Day 1

Arrive at Atlanta Airport. Guests who have booked air through YMT will be greeted at the airport and transferred to their hotel. (Guests with individual air arrangements need to make their own way). The evening is at leisure. Hotel: Midtown Atlanta (or similar accommodations).

Day 2

Atlanta didn’t gain status as a major US city until the Civil War. Back then its location made it the center for the Confederate Munitions Industry. Today, no longer only a ‘Gone with the Wind’ backdrop, Atlanta is a major business center that is home to the likes of Coca Cola and CNN News. We start our day with a brief included sightseeing tour of the city, taking in landmarks such as the Olympic Centennial Park, Georgia Dome, CNN Centre and the State Capitol Building. We will then head south towards the Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast staying overnight in Mobile, Alabama. This pre-Civil War city has a varied history reflected in culture, cuisine and architecture. This evening perhaps join your fellow travelers for an optional “down-home Southeastern” meal at a local Mobile Bay restaurant. Hotel: Microtel Saraland (or similar accommodations).

Days 3 - 5

On Day 3 leave Mobile behind as we continue our journey through the Gulf States, heading to New Orleans for a three night stay. Upon arrival you will have time on your own for exploration before checking in to our downtown hotel. At night you will have the option to join your tour director on a Jazz Dinner cruise on the Mississippi river in one of the historic paddlewheel ships that are home to the City on the Bajou. On Day 4 take in all the ‘Big Easy’ has to offer on our included sightseeing tour, with the rest of your day at leisure. Don’t miss the French Quarter, Royal Street’s antique shops and art galleries and enjoy nightlife New Orleans-style in buzzing Bourbon Street. In the morning, wake up to another day in the birthplace of Jazz. Sit back and enjoy a coffee and a ‘beignet’ as you take in the artists, jazz musicians and street performers that surround Jackson Square. Hotel: Sheraton New Orleans (or similar accommodations).

Days 6 - 8

Say goodbye to the Crescent City on Day 6 as you will journey from Louisiana, via Mississippi’s state capitol Jackson, to Memphis, Tennessee. Named after the ancient Egyptian Nile Capital, Memphis is a Mecca for music fans. Home to Sun Studios and Stax Records, visitors come from all around the world to visit the city that practically invented the blues, soul, and Rock n’ Roll. We will arrive at the ‘Home of the King of Rock n’ Roll in the late afternoon and immediately you will notice that Memphis is all about music and Elvis Presley in particular. Enjoy the night at leisure before you start your discovery into Elvis’ eclectic life. On Day 7 you will take a day trip to Tupelo, Mississippi where you will be able to visit the Elvis Birthplace facility. You will have the chance to visit his childhood home, memorial chapel, museum and Elvis Presley Park. This is an inside view of his humble beginnings to his rise in becoming one of the world’s most popular entertainers. The remaining day in Memphis is at leisure. On Day 8 on an included tour of Graceland, explore the main residence of Elvis Presley, the star! After the tour you have the afternoon at leisure, or you can join us for an optional excursion exploring the highlights that make this city so electrifying. Hotel: Days Inn Graceland (or similar accommodations).

Days 9 & 10

Journey from the “Home of the Blues” to the “World Country Music Capital” in Nashville. On Day 9 visit the Ryman Auditorium, the first real home of the ‘Grand Ole Opry’. This was where stars like Elvis Presley and Hank Williams first unleashed their talents on the road to fame. Wonderfully preserved, with its wooden pews and housing memorabilia from Country and Western’s greatest stars, this is your introduction to Nashville. At night enjoy an included show at the Grand Ole Opry, the world-famous live radio country music show. On day 10 enjoy a full day to explore Nashville, taking in sights like the Country Music Hall of Fame. Head down to ‘The District’ to listen to live bands or call in at the Wildhorse Saloon for some line dancing. You may wish to join the optional excursion of the “Nashville Sights”, taking in a tour of the city and visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and also Studio B. Or, this evening, why not experience Southern dining and hospitality at the Loveless Café; where you can enjoy the award-winning Country hams, real Southern fried chicken and scratch biscuits with homemade preserves. Your Tour Director will be on hand to assist you. Hotel: Millennium Maxwell (or similar accommodations).

Day 11

We head back to Atlanta, but not before a few other stops at iconic “Deep South” institutions: We will be stopping en route for a tour of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg TN. This is the oldest working distillery in the U.S, located in the center of a “dry county”, where alcohol cannot be sold. However the tour of this American institution is as informative as it is entertaining. Next stop, Chattanooga - home of the famous “Choo Choo”! You are sure to hum the famous Glenn Miller song after this visit. Board the coach again after time to look around, and return to Atlanta where the evening is at leisure. Hotel: Midtown Atlanta (or similar accommodations).

Day 12

Taste over 60 drinks, hug a 7-foot polar bear and experience the 4-D theatre on our World of Coca-Cola® tour. Enjoy this fun, spectacular visit before you depart for home in the early evening. Guests who have booked air arrangements with YMT will be dropped off at the airport by the tour director in the late afternoon. Guests who book individual air arrangements should book flights departing after 6pm in order to enjoy the World of Coca Cola visit.

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations.

Note: By their nature, all tours vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights.

The Motor Coach Experience