Day 1: Arrive in New Orleans
Welcome to the Big Easy, the city of jazz, Mardi Gras and Cajun cuisine. You will be greeted by a representative at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you can relax at the hotel or explore the nearby attractions. You can also enjoy a welcome dinner at one of the many restaurants in the city. Some of the luxury hotels you can choose from are The Roosevelt New Orleans1, Windsor Court Hotel, or Hotel Monteleone.
Day 2: New Orleans Sightseeing
After breakfast, you will embark on a full-day sightseeing tour of New Orleans, covering both the historic and modern parts of the city. You will visit the French Quarter, the oldest and most famous neighbourhood in New Orleans, where you will see the iron balconies, cobblestone streets, and lively bars and cafes. You will also visit Jackson Square, where you can admire the St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo Museum, and the statue of Andrew Jackson. You will then take a steamboat cruise on the Mississippi River, where you will enjoy the views of the city skyline and listen to live jazz music. After lunch, you will explore the Garden District, where you will see the elegant mansions, lush gardens, and Lafayette Cemetery. You will end your tour with a visit to the National World War II Museum4, where you will learn about the history and impact of the war through interactive exhibits and artefacts.
New Orleans
Day 3: New Orleans Free Day
Today, you have a free day to enjoy New Orleans at your own pace. You can choose from a variety of optional activities, such as taking a swamp tour to see the wildlife and scenery of the bayou, visiting the Audubon Zoo or Aquarium, sampling some of the famous Creole and Cajun dishes, such as gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets, or joining a ghost or voodoo tour to hear some spooky stories and legends. In the evening, you can head back to the French Quarter to experience the vibrant nightlife and music scene.
Day 4: New Orleans to Memphis
Today, you will leave New Orleans and drive to Memphis, the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll and home to Elvis Presley. En route, you will stop at Jackson, Mississippi, where you can visit some of the attractions related to the civil rights movement, such as the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Medgar Evers Home Museum, or the Old Capitol Museum. You will reach Memphis by evening and check in to your hotel. Some of the luxury hotels you can choose from are The Peabody Memphis, Big Cypress Lodge, or The Guest House at Graceland.
Day 5: Memphis Sightseeing
Today, you will enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour of Memphis, starting with a visit to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home and now a museum dedicated to his life and legacy. You will see his mansion, his car collection, his private jet, his memorabilia, and his final resting place. After lunch, you will visit Sun Studio, where Elvis recorded his first song and where other legends like Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis also made their mark. You will then visit Beale Street, the “home of the blues”, where you can see the statues of B.B. King and W.C. Handy, visit the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum or the Blues Hall of Fame, and enjoy some live music at one of the many clubs and bars.
Day 6: Memphis Free Day
Today, you have a free day to explore Memphis at your own pace. You can choose from a variety of optional activities, such as visiting the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, taking a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River, sampling some of the famous Memphis barbecue at one of the many restaurants or food trucks, or joining a bike tour to see some of the hidden gems and street art of the city.
Nashville
Day 7: Memphis to Nashville
Today, you will depart for Nashville, the capital of Tennessee and country music. On your way, you will stop at Lynchburg, where you can take a tour of Jack Daniel’s Distillery and learn about how they make their world-famous whiskey. You will reach Nashville by afternoon and check in to your hotel. Some of the luxury hotels you can choose from are The Hermitage Hotel, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, or Omni Nashville Hotel.
Day 8: Nashville Sightseeing
Today, you will enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour of Nashville, starting with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where you can see exhibits, artefacts, and memorabilia related to the history and stars of country music. You will also visit the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry and a legendary venue for live music. After lunch, you will visit the Parthenon, a full-scale replica of the ancient Greek temple in Centennial Park, where you can see a statue of Athena and an art gallery. You will end your tour with a visit to the Johnny Cash Museum, where you can see the personal belongings, awards, and recordings of the Man in Black.
Day 9: Nashville Free Day
Today, you have a free day to enjoy Nashville at your own pace. You can choose from a variety of optional activities, such as visiting the Belle Meade Plantation, a historic estate that was once a thoroughbred horse farm, taking a tour of the Tennessee State Capitol and the Tennessee State Museum, where you can learn about the history and culture of the state, sampling some of the local cuisine, such as hot chicken, biscuits, and moonshine, or joining a pub crawl or a comedy bus tour to have some fun and laughter.
Day 10: Nashville to New Orleans
Today, you will drive back to New Orleans, where you will spend the last four nights of your holiday. You can enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure, relaxing at your hotel or exploring more of the city.
Day 11-13: New Orleans Free Days
For the next three days, you have free time to enjoy New Orleans at your own pace. You can revisit some of the attractions you missed on your first visit, such as the Mardi Gras World, where you can see how they make the floats and costumes for the famous carnival, the New Orleans Museum of Art, where you can see a collection of paintings, sculptures, and photography, or the French Market, where you can shop for souvenirs, crafts, and food. You can also take some day trips to nearby places, such as Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana and home to the Old State Capitol and the USS Kidd Veterans Museum, or Plantation Country, where you can visit some of the historic plantations along the River Road and learn about their history and architecture.
Day 14: Depart from New Orleans
Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. You will take with you many memories and experiences from your holiday to New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville.
