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Intinerary:
1: Arrive New Orleans
Welcome to New Orleans, the “Big Easy,” and a tour showcasing the tastes and sounds of the deep south, Check into your downtown hotel, where your Tour Director will greet you with tour itineraries and travel tips before tonight’s Welcome Dinner at Mulate’s. This legendary restaurant is recognized throughout the world as the King of Cajun Dine and Dance halls, and features live Cajun music and dancing along with great Cajun food. (D)
2: New Orleans Touring
Begin the day with Breakfast before a City Tour. Absorb the sights and sounds of the French Quarter and Jackson Square, home of the Cabildo and Presbytere Museums. Listen as your tour guide points out the landmarks and architecture that made New Orleans famous. Walk through St. Louis Cemetery #3, one of the unusual “Cities of the Dead;” and marvel at stories of Voodoo and piracy on Bayou St. John. Follow the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, past stately mansions, and the world-famous exclusive Garden District. After your motorcoach tour through New Orleans, you will have a few minutes to rest or snack before boarding the Steamboat Natchez. Experience the sights and sounds of river life and see the bustling activity of our nation’s second largest port! This afternoon and evening, explore the French Quarter and dine at one of the fabulous eateries at leisure. (B)
3: To Birmingham
Depart New Orleans after Breakfast, traveling to Birmingham, AL, to visit the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Exhibits convey the accomplishments of Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and Erskine Hawkins. You will travel from the beginnings of boogie woogie with Clarence “Pinetop” Smith to the jazz space journeys of Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Space Arkestra. Later, see the Vulcan Statue on the summit of Red Mountain, before arriving at your home for the night. (B)
4: To Nashville
After Breakfast, we’ll head to Nashville, home of country music. On arrival, visit the new Country Music Hall of Fame. Old film clips and mementos of the stars showcase the glamour and behind-the-scenes workings of the music industry. Then visit Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-1974. Later this afternoon, we’ll gather at the Wildhorse Saloon for a line dance lesson. Arrive at your home for the evening before Dinner and a performance at the Grand Ole Opry. (B,D)
5: To Memphis
This morning after Breakfast, we travel to Memphis, “Home of the Blues.” Arrive for a tour of Graceland, home of legendary Elvis Presley. Check into your Memphis hotel before an evening on world-famous Beal Street, and Dinner at B.B. King’s saloon. (B,D)
6: To Mountain View, AR
Breakfast before traveling to Mountain View, AR. Music occupies a very special place in the hearts of Ozark Mountain folk. The fiddle and banjo were favorite sources of entertainment for pioneer settlers, and these two American folk instruments still figure in the sounds one hears when visiting the Ozarks. Guitars, mandolins, dulcimers, and autoharps join to create the old-time sounds that are still enjoyed today in Mountain View, the heart of the Ozark folk music scene. Enjoy a fresh boxed lunch on the square, and the live music jam sessions all around. Overnight at the Dry Creek Lodge at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. (B,L)
7: To Helena/Natchez
Breakfast at the Folk Center while listening enjoying yet another live performance. Board the bus and head for a lunch stop in Helena, Arkansas, home of the world’s longest-running blues radio show, “King Biscuit Time,” and the world-renowned, annual (October) King Biscuit Bluesfest. Enjoy the blues history that can be found in Sullivan’s store and the interactive music exhibits at the Delta Cultural Center. Later, travel to Natchez, MS for overnight and Dinner. (B,D)
8: Natchez, MS
Natchez has more antebellum houses than any other place in the United States. We’ll stop at the Visitor’s Center before a narrated City Tour covering 50 Antebellum (pre 1861) homes and historic churches on a 10 mile odyssey through the historic streets of the oldest permanent settlement on the mighty Mississippi River. Check into your home for the night before an evening of fun at the Isle of Capri Casino. (B)
9: To Lafayette, LA/“Cajun Country”
Breakfast before we head to “Cajun Country,” and Lafayette, LA. On arrival, we will “Two-step” Back in Time at Vermilionville, Louisiana’s Cajun/Creole Heritage & Folklife Park. Vermilionville authentically portrays a way of life preserved with a distinctly French accent. Tonight, a Farewell Dinner is planned at Prejean’s Restaurant, which offers a smorgasbord of Louisiana life with their incredible Cajun culinary delights, live Cajun music and Acadian relics that line the walls and rafters. (B,D)
10: To New Orleans/Home
Alas, after Breakfast, it’s time to head back to New Orleans to catch your homeward flight. Depart, taking with you memories of a spicy, saucy, song-filled tour in the Deep South. (B)
