: R67140
Rhythms & flavours loom large in the U.S. psyche, & these two great pleasures – music & food – are at the forefront on this sensual journey through the American heartland. There can be no better place to start than Chicago, a great food city, known also for its jazz & blues. Moving south, share in the secrets of some of the nation's favourite drinks & pastimes, before reaching the musical meccas of Nashville & Memphis. Then head down through the Mississippi Delta that shaped the American story in so many ways, & on to zesty New Orleans, a beacon for both gastronomes & saxophones
{module Magic Slideshow module for VirtueMart}
Starting from | R67 140 |
Package Validity | Set departure date : 25 SEP 2016. ***Book & pay by 31 JUL 2016 & SAVE R7460 per person - discount already included in price *** |
Duration | 14 days |
Destination | United States |
Starts in | Chicago |
Ends in | New Orleans |
{tab Description}
- Return airport/hotel transfers
- 2 nights accommodation at the Ritz Carlton Chicago
- 1 night accommodation at the Four Seasons St. Louis
- 1 night accommodation at The Brown Hotel in Louisville
- 2 nights accommodation at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville
- 2 nights accommodation at The Westin Memphis Beale Street
- 1 night accommodation at the Monmouth Plantation in Natchez
- 3 nights accommodation at The Roosevelt New Orleans ( a Waldorf Astoria hotel)
- Breakfast daily & selected dinners
- Touring by luxury coach
- Services of a Tour Director & local guides
- Highlights: Chicago, Louisville, Bowling Green, Nashville , Memphsis Vicksburg, Natchez & New Orleans
{tab Day 1}
Chicago, the Windy City
Welcome to Chicago. Upon arrival at Chicago International Airport, a transfer takes you to your exclusive retreat high above the Magnificent Mile on Chicago's Gold Coast. At 6.00pm, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Reception with drinks and a light meal.
Welcome Reception & Dinner
{tab Day 2}
Scaling Chicago
After a restful night's sleep, start your discovery with one of the Windy City's greatest highs, the 360 Chicago where you get to see what many call Chicago's best view. Complete with interactive telescopes, this 1,000-foot (300 metre) high vantage point is an experience you'll never forget. Continue your exploration during a 90-minute architectural river cruise and discover how the Great Fire of 1871 paved the way for the birth of the skyscraper. See The Trump Tower, Bertrand Goldberg building, Grant Park and learn about the extreme influence that Chicago still has on the world of modern architecture. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Full Breakfast, Dinner
{tab Day 3}
St. Louis, the Gateway to the West
Continue along to St. Louis today. This vibrant city played host to the 1904 World's Fair and hosted the Olympics in the same year which were held at St. Louis' prestigious Washington University. More than 20 million visitors came for the Fair, inspiring the famous song 'Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis'. Check into your luxurious downtown hotel.
{tab Day 4}
St Louis Arch to Louisville
Get a bird's-eye view of the city with a visit to the top of the famed St. Louis Gateway Arch standing 630 feet (190 metres) tall. Then head east through the Hoosier National Forest to Louisville. In the evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Full Breakfast, Dinner
{tab Day 5}
Spirited Residents and Resident Spirits of Louisville
In the morning, visit a bourbon distillery. During a guided tour, discover the secrets and details involved in the making of the South's signature spirit before indulging in the flavours during a sampling. Continue your immersion into Louisville culture with an up-close look at some of Kentucky's most spirited residents during a visit to a thoroughbred farm. Enjoy a guided tour of the grounds where you will learn the science of breeding champion racers and meet some of the prize horses. The evening is yours to grab dinner in town or enjoy the amenities of your hotel.
Full Breakfast
{tab Day 6}
A Corvette on the Honky-Tonk Highway to Nashville
The fun continues with a guided historic walking tour of Churchill Downs to learn about the history of the Kentucky Derby and its past winners. This is followed by a visit to the Kentucky Derby Museum to discover the history of the event and browse through over 20,000 collectible items and artefacts. Get a closer look during a private ‘Inside the Vault' tour. Move on to Bowling Green to discover the history behind one of America's favourite sports cars at the National Corvette Museum. Explore the rows of display vehicles including vintage models and contemporary styles before having lunch at the Corvette Café. Arrive in Nashville and settle into your hotel.
