celebrating the central role African Americans play in creating the American soundtrack.