Southern Grace

8 night tour - Starting in Nashville, Tennessee - ending in New Orleans, Louisiana.

A Gold Escorted Tour with Insight Vacations.

Insight Vacations Gold Escorted journeys offer the ultimate in luxury touring with each itinerary carefully crafted to ensure the finest hotels, epicurean delights and absolute comfort. Enjoy VIP return private UK airport transfers, luxury hotels, business class legroom and complimentary WiFi and water onboard luxury motorcoaches.

This jukebox journey takes you from the home of Country music, Blues, and Rock ‘n' Roll to the multi-cultural melting pot of New Orleans - peppered throughout with the flavours of the South.

Like ‘sweet magnolia perfume, floating on the breeze', this laid back journey reflects the easy-going attitudes of the southern Blues and Jazz musicians. 

2016 Guaranteed departure dates:
May 13th
September 09th

 

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: CALL US ON FREEPHONE 0800 0336 335 OR EMAIL US RESERVATIONS@PURELYTRAVELGROUP.CO.UK

View Itinerary Details

Day 1: Welcome to Nashville

Enjoy your complimentary private V.I.P. door-to-door transfer to your UK departure airport. Upon arrival at Nashville International Airport, you will be transfered to your luxury hotel. Relax and settle in or start your exploration of the world's country music capital. At 6.00pm, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Reception with drinks and a light meal.

Hotel: Gaylord Opryland Resort

Welcome Reception & Dinner

Day 2: Enjoy Nashville’s Musical History

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 touring historic Studio B, your private group will work with a professional sound engineer in a 30-minute, choir-style recording session. Each group member will receive their own copy of the recording as a one-of-a-kind souvenir. How many people can claim they've recorded a song in the same studio where Elvis created so many of his hits? No visit to Nashville would be complete without a visit to the Grand Ole Opry. Attend a live taping of America's longest-running live radio program.

Hotel: Gaylord Opryland Resort

Full Breakfast

Day 3: Memphis and the Birthplace of the Blues

Today, travel from the home of Country to the birthplace of Blues and Rock ‘n' Roll. Later, enjoy a guided tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory and discover the manufacturing secrets of the instrument giant. (On some departures, the Gibson Guitar Factory is replaced with a visit to the Rock 'n' Soul Museum).This evening, join your fellow guests on legendary Beale Street for a Highlight Dinner at Itta Bena, a 1920's speakeasy-style restaurant above BB King's Blues Club.

Hotel: The Westin Memphis Beale Street

Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner

Day 4: You’re going to Graceland

This 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, the private jets, custom cars and walls full of gold and platinum records. Check into your luxury hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Hotel: The Westin Memphis Beale Street

Full Breakfast

Day 5: The Siege of Vicksburg and Mississippi Mystique in Natchez

Today, 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 in to 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 5-course Highlight Dinner in the stunning Main House.

Hotel: Monmouth Plantation, Natchez

Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner

Day 6: Natchez 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. Get settled in at your historic hotel before a visit to the New Orleans School of Cooking and a demonstration of a popular Creole Highlight Dinner.

Hotel: The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria hotel

Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner

Day 7: Exploring New Orleans, the Big Easy

After a hearty breakfast, 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. Move on to New Orleans where your opulent hotel has been a French Quarter landmark since 1886.

Hotel: The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria hotel

Full Breakfast

Day 8: New Orleans sightseeing

This morning, get up close and personal with the rural side of the Crescent City as you board a boat for a tour of to meet the resident alligators and other flora and fauna. 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. Then it's out to the lovely Garden District, home to one of the best-preserved collections of Southern mansions in the United States. This evening, gather with your new friends and toast life-long memories during a Celebration Dinner at a famous New Orleans restaurant.

Hotel: The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria hotel

Full Breakfast, Celebration Dinner

Day 9: Depart New Orleans, extend your stay.

Bid ‘Au Revoir' to the Big Easy this morning. A complimentary transfer is provided to New Orleans International Airport. Why not extend your tour with a Mississippi River Cruise. On arrival at your UK airport, your driver will greet you and escort you to your waiting car for your return private V.I.P. door-to-door transfer home.

Full Breakfast

Your Insight Vacations Tour Highlights

 

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES

Nashville: Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Nashville: Join the ranks of superstar musicians like Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson and record a song at legendary Studio B and take home the recording as a truly unique souvenir.
Memphis: Visit the Rock 'n' Soul Museum.
Memphis: You'll find Graceland a fitting tribute to both the flamboyant talent and manic excess of the man they call The King.
Vicksburg: Capture a piece of American history at the National Military Park.
Natchez: Learn the “science” of making a signature drink of the South, the mint julep, during a mixology class.
Natchez: At Frogmore Plantation, contrast early 19th century cotton plantation life with the modern processes of today.
New Orleans: Visit one of the most famous bars in New Orleans for a mixology class on the city's most famous cocktail – the Sazerac – which was created at the very own bar of the hotel, now named after the famous cocktail.
New Orleans: Journey through beautiful marshlands and swamps in search of alligators, turtles, snakes and herons feasting on fish.

