Music City to the Big Easy

We depart for Nashville, and upon arrival transfer to the Gaylord Opryland Resort where we will experience the finest in Southern hospitality.

Our city includes visits to the Country Music Hall of Fame, with its many exhibits and music that showcase Nashville’s contribution to the songwriting and recording industry, and the Historic RCA Studio (Elvis recorded over 200 songs here). We will also enjoy a stroll down the Music City Walk of Fame and along Honky Tonk Highway! This evening we enjoy a boot stomping dinner at one of Nashville’s historic Honky Tonks.

Today we get a sneak peek into the life of legend Barbara Mandrell during a tour of the fabulous Fontanel Mansion. Then we step aboard The General Jackson Showboat, – a 300-foot paddlewheel riverboat (the largest showboat in the country) - for an afternoon of great food, entertainment and wonderful views. After lunch we head back downtown for a tour of the Museum of the man in black – Johnny Cash! This evening we enjoy dinner, a show at the Grand Ole Opry and then get behind the scenes with a Backstage tour of the other side of the Opry!

We begin with the new “Soul of Nashville” experience at the historic Ryman Auditorium (Mother Church of Country Music). Then we will drive through some of the most elite neighborhoods in Nashville and see the homes of the movers and shakers of this vibrant city.

We travel to Memphis with a stop at Graceland – home of Elvis Presley. Elvis has sold over 1 billion records worldwide – more than anyone in music history. We will tour his house, cars and jets before we continue to our centrally located hotel in Memphis.

We begin with a special musical “Mojo tour” of Memphis, singing along with the guide. Included is a visit to Sun Studio, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum and the Civil Rights Museum. At our walking leisure we will explore the historic downtown including Beale Street - one of the world’s most interesting and infamous streets - rich with stories of musical legends, gangsters and Civil War and American heroes. Don’t forget to watch the famous “Peabody Duck March” near our hotel. This evening we return to Beale Street for dinner, music and lively street entertainment.

Today we head for beautiful and historic Natchez Mississippi – an antebellum town on the banks of the Mississippi. In the afternoon we enjoy a horse-drawn Carriage Tour of the City, and then visit the historic Glenfield Plantation home. We will be welcomed by the 5th generation owner who will guide us through her fine Southern home and serve up a true Southern dinner.

Following our Southern Breakfast at our hotel, we drive to the river for a unique tour of Frogmore Plantation and Gin - designated one of the top Must See places in the south! Frogmore is a working cotton plantation that takes us from the 1850’s (when the plantation was worked by slaves), to a modern day computerized gin. Enjoy the stories and join in with the music, pick a bowl of cotton, visit the slave cabins and learn about plantation life. Back aboard the coach listen to specially recorded blues, ragtime and jazz music prior to our stop at the Delta Music Museum. Here we learn about the fascinating life stories of Jerry Lee Lewis, Aaron Neville, Conway Twitty, Fats Domino and others as we listen to their music. After our lunch at Mammy’s (or similar) we proceed to the Jazz capital – New Orleans!

We begin with a lively Jazz Brunch at the landmark Court of Two Sisters, then proceed on our guided city tour. Learn how this melting pot of French, Spanish, African and Cajun peoples is reflected in the architecture, cuisine and culture. We will see the beautiful Garden District, the unique above-ground cemetery, the French Market and the River Walk. Of course no tour would be complete without a stroll down Bourbon Street. This evening you may enjoy one of the many local eateries, visit Preservation Hall or stop in at Pat O’Brian’s for a “Hurricane”!

We embark on an adventurous Swamp Tour during which we will see the flora and fauna of this unique area. These swamps are home to many interesting birds and the dense moss covered trees add to the atmosphere. Our included lunch will include the specialty of the area - Andouille Sausage! Back in the city we learn about the local cuisine and enjoy dinner at the famous New Orleans Cooking School. After dinner why don’t you check out more of the night life in the French Quarter.

This morning we go behind the scenes of the amazing Mardi Gras Floats and learn about Carnival history at Mardi Gras World. The rest of the day is free. This evening we hop aboard pedicabs which will take us down to our Grand Finale event - great jazz, beautiful vistas and wonderful food ‘steamboat style’ aboard the grand Natchez Steamboat, as we cruise along the lazy Mississippi.

Air Canada takes us home.