fbpx

American Jazz Festival Tour

American Jazz Festival Tour

From $ 3,165 AUD

Description

Pack your dancing shoes and prepare your jazz hands because we’re getting bluesy. This adventure from Atlanta to New Orleans takes you through the musical meccas of Nashville and Memphis with all the sights, sounds and sauces you could ever ask for. Learn to line dance in Nashville, get your hands dirty eating Memphis-style barbecue, visit the iconic Sun Studio, let your hair down on Bourbon Street and finish it all off with two days at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. As they say in NOLA, ‘pass a good time’ (let the fun begin)!

Trip Name
American Jazz Festival Tour
Last Updated
2020-06-23
Days
9
Capacity
13
Overview
Pack your dancing shoes and prepare your jazz hands because we’re getting bluesy. This adventure from Atlanta to New Orleans takes you through the musical meccas of Nashville and Memphis with all the sights, sounds and sauces you could ever ask for. Learn to line dance in Nashville, get your hands dirty eating Memphis-style barbecue, visit the iconic Sun Studio, let your hair down on Bourbon Street and finish it all off with two days at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. As they say in NOLA, ‘pass a good time’ (let the fun begin)!
Highlights
  • Immerse yourself in a medley of jazz, country and the blues on this musical road trip from Atlanta to New Orleans.
  • Discover the rhythm of life in New Orleans during the city’s iconic Jazz Fest, a celebration of the music, culture and food that make NOLA unique.
  • A small group size means dive bars and diners are on the menu, so you can get a taste of the South beyond the tourist traps.
  • Get the floorboards shaking at a honky-tonk in Nashville, where locals go to stamp out the stress of the day.
  • Refuel with barbecue – just remember that in the South it’s more than a style of cooking, it’s a way of life and people take it very seriously.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES: Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It is important that you print and review a final copy prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in country. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary seasonally to ensure our travellers have the best experience. Your tour leader will keep you up to date with any changes once on tour. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and may be on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your leader know you are interested and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and leaders are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk. MEALS Please note that day-by-day meals are indicative only. You will receive the same number of meals, but they may not happen exactly on the days indicated. Your leader may change the days that meals are provided to best suit the needs of the group and the timing of the activities on your trip.

Day 1 - Atlanta
Hey y’all! Welcome to Atlanta! Join your fellow travellers at 6 pm for a welcome meeting at the hotel. Later, take part in an optional group dinner or head out on your own to explore. Atlanta is a popular tourist city with a fascinating history and a booming music and arts scene. If you arrive with time to spare before the welcome meeting, why not visit the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site and learn more about Atlanta and the USA's turbulent recent history.
Day 2 - Nashville
Hit the road and drive approximately 4 hours to Nashville, Tennessee, with an optional tour of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery on the way. On arrival, take an orientation walk with your leader around Broadway in the downtown area and then enjoy free time for the rest of the afternoon. There's a reason Nashville is known as Music City: maybe check out some iconic venues like the Grand Ole Opry or the Ryman Auditorium. In the evening you can choose to visit the famous Wildhorse Saloon to try your hand (or feet) at line dancing, or enjoy a night out on the Honky Tonk Highway – a road packed with live music venues and bars playing country music and open for business all day, every day.
Day 3 - Nashville
Today's free for you to continue exploring the home of country music. Why not visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, or take a tour of RCA Studio B? This historic studio was instrumental in the development of the ‘Nashville Sound’ and artists like Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers and Willie Nelson have all recorded here. The King himself, Elvis Presley, is said to have taped over two hundred songs in the hallowed halls. Afterwards, maybe take a break to grab a beer and treat yourself to some fried chicken. In the evening perhaps check out a show with a cocktail in hand at The Listening Room Cafe.
Day 4 - Memphis
Say farewell to Nashville and howdy to Memphis, the only place where it feels good to get the blues. On arrival take an orientation walk with your leader through historic Beale Street, which Congress declared ‘Home of the Blues’ in 1977. Then choose whether to join the group during a visit to the former home of Elvis Presley, on an optional tour to Graceland to see the famous Jungle Room. After paying respect to the King, feast like a king on Memphis-style barbecue – Memphis is home to the annual World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and dinner is included in your trip, so all you need to bring is a good attitude and an empty stomach.
Day 5 - Memphis
In the morning, visit Sun Studio – another legendary studio and the setting for the well-known photo of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins gathered around a piano. Following the tour, there are several optional activities to choose from including a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum, the Gibson Guitar Factory or the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Chat to your leader for details on these. Hungry? Perhaps grab some fried chicken with a side of slaw and history at Gus' World Famous Fried Chicken. In the evening, maybe form a crew and hit up iconic Beale St for all your music and nightlife needs.
Day 6 - New Orleans
Today involves a long drive through Mississippi to reach The Big Easy – New Orleans. Check into the hotel on arrival, then it's free time for dinner and a walk around the buzzing French Quarter and the world-famous strip of hedonism: Bourbon Street. It's a never-ending party here and the party is wild, so it can be equal parts exhilarating and overwhelming. But with bars, restaurants and serious people-watching opportunities, there's no denying it's a damn good time.
Day 7 - New Orleans
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival begins today. With more than ten stages showcasing a diverse range of musical styles, Jazz Fest isn’t just about jazz – it’s a raucous celebration of the city where the genre was born. Since its inception in 1970 the festival has hosted a huge variety of local and international musicians, from small local acts to global superstars. Beyond the music, there’s sizzling Cajun food and southern delicacies aplenty (smoked brisket anyone?), cultural exhibitions and a palpable buzz in the air. Make sure you’ve got your schedule sorted and dive on in!
Day 8 - New Orleans
Cruise the festival food stalls and the stages where you can catch old favourites and discover new ones, then hit Bourbon Street or choose to take an optional jazz dinner cruise on a steamboat down the Mississippi River. If the festival has got you all fired up with the spirit of jazz, make sure you check out an act in Preservation Hall, an historic venue dedicated to intimate acts and keeping the city’s legacy alive.
Day 9 - New Orleans
There are no activities planned today. Can’t get enough of NOLA? Why not nurse the post-festival blues with a Cocktail Tour with Urban Adventures? Find out more at urbanadventures.com/destination/New-Orleans-tours.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
18-04-202126-04-2021AUD $ 3,165-

Accommodation

Hostel (2 nts),Hotel (6 nts)

Transport

Private vehicle

Map