Bourbon, Bluegrass, Elvis and the Blues

Fly to Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati Airport and collect your car.

Drive to Covington, overlooking the Ohio River and the city scape of Cincinnati. Stroll across the Roebling Suspension Bridge (a prototype of the Brooklyn Bridge) spanning the Ohio River and take in the Cincinnati River Front with its parks, baseball and American football stadiums plus neighbouring entertainment and dining districts. The banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati meant freedom to entrapped slaves and the striking National Underground Railroad Freedom Center portrays three centuries of slavery from its introduction into the Americas to its abolition at the end of the American Civil War

Before there was Las Vegas... there was Newport, Kentucky. Rising from the profits of bootlegging during Prohibition, Newport quickly became the premier gaming destination of the United States. Join the gangster guides for a raucous, high energy presentation inside an old casino to explain the historic significance of Newport and discover how this little town gave birth to the modern gaming industry. 

Enjoy Lexington - Horse Capital of the World and home to more than 450 Thoroughbred and Standardbred farms with many open to the public. For a true equine experience visit the Kentucky Horse Park, the only park in the world dedicated exclusively to the horse. If you are in Lexington in April or October make an afternoon of racing at Keeneland Race Course, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Louisville’s claim to fame is as the home of the Kentucky Derby held each May at Churchill Downs. There is racing at Churchill Downs in April, May, June, October and November and the track is open for tours year-round. The next-door Kentucky Derby Museum is an excellent hands-on experience and has a magnificent audio-visual display that captures the Derby Day atmosphere on a 360o screen. Make sure to visit the fascinating Ali Center in downtown Louisville which details the life and legacy of the great Muhammad Ali. And don’t miss the Slugger Museum and Factory where you can see genuine baseball bats being made. After you’ve built up a thirst, sample the Urban Bourbon Trail along Whiskey Row. 

Today you will travel to the heart of Kentucky Bluegrass Music, Owensboro. Visit the birthplace and homestead of the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe, in Rosine. The Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to the international history of bluegrass and honours bluegrass pioneers and other legends. There are wide variety of tours, jam sessions, concerts and festivals. For dinner head to Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn in Owensboro. Foodies, celebrities and even former president Bill Clinton love the barbecue here. Try the Kentucky speciality – mutton Bar-B-Q. 

Follow the Ohio River to Paducah, a UNESCO Creative City. Discover the National Quilt Museum - a true global destination. Here you cannot only experience the art of today's quilters, but you can also take part in a quilt making workshop that will bring you even closer to this amazing art. See the colourful revitalization of the Lower Town Arts District of 19th Century architecture in Historic Downtown. Tour the Hotel Metropolitan and learn of is famous guests such as Billie Holiday and BB King. 

Continue your journey along the Mississippi River to Memphis, where you can walk in the footsteps of the King of Rock 'n' Roll at Elvis' home, Graceland. Also worth visiting is Sun Studio which opened in 1950 and a place where many great names have passed through. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music promotes and preserves the legacy of American soul music and its contributions internationally, highlighting musical giants such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, the Staple Singers and Booker T. & the MGs. Outside of music, you may also like to pay a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum located in the former Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King was assassinated or visit the Gibson guitar factory to completely immerse yourself in the fascinating musical heritage of this city. Spend your evenings on Beale Street, where W.C. Handy first penned the Blues music of the Mississippi Delta. Stretching for several blocks, you can enjoy bars, nightclubs and restaurants offering a variety of food and live music, including traditional Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Be sure to hear live Blues at BB King’s or Rum Boogie Café, or have a drink at Earnestine and Hazel’s with its legendary jukebox and reputation as the inspiration for The Rolling Stones’ Honky Tonk Women. 

Follow historic Highway 61 from Memphis to the Mississippi Delta. Begin your Mississippi Delta tour at the Gateway to the Blues Museum and Visitor Center located on Blues Highway 61 and housed in an original 1895 train depot. It is the perfect start for your journey into the unique blues music heritage of the Delta. In Clarksdale, the Delta Blues Museum houses exhibits that focus on the musical legacy that bluesmen have left for the entire world to enjoy while the Rock & Blues Museum is filled with music memorabilia from the 1920s through to the ‘70s. The state-of-the-art GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland covers all genres of music and tells the story of the GRAMMY and its winning artists through interactive exhibits. 

Continue Highway 61 to Vicksburg and then head west to Jackson. Stop in Vicksburg to see the Vicksburg National Military Park which stands in commemoration of the 47-day campaign for Vicksburg during the Civil War, and to those served as well as the thousands who lost their lives. In Jackson, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum is a must see, promoting a greater understanding of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement and its impact by highlighting the strength and sacrifices of its peoples. Explore the Historic Fondren District, Highland Village and the new development at the District at Eastover all with a wide array of Jackson-owned eateries and boutique shops. 

Follow the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway from Jackson to Natchez. Natchez, the jewel of the Mississippi River, is a ‘must’ on any Southern road trip as it is the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River and in the 1850’s had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America. Many of the historic homes in Natchez are open daily for tours and additional homes and gardens are opened to visitors during the annual Spring and Autumn Pilgrimages. Perched on a natural bluff above the Mississippi River with 30-mile views of the river both north and south, Natchez has some of the best sunsets on Ol’ Man River which are best enjoyed while sipping a beverage in a rocking chair on the porch of one of the bars in Natchez-Under-The-Hill. 

Follow the Southern section of Highway 61 through Louisiana’s Plantation Country. There are numerous homes en-route you can stop and tour. Drop off your car when you get to the city. New Orleans is a city that marches to the beat of its own drum. A stop at the French Quarter Visitor Center unit of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park introduces you to the traditions and life in the area. There is music playing every evening in the French Quarter. Try the Maison Bourbon Jazz Club or the House of Blues for music. Also check to see if there are performances scheduled for Preservation Hall. Magazine Street is a great place for shopping, including antiques.