The Rhythms of the Deep South road trip takes in all the must see cities and historic locations that The Deep South has to offer as you make your way from Nashville to New Orleans. On this itinerary, you will experience the real flavours of the Deep South from music and cuisine to the culture. Set at a relaxed pace you’ll experience stunning scenery, beautiful towns and listen to fabulous live music every step of the way.
All of our road trips are fully customisable and can be tailor-made to suit your own individual requirements. Please let your Discover North America travel specialist know if you would like to start in a different destination, use specific hotel accommodation or simply want to add an excursion or two. Do you have more or less than 15 days for your road trip? No problem, we can add extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
As we can offer you such a extensive choice of flights & car rental and prices vary per departure date, we don’t include these elements as standard within the headline fare displayed on our website, unless stated otherwise in the `What’s Included’ section. When requesting your initial quote, your Discover North America Travel Specialist will take the time to understand your own individual requirements with regards to international flights and car rental and will tailor the quote specifically to your needs.
Find out more about the process we follow here.
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Start your adventure in Nashville, which is best known as Music City for its deep and long roots as the home of Country Music. Nashville boasts about its music heritage at every opportunity, including the newly built Country Music Hall of Fame. However, it's not all about Country - there is a rich blues history here also and singer-songwriters from every genre enjoy playing the bars in this town. Top attractions in the city's diverse music scene include the historic Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Bluebird Cafe, Music Row and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. With a city full of established and up-and-coming songwriters and musicians, excellent live music venues abound.
Collect your rental car on the morning of day 4 and leave country music, memories of its top artists and catchy tunes behind and head to wonderful Memphis. The capital of blues and rock is located on the edge of the Mississippi River. If to you Elvis Presley is King, you simply have to visit. No true fan can avoid making the pilgrimage to Graceland, the King’s mansion, where you can see where hits like Hound Dog and Heartbreak Hotel were recorded at Sun Studios. For music fans, Memphis isn’t just another city. It’s almost a place of worship. From dedicated rock and rollers to history buffs and gourmet food lovers, Memphis attracts a broad spectrum of people, and all of them find a way to fall in love with this charming southern destination.
Travelling the backroads of the Mississippi Delta, follow the Mighty Mississippi along legendary Highway 61 toward Clarksdale, the unofficial capital of the blues, you’ll become intimately acquainted with the area’s perfectly authentic, gritty vibe. Many of the sites and stories on this leg of the Gold Record Road are told through the Mississippi Blues Trail, an incredible resource for preserving and promoting the history of the blues long after the physical buildings and landmarks have crumbled or been razed in the name of progress. In this day and age, blues history isn’t tied to specific addresses—it’s about breathing in the thick air of the Delta, watching the Mississippi carve its way through the basin, standing on a railroad track at a country crossroads and soaking up the cotton-covered rural landscape. It’s about finding yourself in a juke joint in a rural town and understanding segregation, hardship, beauty and strength in a new way. Welcome to the Delta Highway.
Continue south to Natchez where centuries of history live, including hundreds of Antebellum mansions - most of them in pristine condition - along with museums and monuments of Native American and African American history. It's a small city with a big heart, sitting on the highest bluff along the Mississippi River in a beautiful location made for nature lovers. Explore the Old, Old South, including the culture that gave birth to the blues.
Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole Country, an area known as the Happiest City in America. Lafayette has a distinct culinary identity as the epicenter of Cajun cuisine that’s earned them the title Best Food City in the USA. Lafayette’s culinary scene is steeped in tradition and continues to evolve with a new generation of chefs making it an incredible place to eat. No matter what time of year you visit Lafayette they will have something for you to celebrate. It doesn’t take long to get hooked on Lafayette’s Cajun and Zydeco music and there’s never a shortage of dance partners if you want to try your hand at a two-step or waltz. Whether your passion is for their rich cultural history, the bustling culinary scene or distinctive blend of Cajun and Zydeco music, you can be sure you will leave with a smile on your face.
We suggest returning your rental vehicle upon your arrival into New Orleans on Day 12. Nowhere else on earth is quite like the Big Easy. Situated at the mouth of the Mississippi, New Orleans is the home of jazz and blues, Cajun cooking, and the spectacular colours and parades of Mardi Gras. If you love a good time, there’s no better destination. Spend your evenings on bar hopping Bourbon or Frenchmen Street hopping from bar to bar, catching some of America’s most talented musicians. Head to Treme to watch blues bands light up the local clubs, or find a spot in Jackson Square and watch the street performers.
Your tour ends today. Alternatively, speak with your Discover North America Travel Specialist about possible trip extensions.