DIXIELAND & RHYTHMS - 2010

10 days from Chicago to New Orleans (CO-8240)

The beautiful South comes alive on this wonderful vacation. Start your trip in Chicago and spend leisure time getting to know the city. See all the famous Chicago landmarks on an included sightseeing tour before heading south toward St. Louis, Missouri, known as the “Gateway to the West.” On your St. Louis tour, take a trip to the top of the towering Gateway Arch. Then cross the Mississippi River to Nashville, Tennessee, home of country music! A guided tour shows you Nashville’s most famous sights, including the recording studios on Music Row, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and legendary RCA Studio B, once the recoding home of Elvis Presley. No vacation to Nashville is complete without a visit to the Grand Ole Opry, and you have reserved seats for a Grand Ole Opry show! Then, travel to Memphis, “Home of the Blues”—a city with a distinct Southern flair. Enjoy an orientation tour and visit Graceland, Elvis Presley’s grand estate. Next, hop on the AMTRAK City of New Orleans train toward Louisiana. Pass cotton fields and catfish ponds to the heart of Cajun country. Spot alligators on the waterways of Atchafalaya Basin before crossing bayou country back into New Orleans, where your Southern vacation comes to an end.

8240

Itinerary

Day 1 CHICAGO

Welcome to the “Windy City.” Enjoy time at leisure to relax or to do some independent exploring. Your Tour Director is on hand this evening to answer any questions.

Day 2 CHICAGO

Start the day with an included sightseeing tour and see all the landmarks of this exciting city. The afternoon and evening are at leisure. Ride the elevator to the top of Sears Tower, stroll in Grant Park along the waterfront, or take an optional cruise on Lake Michigan. This evening you might enjoy dinner on the Navy Pier with its collection of shops and restaurants.

Day 3 CHICAGO–ST. LOUIS

Travel across the fertile Illinois farmlands today to St. Louis, the “Gateway to the West.” Cross the Mississippi River to St. Louis. City sightseeing includes a trip to the top of the towering GATEWAY ARCH, which commemorates the city’s key role in westward expansion. Be sure to visit the museum under the arch, celebrating the famous expedition of Lewis and Clark 200 hundred years ago.

Day 4 ST. LOUIS–NASHVILLE

Start today’s journey by re-crossing the Mississippi River and rolling southeast to Paducah on the Ohio River by lunchtime. Late-afternoon arrival in Nashville.

Day 5 NASHVILLE

Start the day with a sightseeing tour of Nashville’s famous landmarks and the recording studios of Music Row. We’ll tour historic RCA STUDIO B, the cradle of the “Nashville Sound” in the 1960s. Hitmakers in Studio B include such stars as Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, Willie Nelson, and the Everly Brothers. Afterward, visit the COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME with its glittering costumes, rare instruments, and Elvis Presley’s solid-gold Cadillac! Tonight you have reserved seats for a show at the world-famous GRAND OLE OPRY, a mecca for country musicians.

Day 6 NASHVILLE–MEMPHIS

Cross Tennessee today to Memphis, the “Home of the Blues” and a city with a distinct Southern flavor. Enjoy an orientation tour on arrival. Join the optional excursion that visits famous Sun Studio, where rock ‘n’ roll was first recorded, followed by dinner at a local Memphis restaurant.

Day 7 MEMPHIS. GRACELAND VISIT

A good portion of the day is devoted to GRACELAND, Elvis Presley’s beautiful estate. Your platinum audio tour focuses on the splendid garden, private plane, and the opulent 15,000-square-foot mansion. Return to Memphis mid-afternoon. Tonight, you may want to visit a blues club on famous Beale Street.

Day 8 MEMPHIS–AMTRAK CITY OF NEW ORLEANS TRAIN–LAFAYETTE

Providing the locomotion for today’s journey through the state of Mississippi and into the Mississippi River delta is the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, the famous train of story and song. Pass cotton fields and catfish ponds as the train enters Louisiana. In Hammond, leave the train and board a motorcoach for the short drive into the heart of Cajun Country to Lafayette, first settled by French-Acadian farmers expelled from Nova Scotia by the British in the 1700s.

Day 9 LAFAYETTE–NEW ORLEANS

On to St. Martinville to see the famous oak tree from Longfellow’s poem, “Evangeline.” Next, board your boat for a CRUISE through the winding, swampy waterways of the Atchafalaya Basin. If you are lucky, you might spot alligators basking on the banks. Then, cross Bayou Country into New Orleans.

Day 10 NEW ORLEANS

The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers to the New Orleans International Airport are included.

AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Airport transfers may be included when you make your international flights arrangements.

Dates and Prices

Departure Details	Departure Date	Tour Start Date	Return Date	Land/Cruise Price Only	Status
	3/22/2010	3/22/2010	3/31/2010	$1,379.00	Available
Popular Departure	3/29/2010	3/29/2010	4/7/2010	$1,379.00	Available
Popular Departure	4/19/2010	4/19/2010	4/28/2010	$1,409.00	Available
	4/21/2010	4/21/2010	4/30/2010	$1,459.00	Sold Out
Popular Departure	4/26/2010	4/26/2010	5/5/2010	$1,399.00	Available
	4/28/2010	4/28/2010	5/7/2010	$1,399.00	Sold Out
	5/10/2010	5/10/2010	5/19/2010	$1,399.00	Sold Out
Popular Departure	5/17/2010	5/17/2010	5/26/2010	$1,399.00	Available
Popular Departure	5/24/2010	5/24/2010	6/2/2010	$1,399.00	Available
	9/20/2010	9/20/2010	9/29/2010	$1,399.00	Available
Popular Departure	9/27/2010	9/27/2010	10/6/2010	$1,399.00	Available
	10/25/2010	10/25/2010	11/3/2010	$1,399.00	Available
	11/8/2010	11/8/2010	11/17/2010	$1,399.00	Available

Popular Departure - due to itinerary and time of year, this departure historically sells out quickly. Early booking is encouraged.

Breakfast Supplement per person:
$94

Single Room Supplement:
$500