ADDITIONAL INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

Natchez: Learn how to make a mint julep.
Baton Rouge: Visit the Old Louisiana State Capitol.
New Orleans: Join a Local Guide to explore the atmospheric French Quarter and tour one of the city's mysterious above ground cemeteries. See the Southern mansions of the Garden District.

SIGNATURE DINING

Memphis: Dine on contemporary American and Southern cuisines at Itta Bena Restaurant at B.B. King's Blues Club.
Natchez: Enjoy an elegant, five-course Southern dinner served in the beautifully appointed dining room at Monmouth Plantation.
New Orleans: Discover the flair of Creole cuisine during an interactive cooking class followed by a Highlight Dinner.
New Orleans: Join your Tour Director for a grand finale Celebration Dinner with a lively jazz trio at 'Arnaud's', one of the Big Easy's prized restaurants.
1 Welcome Dinner (WD), 8 Full Breakfasts (FB), 3 Highlight Dinners (HD) and 1 Celebration Dinner (CD).

HIGHLIGHT HOTELS AND LOCATIONS

Memphis: The Westin Memphis Beale Street Hotel connects you to the unmistakable sound, culture and history of the blues, whilst offering you a soothing and relaxing retreat.
New Orleans: The iconic Roosevelt New Orleans luxury hotel offers an unparalleled combination of Southern hospitality, world-class service and historic surroundings near the French Quarter.
Hotel Overview: Welcome to a cornucopia of luxury resorts which range in style from gleaming skyscrapers to charming heritage hotels. Some are backed by prestigious brands such as Westin and Four Seasons, while others are still family-owned, passed down from generation to generation.

ADDITIONAL FIVE STAR SERVICES

An expert Insight Tour Director, at the pinnacle of their career, will guide you on your journey. Serving as your 'travelling concierge', this skilled guide will act as consummate organiser and be your 'friend in a foreign land'.
Enjoy the unique comfort of Insight's luxury air-conditioned 40-seat coach, with extended leg room and an on-board restroom. It's Business Class comfort, complete with complimentary bottled water for you to enjoy during your luxury coaching tour.
A personal radio headset gives you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating insights and commentaries.
At every hotel, you'll be treated to seamless baggage handling with prompt delivery right to your door. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. Plus, we include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi.
With Insight Flourishes, from time to time, your Tour Director will enchant you with local tidbits, each representing authentic food or beverages unique to the destination.
Included airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 9.
 

VIP DOOR TO DOOR RETURN UK AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Your holiday begins in true style from the moment we collect you from your front door for a relaxed journey to your choice of departure airport. Your wonderfully appointed executive car is reserved exclusively for your use, ensuring an uninterrupted, hassle-free journey to your departure airport.

Each and every Insight tour begins and ends with our unique and truly unrivalled private car door to door transfer service. You will be met at your front door by your driver who will assist with your bags before whisking you to your choice of departure airport in a private executive saloon car, all in plenty of time to make your way to your check-in desk. With Insight you really will experience an exclusive service, enjoying your journey in a standard of car that you would expect to associate with Insight standards. All of our cars are up-to-date models and maintained to the highest standards. We will arrange a convenient pick-up time from your home that suits you, not us or other passengers. Each car is equipped with the latest satellite navigation intelligence to ensure your continued peace of mind and a speedy journey.

At the end of your tour, on arrival at your chosen UK airport, you will be greeted by your waiting driver in the arrivals hall and escorted to your car for the smooth and comfortable journey directly back home.

Should you wish to make your own way to the airport, all you need do is advise us at the time of making your reservation and a discount will be offered.

Terms and conditions apply.

Tour Only Cost: All prices quoted below are per adult person, per tour in British Pounds (GBP)

Departure Dates

 Single Twin/Double Triple Quad
All departures in 2016 £3570 £2660 £2215 Please call
 
 
Repeat Client Discount - Have you travelled with Insight Vactions before, within the last 5 years ! - if so you qualify for a 5% discount - Ask us at time of booking.
 
Children aged 5-17 may qualify for a discount off up to 10% when sharing a room with 2 adults - Please call us for details. 
 
Not included in your tour cost:
Flights – we can package your tour with flights at very competitive airfares using our airline partners. Please call us to discuss the best airline for your itinerary.
Pre or post accommodation - If you want to extend your stay at the start or the end of your escorted tour or add another destination to your booking please call us and we will be happy to provide a quote.
Meals, other than those listed in the itinerary.
The customary gratuities for the Tour Director and local drivers are not included and are paid locally, if you prefer these can be pre-paid to us in advance for £69.00 per person.
 
FAQs:
There are many questions and considerations you might have when planning an escorted tour with Insight Vactions. For more information please click here.
 

TO BOOK YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:

Please call us on FREEPHONE 0800 0336 335 or EMAIL us reservations@purelytravelgroup.co.uk we are open 7 days a week.

We will be happy to answer any questions, check the availability of your tour, offer a quote for flights and any pre or post nights you would like to add.

When you are ready to go ahead with the booking, a non-refundable deposit of 20% will be due at time of booking or the full balance if you are due to travel within 8 weeks.

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