Well hello there, Roadies! Our trip begins here in Nashville - the home of all things country. (Don't worry though, we won't be workin' nine til five here.) After joining your Contiki crew at the hotel, we'll spend the evening hanging out - ready to hit the road in the morning.
Today is yours to explore Nashville. Truly a musical paradise, a tour around the Country Music Hall of Fame will give us the lowdown on this city's musical past.
Sorry Nash, but we gotta dash. Next up, it's the home of the King himself... Welcome to Memphis. Here you'll have a free afternoon to explore, but we have plenty of optional activities for you to choose from. Memphis is the home of Elvis Presley, and you'll have the chance to visit Graceland (his former home) and Sun Studios (where he recorded many of his albums). Also in Memphis is the Civil Rights Museum, where you'll have the chance to pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr, a vital force during the civil rights movement.
Speaking of 'a little more action', it's time for us to head to our next destination - New Orleans. The love-child of French & Caribbean culture, New Orleans will steal our hearts as soon as we arrive. We'll check out the French quarter and jam in Jackson Square before sampling beignets & marveling at elegant, pre-war mansions, all to the sweet sounds of Southern jazz, of course.
New Orleans, baby... You have the whole of today to soak up the sounds, smells and songs of a truly soulful city. How about an airboat swamp tour out on the Mississippi?
Bidding farewell to New Orleans, it's time to make our way to Texas' largest city, Houston. With huge belt buckles & portion sizes to match, Houston city certainly lives up to its larger-than-life reputation. After we arrive and Check in to our hotel, your Trip Manager will take you on a city orientation tour, checking Buffalo Bayou, City Hall and Heritage Society Park off your bucket list... and Market Square Park too.
Houston, we have a... great day ahead of us today, starting out with a tour of the NASA Space Centre. (Would you believe us if we said it was out of this world?) After that, we'll hit the road once again, this time with Dallas in our sights. Here in Dallas/Fort Worth, we'll visit the historic stockyards, chill with the cattle and tuck into a BBQ dinner too. Get a load of that sizzling sunset!
Today you're mostly free to explore Dallas however you like, but first, your Trip Manager will take you on an orientation tour, which includes the Dealey Plaza, The Arts District and the Dallas Reunion Tower.
And it's here in Dallas that our USA adventure comes to an end. We've laughed, we've been amazed, we've sang along to more Dolly Parton hits than we thought possible. Now it's time to start dreaming about the next one.