(C) Nashville to New Orleans
Following the Music of the South
To take the road less traveled but rich in history...that is our goal as we make our way from Nashville to New Orleans via the Natchez Trace Parkway. We will enjoy the lovely scenery of this natural corridor and visit Southern towns along the way. From American Indian burial mounds to charming antebellum homes to solemn civil war battlefields, the Natchez Trace captures history in a very special way. This road trip also traces the history of traditionally American music...from the Country Music capital of Nashville to the Blues and Elvis in Memphis to Jazz in the Big Easy. Come listen to the music and bear witness to the history as we travel these southern roads.
(C) Nashville to New Orleans
May 4 - May 10, 2020Highlights
- Tour the famous Ryman Auditorium
- Take in the Grand Ole Opry
- Step back in time at Graceland
- Drive historical Natchez Trace
- Experience Southern Hospitality at an Antebellum House
- Revel in the Big Easy
- Time to explore personal interests
- Suggestions for additional things to see
- Small group no larger than 14
- And More... See itinerary for details
Itinerary
Monday, 04 May 2020: Arrive Nashville, TN; Welcome Dinner (D)
Schedule your arrival no later than 4:00pm and take local transportation to the hotel. The tour will begin at the hotel at 6:00pm with our Welcome Meeting, followed by dinner to get better acquainted. Overnight Nashville - 2 nights
Tuesday, 05 May 2020: Ryman Auditorium Tour; Grand Ole Opry (B)
The Ryman Auditorium, built in 1892, is today a National Historic Landmark known throughout the world as "The Mother Church of Country Music." No visit to Nashville would be complete without attending a show at the Grand Ole Opry (schedule permitting). It all began on a night in November of 1925 when an announcer on Nashville radio station WSM introduced fiddle player Uncle Jimmy Thompson as the first performer on a new show called “The WSM Barn Dance.” Now, nearly 90 years later, that show is still going strong. Along the way, it has launched countless country music careers and led the way for Nashville to become Music City.
Wednesday, 06 May 2020: Drive to Memphis; Graceland Tour; Group Dinner (B,D)
We depart for Memphis this morning where upon arrival, we'll take an unforgettable journey through the most famous rock ‘n’ roll residence in the world: Graceland. Memphis was Elvis Presley's home for more than 20 years and at Graceland you can explore the personal side of The King. Learn how his revolutionary style and unique sound changed forever the face of popular music and culture. There may be a bit of time afterward explore further. You might want to visit the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum which tells the complete story of Memphis music history, and then stroll down famous Beale Street. We'll gather for dinner together this evening. Overnight Memphis - 1 night
Thursday, 07 May 2020: Vicksburg National Military Park (B)
Today we stop at the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center. A tour provides us an opportunity to explore the battlefield with a professional guide who has deep knowledge of civilian life and military operations of the campaign, siege and defense of Vicksburg in the spring and summer of 1863. The battle of Vicksburg was a turning point for the Union during the American Civil War. Overnight Vicksburg, MS - 1 night
Friday, 08 May 2020: Natchez Trace, Antebellum House Tour (B,L)
We set out to travel one of America's oldest roads, the Natchez Trace Parkway, which runs roughly parallel to the Natchez Trace, a 440-mile footpath that was first trod by prehistoric animals, and then by Native Americans and European explorers. The Natchez area has many antebellum mansions, most of them private residences that offer tours. We will tour two plantations, strikingly different from one another in both appearance and history. We learn how the war, combined with fate, led to the success of one family and the misfortune of another. We continue on to New Orleans this afternoon. Overnight New Orleans - 2 nights
Saturday, 09 May 2020: New Orleans French Quarter Tour; Free Time; Farewell Dinner (B,D)
This morning we begin with beignets at the famous Cafe du Monde. Yum! After our sweet treat, we depart for a walking tour of the famed French Quarter. This afternoon is free, allowing you to shop, listen to jazz or perhaps have your palm read in Jackson Square. Your WTT Tour Leader will have suggestions as to how you can enjoy the remainder of the day. This evening we have our Farewell Dinner at a restaurant in the French Quarter.
Sunday, 10 May 2020: Return Home from New Orleans
Sadly, our time together has come to an end. Based on the departure time you provide WTT, your Tour Leader can assist with organizing travelers into small groups so you can ride-share to the airport if you wish.
