Bloomington, Illinois - Memphis, Tennessee

Following an included breakfast, we head south though

Illinois and into Tennessee. By late afternoon, we arrive in

Memphis where we are greeted by our local representative

and we check in to the beautiful Holiday Inn, downtown

Beale Street. We enjoy an included welcome dinner at

King’s Palace, a cozy little cafe within walking distance to

our hotel that will fill our belly with a BBQ Dinner followed

by live jazz music. The rest of your evening is yours to

enjoy at your leisure on Beale Street.

Memphis, Tennessee - New Orleans, Louisiana

Following an included breakfast, we depart for Graceland. We

enjoy the ELVIS EXPERIENCE tour with the Graceland Mansion

Tour. Following the tour, we have time to enjoy the Graceland visitor

entertainment complex, full of exhibits and shopping all under

200,000 square feet. We enjoy lunch on our own before departure. We spend the

afternoon and early evening making our way south to New

Orleans, making comfort stops enroute. By evening, we

arrive for our comfortable 3-night stay at the Wyndham

French Quarter, where we are greeted by our local guide.

This property is right in the heart of the French Quarter,

within walking distance to many restaurants and clubs.

Tonight dinner is on your own.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Full breakfast is included this morning at our hotel. We

meet our local guide and begin our day with a walking

tour of the fascinating history of New Orleans’ unique

burial customs and get up-close to the above-ground

crypts and below-ground sites. We will see tombs of

Voodoo Queen Mariel Laveau, historic figure Homer

Plessy, and a few former mayors of the city. We finish

with a city tour on board our motorcoach. We have

free time for lunch on our own before an included visit

to the National World War II Museum. This must-see

attraction illuminates the American experience during

WWII and is the #1 ranked attraction in New Orleans.

Our admission includes the 4D film! Tonight we

experience true culture, as we visit the New Orleans

School of Cooking. The chef will prepare 4 authentic

Louisiana dishes which we will enjoy at the end of

class.

New Orleans, Louisiana

After our included breakfast, we depart our hotel via

motorcoach for the Laura Plantation. Here we will

enjoy a cultural tour experience unlike anywhere else

in the United States. On the banks of the Mississippi

River, at this historic farm surrounded by fields of sugar

cane, we will find the difference that exemplifies Creole

Louisiana. We enjoy a guided tour of the restored Big

House, its raided basement and galleries, men’s and

women’s parlors, service and common rooms as well

as a guided tour of the 200-year-old sugar plantation,

including the 3 gardens.  We enjoy an included lunch at Frenier Landing, located

on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. This afternoon we

have our Louisiana Swamp Tour. We see the Cajuns

of the Bayou living and surviving in harmony with the

swamps. In our covered Swamp Tour Boat, we drift

slowly past a 2,000 year old Indian Burial Mount, a

Cajun Cemetery and Fishing VIllage. We will see

wildlife such as birds, snakes, turtles and gators “The

King of the Swamp”! We return to our hotel to freshen

up before our included evening activities. Tonight we

board the Natchez Steamboat for dinner and jazz music

on the Mississippi River. What a perfect way to spend

our final evening in this historical city!

New Orleans, LA - Nashville, Tennesee

We enjoy breakfast prior to departure. Today we have a

travel day as we make our way up to Nashville for our

evening stay. By early evening, we arrive in Nashville

for our overnight stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

We enjoy the indoor garden atriums & many shops to

explore at this amazing property! We pack in some fun

in the one night with an included dinner at Paula Deen’s

Family Kitchen. After dinner, we will be joined for an

intimate evening with a successful local songwriter who

will play some of the hit songs he’s written & will answer

any questions we have about the recording industry.

Nashville, Tennessee - Bettendorf, Iowa

Following an included breakfast, we depart Nashville

and make our way north through the edge of Indiana

and Kentucky and though Illinois into Iowa. Tonight, our

stay is at the Isle of Capri Casino Hotel where you are

free to game & dine as you wish. Good luck!

Bettendorf, Iowa - Home

This morning breakfast is on your own prior to departure.

Along with our newly-made friends, it’s homeward

bound with comfort & lunch stops enroute. We share

many laughs & stories of our southern hospitality trip to

Memphis, Nashville & New Orleans. LaVerne’s Travel

thanks you for joining us on this wonderful springtime

tour & becoming a part of our traveling family.