Southern Sounds & Elvis

Welcome to New Orleans! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

The morning is dedicated to the sights and sounds of this vibrant city on a guided sightseeing tour. First, visit the French Quarter to see St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Next, learn about the city's unique burial customs at an above-ground cemetery, followed by a leisurely drive down historic St. Charles Avenue to enjoy its stately mansions and clanging streetcars. The rest of the day is at leisure. This evening, enjoy listening to some New Orleans Jazz on an optional Jazz Dinner Cruise on the Mighty Mississippi.

Depart New Orleans this morning for Indianola, hometown of the legendary musician B.B. King. Visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center to learn about B. B (Blues Boy) King's fascinating 60-plus year career. Learn about his time as a sharecropper to his big break on Memphis' Beale Street and the international music star he became. Artifacts, images, and a guitar studio, where visitors can play instruments, bring it all to life. Afterward, journey to Memphis, where you spend the next three nights.

This morning, experience this amazing city on a sightseeing tour with an expert Local Guide who knows the history of Memphis like no one else and shares the inside, “backstage” stories from the folks who were there. Then visit the Rock ‘n' Soul Museum, which traces Memphis' cultural and musical past. Don't miss an optional excursion to the birthplace of Rock ‘n' Roll at Sun Studio, followed by dinner in the heart of the blues on Beale Street where Delta blues, jazz, rock ‘n' roll, R & B, and gospel join in a melting pot of American music.

Today is dedicated to a guided audio tour of Graceland. Experience life as Elvis did by walking through the decadent and quirky rooms of his estate. Board his customized jet featuring a living room, private bedroom, and gold-plated seat belts! Finish your tour with a visit to the Meditation Garden, where Elvis often went to reflect on life, and where he is now laid to rest along with Lisa Marie, his only child. Tonight, check in to the nearby Guest House at Graceland for an overnight stay.

Today, we head to Nashville, “Music City USA.” Nashville is the ideal destination for music fans, history buffs, and lovers of the South. Upon arrival, enjoy an orientation tour of the city, passing by famous Music Row recording studios, the center of the recording industry, which first developed in the 1950s.

Then have free time to explore this fun town on your own. Perhaps visit the Country Music Hall of Fame with its glittering costumes, rare instruments, and Elvis Presley's “solid gold” Cadillac. This evening, learn about the art of writing hit songs at the optional Dinner with a Nashville Songwriter.

Start your day with a visit to RCA Studio B, Nashville's oldest surviving recording studio and one of the country's most important. Between 1957 and 1977, more than 35,000 songs were recorded here, including 262 Elvis Presley recordings. Studio B is a “must-see” for any music fan, but especially for those who love Elvis. Tonight, see an unforgettable show at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, the world's premier country music venue since 1925 and the setting for the nation's longest-running music show. (B)

Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore “Music City USA” further. (B)