Map of Tennessee Music Trail to New Orleans including United States Of America

Make musical memories in Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans

Picture it – you’re jumping from Nashville to Memphis to New Orleans, laying down tracks at recording studios and hanging out at Graceland along the way. It may sound like a week in the life of Elvis Presley, but on this 6-day adventure, you’ll have the chance to walk a country mile in his blue suede shoes. Join a local leader and group of fellow music lovers to get to the root of country music in Nashville, sing the blues in Memphis and jazz it up in New Orleans. If fantastic food, art, culture and history sound like music to your ears, then this is the trip for you.


Start
Nashville, United States
Finish
New Orleans, United States
Destination
United States
Style
Comfort
Theme
Explorer
Code
SSKU
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Earn your place in the Country Music Hall of Fame as you take part in a recording session with a professional sound engineer at the iconic Studio B in Nashville.

  • Walk in famous footsteps at the 'Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll', the Sun Studio in Memphis, and discover a kitschy world of Southern glitz and glamour at Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.

  • Get to know the real New Orleans during a walking tour that celebrates the city’s jazz music heritage, stopping off at some lively venues along the way.

  • It doesn’t get much better than Southern food – learn how to cook a classic New Orleans Cajun feast for a true taste of Louisiana.

  • Visit the Whitney Plantation where you’ll get a sobering glimpse at what life was like for those enslaved on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation.

Is this trip right for you?

  • The South gets mighty steamy in the summertime. Pack appropriately, drink plenty of water and you might even grow to love it. September through to November is hurricane season, so if you’re travelling over this period you should pack a rain jacket and waterproof shoes.

  • You're in the Deep South of the USA, so expect a lot of (delicious) fried food and barbecue. Vegetarians may have fewer options, as a lot of southern cuisine is meat-based.

Itinerary

Welcome to Nashville, Tennessee! This energetic city celebrates boot-scooting, whiskey shooting and rootin’-tootin’ country music like nowhere else. Your adventure kicks off with a welcome meeting at 10am, where you’ll meet up with your local leader and the other travellers joining you on your journey. Then dive straight into the city’s history with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame. This fabulous piano-shaped building is a work of art in itself, and contains Elvis’s gold Cadillac among other impressive memorabilia. Then cruise across town to Studio B where Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison and “The King” Elvis Presley have all laid tracks, and today you’ll be joining this prestigious list. Meet with a professional sound engineer for your own recording session and find out what it takes to create the Nashville sound. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore the city – you may like to check out the Nashville murals, visit the much-loved Goo Goo candy store, or swing by the Johnny Cash Museum. Get back together in the evening for an optional dinner (at your own expense) with your group and leader at a local restaurant.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Nashville - Country Music Hall of Fame
  • Nashville - Studio B tour & recording session
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Hit the road this morning and make tracks for Memphis, Tennessee, a city overflowing with musical history and legends. Your first stop on arrival will be Sun Studio. This studio may be tiny, but its impact on the world of music is immeasurable. BB King, Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf and Elvis Presley have all recorded here, and the studio claims to be the 'Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll' (and they may just be right!). The rest of the day is yours to discover the sights and sounds of Memphis. No visit to this city would be complete without checking out Beale Street, lined with traditional blues clubs – ask your leader where the locals hang out so you can avoid the tourist hotspots.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Memphis - Sun Studio Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today's driving time is approximately 3.5 hours.
After breakfast this morning, head to Memphis’s most iconic site – Graceland! Elvis’s former home and his final resting place, a visit to Graceland is like stepping back into the 1970s, with a glamourous and kitschy twist. Explore a fascinating world of green shag-carpet ceilings and yellow vinyl walls while getting a sneak peek into the glitzy side of the Deep South. Then it’s time for a change of pace as you leave Graceland and visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the former Lorraine Motel – where Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated – for a dose of history that is both confronting and inspirational. The rest of the afternoon is free for your own discoveries – your leader will have some tips on how to get the most out of this lively city.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Memphis - Graceland, The Home of Elvis Presley
  • Memphis - National Civil Rights Museum
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Today you’ll be road-tripping from Memphis to New Orleans, arriving in the afternoon. Jazz is not just a part of the city’s history – it’s alive and kicking today. On arrival, join a local expert for a deep dive into the New Orleans’ music scene, hitting up local haunts and hotspots. Start from the popular French Quarter, explore the thriving Marigny neighbourhood and visit the famous Frenchman Street, where you’ll find the largest concentration of live music venues in the city. Your local guide will show you some of their favourite venues, with time to grab a beer along the way. The evening is yours to further explore this fascinating city – your leader will have some great recommendations on where to grab a bite to eat and listen to more live music.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • New Orleans - Jazz Music Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today's driving time is approximately 6 hours.
This morning, pay a visit to the Whitney Plantation where you’ll learn about what life was like for those enslaved on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation. With a focus on the lives of slaves rather than the opulent house the slave owners lived in, exploring this plantation is a sobering and eye-opening experience. Then you’re in for a real treat – not only famed for its music scene, the food in New Orleans is some of the best in the country. Today you’ll learn about Creole and Cajun cuisine at a local cooking school and find out how to create one of the region’s most beloved dishes, then tuck into the finished product for dinner.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • New Orleans - Cooking Class
  • New Orleans – Plantation Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Just like a good song, your adventure must come to an end, with things wrapping up this morning. If you’d like to spend more time exploring New Orleans, just get in touch ahead of time and we can arrange additional accommodation (subject to availability).
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

5 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights)

Included activities

  • Nashville - Country Music Hall of Fame
  • Nashville - Studio B tour & recording session
  • Memphis - Sun Studio Visit
  • Memphis - Graceland, The Home of Elvis Presley
  • Memphis - National Civil Rights Museum
  • New Orleans - Jazz Music Tour
  • New Orleans - Cooking Class
  • New Orleans – Plantation Tour

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Tennessee Music Trail to New Orleans trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

FIRST DAY: Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 10am. Please make your own way to the Joining Point Hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary.
LAST DAY: Check out from the hotel is at 10am.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
COVID: Please ensure you have checked local state information regarding COVID-19 restrictions and regulations before you travel.
1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 10 am on Day 1 in Nashville. Please make your own way to the Joining Point listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary.
2. Last day there are no activities planned. Check out of the hotel will be 10am
3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
4. The South gets mighty steamy in the summertime. Pack appropriately, drink plenty of water and you might even grow to love it. September through to November is hurricane season, so if you’re travelling over this period you should pack a rain jacket and waterproof shoes.
5. You're in the Deep South of the USA, so expect a lot of (delicious) fried food and barbecue. Vegetarians and Vegans may have fewer options, as a lot of southern cuisine is meat-based.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

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