The Soundtrack of the South

Welcome to Atlanta, where your journey through the musical heritage of the American South begins.

Arriving in the mid to late afternoon, make your way to your hotel and settle in for your overnight stay. Atlanta has long played an important role in American music, with connections spanning blues, soul, hip-hop, rock and pop and a musical legacy associated with artists including Jimi Hendrix, Bobby Brown and Elton John.

Depending on your arrival time, spend your first evening discovering some of Downtown Atlanta. Head towards Underground Atlanta and the surrounding neighbourhoods for food and entertainment, or seek out one of the city's live music venues for an early taste of the sounds of the South.

If time allows, those interested in exploring another important chapter of Atlanta's history can visit The King Center, dedicated to the life, work and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Here you can learn more about his influence on the Civil Rights Movement and visit the crypt where Dr King and Coretta Scott King are laid to rest.

Leave Atlanta behind this morning and travel north towards the Appalachian landscapes of Tennessee and Chattanooga, your next overnight stop.

Music provides a fitting introduction to the city. The famous Chattanooga Choo Choo, immortalised by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, became one of the best-known songs of the big-band era. Visit the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo complex and see the railway terminal that helped inspire one of America's most recognisable musical references.

There is also time to discover the spectacular scenery surrounding the city. Head to Lookout Mountain for sweeping views across the Tennessee Valley and visit Ruby Falls, where a series of underground passages leads deep inside the mountain to one of the country's most distinctive underground waterfalls.

Back in Chattanooga, spend some time exploring the revitalised downtown and riverfront before enjoying an evening in the city.

Tomorrow, your journey continues south as you cross into Alabama and begin discovering the people and places behind some of America's greatest musical stories.

Leave Chattanooga this morning and continue through Tennessee towards Nashville, where you'll spend the next two nights immersed in the sights and sounds of Music City.

Nashville has played an extraordinary role in the story of American music. Begin at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where recordings, costumes, instruments and memorabilia introduce the performers and songwriters who transformed country music from its Southern roots into a worldwide phenomenon.

Continue the story at the historic Ryman Auditorium, one of America's most celebrated music venues, or tour RCA Studio B, where artists including Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison and the Everly Brothers created some of their most famous recordings.

For an even broader perspective, visit the National Museum of African American Music, exploring the influence of Black musicians across gospel, blues, jazz, R&B and other genres that have helped shape America's musical identity.

With two nights in Nashville, you'll also have plenty of opportunities to experience the city's live music scene. Head to the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, discover one of the smaller venues where Nashville's songwriters perform or, if your dates allow, enjoy a performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry.

Between the music, make time to enjoy Nashville's restaurants, neighbourhoods and Southern hospitality before your journey continues south towards Alabama and the next chapter of America's remarkable musical story.

Leave Nashville this morning and travel west across Tennessee towards Memphis, where you'll spend the next two nights discovering a city synonymous with blues, soul and the birth of rock 'n' roll.

Begin your musical journey at Sun Studio, the legendary recording studio where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins helped create a sound that changed popular music forever. Continue to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, celebrating the Memphis label behind artists including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and Booker T. & the M.G.'s.

No music tour of Memphis would be complete without visiting Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. Explore the mansion and exhibits dedicated to his life and career, discovering how a young musician from the American South became one of the most recognisable performers in the world.

Memphis' story extends far beyond its recording studios. Visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, for a powerful exploration of the American Civil Rights Movement and its continuing legacy.

As evening arrives, head to legendary Beale Street, where neon-lit clubs and live music continue a blues tradition stretching back generations. Add authentic Memphis barbecue, views across the Mississippi River and the famous Peabody Ducks, and you'll discover a city where music, history and Southern culture remain inseparable.

After two nights following the sounds of Memphis, your journey continues into Alabama, where the musical story takes another remarkable turn.

Leave Memphis this morning and travel south-east towards Alabama and Muscle Shoals, where you'll spend the next two nights discovering one of the most influential recording destinations in American music.

Together with neighbouring Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumbia, The Shoals developed a sound that attracted some of the biggest names in soul, R&B and rock. At FAME Recording Studios, discover the studio associated with landmark recordings by artists including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Etta James.

Continue to Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway, founded by the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers. Artists including the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Bob Seger and others travelled to this unassuming studio in Alabama to record, helping establish the Muscle Shoals Sound around the world.

Across the Tennessee River in Florence, visit the W.C. Handy Birthplace, Museum & Library, celebrating the life of the Florence-born composer and musician widely known as the "Father of the Blues". You can also explore the area's continuing music scene and discover the communities where this extraordinary musical heritage was created.

Between studio visits, spend time exploring Downtown Florence, enjoy the restaurants and independent shops or relax beside the Tennessee River.

After following the musical story from Nashville and Memphis, two nights in The Shoals reveal how this small corner of northern Alabama helped create recordings and sounds that would influence generations of musicians around the world.

Leave The Shoals this morning and travel east across northern Alabama towards Huntsville for an overnight stay.

Known as Rocket City, Huntsville provides a fascinating change of pace from the recording studios and musical landmarks of the previous few days. The city played a pivotal role in America's space programme and remains one of the country's leading centres for aerospace and technology.

Make time to visit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, where an extraordinary collection of rockets, spacecraft and exhibits charts America's journey into space, from the early Space Race to the missions of today.

