America's Deep South

Day 1: Your exploration of America’s Deep South begins with a flight to Atlanta, Georgia, where we’ve arranged an overnight stay.

Day 2: Atlanta has been through many incarnations since it was founded as a railroad terminus in 1837, and these days is one of America’s foremost cities. After breakfast, an included sightseeing tour will introduce you to some of the city’s best-loved highlights, including the Martin Luther King museum. This afternoon, you’ll travel on to Chattanooga for two nights at the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, the former Terminal Station building that has been carefully restored and turned into a hotel.

Day 3: Today you can explore Chattanooga at your own pace, or perhaps you’ll choose to join your Tour Manager for an optional trip along the incline railway and Rock City. Sat high above Chattanooga on Lookout Mountain, Rock City’s incredible rock formations and views of seven states will amaze you.

Day 4: Leaving Chattanooga behind, today you will pay a visit to the Jack Daniel’s distillery in the small town of Lynchburg before continuing to Nashville for a two-night stay. 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. This afternoon, you’ll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Nashville.

Day 5: Today is a very special day for music lovers and especially fans of Johnny Cash. This morning, you’ll step inside the hallowed halls of Studio B, and then you’ll travel on to a private performance by either John Carter Cash, Johnny Cash’s son, or Tommy Cash, the legendary musician’s brother. Travelsphere guests will be the only people in attendance, making this an exciting experience that’s not to be missed. Following the performance, you’ll visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, and then in the evening you have the option to visit the Grand Ole Opry, which has to be one of the most important venues for country music in the world.

Day 6: You’ll journey to another great musical city today – Memphis, stood proudly on the bluffs of the mighty Mississippi River. This afternoon, your Tour Manager will lead you in a tour of Memphis’ highlights, including the Riverfront and Beale Street, the home of the blues.

Day 7: No visit to Memphis would be complete without discovering more of its musical heritage, and today offers the opportunity to do just that. Firstly, you’ll visit Sun Studios, where Elvis Presley famously made his first recordings, and after that you’ll head to Graceland, Elvis’ opulent mansion. Today really is a must for any fan of Elvis!

Day 8: If you enjoyed yesterday’s visit to Sun Studios and Graceland, then you’re sure to want to be on today’s excursion to Tupelo – the birthplace of Elvis Presley. Your tour includes a visit to the house where the musical star was born and a museum displaying one of the finest collections of Elvis memorabilia in the world.

Day 9: Leaving marvellous Memphis behind, you’ll cross the border into Mississippi as you travel to Vicksburg for an overnight stay. En route, you’ll get the chance to discover more about another musical legend at the BB King Museum.

Day 10: You’ll leave Vicksburg this morning, stopping in Nachez for a tour of an antebellum mansion en route to New Orleans. This fabulous city, also known as the ‘Big Easy’, is home of another musical genre – jazz. With its laid-back attitude, narrow streets, wrought iron balconies and flower-bedecked verandas, the French Quarter has been attracting visitors for many years. Stroll past the open doors of bars and cafés, where you’ll hear snatches of music, on an optional walking tour of the area this afternoon.

Day 11: You’ll discover more of New Orleans’ highlights on an included sightseeing tour this morning. The rest of the day is free for you to spend as you wish. Perhaps you’ll choose to wander around the art galleries and boutiques of the French Quarter, stopping at a pavement café or two for a coffee, a bite to eat or to enjoy a spot of people watching. 

Day 12: Today you are free to discover more of New Orleans for yourself, or why not join an optional excursion to see a little more of Louisiana? This excursion will introduce you to two very different sides of the state, as you explore the swamps by boat and also visit a plantation to see how farming was traditionally done Southern-style.

Day 13: Today you’ll transfer to the airport for your return flight home.