Itinerary
- Day 1
Nashville
You'll arrive in Nashville and check into your hotel, giving you time to settle in before the evening kicks off. At 6 PM, you'll meet your Travel Director and the rest of the group for a Welcome Dinner complete with wine to start things off right.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome Dinner with wine)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Fraye, Nashville), Hotel (Fraye, Nashville)
- Day 2
Nashville
A guided tour takes you through Music City, starting at Riverfront Park, the Tennessee State Capitol, and Centennial Park where you'll see the Parthenon replica. After that, you'll walk through Broadway checking out the honky-tonks and street performers, then tour historic RCA Studio B where artists like Dolly Parton and Elvis recorded thousands of songs. You'll spend time at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on your own before heading to the Grand Ole Opry for live country music in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Fraye, Nashville), Hotel (Fraye, Nashville)
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Nashville including Riverfront Park, Tennessee State Capitol, and Centennial Park
- Guided tour of RCA Studio B, Nashville's oldest recording studio
- Self-guided tour of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- Evening performance at Grand Ole Opry
Landmarks Riverfront Park Tennessee State Capitol Centennial Park The Parthenon RCA Studio B Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Grand Ole Opry - Day 3
Nashville
Start your morning at Nashville Farmer's Market looking at artisanal crafts and fresh produce. This afternoon you get to choose: either tour Nelson's Green Brier distillery to learn about Tennessee Whiskey or visit the National Museum of African American Music to explore music genres shaped by African American artists and communities.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Fraye, Nashville), Hotel (Fraye, Nashville)
Included Activities
- Visit to Nashville Farmer's Market
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Nelson's Green Brier distillery with tasting
- Visit to National Museum of African American Music
Landmarks Nashville Farmer's Market Nelson's Green Brier National Museum of African American Music - Day 4
Nashville to Memphis
You'll head to Memphis this morning for a sightseeing tour of Beale Street. The day includes a guided tour through the National Civil Rights Museum exploring centuries of civil rights history, then a private evening visit to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music to learn about soul music and The Soulsville Foundation.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Guest House at Graceland, Memphis.)
Included Activities
- Sightseeing tour of Memphis and Beale Street
- Guided tour of National Civil Rights Museum
- Private evening tour of Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Landmarks Beale Street National Civil Rights Museum Stax Museum of American Soul Music 
- Day 5
Memphis
Tour Graceland where Elvis lived, including the Jungle Room and living spaces, then check out the Entertainer Career Museum with hundreds of artifacts and photos from his life. Next comes the Presley Motors Automobile Museum and Sun Studio, led by a local musician, where Elvis and other legends recorded. You'll finish dinner at The Beauty Shop, a creative New American restaurant set in a former beauty parlor.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at The Beauty Shop, a former beauty parlor turned whimsical New American eatery)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Guest House at Graceland, Memphis.)
Included Activities
- Tour of Graceland Mansion including living room and Jungle Room
- Visit to Entertainer Career Museum
- Visit to Presley Motors Automobile Museum
- Guided tour of Sun Studio led by a local musician
- Dinner at The Beauty Shop
Landmarks Graceland Sun Studio - Day 6
Memphis to Greenwood
You'll travel through the Mississippi Delta following the Mississippi Blues Trail to Greenwood while your Travel Director shares background on the city's role in the Civil Rights Movement from 1962 to 1965. Later, participate in a hot tamales cooking class at Viking Cooking School, then enjoy a three-course meal with wine.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Three-course meal with wine at Fan and Johnny's, featuring soul-food inspired creations with local produce)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Alluvian, Greenwood.)
Included Activities
- Travel through Mississippi Delta and Mississippi Blues Trail
- Hot tamales cooking class at Viking Cooking School
- Three-course meal with wine at Viking Cooking School
Landmarks Mississippi Delta - Day 7
Greenwood to Natchez
Head to Natchez to learn about Southern history and hospitality. Tour a historic Antebellum mansion and hear about preservation work and African American stories, then make a traditional Mint Julep cocktail to test your mixologist skills. You'll have the evening free to wander around town on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Monmouth Historic Inn and Gardens, Natchez)
Included Activities
- Tour of historic Antebellum mansion
- Mint Julep cocktail making class
- Day 8
Natchez to Lafayette
Travel to Lafayette for a taste of Cajun and Creole countryside. A boat tour takes you through moss-draped cypress trees in the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp where you'll spot egrets and alligators, with a Native Cajun guide sharing personal stories about swamp life and its ecology. Later, a private concert of ancestral Cajun and Creole music and stories happens along the river banks.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lafayette.)
Included Activities
- Boat tour of Atchafalaya Basin Swamp with Native Cajun tour guide
- Private concert of Cajun and Creole music and stories
Landmarks Atchafalaya Basin Swamp - Day 9
Lafayette
Begin with a guided visit to Vermilionville Historic Village where a Local Expert shares Lafayette's history, music, and culture. This evening, a Local Expert takes you to their crawfish pond where you can catch dinner using hand nets during crawfish season, watch a cooking demonstration, and finish with an authentic Cajun meal.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Crawfish lunch caught the old-fashioned way using hand nets (seasonal)), Dinner (Authentic Cajun meal)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lafayette.)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Vermilionville Historic Village with Local Expert
- Crawfish pond tour with Local Expert
- Authentic Cajun meal
Landmarks Vermilionville Historic Village - Day 10
Lafayette to New Orleans
Head toward New Orleans with a stop at the Tabasco Factory for a self-guided tour showing how the famous red hot pepper sauce has been made since 1868. This afternoon, have a regional meal highlighting New Orleans flavors, then spend the rest of your day at leisure exploring the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Regional meal highlighting the flavors of New Orleans)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans)
Included Activities
- Self-guided tour of Tabasco® Factory
- Regional meal highlighting New Orleans flavors
Landmarks Tabasco® Factory 
- Day 11
New Orleans
A Local Expert helps you get to know New Orleans neighborhoods, their unique architecture, and vibrant art scene. You'll tour Mardi Gras World behind the scenes where extravagant floats are built each year, then work with a certified artist to design and create your own custom Mardi Gras mask with felt backing, glitter, and feathers to take home.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch and cooking demonstration at New Orleans School of Cooking featuring Creole and Cajun dishes including gumbo, jambalaya and pralines), Dinner (Celebration Dinner with fellow travelers)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of New Orleans neighborhoods with Local Expert
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Mardi Gras World
- Design and create your own Mardi Gras mask with certified artist
Landmarks Mardi Gras World Garden District Uptown Treme French Quarter Bourbon Street Jackson Square St. Louis Cathedral - Day 12
New Orleans
Say goodbye to your fellow travelers as your journey wraps up. You'll head to the airport at whatever time works best for you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
