Songs of the South, a Legacy of Music & Civil Rights
Self-Drive Tour
Atlanta | Birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King | Chattanooga | Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame | Graceland Memphis | SEDONA | Jackson | Natchez Mississippi River | New Orleans Mobile | Montgomery | Birmingham
Weave your way through the Deep South immersing yourself in the legendary musical legacy that embraces blues, rock and roll, country, gospel and jazz. Learn more about the modern Civil Rights
movement sparked by Rosa Parks that changed history, and take time to soak up the easy-going, soulful ambiance that pervades throughout the southern states.
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Your Itinerary
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Day 4
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Day 5
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Day 6
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Day 7
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Day 8-9
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Day 10-11
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Day 12
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Day 13
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Day 14
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Day 15-16
Day 1-2 : UK - Atlanta
Arrive in Atlanta, the rest of the day is free to explore. Perhaps visit Underground Atlanta, located in the heart of downtown, this 6-block area was once the city centre. During the 1920's, construction of the concrete "viaducts" elevated the street system one level, giving birth to what is now Underground Atlanta. Explore the city and see how it’s evolved. Visit the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, CNN Studios, the World of Coca-Cola and the Virginia- Highland district, Atlanta’s most popular neighbourhood for shopping, dining and nightlife.
Day 3 : Nashville
Stop in Chattanooga and explore the Downtown Riverfront District. Once in Nashville explore the area between Broadway and 2nd Avenue, filled with entertainment venues, night clubs and
an array of restaurants. It’s here that you can take a tour of historic RCA Studio B – where Elvis and so many others recorded over 35,000 songs.
Day 4 : Nashville
Nashville highlights include the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Grand Ole Opry House and Ryman Auditorium, designated a National Historic Landmark. Take a guided
backstage tour or record a CD in the new Ryman Recording Studio, or perhaps take a tour past the homes of some of country music’s well-known stars.
Day 5 : Memphis
En route to Memphis take in the Belle Meade Plantation, a 30-acre historical site, known as the ‘Queen of Tennessee Plantations’. Memphis is where the roots of blues, country and gospel music formed in the 1930s, learn more with a visit to the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum and Sun Studio.
Day 6 : Memphis
Today walk in the footsteps of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll at Graceland. The Graceland experience includes Graceland mansion, Elvis' Automobile Museum, Elvis' custom jets. Then spend some time on Beale Street, a melting pot of delta blues, jazz, rock-n-roll, R&B, and gospel.
Day 7 : Clarksdale/Cleveland
Stop in Clarksdale for a visit of the Delta Blues Museum. Cleveland is on the Mississippi Blues Trail and the unofficial birthplace of the blues. While here, visit the Grammy Museum Mississippi.
Day 8-9 : Jackson/Natchez
Stop in Jackson, a treasure trove of African American and Civil Rights history. Follow along the Civil Rights Driving Tour which features sites including the Freedom Corner, the former home of slain NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Evers and explore the Farish Street Historical District. Your destination is Natchez, the oldest city on the Mississippi River and known for its antebellum mansions and historic landmarks. Natchez has many historic homes and buildings that are walkable within the downtown area. Alternatively, horse drawn carriages and a downtown double decker bus offer tours covering food,
literary spots, Civil Rights, and ghost tours.
Day 10-11 : New Orleans
New Orleans is one of America's most culturally and historically rich destinations. Take an afternoon riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River and spend the evening in the French Quarter. Spend the days exploring this vivacious city. Explore the French Quarter, New Orleans City Park, Jackson Square, or take a ride down St Charles Avenue in an historic streetcar and be astounded by the sheer beauty and number of mansions. Dine on Creole cruise, visit gothic cemeteries or head out of the city to experience the swamps and bayous.
Day 12 : Mobile/Selma
Once referred to as the Paris of the South, Mobile has long been the cultural centre of the Gulf Coast. Its 300-year history is alive in the city’s architecture, fountains and treasured live oak trees. Continue to Selma, noteworthy for its significant role during the 1960s civil rights movement and the Selma to Montgomery marches.
Day 13 : Montgomery/Birmingham
Continue to Montgomery, Alabama’s capital. Visit the Rosa Parks Library and Museum, Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old seamstress, sparked the modern civil rights movement by taking a stand and
keeping her seat on a city bus. Visit the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and see the pulpit where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., first preached his message of hope and brotherhood. End the day in Birmingham.
Day 14 : Atlanta
Visit important historical sites of the civil rights movement. Exhibits in the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute reveal slices of black and white life from the late 1800’s to the present, whilst across the
street is Birmingham’s most famous civil rights landmark, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. The church was the site of a dynamite bombing in 1963 that killed 4 young African American girls. Travel to Atlanta and return your rental car at the airport in time for your onward flight.
Day 15-16 : Atlanta -UK
Explore Atlanta before your flight home.
