Deep South USA Plus Texas

14 days - Escorted Tours

Experience the unique culture, history, and music of America’s Deep South, home of the blues, plus the charms and classic images of Texas, the 'Lone Star State'. Take one of America’s classic ‘road trips’ exploring the Deep South, renowned for its gracious hospitality, its charming southern drawl, its unique Creole and Cajun cuisine and the most popular music genres of the 20th century – jazz, rock n’ roll, the blues and country. Flying into Atlanta, Georgia, site of the 1996 Olympic Games, which really put the city on the map. In Memphis visit The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, an engaging cultural attraction of America’s historical milestone. Atlanta has a laid-back southern charm and is the perfect start to a fascinating tour. We then travel through the rolling rich farmland of Tennessee, past the cotton fields of Mississippi to Louisiana’s moss-covered bayous and the vast South Texas plains. You’ll stay in some of America’s most fascinating cities: Nashville, Memphis, the amazing New Orleans, as well as Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. Want to spend even more time in America? Check out our 18 day Grand Journey from the Deep South to Route 66.

Highlights

Delve into the sounds of The South with visits to places synonymous with iconic moments in music history. Tour studio B and visit the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and tour Graceland, home of Elvis – King of Rock and Roll.
See where President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, and tour the fascinating museum dedicated to that fateful day.
Travel to New Orleans, where we’ll enjoy a walking tour with a local guide through the iconic French Quarter.
Enjoy a guided tour of Houston’s NASA Johnson Space Centre, from where the Apollo Moon landings were controlled.
Visit the Alamo in San Antonio, where the settlers fought for Texas’ independence from Mexico.

Inclusions

The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room with single rooms available at the relevant supplement. Price includes:
Scheduled return flights to Atlanta
All transfers
Domestic flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Atlanta
Twelve nights in three-star and three-star superior accommodation
All tours as mentioned
All flight and accommodation taxes
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager

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Arrival in Atlanta

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Travel to Nashville - Driving into Tennessee to Lynchburg, this quintessential little town is a true slice of unspoilt 50s America, with its red-brick courthouse, general store and one traffic light. It’s a great place to just browse the shops and get a bite to eat before we visit Lynchburg’s claim to fame: the Jack Daniel Distillery. Obviously, it’s where Jack Daniel’s whisky is made, since 1884 and a tour is a great experience. Interestingly, the county is ‘dry’ and locals are not allowed to consume the product they are most famous for. Continuing across Tennessee’s rolling green hills we soon arrive at ‘Music City USA’, Nashville.

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Nashville - In downtown Nashville we visit the Country Music Hall of Fame. A huge museum of all things ‘Country and Western’, it has floors of fascinating exhibits from the earliest days of country music to the megastars of today. There are films and videos of music’s greatest, with their life-stories and costumes. The famed Music Row is close by, lined with studios and record company offices, where we visit the legendary RCA Studio B, where Elvis recorded many of his greatest hits, followed by a ‘who’s who’ of recording superstars such as Roy Orbison, the Everly Brothers, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. Lower Broadway is Nashville’s nightlife centre, with stupendous live music in famous honky-tonk bars like Robert’s Western World and The Stage on Broadway and many more. There’s a fantastic atmosphere along the entire street and an evening here is a real ‘must’! Experience a country music show at the Grand Ole Opry. 'Pre-book only.' Signature experience (2026 only) - Get up close to where musical legends make history and walk in the footsteps of country music superstars on this truly memorable visit to the Grand Ole Opry. In the company of a knowledgeable Opry insider take an exclusive look behind the scenes, visiting backstage areas and the dressing rooms of the stars. Hear entertaining tales of country music greats, past and present and discover some of the Opry’s most memorable musical moments. We may even have the chance to step into the famed wooden circle on the Grand Ole Opry stage – an unforgettable experience. Personalise your holiday - The Grand Ole Opry show Nashville's top attraction and a must for country music lovers, the legendary Grand Ole Opry is dedicated to honouring the genre's rich history and dynamic present. Catch one of the weekly live shows featuring country music's greatest talents, who in the past have included stars such as Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. A return transfer is included from the hotel directly to the venue. Tier 3 seats - From £79pp & Tier 2 seats - From £109pp (2025) Please contact us for more information and to add the above experience to your booking.

