Deep South Discovery
Cowboy boots, country music & Creole cuisine
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Group Size: Max 36
Trip code: CTBS
Duration: 15 days
Y’all fancy a slice of the ‘real’ America? Head to the Deep South for this rootin’ tootin’ group tour that goes bigger than Dallas! With 15 days of carefully curated experiences, from country music and saloon bars, to beignets, and southern fried hospitality, you’ll have such a hoot, you’ll be hollerin’ for more. Channel the King in Graceland, Memphis, get your do-si-do on to some country music in Nashville, and groove the night away to the live jazz on New Orleans’ streets. There’ll be a party in your mouth as well, with Creole cuisine, sizzling BBQs, and Cajun cooking experiences. Add to that an out of this world experience in ‘Space City’, and a stay under the stars in the Great Smoky Mountains and you’ll be fixin’ to book next year’s trip before you’ve even got home.
Trip highlights
- Walk in the footsteps of BB King, Johnny Cash and Elvis with a tour of Memphis’ musical hotspots
- Sample some southern hospitality with a mouth-watering BBQ in Austin, Texas
- Party the night away to live jazz on New Orleans’ legendary Bourbon Street
- Stay amongst the misty peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains with two nights in a luxury yurt
- Learn about the civil rights movement and get your cowboy boots tapping to some authentic country music in Nashville
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- 14 nights’ accommodation
- 12 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- Expert trip manager
- Driver
- All on-trip transport
- Texan BBQ
- San Antonio Mexican Market visit
- San Antonio walking tour
- New Orleans walking tour
- Beignet and praline tasting
- Creole specialities at the New Orleans School of Cooking
- Memphis walking tour
- Sun Studios visit
- Civil Rights Museum visit
- Day trip to Gatlinburg
- 24 hour emergency support
- International flights
- Airport transfers
- Visas
- Insurance
- Some meals
- Snacks and drinks
- Optional activities
Day 1: Dallas Forth Worth to Austin (Texas). Saddle up for the adventure of a lifetime! Meet the rest of the cowboys and gals in Dallas before hitting the highway to Austin, where we’ll take a tour of the city’s most exciting sights, and enjoy our first taste of southern hospitality at a Texan BBQ.
Day 2: Austin. Take a big bite of Texan pie with a free day in Austin. Go shopping for cowboy boots, chow down at the legendary food trucks, join a bicycle tour, or go paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake. After dark, grab a brew in a traditional saloon before checking out a band in the official Live Music Capital of the World!
Day 3: Austin to San Antonio. While we could explore Austin ‘til the cows come home, San Antonio is callin’. Eat your way around the biggest Mexican market outside of Mexico, then take a walking tour through the city. After dark, wet your whistle with your fellow cowboys and gals at some of San Antonio’s rootin’-tootin’ bars.
Day 4: San Antonio to Houston. San Antonio, you’ve been a class act, but it’s time to make our way to Texas’ biggest city. Explore the bustling streets or get out of this world with an optional trip to the NASA space centre. Tonight, take a bar crawl through the hip drinking joints in the Montrose/Westheimer neighbourhood.
Day 5: Houston to New Orleans (Louisiana). Cross state lines into laid-back Louisiana, where our destination is the south’s ultimate party town. Tonight, pull on your eating pants and take an optional tour of the SOFAB (Southern Food & Beverage Museum) followed by a Cajun and Creole cooking experience – delicieux!
Day 6: New Orleans. Take a walking tour of the city streets today, soaking up the colonial buildings, chowing down on Creole cuisine, and grooving to the live jazz that’s a constant soundtrack . Take an optional airboat swamp tour to see some ‘gators, then sample some Creole Specialities at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
Day 7: New Orleans. You’ve got a whole day to explore the Big Easy at your own pace. Pick up some artisanal souvenirs in Bywater, soak up some southern gothic in the city’s grand cemeteries, or take a ramble in Audubon Park. There’s only one place to be for your last night in NOLA – the fabled Bourbon Street!
Day 8: New Orleans to Memphis (Tennessee). It’s time to head to the Birthplace of Rock n’ Roll. We’ll take a tour of the city’s musical hotspots, including Sun Studios, where Elvis recorded his first song, as well as paying a visit to the Civil Rights Museum. Tonight, follow the throb of the blues guitars to Beale Street.
Day 9: Memphis. You’ve got a full day to explore the city. Pay a visit to the Museum of Soul Music, tuck into the world’s best ribs, and hit the boutiques on South Maine. No trip to Memphis is complete without a tour of Graceland, the King’s iconic home, but save some energy for after dark, when those guitars rev up again.
Day 10: Memphis to Nashville. Another day, another musical Mecca! There’s no better place to immerse yourself in America’s country music scene, and the history of the civil rights movement, than Nashville. Dine at the legendary Woolworths this evening, where the first sit in against segregated lunch counters took place.
Day 11: Nashville. You’ve got the whole day to explore Music City. Check out the hipster neighbourhoods, enjoy some fried chicken and a JD or two, and head to the Grand Ole Opry or Ryman Auditorum for some country music direct from the source.
