The Rhythm of Reflection: the Southern U.S. By Design

Welcome to New Orleans! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome drink.

NEW ORLEANS: City sightseeing with Local Guide this morning.

YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:

• DELVE: Homefront Heroes Explore the National World War II Museum in downtown New Orleans. On this guided tour of the six-acre facility, you will be immersed in exhibits that cover the global scale of the war that changed the world. The exhibits highlight the role of world leaders and the everyday men and women who found the strength and courage to accomplish the extraordinary. Explore the Arsenal of Democracy showcasing efforts on the home front, the Road to Tokyo that delves into the grueling trail that leads from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo and the Road to Berlin that shows the sacrifices and strategies used to preserve freedom on the European front. Your visit also includes entry to the ground-breaking 4D Beyond All Boundaries film narrated by Tom Hanks, with vibrating seats, atmospheric effects and more.
  
  
• SAIL: Rollin' On the River Board the last authentic Steamboat sailing the Mighty Mississippi: The Steamboat Natchez. See captivating views of the French Quarter fade into the distance as the joyful tunes of traditional jazz carry you down the river. True to tradition in every detail, boarding the Natchez makes you feel as if you have stepped back in time. Stroll the multiple decks, explore the beautifully refinished interiors, and revel on the Big Muddy on a leisurely two-hour cruise through panoramic views of the Mississippi River and the many unique sites along the way, with live narration.
  
  
• FLOAT: Loved Bayou Nowhere is Louisiana's wildlife more abundant than in the swamps and bayous of New Orleans. As you float through them, be on the lookout for alligators, raccoons, snakes, turtles and native birds. During this narrated adventure, hear stories about local Cajun culture and the mysteries of the swamps and bayous. Your captain is a seasoned Airboat pilot who is a swamp expert and takes pride in preserving it. (B)

WAVELAND: Visit the Ground Zero Hurricane Museum

BAY OF ST. LOUIS: Free time

BILOXI: Afternoon sightseeing includes a guided tour of Jefferson Davis' home and presidential library, Beauvoir. This evening, enjoy dinner at one of Biloxi's most popular and historic restaurants. (B/D)

MONROEVILLE: Sightseeing in the hometown of authors Truman Capote and Harper Lee includes the Old Courthouse Museum in the "Literary Capital of Alabama." Learn how Monroeville served as the inspiration for Lee's 1961 Pulitzer-Prize-winning "To Kill a Mockingbird," examining the historical prejudice of the deep South and loosely based on the life of the author's father-a state legislator and county lawyer who defended two black men accused of murdering a white storekeeper.

MONTGOMERY: Free time this evening. (B)

MONTGOMERY: The capital of Alabama, Montgomery plays an important role in history in the fight for voting rights, with the Alabama State Capitol Building having served as the ending point of the third march for voting rights from Selma. See the sights with a Local Guide this morning, including the State Capitol Building, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, the Civil Rights Memorial, and the Rosa Parks Museum. Take a docent-led tour of the courthouse where Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. first legalized the desegregation of buses in 1956 and ruled the march from Selma was a legal protest to be allowed in 1965 (based on availability). Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:

• DELVE: Moving Memorials Go deeper into the history of the U.S. Civil Rights movement with a visit to two important sites. Visit the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the first memorial of its kind, which recognizes the thousands of enslaved black Americans who suffered lynching -many of which went unreported or unprosecuted. Gain a deeper historical perspective with a visit to the Legacy Museum, highlighting injustices from slavery to mass incarcerations, located near one of the most notorious slave-auction sites from 19th-century America. Be moved by the exhibits reflecting the effects of racial injustice.
  
  
• CLAP: Hey, Good Lookin' Home to country music legend, Hank Williams, Montgomery is also the home of his museum. Visit the Hank Williams Museum on a guided tour for a glimpse into this country-music legend's life and legacy. Hear how such Williams classics as "Your Cheatin' Heart," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "Hey, Good Lookin'" continue to influence musical artists today.
  
  
• STROLL: Memory Lane Walk through Old Alabama Town on a guided tour to see history preserved in more than 50 authentically restored and refurnished 19th- and 20th-century homes and structures spanning six blocks in downtown Montgomery. Stroll the nostalgic neighborhood and be transported in time, with interpreters available along your route to shed light on this special place. Take an inside tour of the block's 1850s centrepiece, the Ordeman-Mitchell-Shaw House, and follow your complimentary map and guide to see the 1895 Adams Chapel School; the 1892 Corner Grocery Store; and the stunning, circa 1850 Ware-Farley-Hood House.

Free time this evening. (B/L)

MONTGOMERY: Travel the National Historic Trail of 1966 between Montgomery and Selma, which served as the route of Dr. Martin Luther King's 1965 Voting Rights March.

SELMA: Walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge-a National Historic Landmark and site of the infamous "Bloody Sunday"-where over 600 non-violent marchers, led by the late Freedom Rider and Congressional Representative John Lewis, were brutally attacked by police while attempting to cross the bridge.

BIRMINGHAM: Visit Kelly Ingram Park and see the 16th Street Baptist Church, a famous Civil Rights landmark.

FLORENCE (MUSCLE SHOALS): Free time this evening. (B)

FLORENCE (MUSCLE SHOALS): Join in a guided sightseeing tour of Florence-"the gem of the South"-and learn about the "Muscle Shoals Sound" produced here since the 1960s with state-of-the-art recording studios for iconic artists and producers. See the old town and the home of W.C. Handy-the "Father of the Blues." See the original Muscle Shoals Sound Studios building and tour the Alabama Music Hall of Fame with a docent. Enjoy free time this afternoon.

YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:

• GAZE: Symmetry in Motion Visit the Rosenbaum House on a guided tour of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The only Wright structure in Alabama, the house offers rare access to the prolific architect's design with free time to explore the grounds and shop for mementos.
  
  
• DELVE: A Miracle in the Making Take a guided tour of Ivy Green, birthplace of Helen Keller. Here, she lived and learned in what would become an incredible story of tenacity and triumph with teacher Anne Sullivan. Born without sight or hearing, Keller overcame her disabilities to become one of the world's most inspirational women. See her living quarters and the well where her first breakthrough began a life of achievement as a baccalaureate, activist, and author. Now a museum, Keller's home at Ivy Green was the setting for her autobiography, "The Story of My Life," adapted for stage and screen as "The Miracle Worker."
  
  
• CLAP: Laying Down Tracks Tour the Florence Alabama Music Enterprise (FAME) with a guide. See where Rick Hall created a blend of Southern soul music, which became hailed as The Muscle Shoals Sound. A who's who of musical greats have recorded here -from Etta James to Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon to the Rolling Stones. Home to more than 80 "Top 10" records, this legendary studio continues to be in demand by countless musicians today.

Farewell dinner featuring live music. (B/D)

FLORENCE: This morning, depart for Nashville and enjoy a sightseeing tour, including Centennial Park with its full-size replica of Athens' Parthenon, the recording studios of Music Row, and famous Honky Tonk Row. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure. (B)

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. You may also choose to extend your time in Nashville and explore more on your own. Extra nights are available for purchase. (B)