(C) Nashville to New Orleans
May 4 - May 10, 2020Pricing
Room Share
$2,394.00Single Room
$3,286.00Non-Members
ADD $50.00Status of this Tour
Do not Display to the Web
Tour Pricing Includes
- All meals and activities expressly listed in the itinerary, PLUS...
- All tipping of local guides
- WTT Tour Leader to enhance the individual & group experience
- Transportation in WTT's own Mercedes mini-coach
- Arranged room sharing with another solo traveler
- Travel Dollar credits (a benefit of WTT membership) toward future travel with WTT
Not Included In The Price
- Airfare or other transportation to and from the tour
- Airport transfers
- Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary
- Any personal expenses or expenditures
- Any pre- or post- tour arrangements
- Any gratuities for the WTT tour leader
- Travel Insurance
Payment Dates -and- Cancellation Terms for This Tour
At Space Reservation: Initial Deposit is due.
Wednesday, 6 Nov 2019: Initial deposit cannot be parked and is forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
Tuesday, 4 Feb 2020: Payment in full.
Friday, 20 Mar 2020: 100% forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
By submitting the Reservation Form you are providing your electronic signature that you are authorizing WTT to charge your credit card the required amount due for the tour at this time, and to charge your credit card in a separate transaction for the membership length selected, if applicable.
Travel Insurance: It is your responsibility to purchase the amount of travel insurance you determine is appropriate to protect you from the risk of financial loss should you have to cancel your tour, or should unforeseen events, due to no fault of WTT, prevent the tour from operating in whole or in part as originally scheduled.
WTT does not sell travel insurance. As a convenience, we will email you information from 2 reliable travel insurance providers at the time we confirm your reservation, however you can purchase insurance from any provider you choose.
You can review the insurance information from TravelGuard to get an idea of rates.
(C) Nashville to New Orleans
May 4 - May 10, 2020Flights, Transfers & Lodging
Arrival & Departure Information
Travelers will make their own air arrangements as follows:
When searching for flights for this trip, be sure to search "Multi-city" (on Kayak.com) or "Multiple Destinations" (on Expedia). For comparison, you may also want to search for one-way fares.
Arrival Airport: BNA - Nashville, TN (Nashville Int'l Airport)
Arrival Date: Thursday, April 29th. Arrive no later than 4:00pm.
Arrival Transfer: Use local shuttle or taxi. Details provided in Final Travel Instructions.
Depart Airport: MSY - New Orleans, LA (Louis Armstrong New Orleans Int'l Airport)
Departure Date: Wednesday, May 5th. Depart at your convenience.
Departure Transfer: Use local shuttle or taxi. WTT Tour Leader can assist with ride-share coordination.
Lodging / Hotels
Nashville: Hampton Inn & Suites
Memphis: Courtyard by Marriott Memphis Downtown
Vicksburg: Hampton Inn & Suites Vicksburg
New Orleans: Hotel Provincial
In the unlikely event WTT is unable to provide the hotel accommodation(s) listed, for whatever reason, WTT will substitute similar quality accommodation(s) at no additional cost to the traveler.
Want to Arrive a Day Early?
Worried about possible flight delays? Consider arriving one day before the official tour state date. Many of our travelers choose this optional service. Your pre-tour package includes:
- The room (standard check-in times apply)
- Breakfast the following morning
- Visit to The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's home
$232.00 Roomshare $415.00 Single
The pre-tour package is an optional service. Rates are established at time of tour posting. Early check-in is solely at the discretion of the hotel and cannot be arranged in advance.
Additional Reminders About This Tour
This tour uses a 15-passenger Mini-Coach for transportation while on tour. On travel days we spend 3-4 hours on the road with stops along the way. Learn more about The WTT North American Travel Experience by downloading/opening the pdf.
(C) Nashville to New Orleans
May 4 - May 10, 2020Destination Information
What do others say about this tour and traveling with WTT?
How Does Room Sharing Work?
- If you wish to share with another solo traveler, select this option on the Reservation Form and your tour price will automatically be based on the room share price.
- Or, you may select a single room, when available, on the Reservation Form and your tour price will be automatically based on the single room price.
- These choices are clearly stated on the Reservation Form.
- All shared rooms have 2 beds
- All shared rooms are non-smoking
- No special requests about your roommate can be accommodated
- Most solo travelers elect to share a room
- See "Frequently Asked Questions" TAB for more details
How Active is this Tour?
