14 Day USA Deep South
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Tour Code USDP 14 Day USA Deep South 14 days Created on: 25 Sep, 2021 Day 1: Arrive in Nashville, TN Welcome to Nashville - the undisputed capital of country music. Home to the famous Wildhorse Saloon and Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville offers the perfect opportunity to try some line dancing. Broadway is lined with honky-tonks and live music venues playing not only country, but all music genres - the perfect introduction to the Deep South. Overnight: Nashville Included Meal(s): Dinner Day 2 & 3: Nashville, TN As well as its indelible country music links, Nashville is also the capital of Tennessee and the state's second largest city after Memphis. Situated on the banks of the Cumberland River it was established as a major river port by settlers in 1779. There will be some free time in Nashville to indulge in your choice of the many music and entertainment options available. The Grand Ole Opry is the world's longest running radio show and a highlight and our tour includes a performance here. Overnight: Nashville Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 4 & 5: Nashville - Memphis, TN Located near the Mississippi River, Memphis has a long and colourful past. Legendary forefathers such as Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters and B.B. King helped to put Beale Street on the music map. A highlight of our stay in Memphis is the excursion to 'Graceland', the home of Elvis Presley, who has had the biggest influence on country, blues and rock 'n' roll music. Later, we visit Sun Studio which opened in 1950 and is a place where many great names have passed through. We visit Gibson's guitar factory to get an understanding of the fascinating musical heritage of this city. Outside of music, we pay a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum located in the former Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King was assassinated. Overnight: Memphis Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 6: Memphis - Oxford, MS See the humble beginnings of "The King"with a visit to the birthplace of Elvis in Tupelo, Mississippi. Next it's onto Clarksdale and the Hopson Plantation, which is the former home of legendary blues pianist Pinetop Perkins. It is also where they tested the International Harvester's automated cotton picker. Your tour escort will give you some history including the system of sharecropping and the evolution of the cotton industry. Clarksdale is also home to the infamous "Crossroads", where legend has it blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil. Within the city we find the Delta Blues Museum, a literal blues shrine of artifacts and memorabilia as well as actor Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club. We visit both places. Overnight: Oxford Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Canada/USA 1-866-814-7378 Page 1/3 Day 7: Oxford - Natchez, MS Follow the river road south to the very first established settlement on the Mississippi River. The original capital of the Mississippi Territory, Natchez, was at the heart of the slave trade and is the birthplace of the Mississippi riverboat. Overnight: Natchez Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 8: Natchez, MS A self-guided tour through the streets of Natchez' historic district with over 50 antebellum homes and historic churches is easy to do. Worthy of a visit is the "Under the Hill" area made famous by Mark Twain or explore one of the most interesting cemeteries in the South. Overnight possibly in the historic Eola Guesthouse, which dates back to 1927 and offers the charm of the "Old South". Included in our tour are visits to the Antebellum Mansions and the Elvis Birthplace Museum. Overnight: Natchez Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 9: Natchez - New Orleans, LA We now head south to one of the biggest cities in the Deep South, New Orleans. First there is a detour to visit the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. This antebellum estate was completed in 1828 and with 38 lush acres of gardens, ponds and a majestic live oak alley, is a restful place to stop on our busy tour. Overnight: New Orleans Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 10 & 11: New Orleans, LA New Orleans, otherwise known as the "Big Easy", is an eclectic mix of European, Creole and Cajun culture which manifests in every aspect of the architecture, cuisine and musical scene. Take time to absorb the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street, relax in the Garden District and absorb the ambience of the French Quarter, known also as 'The Quarter'. Founded by French traders in 1718, there are many layers of history in this city, and all its many attractions combined make it one of the most visited cities in America.Step back in time to when life was gracefully slow and enjoy the Mississippi riverboat dinner cruise, dining on a delicious local cuisine buffet that is directly influenced by the myriad of cultures that together make up Louisiana. Your evenings in New Orleans will be easily spent as there is much to do, not least of all continuing your indulgence and appreciation of American music by enjoying some of the many live performances that take place nightly in this delightful city. This includes the famous Preservation Hall where top-drawer jazz musicians play every evening to a small and intimate audience.Included in our New Orleans tour is a visit to one of the Jazz clubs, a Mississippi steamboat dinner cruise, a visit to the Mardi Gras World and a tour of an alligator swamp. Overnight: New Orleans Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 12: New Orleans - Birmingham, AL Canada/USA 1-866-814-7378 Page 2/3 You continue east into Alabama and on to the state's largest city - Birmingham. This city was the primary site of the Civil Rights Movement and where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began his campaign of civil disobedience. Time permitting; we will visit the Civil Rights Institute here. The evening is free for some last minute souvenir shopping. Overnight: Birmingham Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 13: Birmingham - Nashville, TN We will visit Birmingham's Civil Rights Institute this morning if we have not had time to visit the previous evening before returning to Nashville this evening where our journey through the music and cultural history of the Deep South ends. Overnight: Nashville Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner Day 14: Depart Nashville, TN Following breakfast bid farewell to the Deep South. Overnight: Included Meal(s): Breakfast Canada/USA 1-866-814-7378 Page 3/3.