Does vibrant live music, creole food, and history take your fancy? Then look no further than this special trip of a lifetime to Nashville, Memphis, Graceland, and New Orleans
DAY 1: Arrive in Nashville and transfer to your hotel.
DAY 2: Enjoy Nashville's musical history. Enjoy a tour of historic Studio B with a professional sound engineer in a 30-minute, choir-style recording session. You will be able to take home a copy of the recording as a one-of-a-kind souvenir. Head on to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, full of memorabilia from stars such as Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, and Garth Brooks. Once there, you will join your local expert, a songwriter and singer, who will tell you the stories behind the biggest hits sung by well-known country music stars. End your day with a trip to the Grand Ole Opry or "country's most famous stage", for a live performance.
DAY 3: Memphis and Graceland, home of The King. Travel from the home of country music to the birthplace of blues and rock 'n' roll. The evening is devoted to a private, after-hours, and docent-led tour of Graceland - as much an object of pilgrimage as a museum dedicated to the late, great, Elvis Presley. From the flowers and painted signs outside the gates, to the tear-streaked cheeks of fans inside, see the effect that Elvis and his music had on popular American culture. Enjoy a memorable dinner with wine inside the Presley Motors Automobile Museum.
DAY 4: The best of Memphis. Experience Memphis your way by visiting Sun Studios or the the National Civil Rights Museum. Later in the day visit the Rock and Soul Museum, where you will learn the stories of musical pioneers who overcame racial and socioeconomic barriers to create music that shook the world.
DAY 5: Mississippi Mystique in Natchez. Depart for Natchez, founded by the French in 1716 when it became home to a flowering colonial culture. There you will experience a private, owner-led tour of Sunnyside, a restored antebellum cottage. At your charming luxury country mansion inn, wet your palate during a mixology class and learn the science behind the signature drink of the South, the mint julep. Then enjoy a delectable three-course highlight dinner with wine, in the stunning main house.
DAY 6: Frogmore, Houmas House, and New Orleans. Stop at Frogmore Plantation and journey back to the time when cotton was king. With your costumed hosts, tour a reconstructed 19th century plantation. Next, get a glimpse into the sweet side of the South with a visit to Houmas House plantation, once the largest producer of sugar in the country. In the evening, you will learn about Creole cuisine during a lively cooking demonstration. Enjoy these culinary creations over a special highlight dinner with wine.
DAY 7: New Orleans sightseeing. Join a local expert for a tour of the city as you learn about its rich history steeped in the myriad cultures that have found a new home here. See Jackson Square and the Treme neighbourhood before exploring City Park. Take in this picturesque scene and admire the oak trees with a warm café au lait in hand. Next, visit one of the city's famous above ground cemeteries and learn about their uniquely joyful perspective on life and death.
DAY 8: Exploring New Orleans, The Big Easy. Start the day with a bayou expert on the rural side of the Crescent City, as you board a boat to meet the resident alligators and other fauna and flora. Enjoy some free time before gathering with your new friends and toasting to lifelong memories during a celebration dinner with wine at the famous New Orleans restaurant, Arnaud's, with toe-tapping live jazz as your backdrop.
DAY 9 Depart New Orleans.
Various dates are available in summer 2020. Contact Corrib Travel on 091 564713 or visit office located at 2 Eyre Square for more details.