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Memphis - We will begin the day with a visit to the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This historic venue was the original home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, before moving to the larger, modern location we know today. Recognised as a National Historic Landmark in 2001 for its profound impact on country music, the Ryman is a must-see for any music lover. During our visit, you’ll have the opportunity to take a self-guided tour, exploring hundreds of star-studded artefacts and experiencing the immersive "Soul of Nashville" theatre. We then say goodbye to Nashville and head to the far west of Tennessee and the city of Memphis, the Mississippi. From its earliest beginnings as a small French garrison, Memphis grew into a magnet for freed slaves after the Civil War and as a cotton trading centre. In Memphis, we’ll also provide a shuttle service for those who wish to visit Sun Studio independently. Whether you're eager to explore on your own or join in the group activities, we aim to make your experience as memorable and flexible as possible.

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Graceland and National Civil Rights Museum - Today we visit one of America’s biggest tourist attractions, Elvis’ Graceland. The ‘King’ bought the Graceland mansion for $100,000 in 1957 when he was just 22 and it was his main home until his death. From the time it opened to the public in 1982, Graceland has expanded to include Elvis’ private airplanes and his extensive car collection. One of the most iconic houses in America, Graceland’s Garden is also Elvis’ final resting place. This afternoon we step back into America’s historical milestones visiting the National Civil Rights Museum at The Lorraine Motel. It was here Martin Luther King was shot on 4th April 1968. Five years previous on 28th August 1963 he delivered his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech around the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC to a crowd of 250,000 people. The following year in 1964, King won the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through non-violent resistance. In that same year, President Johnson got a law passed prohibiting all racial discrimination. This evening is at leisure to sample the music scene at Memphis’ famous Beale Street.

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Journey to New Orleans - After an early start, this morning, we board a trusty coach to the legendary city of New Orleans. We'll journey through sprawling forests, passing charming farms and catching glimpses of the quaint 'southern' towns that dot the east bank of the mighty Mississippi River, like pearls on a necklace - each with its own story to tell. So sit back, relax, and soak in the scenery as we make our way to the heart and soul of the Big Easy! New Orleans has a unique and distinctive charm. Its heady combination of rich culture, history and a vibrant atmosphere makes the city a must-see destination for any Americanophiles. In the evening, why not step out and try New Orleans’ famed Cajun cuisine – there are plenty of fantastic restaurants.

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New Orleans - This morning we have a walking tour of New Orleans’ famous French Quarter with an expert local guide. We see the charming art galleries and antique shops along Royal Street, the white stucco St Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square, full of artists, musicians and fortune tellers, and walk up the iconic Bourbon Street, centre of the city’s nightlife. The afternoon is free for you to explore this charming city at your leisure. This evening, you have the opportunity to enjoy an evening jazz cruise with dinner on board the Steamboat City of New Orleans. Personalise your holiday - Steamboat New Orleans Dinner and Jazz Cruise The graceful steamboats of the south have long been a colourful part of America's history, so what better way is there to experience New Orleans by taking an evening jazz cruise with dinner on board the Riverboat of New Orleans. Admire stunning views of the city while rollin’ down the river enjoying the casual buffet-style dining. Stroll the decks as well as enjoying the live sounds of New Orleans swing style music. From £89pp Please contact us for more information and to add the above experience to your booking.