Day 12: Nashville. Get the skinny on the city’s musical heritage today with an optional visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame, hit the Johnny Cash Museum to learn about his life and work, or sample some grade A liquor at the Uncle Nearest Distillery. Tonight’s yours to enjoy more of Nashville’s epic music and bar scene.
Day 13: Nashville to the Great Smoky Mountains. Leave the city behind today and head to the Great Smoky Mountains. A place of sun dappled forests, wildflower meadows, and small mountain communities, it’s the perfect place to get back to nature. Stay in your own luxury glamping yurt, surrounded by forest tonight.
Day 14: Great Smoky Mountains. Spend today exploring your spectacular surroundings, or get your adrenaline pumping with some unforgettable adventure activities from ziplining to horse riding. We’ll pay a visit to the beautiful mountain town of Gatlinburg ahead of another night under the stars.
Day 15: Great Smoky Mountains to Atlanta (Georgia). We’re on the road for the last time today as we make our way to Georgia’s capital city, where we’ll say our goodbyes. Stay on and explore ‘Hotlanta’s’ vibrant arts scene, lush parks and southern fried hospitality or head to the airport. See y’all next time!
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Online booking isn't currently available but if you'd like to enquire please use the form below. Alternatively if you'd like to discuss alternate trips or if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to contact us.This trip begins at 8am on day 1 in Dallas, Texas. You’ll need to meet the rest of the gang at a pre-agreed point (details provided in your pre-departure briefing). If you’re flying in, Dallas Fort Worth is the nearest airport (DFW) and taxi is the easiest way to get downtown, taking around 25 minutes, depending on traffic. We’d recommend you arrive in Dallas a day before your trip begins or earlier, and book a night of pre-trip accommodation, as we will be travelling to Austin today.
The trip ends in the evening around 5:30pm on day 15 in Atlanta, Georgia. You’ll need to make your own way to the airport, or arrange your own onward transport, but your tour leader can help with this. We’d recommend that you don’t book any connecting flights until the following day, or later, as we’ll be travelling from the Great Smoky Mountains today. Your trip advisor can help you book any nights of pre or post trip accommodation at an additional cost.
Accommodation
14 nights’ twin-share accommodation is included on this trip. You’ll spend 12 nights in comfy, centrally located hotels and 2 nights on a leafy glampsite in the Great Smoky Mountains, in safari inspired canvas tents with hotel quality beds.
Meals
12 breakfasts and 5 dinners are included on this trip. You’ll have to buy the rest of your meals, snacks, and drinks yourself. Please let your travel advisor know in advance if you have any dietary requirements.
This trip is designed for those aged 18-35. Please note that if you’re under 21, you may not be permitted entry to bars, clubs or other establishments where alcohol is served.
You’ll need to get a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver to enter or transit the USA as a visitor. You should consult the US State Department website to determine which you will need. Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay.
This trip is designed with your safety and wellbeing in mind. As a result of Covid-19, many of our suppliers and partners around the world are introducing new policies and procedures surrounding health and safety in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. As the state of travel is evolving these new safety measures will adapt over time, and will be different for each trip. Here are some of the changes you may see on your trip:
Arrival safety meetings
Most trips have an arrival meeting on the first day where the guide or local team will run through the trip, the safety protocols, and to answer any questions you may have. Now more than ever it is important you arrive in time for these meetings.
Proof of vaccination or negative covid test
For the safety of all travellers, at the start of some trips you may be required to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated (14 days after your second dose) and/or show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the tour start date in order to join the programme.
Updated hygiene and safety procedures
Our suppliers and partners have health and safety procedures in place on all of our trips. These protocols will be updated and adapted as a response to the Coronavirus outbreak, dependent on local restrictions and laws.
Transport and accommodation choices
Our suppliers and partners choose the accommodation and transport on our trips very carefully, and you may see a change to what would normally be used as a response to the outbreak. This may involve such changes as enhanced use of private transport or quieter accommodation.
Trained and knowledgeable staff
Our staff in the UK are trained to help you with your trip before you depart and answer any questions you may have. In addition, the local team and guides on our trips are there to help with any health and safety concerns and to ensure our trips run safely and smoothly.
Reduced group sizes
Some trips will run with reduced group sizes to start with. You may find that trips are more intimate and chilled, whilst still being packed with fun and adventure.
Healthcare
Your guide or the local team will be on hand to help you seek medical attention should you require it during your trip. As medical facilities and standards can vary around the world, you should ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place before you depart to cover you for any medical emergencies.
24/7 emergency support
We operate an emergency phone line for our travellers abroad. This is operated by a UK based member of staff 24/7 if you have a genuine emergency or urgent matter that you need attending.
It is important that you take measures to make travelling safer for yourself and others around you. Ensure you frequently wash your hands, cover your face when you sneeze and cough, bring and use your own hand sanitiser and facial coverings/masks, and enable social distancing where necessary. You should also ensure you listen to the instructions and guidance of the local team at all times, and follow all local laws and restrictions.