Tracks of the Deep South

Your journey through America's Deep South begins today on arrival in the city of Atlanta. Here, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay. There is time to settle in and enjoy a night at leisure, so you may like to explore the city, which is known as the capital of the South, or perhaps simply relax in anticipation of tomorrow's adventures. Stay: Marriott Atlanta Airport

A morning sightseeing tour takes the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change as one of its themes. You'll visit the ‘The King Center' and the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was once pastor.

Afterwards, continue to the World of Coca Cola, where you will have time to explore. The Coca Cola bottle originated in Atlanta and the museum follows the rich history of this famous and most popular drink.

This afternoon, explore the picturesque scenery of Tennessee Valley and enjoy a ride on a mountain railroad.

This evening, return to Chattanooga to relax. Stay: Doubletree Downtown Chattanooga

Journey by coach through Tennessee to Lynchburg, the capital of Moore County, which has been ‘dry' since the days of prohibition. This makes its main attraction all the more remarkable – the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Continue to Nashville. Stay Three Nights: Holiday Inn and Suites Downtown Convention Centre

Insider Experience: Enjoy a tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery. This evening, join an excursion to the legendary Grand Ole Opry, one of the oldest country music venues in the US. It is here we see a live show.

Since the 1940s, Nashville has been synonymous with country music, with its collection of recording studios and record labels on ‘Music Row' and the Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry for three decades.  A morning guided tour introduces you to the sights before we visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, the world's largest music museum, for an amazing ‘who's who' in the world of country music.

Today is yours to explore Nashville as you choose. You might like to take a tour tracing the city's Civil War and plantation history. Alternatively, why not join a walking tour to explore the city's local honky-tonk heritage or dine out in Nashville's collection of cafes, bars and restaurants.

Your journey continues to Jackson today. The capital of Mississippi, this city hosts many significant sights of the civil rights movement. These include the Medgar Evers Home Museum and the landmark Mississippi State Capitol building. in LeFleur's Bluff State Park. From here, perhaps visit the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center for a tour celebrating the region's music and history (own expense). Then it's time to head for Memphis on the mighty Mississippi River.

Tonight, enjoy a Central BBQ. Stay Two Nights: Crowne Plaza Downtown Memphis

Today introduces the sights of Memphis' extraordinary musical history. In the morning, visit Graceland. Later, visit the famous Sun Studios. Laying claim as the birthplace of rock ‘n' roll, this amazing piece of rock music history recorded acts from Elvis Presley to Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. As evening draws in, Beale Street's live music is a must-visit. Here blues from the delta found a home before moving on to influence the world's musical tastes.

Insider Experience: Visit Graceland, Elvis Presley's mansion on over 5.5 hectares, and view his former living quarters and private aircraft.

This morning you'll board Amtrak's City of New Orleans service, heading through Mississippi to Louisiana. Stopping in the city of Hammond, you'll be transported back in time on a tour of Oak Alley Plantation, located on the banks of the Mississippi, before continuing to New Orleans for a three-night stay. Stay Three Nights: AC Hotel New Orleans French Quarter

Insider Experience: Take Amtrak's City of New Orleans service. It is widely claimed that the blues spread along this railroad and you will have the chance to follow this iconic route as the pretty towns of Brookhaven and McComb lead into the exotic Cajun swamps of the Louisiana Bayou.

This morning, enjoy a walking tour of New Orleans' French Quarter. Be sure to stop at Cafe Du Monde for beignets (donuts) and a coffee. After lunch, take a cruise along the Mississippi, joined by a local historian who shares insights into the city's past as you sail downriver to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and the historic Chalmette Battlefield.

You'll also have the chance to meet National Park Rangers during a guided shore excursion at the battlefield, followed by free time to make your own discoveries in one of the world's most iconic cities. The ‘Big Easy' boasts unique architecture, influenced by Spanish, French, Creole and American styles, representative of the cultural melting pot that the city has become. Perhaps take a stroll and experience these influences or sample some of the cuisine for which New Orleans is famous.

Today, continue your discovery of New Orleans. Perhaps walk to the Mardi Gras Grandstand, the venue for the city's famous annual parade.

Departing from New Orleans, board Amtrak's Sunset Limited service to the diverse city of Houston. The USA's fourth-largest city, Houston blends a modern urban sensibility with old-fashioned southern hospitality. Stay Two Nights: Spring Hill Suites by Marriott Houston Downtown Convention Center

Today, visit NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center where human spaceflight training, research and flight control are conducted.

This morning, your journey comes to an end as you are transferred to the airport for your onward flight.