The Deep South

You will stay in hotels such as the Holiday Inn in Atlanta, Holiday Inn Express Downtown in Nashville, the Holiday Inn Select in Memphis, La Quinta Inn & Suites in Vicksburg, and the Hampton Inn & Suites Convention Center in New Orleans. All rooms feature private facilities, air-conditioning where appropriate, TV and telephone. There is a restaurant and/or bar in most locations and often extra facilities, such as a swimming pool and shop. Hotels will be confirmed in your final documents.

Day 1: UK/Atlanta

Depart on your scheduled flight to Atlanta in Georgia. Transfer on arrival to your hotel for a two night stay.

Day 2: Atlanta

Atlanta began as a sleepy railroad terminus in 1837 but rapidly became a sophisticated city before its destruction in the Civil War, and is now one of America’s foremost cities. We include a morning sightseeing tour. You will see famous Peachtree Street, the Georgia State Capital, the main downtown area and Underground Atlanta, the ‘city beneath the streets’. Atlanta is also the birthplace of Dr Martin Luther King, and a visit will be made to his house. Why not join our optional half-day tour to Stone Mountain this afternoon. Stone Mountain is Georgia’s most visited attraction and features lush scenery and many historical points of interests as well as activities.

Day 3: Atlanta

Today you are free to explore at your own pace. Why not enjoy the urban oasis of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and the tree-top walking trail. Or visit Margaret Mitchell’s former home where she famously penned ‘Gone with the Wind’.

Days 4 - 5: Nashville

Today you take a scenic drive through Georgia to Chattanooga, just across the state border of Tennessee and on to Nashville for a three-night stay in a downtown location. Nashville is both the capital of Tennessee and the country music capital of the world, home to the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Our tour includes a morning sightseeing tour of Nashville. You will visit Fort Nashborough, the original site of the city’s pioneer settlement, the Parthenon replica, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Studio B, where so many of America’s greatest music stars have made recordings. This evening join an optional visit to the Grand Ole Opry. Please note: There are no performances during January and February. We have an optional visit to the Jack Daniel’s distillery.

Day 6: Tupelo

Depart Nashville this morning and drive to Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. Here you will drive by the house where Elvis was born and visit the museum, which holds the best preserved array of Elvis memorabilia anywhere in the world. We then continue to Memphis where two nights’ accommodation has been arranged at a downtown property.

Day 7: Memphis

Memphis stands proudly on the bluffs of the mighty Mississippi. It is an old town with a new face, both ‘Old South’ and modern metropolis. A half-day sightseeing tour of Memphis is included, featuring the famous Riverfront and Beale Street, the birthplace of the blues. This afternoon we have an optional trip to Sun Studios and, of course, Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.

Day 8: BB King Museum & Vicksburg

Depart Memphis and cross the border into Mississippi on our way to Vicksburg. We make a stop at the BB King Museum where we enjoy lunch and a private performance by a blues musician. We also enjoy a guided tour of the museum that exhibits artefacts and documents from Mr King’s life and work. We continue to Vicksburg for an overnight stay.

Day 9: Natchez

Drive to the charming port of Natchez, straddling the Mississippi River. A tour of Natchez and an elegant antebellum home will be made before continuing into Louisiana and on to New Orleans. Three nights’ accommodation has been arranged.

Day 10: New Orleans

We’ve included a morning sightseeing tour of the city. You will see Jackson Square, the downtown district, Lake Pontchartrain, the Superdome and of course the famous French Quarter. Its narrow streets, wrought iron balconies, seafood restaurants, and flower-bedecked verandas ring to the sound of authentic jazz from the bars and cafés of fabled Bourbon Street. Plenty of optional excursions will also be available, including a trip on an authentic sternwheeler and tour of New Orleans by night.

Day 11: New Orleans

Free in New Orleans to explore at leisure.

Day 12: New Orleans/UK

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Day 13: UK

Arrival in the UK.