9-Nights America's Musical Heritage from $3,659
Globus
OFFER ID 1487964
Are you a little bit country? A little bit rock ‘n’ roll? Then you’ll love this musical heritage vacation that follows the influential sounds of chart-topping history from Nashville to Memphis with a crescendo in New Orleans for all that jazz. Strut your way down Nashville’s Honky Tonk Row and to reserved seats at the Grand Ole Opry. Swivel your hips through Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate and the famous studios and streets of Memphis. Jump, jive, and wail through the New Orleans French Quarter in search of the blues and beignets. You’ll also face the music as you follow the path of the Mississippi River to the famed Delta Blues Museum, the B.B. King Museum, and Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club. Both a musical and southern heritage tour, this vacation through the Deep South leads you to elegant antebellum mansions, historic cotton plantations, and the not-so-soft sounds of country, rock, and rhythm and blues.
9 nights from $3,659 per person
Itinerary Details
America's Musical Heritage
Day 1 ARRIVE IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Welcome to Music City, USA! At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink.
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Day 2 NASHVILLEStudios, Stages & Stars Start your day with a visit to [LF] RCA Studio B, Nashville’s oldest recording studio. Then, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Nashville with a Local Guide, including Centennial Park’s full-size replica of Athens’ Parthenon. See the legendary recording and performing venues of Music Row and Honky Tonk Row—where music history was made and famous artists got their breaks. We then visit the Country Music Hall of Fame to see its collection of costumes, memorabilia, instruments, and photographs. Tonight, you have reserved seats for an unforgettable show at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, the mecca for country musicians. (B)
LOCAL FAVORITE
CULTURAL GEM The legendary RCA Studio B is a hallowed hall of recording history where legends like Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton, and the Everly Brothers laid down classic tracks in Nashville’s oldest recording studio. Between 1957 and 1977, more than 35,000 songs were recorded here, making their mark on the musical landscape of America. Make your own recording for a priceless memory of your time in Nashville.
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Day 3 NASHVILLE–MEMPHISSinging the Blues This morning, depart for Memphis, “Home of the Blues,” and visit Sun Studio, one of the most famous recording studios in the world and where rock ‘n’ roll was first recorded. Then, visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, a celebration of the great Memphis soul music. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant tonight. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
MUSICAL LEGENDS Ever since the Father of the Blues, W.C. Handy, coined the phrase, ‘Memphis Blues,’ this Tennessee mecca for American musicians has produced soulful sounds of syncopated rhythms with a blend of early jazz, vaudeville, ragtime, and folk styles with deep roots in the Deep South of the early 1900s. Memphis is also a mecca for rock-and-roll and country music icons throughout history, including artists who’ve recorded at the legendary Sun Studio – by the names of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison – to name a few. Go deeper into music history with a visit to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music to discover the legacies of iconic artists from Otis Redding to Aretha Franklin.
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Day 4 MEMPHIS. EXCURSION TO GRACELANDGoin’ to Graceland! See all the landmarks of Memphis today. A Local Guide will play and sing selections from the city’s rich musical heritage, along with generous amounts of comedy and interaction. We then travel to Elvis Presley’s Graceland for a tour of the King of Rock-n-Roll's estate. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDARY LIVES Tour the mansion at Graceland with access to Elvis’ original business office, his enormous collection of gold records and awards, and the Meditation Garden, where Elvis and members of his family have been laid to rest. See Elvis’ collection of ornate jumpsuits and capes, the automobile museum, and his collection of airplanes.
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Day 5 MEMPHIS–CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI–GREENWOOD Mississippi History Today, follow the mighty Mississippi River deep into the heart of the Mississippi Delta, the “Birthplace of the Blues.” From the cotton fields, street corners, and juke joints of the Mississippi Delta came a new kind of music—the blues. Visit the Delta Blues Museum, dedicated to exploring the history and heritage of this unique American musical art form and masters of the art, including Muddy Waters and Sam Cooke. Peruse historical images, artifacts, musical instruments, and the cabin where Muddy Waters lived as a sharecropper. Enjoy a photo stop at the “Cross Roads,” where legendary blues guitarist Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the best musical talent. Enjoy a [LF] special lunch with a local musician at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale. After lunch, continue to Greenwood, where many of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take a guided tour to see the filming locations of the Oscar-winning film, The Help. (B,L)
LOCAL FAVORITE
TASTES & TRADITION Break bread in Clarksdale, the birthplace of the blues, with a special lunch served southern style at Ground Zero Blues Club. Co-owned by Academy Award winning actor, Morgan Freeman, this hopping juke-joint and restaurant is named for the historic town where blues first wailed and local musicians keep the blues cooking along with authentic southern-style dishes amid its eclectic down-home décor.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Enjoy a special overnight stay at the historic Alluvian Hotel. Originally opened in 1917, it has undergone a major transformation and is now rated as one of the Top 10 Hotels in the United States by Condé Nast magazine. Warm hospitality and charm in the heart of soulful South!