Huntsville also has a growing music and entertainment scene of its own. Depending on what's happening during your stay, look out for a performance at the Orion Amphitheater, an impressive open-air venue that welcomes major touring artists, or discover live music at one of the city's smaller venues.

For the evening, explore Downtown Huntsville or head to Campus No. 805, a former school transformed into a lively collection of breweries, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Your overnight stay offers an opportunity to experience another side of Alabama before the journey continues south tomorrow, reconnecting with the state's wider musical and cultural story.

Leave Huntsville this morning and travel south to Birmingham, where music, Civil Rights history and Southern culture come together for your next overnight stay.

Birmingham has a rich musical heritage spanning jazz, blues, gospel and soul. Discover the city's connection to jazz at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, celebrating Alabama musicians and performers who have contributed to the development of this distinctly American art form.

Music is only one part of Birmingham's story. The city played a defining role in the American Civil Rights Movement, and time should be set aside to explore the Birmingham Civil Rights District. Visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, see the historic 16th Street Baptist Church and walk through Kelly Ingram Park, where sculptures and memorials recall the people and events that helped change America.

Away from its historic landmarks, discover the Birmingham of today through its revitalised neighbourhoods, restaurants, breweries and acclaimed food scene. Depending on your travel dates, you may also be able to catch a live performance at one of the city's music venues.

Spend the evening enjoying Birmingham's combination of Southern flavours and local entertainment before continuing deeper into Alabama tomorrow.

Leave Birmingham this morning and travel south towards Alabama's Gulf Coast, where you'll spend the next two nights choosing between the historic city of Mobile or the beaches and relaxed coastal atmosphere of Gulf Shores.

Discover Mobile
Choose Mobile and continue the cultural story of your journey in one of the oldest cities on the Gulf Coast. Explore characterful Downtown Mobile, discover the city's historic neighbourhoods and learn about its claim as the birthplace of America's original Mardi Gras celebrations at the Mobile Carnival Museum.

Music remains part of the experience, with live performances, entertainment venues and a cultural heritage shaped by the many influences of the Gulf Coast. Spend an evening around Dauphin Street, where restaurants, bars and entertainment bring the heart of Downtown Mobile to life.

There is also time to experience the city's maritime heritage, visit USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park or discover the extraordinary waterways and wildlife of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta.

Relax on Alabama's Gulf Coast
Alternatively, head for Gulf Shores and neighbouring Orange Beach, where white-sand beaches and the warm waters of the Gulf provide a completely different way to spend the next two nights.

Relax on the beach, enjoy fresh Gulf seafood and waterfront dining, or head out onto the water on a dolphin cruise. Those wanting to remain active can explore the trails and coastal landscapes of Gulf State Park, while the area's restaurants and entertainment venues provide plenty to enjoy once the sun goes down.

Choosing Gulf Shores also introduces a more relaxed chapter into the itinerary, providing time to recharge beside the coast after following the musical story from Nashville and Memphis through northern and central Alabama.

Whichever you choose, these two nights reveal another side of the state before your journey begins to turn north again.

Leave Alabama's Gulf Coast behind this morning and travel north towards Montgomery, the state capital and your home for the next two nights.

Montgomery adds another important chapter to your journey through the music, culture and history of the American South. The city has strong connections to Hank Williams, one of the most influential figures in country music. Visit the Hank Williams Museum, home to an extensive collection of memorabilia celebrating his life and career, and see his final resting place at Oakwood Cemetery Annex.

The city's story is also inseparable from the American Civil Rights Movement. Visit the Rosa Parks Museum, see Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Dr Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor, and walk towards the Alabama State Capitol, where the Selma to Montgomery marches concluded in 1965.

Allow time for the powerful Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which explore the history and continuing legacy of racial inequality in America.

With two nights in Montgomery, there is also time to enjoy the city at a more relaxed pace. Explore Downtown and the riverfront, discover local restaurants and experience the modern state capital that has grown around these remarkable stories.

From Hank Williams and country music to events that transformed the course of American history, Montgomery reveals how music, culture and social change have long been intertwined across the South.

Leave Montgomery this morning and travel east, crossing back into Georgia as you return to Atlanta, bringing your musical journey through the American South to an end.

Return your hire car at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and check in for your return flight to the UK.

From the musical landmarks of Nashville and Memphis to the legendary studios of Muscle Shoals, Birmingham's jazz heritage and the story of Hank Williams in Montgomery, your journey has followed the sounds, places and people that helped shape American music. Along the way, you'll also have experienced Alabama's Civil Rights history, space heritage, Southern cities and, depending on your chosen route, the historic character of Mobile or the beaches of Gulf Shores.

Not Ready to Go Home?
With Atlanta as your final gateway, there are plenty of ways to extend your holiday and discover even more of the South.

Head north into the Blue Ridge Mountains and spend a few days exploring the mountain communities and scenic landscapes of northern Georgia, or continue into Great Smoky Mountains National Park for forest-covered mountains, wildlife, waterfalls and spectacular scenic drives.

Alternatively, travel east to Savannah for historic squares, beautiful architecture and distinctive Southern character, perhaps combining your stay with the coast and nearby islands.

For an even longer adventure, continue to Charleston and turn your journey into a wider exploration of the Deep South.

Whether you'd like to add mountains, coast, another Southern city or simply a few extra nights in Atlanta, a Discover North America Travel Specialist can tailor your extension around the places you'd most like to experience.