Tastes and Sounds of the South

The beating heart of America's Music City will chart your pace as you prepare to embark on a leisurely pilgrimage to discover the sounds of the South. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception.

The famous Nashville Sound comes alive this morning as RCA's Studio B reveals the legends of Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves and Roy Orbison.Take a Cultural Insight into the life and music of Johnny Cash during a discussion and private performance of original and popular Cash tunes with Johnny and June's son, John Carter Cash (or another family member). Our acoustic journey continues with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to see Elvis' Solid Gold Cadillac limousine and Jim Reeves' tuxedo jacket-an extraordinary collection of memorabilia on display to admire. You'll have some time to yourself to continue your discovery of Nashville on a your choice sightseeing experience, exploring either the Johnny Cash Museum or the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry.

Today is at leisure. Amble through Broadway’s honky-tonk scene or perhaps enjoy the gut-busting flavours of homegrown hot chicken and biscuits. This evening, the sounds of country music fill the air as we head to the Grand Ole Opry to watch a performance of America’s longest running live radio programme.

Winding your way along the vast Mississippi Delta, head for the birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll, with the sounds of Blues on Beale Street to meet a musician and Local Specialist. The former Lorraine Hotel, where civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. was gunned down in cold blood, is the backdrop for the National Civil Rights Museum, which you will have an opportunity to explore. The evening is at leisure.

Worship at the altar of the King and head to Graceland, a tribute to the man who changed the face of American popular music and culture forever. See Graceland's Jungle room and visit the grave of Elvis as you stroll the grounds where the music giant once walked. Pay a visit to Sun Studios, whose noble aim was to capture the raw energy of Beale Street, recording the first Rock 'n' Roll single in 1951. This evening, embark on a Your Choice dining experience where you choose from a selection of local eateries.

Kick off this morning's musical interlude at the legendary Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum before saying so long to Memphis, bound for the city of Natchez. With a little French flair and a flowering antebellum culture, Natchez is the perfect spot for a leisurely exploration of Southern history and hospitality, which you'll have an opportunity to experience during a Be My Guest dinner beginning with a reception at the private residence of Joe Stone, whose gracious 1850s home features a gallery collection of rare maps, a quaint billiards hall, and exquisite ornamental glasswork. Joe performs on his 1903 Steinway grand piano and delves into the inspiration behind each piece of music before you are treated to a glass of wine and are free to tour the expansive collection. Head over to the 1804 residence of Esther Carpenter, a former Four Seasons chef once named one of the Top 20 female chefs in America by USA Today, to enjoy a traditional four-course Deep South dinner with wine.

Join costumed Local Specialists to discover the Mississippi Delta's cotton plantation heritage that produces over 900 bales of white gold each day. The slave customs, secret music and an authentically reconstructed 19th century plantation are yours to explore at Frogmore Plantation and Gins, before meandering through the charming Louisiana countryside to Oak Alley Plantation, along a quarter mile canopy of 300-year-old oak trees, overlooking the sleepy Mississippi River. The spicy scents of Creole cuisine linger on this evening's visit to the New Orleans School of Cooking where we will enjoy a fun cooking demonstration before tucking in to a Regional Meal of culinary Creole creations.

Let the good times roll in New Orleans today, tracing the cosmopolitan history of one of America's oldest cities with a Local Specialist, stopping at City Park and one of the ornate above-ground cemeteries, a unique feature of this city built on swamplands. Spend the afternoon soaking up the laid-back vibes of The Big Easy.

Today is yours to explore the French, Spanish and Creole sights and sounds of New Orleans. If you're feeling adventurous, visit Marie Laveau's Historic Voodoo Museum which traces the mysteries, legends and traditions of voodoo. This evening, join your Travel Director and new friends for a Farewell Dinner at the famed Court of Two Sisters.

For now, it's 'Au Revoir' New Orleans, but not 'Adieu'. Take a transfer to New Orleans International Airport or extend your stay in New Orleans at the Sheraton New Orleans.