Deep South to DC – Music, Eats, and Culture

There aren’t many places in the U.S. — or the world, frankly — that can match the Deep South for charm, character, and quirkiness. This 15-day trip pulls back the curtain on this unique part of the country by way of groovy Charleston, cosmopolitan Atlanta, sultry Savannah, the Elvis mecca of Memphis, and other hot spots, ending with the historical monuments of Washington DC. Along the way, you'll get heaping helpings of colonial estates, Cajun cuisine, jazz, country, and blues music, whiskey, and fun. It’s different down here. Way different. Come on down and git yer drawl on, y’all.

Day 1 New Orleans
Arrive at any time.

Day 2 New Orleans
Start the morning with beignets at Café du Monde before enjoying a Creole cooking demonstration for lunch. Enjoy a free afternoon to take a bike tour of the city, hop on a steamboat on the Mississippi, take a bayou swamp tour or wander the streets soaking up the music of Bourbon Street and culture around town. In the evening, opt to join the group to head to Frenchmen Street to take in the jazz music pouring out of the bars and cafes.

Day 3 New Orleans/Memphis
Hit the road early and travel through the bayous of Louisiana north through the southern state of Mississippi. Settle into Tennessee and opt to tour the National Civil Rights Museum and see the life's work of Martin Luther King Jr. Dig into an included barbecue dinner at Central BBQ, a Memphis institution. Then catch some live music on Beale Street, where Blues was born.

Day 4 Memphis
Take advantage of a free day in Memphis. Stroll Beale Street, opt to tour Elvis' home, Graceland or check out the birthplace of rock 'n' roll, Sun Studios.

Day 5 Memphis/Nashville
Leave the land of Rock, Blues and Soul behind and head to the Country Music capital of the world. Stroll the streets of Nashville and let the music pull you into one of the many watering holes. Live like a local with some line dancing at a local saloon.

Day 6 Nashville
Enjoy a free day in Music City, U.S.A.. Opt to visit the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, Johnny Cash Museum, or try some of the city's famous hot fried chicken. Later, head out for live music and cowboy nightlife in this country music capital.

Day 7 Nashville/Atlanta
Before leaving Tennessee, stop in Lynchburg and take a tour of the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Learn about the history of this whiskey and then get to try a flight of their favourites. Continue to Atlanta, the capital of Georgia and original home of Coca-Cola. If the Braves are in town, opt to partake in America's Favourite Pastime, with a baseball game.

Day 8 Atlanta
Take a deep dive into this southern capital city. Options include visiting some of the Martin Luther King Jr sites, a tour of the Coca Cola Factory, or check out the famous graffiti art. Check out some local joints here, like one of the many true American diners from the early 1900s.

Day 9 Atlanta/Savannah
Head to Savannah and arrive in time for lunch. Take a guided historic walking tour of Savannah, tasting some of the regional favourite sweets. In the evening, opt to take a riverboat cruise or stroll through the cobblestone streets in town admiring the architecture and oak trees covered in Spanish moss.

Day 10 Savannah
Enjoy a free day to explore this Georgia Peach of a town. Opt to check out City Market for local restaurants and art, tour around the Bonaventure Cemetery, visit the maritime museum, or stroll the grounds of a historic plantation.

Day 11 Savannah/Charleston
Leave Georgia behind and head to Charleston, South Carolina, full of cobblestone streets and pre-civil war houses. On an included Charleston Harbor history tour, see and learn about over 75 points of interest, including Fort Sumter, the location of the first shots of the Civil War. Later, enjoy free time and opt to visit the Charleston City Market or relax at Folly Beach.

Day 12 Charleston
Enjoy an entire free day to explore this southern charmed city. Opt to take a historic house tour, take a food or brewery tour, tour Boone Hall Plantation, lounge on the beach or try stand-up paddleboarding.

Day 13 Charleston/Richmond
Head to one of the oldest cities in the US, Richmond, the capital of Virginia. Home to the famous quote “Give me liberty or give me death” this city played a large part in the US Civil War. In modern times, the city is undergoing a cultural revolution, centered around food, craft beer and art. Enjoy a free evening to explore.

Day 14 Richmond/Washington DC
Travel to Georgetown, one of the oldest districts of Washington, D.C. and enjoy lunch and some free time in this historic area. There is so much to see and do in Washington DC. Head to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to see where the President lives, tour the Capitol Building, explore the Smithsonian Museums, wander the monuments, or take a trolley tour. Re-join the group this evening for an included Monuments by Moonlight tour.

Day 15 Washington DC
Depart at anytime.