Because of this requirement, WTT tours are not suitable for anyone who is physically challenged, walking impaired, or is a slow walker that cannot keep up with the pace of the group.
The activities on this tour are rated as follows:
- 90% Easy
- 10% Moderate (distances traveled)
If you are in doubt as to your ability to meet the physical activity requirements, you should not sign up for this trip.
Read more about Activity Levels
What meals are included and how are dietary restrictions accommodated?
- Breakfast Most Days
- 1 Lunch
- 3 Dinners
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary requests can be accommodated on this tour with limited selections.
What clothing and items should I pack for this trip?
In general the daily temperature will be in the mid 70s to around 80 with nighttime temperatures in the 50s. An afternoon shower or thunderstorm is not uncommon.
For this Tour You May Want—
- One smart-casual outfit if you'd like to dress up a bit for dinners.
- Lightweight but warm jacket/sweater for the cool mornings and evenings or the unusually brisk day.
- Inexpensive rain poncho or travel umbrella, just in case
- Swimsuit—hotels may have pools
- Bring what you need to get a good night's sleep, such as ear plugs, white noise generator, sleeping pills, etc. Unfamiliar noises of all types can disrupt your rest.
Good Packing Habits—
- As a best practice while traveling, bring disinfecting wipes and alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Pack a limited amount of comfortable, casual clothing that layer and coordinate. Your fellow travelers will not mind or even notice – seeing you in the same clothing.
- Bring only two pairs of everyday shoes: one pair of well-broken-in walking shoes, and a second pair that could do double-duty as a walking shoe or a slightly dressy shoe.
- Pare down your beauty regimen to the bare minimum and always pack travel-sized toiletries.
- Pack medication in your carry-on and pack only as much as needed for the duration of your tour plus a few extra days as a precaution.
What are the luggage restrictions for this tour?
On every WTT tour, our policies regarding luggage restrictions are driven by the physical space limitations of the vehicles we use and the requirement that all travelers be able to manage their own belongings without assistance.
- It is best to travel as lightly as possible. Most travelers regret when they have packed too much.
- You may bring one suitcase plus small shoulder bag/day pack/purse.
- Maximum suitcase size: 25-inches in height as measured from the FLOOR to the top of the retracted handle. The small case in a 3-piece luggage set easily meets this requirement and should be plenty roomy for this length of trip.
- Suitcases larger than 25" in height will not fit in the WTT coach; don't bring them.
- The maximum weight of your suitcase should not exceed 30 pounds, as you will need to lift it into the coach luggage compartment.
- You are responsible for managing your own belongings. We expect you to take your belongings from the coach to your room and to bring it back to the coach and load it on days we change hotels. We do not provide luggage pulls; they are not safe and are inconvenient. The possibility of steps exist at most hotel entrances.
How much money should I bring on this tour?
Only you can determine the optimum amount of cash to take on tour. When budgeting for out-of-pocket expenses, there are several aspects to consider: the number of meals you are responsible for, the amount of money you like to have on-hand for snacks and drinks, and your individual shopping interests and habits.
- Notify your credit card issuer that you will be traveling and provide dates of travel.
- ATMs are typically the best way of obtaining cash; you must know your PIN number for your debit and credit cards in order to use the ATMs.
What are the tipping guidelines for this tour?
All tips to local guides during your tour have already been paid on your behalf.
- You are responsible for tipping wait-staff, porters, or other individuals who provide a service to you at the hotel, or other public locations.
- You may want to tip your WTT Tour Leader for an outstanding job. The amount is entirely a personal preference. If you'd like a guideline, consider $8-$10 per day.
What other Additional Information do I need to know?
This tour uses a 15-passenger Mini-Coach for transportation while on tour. On travel days we spend 3-4 hours on the road with stops along the way. Learn more about The WTT North American Travel Experience by downloading/opening the pdf.
Can I transfer my deposit to another tour?
To get off this tour and register for another tour, you must follow these steps - in the order shown:
2) WAIT before submitting your new reservation! You must receive the Cancellation Confirmation email before submitting your new reservation. This can take up to 2 business days. The Cancellation Confirmation email will list the amount of parked credits from this tour that are now available to use on a new reservation.
3) COMPLETE the new Reservation Form and USE the parked credits towards your deposit on the new tour.
Note: If you used Parked Credits to pay the deposit on this tour, these credits cannot be used a second time and are not eligible to be transferred.
What happens if I need to cancel this tour?

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