Explore the musical and historical landscapes of America’s Deep South on this 13-day self-drive itinerary. From the country music capital of Nashville through Elvis’s birthplace, Tupelo, and the blues towns of Memphis and Natchez to the Big Easy itself, vibrant New Orleans, the stops on this tour can’t help but sing the story of America.
Nashville hums with energy, from the Grand Ole Opry and the Johnny Cash Museum to live honky tonks spilling music onto Broadway.
Tupelo offers an intimate glimpse into Elvis’s early life, with his modest birthplace now preserved as a fascinating museum.
Memphis resonates with soul at Graceland, Sun Studio and Beale Street, where blues and rock ’n’ roll still set the night alight.
Natchez exudes Southern charm, with grand antebellum mansions, tree-lined boulevards and a rich cultural and architectural heritage.
New Orleans, the Big Easy, enchants with its jazz clubs, Creole flavours and the lively spirit of the historic French Quarter.
After arriving in Nashville, collect your hire car at the airport and drive to the Thompson Nashville hotel for a three-night stay. Located in the trendy Gulch neighbourhood, this boutique hotel offers easy access to restaurants, bars and famous Station Inn, Nashville’s foremost home of bluegrass since 1974. Spend the next two days exploring all that Music City has to offer. Enjoy Lower Broadway, where honky tonks play live music seven days a week. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Grand Ole Opry. Or visit the Johnny Cash Museum and Country Music Hall of Fame.
Drive from Nashville to Tupelo and check in for a night at Hotel Tupelo. Tupelo has become something of a pilgrimage site for those who kneel before the King, as it was here, in a humble two-room structure, that Elvis Presley was born in 1935. The house, now a museum, is well worth a visit, with plenty of photographs, family heirlooms and Elvis-worn apparel.
Next stop is Memphis, the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll and the home of the blues. Check in for three nights at The Peabody Memphis, then set out to explore the city. We challenge you not to dance your way around the Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, which tells the story of the musical pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic obstacles to create music that changed the world forever. Be sure also to visit Graceland, the King’s beloved mansion, the world-famous Sun Studio and lively Beale Street, the heart of the city’s historic district and home to many of its best live music venues.
From Memphis, drop back into Mississippi and make your way to Natchez, the oldest settlement on the Mississippi River. Your base for the next two nights will be Monmouth Historic Inn & Gardens, an antebellum mansion set in 26 acres of manicured gardens. From here we recommend visiting some of the plantation homes around Natchez, which grew more and more extravagant in the 18th and 19th centuries as wealthy planters aimed to outdo each other.
End your dive into the Deep South in the city of New Orleans with a three-night stay at Hotel Monteleone in the heart of the historic French Quarter. Take a riverboat ride on a traditional paddle steamer, soak up the nightlife of bustling Bourbon Street, dine on Cajun and Creole cuisine in any number of great restaurants, or simply follow your ears to one of the city’s many juke joints playing New Orleans jazz at all hours of the day. Return your hire car at the airport on day 13 in time to catch your flight home.