Starting at $1699
8 days • 10 mealsOur flagship brand represents a refined take on the art of guided travel. We seamlessly handle the details - you experience the world.
Itinerary
America's Music Cities
Viewing itinerary for:
September 22, 2013, $1699
featuring New Orleans, Memphis & Nashville
8 days • 10 meals
This date
is currently
sold out.
| Before your Tour Options: | Add an additional night to your stay |
- Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter
On Tour Options
to see a complete list of options that will be available on your tour.
Day 1: New Orleans, Louisiana - Tour Begins
Step back in time for a cultural getaway to the “Jazz Capital of the World” – New Orleans! This soulful city abounds with rich history, mouth-watering Cajun and Creole cuisine, and an incomparable soundtrack.
View AccommodationDay 2: French Quarter
Enjoy a walking tour of New Orleans’ famous French Quarter where you will see the majestic St. Louis Cathedral, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Continue on to the bustling French Marketplace where you’ll explore Pirates Alley, the Cabildo, the Presbytere and the Pontalba. Stop to taste a true New Orleans favorite - beignets at Café Du Monde. Tonight, roll up your sleeves and prepare to discover how to cook New Orleans-style! During a unique cooking demonstration at the New Orleans School of Cooking, your chef will indulge you in everything that Louisiana cuisine has to offer. Following dinner, discover why New Orleans is known as the “Birthplace of Jazz” when you take in a toe-tapping jazz revue at a local jazz club.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 3: French Quarter
Enjoy a drive along New Orleans’ historic Esplanade Avenue. See St. Louis Cemetery #3 which opened in 1854 and features some of the most elaborate crypts found in New Orleans’ cemeteries. Then, journey through Louisiana’s beautiful Honey Island swamp on a cruise* narrated by your captain. Learn about the history and ecology of this fascinating ecosystem while keeping an eye out for wildlife including bald eagles, herons, turtles and alligators! You’ll also see houses of the local Cajuns who have made their homes here in the bayous, which are accessible only by boat. Return to New Orleans and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to discover this great city your way.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 4: New Orleans - Memphis, Tennessee
Travel north to Memphis, the birthplace of the Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Soul. Upon arrival, immerse yourself in Memphis’ energetic musical scene as you feast on southern cuisine on world-famous Beale Street.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 5: Memphis
This morning, embark on a one-of-a-kind tour of the city of Memphis. Local musicians board the coach and tell the story of Memphis’ musical heritage and history as you view the city’s many highlights…you may even be tempted to sing along! Then, don your blue suede shoes when you visit Graceland, the palatial home of Elvis Presley. Enter Elvis’ 14-acre estate and visit his home, original business office, trophy building and the Meditation Garden, where Elvis and members of his family have been laid to rest. The remainder of your day is free to enjoy this city’s vast musical offerings on your own. Dance to the live music that may fill the open air or spend the evening exploring Beale Street’s vibrant musical clubs!
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 6: Memphis - Nashville
Journey to the “Music Capital of the World” – Nashville. This evening, take your reserved seat at the renowned “Grand Ole Opry.” What began as a building where a local radio broadcast show aired once a week in 1925 has grown to become an entertainment complex that attracts music fans from all over the world. After the show, enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the music during a backstage tour of the Opry!
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 7: Nashville
This morning, tour the historic RCA Studio B for an up-close look at Nashville’s oldest remaining record studio where Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and Charlie Pride once recorded some of their classic hits! Learn the secrets of how each artist recorded their chart topping music in this famous studio, where you may even have the opportunity to record your own hit! Later, explore the Country Music Hall of Fame, the largest museum of popular music in the world. The museum’s vast collections of memorabilia, costumes, recordings and instruments are artfully presented in cutting-edge exhibits relaying the colorful histories of country music and its artists. This afternoon, a local guide will share the history and lore of Music City during a sightseeing tour. Visit the Old Ryman Auditorium* and view the State Capitol, Music Row and the Parthenon - a full scale replica of the Athenian original! Tonight, enjoy a special dinner at the famous Wildhorse Saloon, home of a 3,300 square foot dance floor that is used every night of the week by dancers and revelers!
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 8: Nashville - Tour Ends
New Orleans’ jazz and food, the country music of Nashville and the sounds of Memphis comprise a journey full of experiences that will have you humming and smiling long after you return home.
Today breakfast will be included.| Available After Tour Extensions: | Extend your vacation |
- Hotel: Gaylord Opryland Resort
- Hotel: Gaylord Opryland Resort
- PLEASE NOTE: To complete your vacation, we include roundtrip airport-to-hotel transfers when purchasing Collette airfare with your tour. If you have arranged for your own air, we are pleased to provide you the option of purchasing these transfers. Please note that all transfers will leave at pre-scheduled times.
- *In cases of severe inclement weather, a panoramic New Orleans city tour by bus will be substituted in place of the swamp tour. **On some dates, the Old Ryman Auditorium may be closed for special events.
