Musical Heritage of the Deep South Self-Drive Trip 2021 & 2022

Day 1 UK to Chicago

Today board your non-stop international flight from the UK to Chicago and on arrival make your own way to your centrally located hotel. Spend the next two days exploring the vibrant and multicultural city of Chicago. You may wish to spend the evening eating at one of the city’s excellent restaurants or enjoying live music at a famous blues club. (N)

Accommodation in Chicago: Hyatt Centric Magnificent Mile (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Peninsula Chicago (or similar)

Day 2 Chicago

Spend the day at leisure to explore vibrant Chicago. As America’s third largest city, Chicago offers an excellent range of museums and art galleries, world-class shopping, sightseeing and endless choices of jazz and blues music venues. Explore the Art Institute of Chicago, shop and dine in the history-packed stretch ‘The Magnificent Mile’, wander through the landscaped gardens in Millennium Park or take a relaxing boat trip on Lake Michigan. We can also help arrange any sporting or entertainment tickets. (N)

Accommodation in Chicago: Hyatt Centric Magnificent Mile (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Peninsula Chicago (or similar)

Day 3 Chicago to St. Louis – 297 miles

Depart early this morning and cross state lines between Illinois to Missouri as you travel to St. Louis. Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, St. Louis welcomes visitors with its famous Gateway Arch, commemorative of Thomas Jefferson and his quest for the westward expansion of the USA. (N)

Accommodation in St. Louis: Hampton Inn Gateway Arch Downtown (or similar)

Upgrade option: Four Seasons St. Louis (or similar)

Day 4 St. Louis

Today explore St. Louis at leisure. Head to the top of the iconic Gateway Arch for fantastic views of the city and visit the museum under the Arch which celebrates Lewis and Clark’s famous expedition over 200 years ago. You may also wish to wander through the Gateway Arch National Park which is home to lovely grounds or take a trip to the excellent Missouri Botanical Gardens. (N)

Accommodation in St. Louis: Hampton Inn Gateway Arch Downtown (or similar)

Upgrade option: Four Seasons St. Louis (or similar)

Day 5 St. Louis to Nashville – 303 miles

Say goodbye to St. Louis this morning as you depart Missouri and continue your musical journey to Nashville. There are many small towns you may wish to stop at en route, or why not visit the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area located in Kentucky and Tennessee. Here you can enjoy a gentle hike admiring the beautiful forest and lake scenery, see elk and bison in the wild or stop at the Planetarium and Observatory. Continue to Nashville – the heart and soul of country music – and head to your centrally located hotel. (N)

Accommodation in Nashville: Residence Inn Vanderbilt – West End (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Hermitage Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 Nashville

Nashville is a welcoming metropolis where cowboy culture and music flow through the city streets. You might choose to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, one of the world’s largest museums and research centres dedicated to the preservation of country music and musicians, followed by the iconic RCA’s Studio B recording studio. Other Nashville sightseeing recommendations include the Johnny Cash Museum and the Ryman auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry and the birthplace of bluegrass music. In the evening you may wish to explore Printers Alley, where you will find local musicians performing the likes of country, blues and jazz. (N)

Accommodation in Nashville: Residence Inn Vanderbilt – West End (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Hermitage Hotel (or similar)

Day 7 Nashville to Memphis – 212 miles

From country music to rock and roll, today you will drive for around three and a half hours to Memphis, the iconic city that Elvis Presley called home. Memphis has a musical soul and deep-rooted history. The city has been at the heart of the American Civil War and the Civil Rights movement, creating an intriguing mix of old and new. (N)

Accommodation in Memphis: The Guesthouse at Graceland (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Peabody (or similar)

Day 8 Memphis

Spend today at leisure exploring the sights and sounds of Memphis. We would recommend visiting Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former mansion, as well as the iconic rock-and-roll recording studio, Sun Studio. The National Civil Rights Museum is also worth visiting. The museum is built around the former Lorraine Motel, the location of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968. Take a trip to Beale Street in the evening as it comes alive with blues clubs and rock bars. (N)

Accommodation in Memphis: The Guesthouse at Graceland (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Peabody (or similar)

Day 9 Memphis to Vicksburg – 250 miles

Depart Memphis in the morning and travel south to the historic city of Vicksburg. It is best known as being a key site of a Civil War battle. Tour the Vicksburg National Military Park to see the infamous battle site of 1863, embark on a walking tour along the Heritage Walking Trail to see some of the 35 historical landmarks or explore one of the city’s many museums. (N)

Accommodation in Vicksburg: Courtyard by Marriot (or similar)

Day 10 Vicksburg to New Orleans – 207 miles

This morning depart Vicksburg and travel to New Orleans via the beautiful Great River Road. You might choose to make a slight detour via the New Orleans Plantation Country en route. Here you can learn about the history of the plantations or join a swamp tour before continuing your journey to central New Orleans. On arrival to this colourful city you may wish to explore the historic French Quarter and enjoy some Cajun or Creole food such as jambalaya and beignets. (N)

Accommodation in New Orleans: The Higgins Hotel (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Roosevelt – A Waldorf Astoria Hotel (or similar)

Day 11 New Orleans

Spend today at leisure in New Orleans. Discover one of the city’s diverse neighbourhoods including Treme which is home to colourful Creole cottages and gumbo restaurants, the arty Warehouse District or manicured Garden District. If you would prefer to get out of the city, take a traditional steamboat cruise along the Mississippi River. We highly recommend visiting Bourbon and Frenchmen Street in the evening to enjoy the smooth jazz beats and laid-back atmosphere. (N)

Accommodation in New Orleans: The Higgins Hotel (or similar)

Upgrade option: The Roosevelt – A Waldorf Astoria Hotel (or similar)

Day 12 New Orleans to the UK

Enjoy your final morning at leisure in New Orleans before making your way to the airport to drop off your hire car and board your international flight back to the UK. (N)

Self-Drive: Exploring the musical heritage of the Deep South

12 days from £1850 per person

Itinerary Highlights

Itinerary: Self-Drive: Dixieland Rhythms and the Deep South

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