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Day 6 GREENWOOD–INDIANOLA–NATCHEZSlide Guitars & Steel Magnolias Visit the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, hometown of the legendary musician. Explore King’s 60-plus year career, from his time as a sharecropper and his time on Memphis’ Beale Street to the international music star he became. Artifacts, images, and a guitar studio where visitors can play instruments bring it all to life. Continue south to beautiful Natchez. Dinner tonight is at an elegant [LF] Magnolia Hall Mansion, a fine example of Greek Revival architecture style. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVORITE
HISTORY & TRADITION Magnolia Hall of Natchez, Mississippi, is also known as the Henderson-Britton House and was built by Thomas Henderson, a wealthy merchant, planter, and cotton broker in 1858. The home is one of the finest examples of the Greek Revival style if the legendary On Top of the Hill Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Day 7 NATCHEZ–FERRIDAY, LOUISIANA–FROGMORE–LAFAYETTE Louisiana Legacies First stop today is the Delta Music Museum, where you are treated to a guided tour to hear intimate stories about Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, Conway Twitty, and other Louisiana Delta musicians. Then, head through Louisiana into the heart of Cajun Country for a visit to the historic Frogmore Plantation. Continue to Lafayette and partake in a unique experience at [LF] Cypress Cove Landing on the banks of the Atchafalaya Basin. (B)
LOCAL FAVORITE
CULTURAL GEMS Listen to rich Creole and Cajun music and storytelling by Yvette Landry and Soko Music. Learn the dances of Mardi Gras and Fais do do on the banks of the Atchafalaya Basin while enjoying live music. Ready to join the band? Play Cajun percussion instruments like the T-Fre or try the accordion and take part in the rich Louisiana French musical traditions.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Learn about the trials and triumphs of American history with an enlightening tour of Frogmore Plantation. An 1800-acre working cotton plantation, Frogmore has 19 restored antebellum (pre-Civil War) structures that date from the early 1800's. Hear the history of the early Natchez planters and their slaves. A local guide tells of the evolution of history from the 1790's through the Civil War and the emergence of sharecropping. See a rare Smithsonian-quality steam cotton gin contrasting the historical methods with modern day planting, harvesting, and computerized ginning of cotton. A fascinating look at Southern history in Louisiana.
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Day 8 LAFAYETTE–ST. MARTINVILLE-HOUMAS HOUSE PLANTATION–NEW ORLEANS Southern History & Tradition Enjoy a morning visit to St. Martinville to see the famous oak tree from Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline. Then, cruise through the swampy waterways of the Atchafalaya Basin. See moss-draped trees, wildlife, and maybe even a lurking alligator or two. On to the Great River Road, where wealthy plantation owners built their monumental homes. Visit Houmas House Plantation and Gardens, called the “Crown Jewel of the Great River Road.” Enjoy lunch at the plantation followed by a mansion tour, which is filled with period antiques and Louisiana artwork. Enjoy free time to stroll the magnificent gardens, gift shop, or have a Mint Julep at the Turtle Bar. Continue to exciting New Orleans for a 2-night stay. (B,L)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURE & TRADITION Located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, The Houmas House Estate allows visitors to experience the history of life on a sugarcane plantation in the 1800’s. The mansion has been restored to the antebellum era, reflecting the opulence and wealth this sugarcane farm boasted in the 1880’s. The guided mansion tour walks through the 250-year history, highlighting the architectural evolution from manor house to grand estate. See rare artworks and artifacts that explore life on the plantation throughout history.
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Day 9 NEW ORLEANSLaissez les Bons Temps Rouler! Let the good times roll in New Orleans with a guided sightseeing tour of the French Quarter. Stop at an above-ground cemetery and learn about the city’s unique funeral customs and drive along tree-lined St. Charles Avenue to see the stately homes bordering the historic Garden District. This afternoon is free to explore New Orleans on your own, shop for a favorite souvenir, or relax with a fresh cup of café au lait and a beignet. Tonight, celebrate your musical journey with a festive farewell dinner at one of the famed local restaurants in New Orleans. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEM World-renowned for its Jazz, Blues, and Cajun music, New Orleans is also the place for celebration – from Mardi Gras to the brass-band funeral processions. The French Quarter is so rich in French and Spanish Creole culture that it spills out from the wrought iron verandas onto the street where Bourbon Street swells with the sounds of kitchens, bars, and blues bands filling the fragrant Southern air. Down a hurricane glass of your favorite libation in the town that’s as resilient as its strongest winds.
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Day 10 NEW ORLEANSSafe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
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Situated on the Vermilion River about 115 mi/185 km west of New Orleans, Lafayette, Louisiana, is the center and de facto capital of Cajun Country—the area settled by French Acadians in the 1700s. There are several sights of note in the immediate Lafayette area, and the town serves as a good base for exploring the true treasures of Acadiana—the smaller towns located within a 30-mi/50-km radius.
To the north of Lafayette is the Cajun Prairie region, which is made up of smaller towns that retain their French Acadian heritage. This is a largely rural area where cattle graze contentedly and flooded rice fields double as crawfish farms.
The tranquil formal gardens of the Academy of the Sacred Heart draw travelers to the town of Grand Coteau. Fans of percussive zydeco music will gravitate toward the towns of Opelousas and Plaisance, where living legends of the style play in dance halls. Traditional Cajun music (less electrified than zydeco but no less danceable) is also a big draw in the area. Fans of the music get up early on Saturday morning to hit Fred's Bar in Mamou, a microscopic barroom-turned-dance-hall that hosts an early-morning radio program that's popular with locals and visitors alike.
Up the road in Eunice, the beautifully restored Liberty Theater features the Saturday-night radio program Rendez-vous des Cajuns. Host and folklorist Barry Jean Ancelet takes the stage 6-8 pm for a live broadcast of Cajun music, stories and culture.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
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