Southern Charms & Florida (8290)

13 days from New Orleans to Orlando

2025 Tour Details

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the South on this wondrous vacation through the heart of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. This southern U.S. tour starts with three nights in New Orleans and ends with one night in Orlando. In between, you’ll stay two nights in Memphis, Nashville, and Savannah, and one night each in Natchez and Atlanta. You’ll also spend time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital; Chattanooga, home of the Chattanooga Choo Choo; and St. Augustine, the oldest European-founded city in the United States.

Music fans will be delighted by the included visits to Graceland, the lavish home of Elvis Presley; Studio B, Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio; and the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, where you’ll have reserved seating for an unforgettable show. History buffs will enjoy visiting not only St. Augustine, but also the old-world city of New Orleans, with its historic streetcars and French Quarter, and the LSU Rural Life Museum & Windrush Gardens in Baton Rouge to see what life was like for the laboring classes and different cultural groups in Louisiana during the 18th & 19th centuries. In Atlanta, you’ll stop at the grave and eternal flame dedicated to preserving the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. And in Savannah, you’ll have time to explore the many attractions of this historic seaport, including its 22 charming, iconic Squares.

You’ll also enjoy seeing the countryside between cities as you drive through the heart of Cajun Country from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and through rural Mississippi from Natchez to Memphis. From southern cities to southern charm - this tour of the South has it all!

The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi (where available). Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

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Southern Charms & Florida map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

6 Breakfasts

 Itinerary

Day 1 NEW ORLEANS

Welcome to New Orleans! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

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Day 2 NEW ORLEANS

Your guided tour this morning is dedicated to the sights and sounds of this unique, culturally rich city. First, visit the French Quarter, including St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Next, learn about the city’s unique burial customs at an above-ground cemetery, followed by a leisurely drive down historic St. Charles Avenue to enjoy its stately mansions and clanging streetcars. A lavish optional brunch at the iconic Court of Two Sisters features many of New Orleans’ culinary classics as well as live music. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 NEW ORLEANS

A day to explore at your own pace. Stroll through the centuries-old French Quarter or take a carriage ride while listening to tales of voodoo queens and pirates. History enthusiasts may venture out to a plantation to catch a glimpse of life the way it used to be in the Old South. Get jazzed about music on an optional jazz dinner cruise aboard a traditional paddlewheel steamboat.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 NEW ORLEANS–BATON ROUGE–NATCHEZ

Drive through the heart of Cajun Country to Baton Rouge. Visit LSU Rural Life Museum & Windrush Gardens to explore cultural features of 18th and 19th century rural Southern life as well as their expansive gardens. Then go on an orientation tour of the city that features the art deco State Capitol, the tallest in the country. Next, on to Natchez, a thriving port in the golden years of the cotton trade. This evening, perhaps join our optional dinner and Historic Antebellum Home Tour.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 NATCHEZ–MEMPHIS

Drive through rural Mississippi to Memphis. On arrival, see city highlights on an included orientation tour. Don’t miss an optional excursion to the birthplace of Rock-n-Roll at Sun Studio, followed by dinner in the heart of the blues on Beale Street where Delta blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R & B, and gospel join in a melting pot of American music.

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Day 6 MEMPHIS–VISIT TO GRACELAND

A trip to Memphis would not be complete without visiting Graceland, the palatial home of “The King,” Elvis Presley. Our guided audio tour focuses on the opulent 15,000-square-foot mansion and the meditation garden where Elvis, and his daughter and grandson, are laid to rest. Later, if you haven’t done so already, get a taste of Memphis with some authentic southern barbecue, visit the National Civil Rights Museum, or experience the world-famous Duck March at the elegant Peabody Hotel.

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Day 7 MEMPHIS–NASHVILLE

This morning, leave the “Home of the Blues” as you head for Nashville, the “Capital of Country Music” with an afternoon arrival. This evening, you have reserved seating for an unforgettable show at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, a mecca for country musicians since 1925.

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Day 8 NASHVILLE

Its association with country music has made the name “Nashville” world famous, but it’s not just music fans who will find this bustling Southern city a delight. Start your day with a visit to RCA Studio B, one of the country’s most revered, and Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio. Afterward, sightseeing includes the recording studios of Music Row, a life-size reproduction of the Parthenon, the State Capitol, and Bicentennial State Park. The remainder of the day is free. Perhaps take an optional excursion to the Country Music Hall of Fame with its glittering costumes, rare instruments, and Elvis Presley’s “solid gold” Cadillac. A sure hit this evening is an optional dinner and learning the art of crafting a hit record on a Nashville Songwriter excursion.

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Day 9 NASHVILLE–CHATTANOOGA–ATLANTA

First stop today is Chattanooga, home of the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Then, enter the “Peach State” of Georgia and journey to its fast-growing metropolis, Atlanta, home of 1996 summer Olympics. An orientation tour is followed by a visit to the National Park Visitor Center that honors civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. This evening is at leisure.

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Day 10 ATLANTA–SAVANNAH

Head south through rich, rolling farmland to the historic seaport of Savannah for a 2-night stay. En route, make a lunch stop in Macon, “Where Soul Lives”, and home of music greats Little Richard and Otis Redding. Arrive in Savannah and begin soaking up its sultry charms. After an orientation tour, stroll the historic squares shaded by huge live oak trees and surrounded by charming churches and elegant homes.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 11 SAVANNAH

A day at leisure. Perhaps explore the city on the optional Hop on/Hop off Trolley and see attractions like City Market, Forsyth Park, and the Mercer House, or spend time shopping on cobblestoned River Street. Don’t miss the chance to sample some Low Country cooking at one of the many restaurants or learn about this unique cuisine at the optional Low Country Shrimp & Grits Interactive Demonstration.

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BreakfastContinental Breakfast

Day 12 SAVANNAH–ST. AUGUSTINE–ORLANDO

Travel into the “Sunshine State” of Florida, stopping first at St. Augustine, the oldest European founded city in the United States. You will see the Government House and the Spanish fortress, Castillo de San Marcos, on your orientation tour. Then, drive to magical Orlando for a late afternoon arrival.


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BreakfastContinental Breakfast

Day 13 ORLANDO

Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore this city and all of its attractions further.

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 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

BARBARA BURYIAK

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“As a Tour Director for more than two decades, I've always had a passion for travel. At 18, I traveled solo throughout Europe. A few years later, I was one of three youth ambassadors on a cultural exchange to Burkina Faso. As a Tour Director, I enjoy showing off America's Heartland. I encourage my guests to talk to the locals and try the regional foods. Guests often tell me that their fondest memories are of their time spent in small towns with "real Americans."”

Tour Director - BARBARA BURYIAK

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


New Orleans

New Orleans

Court of Two Sisters Jazz Brunch

Court of Two Sisters Jazz Brunch

Experience a leisurely jazz brunch at the historic The Court of Two Sisters Restaurant located in the heart of the French Quarter.

Price Range: $

Plantation Tours

Plantation Tours

South Louisiana is known for its beautiful antebellum architecture and there are plenty of plantation homes that are within an hours drive from New Orleans. The architecture and beauty of these homes alone is impressive and the stories that go with them are even better. You will learn about the incredible history and culture through a visit to a plantation home.

Price Range: $$

Louisiana Swamp Tours

Louisiana Swamp Tours

Head down to the swamp on a real life adventure. View fascinating plant life, live alligators and many other wild creatures as you cruise down haunting bayous lined with moss-draped cypress trees.

Price Range: $$



The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).

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