Southern Sounds & Elvis (8730)

8 days from New Orleans to Nashville

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If you are a music fan—don’t miss this Southern Sounds tour! Begin with two overnights in New Orleans, where a Local Guide introduces you to the sights and sounds of the Big Easy. From New Orleans, travel to Indianola, Mississippi, the hometown of the legendary musician B.B. King, and visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center to learn about his life and 60-plus year career. Stay three nights in Memphis, where your expert Local Guide knows Memphis’ history, like no one else-including the inside, “backstage” stories from the folks who were there. In addition to guided sightseeing, your Memphis experience includes visits to the Stax Museum, dedicated to American Soul music and the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, tracing Memphis’ cultural and musical past. You’ll also visit Graceland, Elvis’ palatial estate, and walk through the same rooms he did. You can even board his private jet! Visit the Meditation Garden, where Elvis went to reflect on life and where he and his only child, Lisa Marie Presley, are laid to rest. Spend two nights In Nashville, where you’ll visit Studio B, Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio and where Elvis recorded more than 200 songs, including “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” As one of country music’s most important recording studios, it is a must for any music fan. You’ll also visit the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, where you’ll have reserved seats to see a show. This Southern Sounds & Elvis tour takes value-minded travelers on the musical journey of a lifetime!

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!

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.646.5374

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

2 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

The morning is dedicated to the sights and sounds of this vibrant city on a guided sightseeing tour. First, visit the French Quarter to see 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. The rest of the day is at leisure. This evening, enjoy listening to some New Orleans Jazz on an optional Jazz Dinner Cruise on the Mighty Mississippi.

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Day 3 NEW ORLEANS–INDIANOLA–MEMPHIS

Depart New Orleans this morning for Indianola, hometown of the legendary musician B.B. King. Visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center to learn about B.B (Blues Boy) King’s fascinating 60-plus year career. Learn about his time as a sharecropper to his big break on Memphis’ Beale Street and the international music star he became. Artifacts, images, and a guitar studio, where visitors can play instruments, bring it all to life. Afterward, journey to Memphis, where you spend the next three nights.

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Day 4 MEMPHIS

This morning, experience this amazing city on a sightseeing tour with an expert Local Guide who knows the history of Memphis like no one else and shares the inside, “backstage” stories from the folks who were there. Then visit the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, which traces Memphis’ cultural and musical past. 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 5 MEMPHIS. EXCURSION TO GRACELAND

Today is dedicated to a guided audio tour of Graceland. Experience life as Elvis did by walking through the decadent and quirky rooms of his estate. Board his customized jet featuring a living room, private bedroom, and gold-plated seat belts! Finish your tour with a visit to the Meditation Garden, where Elvis often went to reflect on life, and where he is now laid to rest along with Lisa Marie, his only child. Tonight, check in to the nearby Guest House at Graceland for an overnight stay.

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Day 6 MEMPHIS–NASHVILLE

Today, we head to Nashville, “Music City USA.” Nashville is the ideal destination for music fans, history buffs, and lovers of the South. Upon arrival, enjoy an orientation tour of the city, passing by famous Music Row recording studios, the center of the recording industry, which first developed in the 1950s. Then have free time to explore this fun town on your own. Perhaps visit the Country Music Hall of Fame with its glittering costumes, rare instruments, and Elvis Presley’s “solid gold” Cadillac. This evening, learn about the art of writing hit songs at the optional Dinner with a Nashville Songwriter.

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Day 7 NASHVILLE

Start your day with a visit to RCA Studio B, Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio and one of the country’s most important. Between 1957 and 1977, more than 35,000 songs were recorded here, including 262 Elvis Presley recordings. Studio B is a “must-see” for any music fan, but especially for those who love Elvis. Tonight, see an unforgettable show at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, the world’s premier country music venue since 1925 and the setting for the nation’s longest-running music show.

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Breakfast

Day 8 NASHVILLE

Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore “Music City USA” further.

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Breakfast

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.

SUSANNAH JONES

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Travel, food, music, and laughter bring people together. There is nothing like seeing faces with bright smiles when they taste a local delicacy, hear live regional music, and make lifelong friends while traveling together. I was raised in the South, lived in Germany, and taught Middle School all before beginning my second career as a Tour Director. I love the joy of making unforgettable experiences for guests from East to West. There are the majestic sights of national parks in Yosemite, the surreal landscape of Yellowstone, the haunting beauty of our Wetlands, and the bluish-green hues of the Shenandoah Valley. Tasting Peanut soup, beignets, and Fry Bread lets you taste local culture. Traveling will change you for the better!”

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

Jazz Dinner Cruise on the Mighty Mississippi

Savor the beauty and romance of the New Orleans skyline aboard the authentic Steamboat NATCHEZ-New Orleans only authentic Steamboat! Please note; while the Steamboat Natchez is being referbished the dinner cruise will be on the Riverboat City of New Orleans.

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).