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Free day in New Orleans - A free day to relax in the ‘Big Easy’ and explore further afield. Alternatively, you may choose to personalise your holiday with visit some of the most impressive Antebellum Plantations outside New Orleans combined with a fascinating boat tour of the nearby Louisiana swamps, known for their alligators and snapping turtles, and where you can admire the fauna, such as the moss-draped cypresses native to the bayous of Louisiana. Signature experience (2026 only) - Today we’ll discover Oak Alley Plantation which is a National Historic Landmark, learn about the complex history of the inhabitants that used to live and work here during it’s time as a sugar plantation, including the enslaved men, women and children that built and kept the plantation. Personalise your holiday - Oak Alley Plantation - Classic itineraries only Journey back in time to the most famous historic plantation of New Orleans' antebellum south, iconic for its photogenic walkway of magnificent, centuries-old oak trees. Tour the stunning 'Big House' with a guide and hear the stories of its compelling history. From £29pp (2025), £49pp (2026) Please note, this is included on the Signature Tour option Please contact us for more information and to add the above experience to your booking.

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Houston and NASA - We leave New Orleans this morning heading ever westwards along Louisiana’s Cajun country towards Texas. As we enter the outskirts of Houston, our first stop is at the world-famous NASA Johnson Space Centre, still a working NASA base from where the international space station is controlled. We visit ‘Mission Control’, now restored to its 1965 look with all the original equipment and furniture – a unique experience. We also see a full-size Saturn V rocket which famously has no on-board computer, they were just too big at the time, plus the huge indoor training facility for the astronauts of the International Space Station.

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San Antonio - We continue further into the south Texas plains arriving in San Antonio this afternoon and checking into our hotel for a two-night stay. Once a frontier settlement in the Wild West, San Antonio has become a city full of modern amenities. There's plenty of shopping to be done with upscale boutiques multiple shopping malls and the largest Mexican market in the USA. Just around the corner from our hotel is the city's famous River Walk stretching for more than 24km, The River Walk has shaded pathways that connect you to hundreds of shops, restaurants and hotels as well as historic landmarks, museums and attractions. In the North, you'll find museums filled with everything from Picasso to eastern memorabilia. To the South you'll find four UNESCO-protected Spanish missions that once provided shelter for the frontier settlers - and still provide some of the best birdwatching spots around. We then visit the Alamo, originally settled by the Spanish who built a mission station here, its name was destined to be one of the most evocative words in American history. It was here in 1836 that a seriously outnumbered group of settlers, including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, were besieged by the Mexican army for nearly two weeks before they were overrun. Today, behind the church is the Alamo’s living history encampment. We visit the encampment where there are hands on demonstrations about daily life at the time of the Texas Revolution – what they wore, medical practises and all the skills you’d need to survive. Tonight, we stay just around the corner from the Alamo and within easy walking distance to the charming Riverwalk area with its many bars and restaurants, ideal for trying out the region’s famed Tex-Mex cuisine. Signature experience (2026 only) - We’ll step into the soul of San Antonio on a vibrant, eco-friendly electric river boat and delve into the history and culture of San Antonio learning about the city’s architecture and fun points of interest.

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Free day in San Antonio - Enjoy a day at leisure to exploring the city of San Antonio.

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Dallas & Fort Worth - This morning we say goodbye to friendly San Antonio and travel North to Dallas. On arrival in Dallas, we’ll visit the infamous Dealey Plaza, where President John F Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. The floor in the Texas Book Depository from where the fatal shots were fired has been converted into the excellent 6th Floor Museum dedicated to explaining the background and the events of that fateful day on the 22nd of November in 1963. This afternoon we visit the historical Stockyard District. We challenge you to name anything that embodies Western heritage better than the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. With the original brick walkways and the wooden corrals, every inch of the Stockyards tells the history of Texas’s famous livestock industry.

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Return home

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Arrive home

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14 days - Escorted Tours

Highlights

Inclusions

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Courtland Grand Hotel By Wyndham

Sheraton New Orleans

Hampton Inn & Suites Clear Lake

Drury Plaza Hotel New Orleans

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