Land of the Kings Vacation Holiday

Day 1 - Memphis

Arrive Memphis, the “Home of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” After settling in your hotel, get yourself to Beale Street, one Beale Streetof America’s most famous streets where W.C. Handy first penned the Blues music of the Mississippi Delta. Located downtown stretching several blocks east of the river bluffs. Nightclubs and restaurants offer a variety of food and live music including traditional Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and Rock’n’Roll. Shops and boutiques throughout the district provide visitors with the opportunity to purchase souvenirs, t-shirts, memorabilia, and novelties. The world-famous street also features a statue of W.C. Handy, a musical “Walk of Fame,” and Church Park, built by the South’s first Black millionaire, Robert Church. Visit A. Schwab’s Dry Goods Store at 163 Beale, a mainstay on the street since 1876, Schwab’s stocks everything from voodoo potions to 99-cent neckties. Walk Beale Street west to Tom Lee Park and the banks of the Mississippi River, where you can stroll, gawk at the Riverboats and River barges, and view an awesome sunset. In the evening there’s still a chance to sample the musical delights of Beale Street, but don’t worry you’ll have two more nights in Memphis to truly experience the Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Home of the Blues. Overnight Memphis.

Day 2 - Clarksdale
Mileage: Memphis to Clarksdale = 74 Miles.

Drive south on historic Highway 61 – known as the Blues Highway – to Clarksdale in the heart of the Delta. A hundred years ago, this wasshack a dark, swampy land populated by poor sharecroppers. Clarksdale has a rich Blues heritage. Names like Muddy Waters, Charley Patton and Robert Johnson dot the musical landscape here. Their legacies continue to inspire and entertain millions of people worldwide. Clarksdale’s historic Blues Alley is home to the Delta Blues Museum, dedicated to both the preservation and interpretation of the Blues. Clarksdale has a thriving live music scene with clubs open every weekend and festivals scattered throughout the year. Local Hollywood actor and star, Morgan Freeman, runs the popular Ground Zero Blues Club.

Also stop in at the Rock & Blues Museum, 113 E. 2nd Street. It is packed full of music memorabilia from the 1920’s through the 1970‘s. Follow the evolution of America’s music from blues, R&B, and rockabilly to rock ‘n roll and soul and see how it influenced people all over the globe. It is only open Sat, Sun & Mon from 11a to 5p, but you can call for an appointment for other times (901-605-8662). Another must stop is at Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, which features a full selection of blues CDs, DVDs, books, magazines T-shirts, artwork and collectibles. It’s kind of like shopping in a juke joint.

In the evening you must visit Red’s Lounge, an authentic blues juke joint located at 395 Sunflower Ave. True Blues fans will understand. This is a no frills “juke joint”. The best Blues anywhere. Pay at the door and find a seat, maybe or just a place to stand and then get into the coolest blues you’ll find anywhere. Grab a cold beer, and turn the heat up. The show goes on till whenever, and if you get hungry the BBQ outside doesn’t get any better. This place is legendary. Don’t let Red scare you at the door. Red wears sunglasses and scowls, but is actually a pussycat (ssshhhhh). Overnight: Clarksdale.

Day 3 - Greenwood
Mileage: Clarksdale to Greenwood = 57 Miles.

Continue south on Highway 61 then west to Indianola for the new B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. He started life as Riley B. King in one of America’s most impoverished places, the Mississippi Delta. Now he’s an international music icon, and music lovers everywhere want to know more about the man who became B.B. King.

The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center tells the story of King’s life, his career, and stories of the Delta – its history and music, social mores and race relations, literature and legends, adversities and successes. Continue to Greenwood and be sure to have dinner at the famous Lusco’s – a local institution for more than fifty years. Overnight: Greenwood.

Day 4 - Greenwood

In historic downtown make time for a cooking class at the Viking Cookery School and learn how to prepare traditional Southern dishes and delicacies. Also take time to visit a great little museum, Museum of the Mississippi Delta, which also houses an eclectic collection of items that weave a fascinating history of the area’s past.

We suggest you tour the local area and visit the claimed three burial sites of Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson, legendary Mississippi Delta Blues musician, who reportedly sold his soul to the devil to become a great musician at the crossroads, spent his last days in the Baptist Town community in Greenwood, MS. Although doubts have existed about the final resting place of the man who recorded 29 songs from 1937 - 1939, his legal heir and son, Claude Johnson, set the record straight that “This the site where my father was buried, let there be no doubt.” This site is located in the cemetery of Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church north of Greenwood, MS on Money Road. Overnight: Greenwood.

Day 5 - Tupelo
Mileage: Greenwood to Tupelo = 120 Miles.

Head west and near Starkville’s joined to the Natchez Trace Parkway, which dates back over 8,000 years when it was used as an Indian trade route. By the 1800s, it was the busiest highway in what was then the American Southwest. Extending from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi, the Trace offers a scenic drive through pristine forests and lush countryside – without a billboard in sight. Overnight: Tupelo.

Day 6 - Nashville
Mileage: Tupelo to Nashville = 180 Miles.

Visit the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum. Elvis fans can tour the home, museum, memorial chapel, fountain of life, story wall and enjoy the self-guided tour that leads to some of the most significant locations of Elvis’ life in Tupelo. Make time for the Tupelo Hardware Store, a timeless gem where Gladys Presley bought Elvis his first guitar. Elvis wanted a gun but they compromised on the guitar. And music has never been the same since! Continue north along the Natchez Trace Parkway to Nashville, known as Music City. Overnight: Nashville.

Day 7 - Nashville

See the legendary Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame and RCA Studio B where the “Nashville Sound” was created by Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton, the Everly Brothers, Elvis and many others. Be sure to hear some live music at a classic honky tonk like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in the District, Nashville’s downtown entertainment area. Kick up your heels to the Country sounds at the Wildhorse Saloon or take a cabaret dinner cruise aboard the General Jackson Showboat on the Cumberland River. Overnight: Nashville.

Day 8 - Memphis
Mileage: Nashville to Memphis = 210 Miles

From Nashville head west to Memphis and en route take time to stop in Jackson along the Music Highway (Interstate 40) and stop in Jackson, home to Carl Perkins of Blue Suede Shoes fame. In his honor Jackson now houses the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Mural and Rockabilly Park – all in historic downtown and offering a fascinating insight into Jackson’s remarkable musical legacy. While in Jackson, be sure to sample the Southern delicacies served at The Old Country Store at the Casey Jones Village. Take a slight detour from Jackson and drive through Nutbush – the birthplace of Tina Turner and the title of one of her greatest hits – before continuing to Memphis. Overnight: Memphis.

Day 9 - Memphis

Renowned as the birthplace of rock’n’roll and home of the blues, Memphis more than matches its myth. Pilgrims flock from all over the world to find a vibrant city that while cherishing its past remains very much alive. Visit Graceland, Elvis’ beloved mansion, see his two private jets and the fantastic Automobile Museum. Don’t miss the tour at famous Sun Studio and be sure to see the Stax Museum of American Soul Music as well as the Smithsonian’s Rock’n’Soul Museum and the Gibson Guitar Factory. Then dance the night away at any of the clubs on historic Beale Street. Overnight: Memphis.

Day 10

Make time for some last minute shopping at any of Memphis’ retail or outlet malls before heading home.

Terms & Conditions:

Transportation is not included. All prices are the total costs for the number of adults occupying the room in existing bedding. Rolloways are not included & may be at an extra charge if available. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover & American Express. Cancellations less than 30 days before arrival will incur penalties of $25.00 per person plus any supplier fees. Changes made after documents have been issued incur a $25.00 document reissue fee.