Southern Grace (Small Groups, 9 Days)

Guide

Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19. All Travel Concierges, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.

Meals

3 Dinner (D) 8 Breakfast (B) 2 Lunch (L) Nashville: Get acquainted with Nashville's burgeoning food scene as you join your Traveling Concierge for a Welcome Dinner at Henley’s modern American brasserie where inventive small plates and entrées using classical French technique meet sociable Southern dining. Perhaps start with a grilled broccolini Caesar salad followed by American Wagyu strip or parsnip gnocchi before finishing with banana pudding. Raise a glass with one of their signature cocktails such as “Queen’s Cure” and “Henley G & T” and toast to a grand adventure ahead. Memphis: Continue your exploration of Memphis with a backstage pass to Central BBQ Downtown. Natchez: Learn to make the signature drink of the South, the Mint Julep, before an elegant, three-course Southern dinner at the Monmouth Historic Inn and Gardens, a National Historic Landmark in Natchez. As you take in your surroundings of this early 19th-century antebellum mansion set in within manicured gardens, let the flavors of the "Crown Julep" show off the best of the South. New Orleans: Follow the path of the Mississippi River that has created one of the most distinctive and important American cities and coastal environments in the world. Your Local Expert offers you an insider’s perspective on La Nouvelle Orleans from New Orleans Lakefront Airport to the surrounding wetlands, ghost forests and the new levees and barriers put in place since Katrina. A Bayou-side chat and lunch with a local oysterman offers a rare peek into one individual's experience in this storied place.

Others

Choose between two carefully selected activities Memphis: Visit Graceland, a National Historic Landmark and museum dedicated to the late, great, Elvis Presley. Tour Graceland Mansion walking through the living room, his parents’ bedroom, kitchen, TV room, pool room, the famous Jungle Room, his father’s office, the newly enhanced Trophy Building and the Racquetball Building for an eye-opening experience on how he and his family lived their daily lives. In Elvis The Entertainer Career Museum, immerse yourself in the King’s career through hundreds of artifacts and photos. Memphis: The only traditional English afternoon tea in Memphis is served at Chez Philippe of The Peabody. Complement your tea with a three-course menu of savory tea sandwiches, assorted sweets and warm scones from the Peabody Pastry Shop. Natchez: Awaken your imagination on a private tour of an antebellum mansion. Explore the interior and grounds as you learn about its past and distinct architectural style. This 1850's Greek-Revival cottage on 10 acres near Natchez’s historic downtown is the beloved home of a local who is eager to show off their stunning property. Take in the architecture and wander among the expansive gardens, certified as a Wildlife Habitat and a member of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail. Natchez: Visit Dunleith Historic Inn, a National Historic Landmark built in 1855 that remains Mississippi’s sole example of a pre-civil-war mansion. Join the Bar Manager at Castle Pub for a mixology class on two seasonal cocktails as you learn the history of each cocktail and the ingredients. After the demonstration relax and sip on the delicious final product. New Orleans: Tour Mardi Gras World’s Blaine Kern Studios, a workshop that has created breathtaking floats for Mardi Gras and other parades around the world since 1947. With your all-access pass, wind through the massive studio where artists and architects build Mardi Gras floats from the ground up. Viewing floats, colorful costumes and props, you’ll learn about the history of this unique and festive tradition, going beyond its reputation and getting a deeper understanding of the real Mardi Gras. New Orleans: Embark on an immersive tour of World War II through the exhibits, multimedia experiences and thousands of personal accounts at the National World War II Museum. You’ll learn not only about the role of world leaders, but also the everyday men and women who fought. Through experiences such as the 4D film Beyond All Boundaries, go on a journey through the war that changed the world. You will be escorted by one of our fine Travel Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas. Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary, available on departures with 15 or more guests. At every hotel, you'll be treated to seamless baggage handling, with prompt delivery inside your room. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. Nashville: If you are traveling on a Founder's Collection departure, you will have the privilege of meeting a living legend in the country music sphere. Get to know the harmonica legend Charlie McCoy, a Country Music Hall of Fame musician and Grammy-winning artist, who has collaborated with famous musicians like Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Loretta Lynn. Or, chat with Brenda Lee, the recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to music as the top-charting solo female vocalist of the 1960s. Nashville: You’re in for a treat, joining a professional sound engineer to record a take-home song just as legends like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton have at legendary Studio B, the cradle of the Nashville sound in the late 1950s and early 1960s and once home to musical titans such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, Roy Orbison and the Everly Brothers. Hear the stories behind the music in an intimate private session with one of Nashville’s songwriters learning how a song is created from concept to hit. Nashville: Celebrate the incredible experience of seeing a live country music show at the Grand Ole Opry, the show that made country music famous showcasing the past, present, and future of country music. Set back and prepared to be entertained by a live performance that may include rising talent, superstars, and country legends together on stage. Memphis: Explore Sun Studios, "The Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll," on a guided tour. At this circa-1950 recording studio, walk in the footsteps of Elvis and other musical legends including B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Ray Harris, Warren Smith, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis. New Orleans: Visit Houmas House, the crown jewel of Louisiana's River Road, previously voted best Louisiana attraction. Tour the estate and gardens while you learn about daily life on this former sugarcane plantation. Gain a deeper understanding of the architecture, heritage and history surrounding this 1800's mansion. New Orleans: Relax in luxury at the elegant 1908 Beaux Arts Maison Blanche building in the French Quarter. The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans retains the grace and charm of this mansion, and is centrally located to the area's most popular attractions, including Bourbon Street. Nashville: Experience the “Smithsonian of country music,” the Country Music Hall of Fame, for a private, behind-the-scenes look at the songwriting process with a local songwriter and singer. On your visit, see memorabilia from stars such as Jim Reeves and Roy Orbison as you uncover the enduring beauty and cultural importance of country music. Your Well-Being Director takes a proactive approach to your welfare ensuring all well-being regulations are met. On tours fewer than 15 guests, your Travel Concierge will act as your Well-Being Director. We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Transport

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). Our customised luxury coaches are sanitised before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customised luxury coaches.

Accommodation

Nashville: Experience the finest in Southern hospitality at JW Marriott Nashville. Memphis: The Westin Memphis Beale Street Hotel connects you to the unmistakable sound, culture and history of the blues, whilst offering you a soothing and relaxing retreat. Natchez: The Monmouth Historic Inn and Gardens offers a unique combination of hospitality, world-class service and luxurious surroundings, set in a historic background. New Orleans: The iconic family-owned Hotel Monteleone offers an unparalleled combination of Southern hospitality, world-class service and historic surroundings inside the French Quarter.

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Luxury Gold through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. For guests travelling with Luxury Gold from 1 January 2023, Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters are highly recommended, but no longer required. Please note that regardless of time of travel guests will need to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destination visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than above. It is guests’ responsibility to ensure that they comply at all times with these requirements. No refunds will be given if guests are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to their failure to comply with these requirements.