Day
1 Arrive in Tennessee
Arrive in Memphis, Tennessee today and transfer to your hotel. Meet your Tour Manager and traveling companions at 6:00 p.m. for a welcome dinner featuring some of Memphis’ famous bar-be-que.
Meal: D
Day
2 Memphis, Graceland and Board the American Queen
Begin the day in Memphis as a local guide conducts a panoramic tour of the musical city. Then visit Elvis Presley’s
Graceland. Tour the mansion, the heart of the 14-acre estate and see the living rooms, music room and “jungle” den. You will also see the meditation garden where “The King” is laid to rest. See Elvis’ two custom airplanes, tour the Car Museum, The Entertainer Career Showcase Museum as well as the new state-of-the-art Visitor Entertainment Complex. Later, board the
American Queen.
Meals: B, D
Day
3 Port of the Mississippi Delta, Mississippi
The Mississippi Delta is more than a geographical region, it is a way of life. Your “Hop On Hop Off” options today include the Greater First Baptist Church for a rousing gospel choir performance en route to Clarksdale, known as the “Birthplace of the Blues.” Here, visit the Delta Blues Museum and stop at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
4 Vicksburg, Mississippi
Known as the “Red Carpet City of the South”, Vicksburg, Mississippi perfectly blends Southern culture and heritage with exciting modern-day attractions. Your “Hop On Hop Off” day here features Anchuca Mansion, the Old Courthouse Museum, the Old Depot Museum and Bierdenham Coca Cola Museum. Optional tour here is to the Vicksburg National Military Park site of the “Siege of Vicksburg” which President Lincoln called “the key to victory” for the union army.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
5 Natchez, Mississippi
Enjoy a “Hop On Hop Off” day to explore Natchez, Mississippi, the center of the Antebellum South. Your included transportation allows you to hop off at the Old South Trading Post for some shopping and three of Natchez’s grandest Antebellum mansions, Stanton Hall, Rosalie and Magnolia Hall. You may also visit the Museum of African American History and Culture and explore the quaint downtown shops. One of the optional tours offered here explores the cotton fields and cotton gin of Frogmore Plantation and a visit to beautiful Longwood Mansion.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
6 St. Francisville, Louisiana
Today, continue down the Mississippi River to the quaint town of St. Francisville. With over 140 buildings on the National Register, beautiful plantation homes nestled in the rolling countryside, bustling Main Street Shops and an ideal location on the bluffs above the Mississippi, St. Francisville is your window to the past. Your included tour features Grandmother’s Buttons, a Victorian button museum and jewelry boutique, Grace Episcopal Church and the West Feliciana Historical Society Museum. Once you are refreshed, hop aboard the “Steamcoach” which will take you back to the ship.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
7 Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Take a break from the quaint small towns along the Mississippi River with a stop at Baton Rouge, the state’s capitol. Your included tour features a Cajun adventure to explore the charm of the region. Take an airboat through the swamp to see alligators in their natural habitat, sample local cuisine in a family-style setting and learn about Acadia life at the Rural Life Museum.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
8 Nottoway Plantation, Louisiana
Stop at the exclusive port of Nottoway to visit the historic sugarcane estate. This 1859 Greek Revival and Italianate-style mansion, which is the largest antebellum plantation house in the South. Original furnishings mingle with era-appropriate antiques to create atmosphere that does justice to the home’s original ambiance, an experience that you will not want to pass up.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
9 Arrive in New Orleans
Dock in New Orleans this morning where a local guide conducts a tour of “The Big Easy”. See historic Jackson Square, featuring St. Louis Cathedral, the French Quarter as well as the Garden District. In the evening visit the New Orleans School of Cooking for dinner and to learn about Cajun cooking in a fun and informative atmosphere.
Meals: B, D
Day
10 Travel Home
After breakfast a group transfer is available to the New Orleans International Airport for flights out after 12:00 p.m.
Meal: B