Full Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
{tab Day 7}
Enjoy Nashville’s Musical History
After a restful night's sleep, enjoy a leisurely morning, before your fascinating visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, full of memorabilia from stars such as Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn and Garth Brooks. After a tour of historic Studio B, work with a professional sound engineer in a 30-minute, choir-style recording session. Take home your own copy of the recording as a one-of-a-kind souvenir. How many people can say they recorded a song in the same studio Elvis created so many of his hits? No visit to Nashville would be complete without going to the Grand Ole Opry. Attend a live taping of America's longest-running live radio program.
Full Breakfast
{tab Day 8}
Memphis & the Birthplace of the Blues
Travel from the home of Country to the birthplace of Blues and Rock ‘n' Roll. Take a guided tour of Rock 'n' Soul Museum and explore birth of rock and soul music exhibitions, created by the Smithsonian Institution. Learn the story of musical pioneers who, for the love of music, created the sound that shook the entire world. In the evening, join your fellow guests on legendary Beale Street for a Highlight Dinner at Itta Bena, a 1920s speakeasy-style restaurant above BB King's Blues Club.
Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner
{tab Day 9}
Graceland
The morning is devoted to 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. On an audio tour, marvel at the Jungle Room and walls full of gold and platinum records. Return to your luxury hotel in the heart of vibrant Beale Street and spend the evening at leisure.
Full Breakfast
{tab Day 10}
The Siege of Vicksburg & Mississippi Mystique in Natchez
Depart for Vicksburg National Military Park where the famous Civil War battle is remembered and commemorated. The park features, among many things, 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of trenches, 2 antebellum houses, and 144 emplaced cannons. Continue to Natchez, founded by the French in 1716 when it became home to a flowering colonial culture. Check into your charming, luxury country mansion hotel. Whet your palate before dinner during a mixology class to learn the ‘science' of making a signature drink of the South, the mint julep. Then enjoy a delectable five-course Highlight Dinner in the stunning Main House.
Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner
{tab Day 11}
Frogmore and Houmas House and New Orleans
Stop at Frogmore Plantation today and journey back to a time when cotton was king. With your costumed hosts, tour a reconstructed 19th century plantation and compare it to the modern day operation that produces more than 900 bales of cotton each day. 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, the mansion was often referred to as ‘The Sugar Palace' during its antebellum heyday. The plantation spans over 38 lush acres and is sprinkled with ponds, a majestic live oak alley and a light breeze from the Mississippi River. In the evening, visit the New Orleans School of Cooking, located in the heart of the French Quarter. You'll discover the flair of Creole cuisine during an interactive cooking class and enjoy the culinary creations during a special Highlight Dinner.
Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner
{tab Day 12}
Exploring New Orleans, the Big Easy
After a hearty breakfast, join a Local Expert in the atmospheric French Quarter and visit Jackson Square, originally called Place d'Armes when it was the centre of the old city. Wind your way through the twisted paths of one of the ‘Cities of the Dead', the above-ground final resting place of pirates, politicians and voodoo queens. Visit The Sazerac Bar, named after what many consider to be the world's first mixed drink, and carries as much history as its potable namesake. Just gazing at the famous Paul Ninas murals flanking the African walnut bar takes you back to the grandeur of old New Orleans – learn how to make the famed Sazerac and enjoy one of your own.
Full Breakfast
{tab Day 13}
New Orleans Sightseeing
Start the day up-close and personal with the rural side of the Crescent City as you board a boat for a tour to meet the resident alligators and other flora and fauna. Enjoy some free time to explore before gathering with your new friends and toasting to lifelong memories during a Celebration Dinner at a famous New Orleans restaurant.
Full Breakfast, Celebration Dinner
{tab Day 14}
Depart New Orleans
Bid ‘Au Revoir' to the Big Easy in the morning. A complimentary transfer is provided to New Orleans International Airport or extend your stay in New Orleans.
Full Breakfast
{/tabs}