Explore the history of American music on this six-day tour through four states that highlights can’t-miss destinations for blues music, country music, and more as you visit exciting destinations like Chicago, Nashville, and New Orleans.
Day 1: Chicago, Illinois
- Fly into O’Hare International Airport in (1) Chicago, Illinois
Points of interest: Chicago has a rich musical history and boasts famous musical venues like Buddy Guy’s Legends (owned by the iconic musician) and the Green Mill Jazz Club, as well as summer music festivals like the Chicago Blues Fest and Lollapalooza
Where to stay: The Peninsula Chicago on the city’s Magnificent Mile combines five-star Asian service with cosmopolitan hospitality; other luxury hotels include The Langham Chicago and the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
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Day 2: Nashville, Tennessee
- Fly into Nashville International Airport in (2) Nashville, Tennessee
Points of interest: Country music lovers should explore iconic attractions and venues like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, and the “Honky Tonk Highway” on Lower Broadway
Where to stay: Nashville is home to nearly 40,000 hotel rooms; boutique offerings include spots like The Union Station Nashville Yards
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Day 3: Memphis, Tennessee
- Drive to (3) Memphis, Tennessee – 220 miles (320km); 3 hours, 15 minutes
Points of interest: Memphis is a great place to discover music history at attractions like Graceland and Elvis Presley’s Memphis, Sun Studio, and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum; Beale Street is home to many iconic venues for live music
Where to stay: The historic Peabody Memphis is known for its resident ducks, who march to and from the fountain in the lobby every day
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Day 4: Mississippi Delta
- Drive to (4) Clarksdale, Mississippi – 75 miles (125km); 1 hour, 30 minutes
Points of interest: In Clarksdale, you can see historic artifacts (including Muddy Waters’ sharecropper shack) at the Delta Blues Museum, snap a photo at the historic Crossroads (where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul in exchange for his musical prowess), and enjoy live blues music every night at venues like Ground Zero Blues Club or Red’s
- Drive to (5) Cleveland, Mississippi – 40 miles (65km); 40 minutes
Points of interest: The GRAMMY Museum Mississippi features state-of-the art displays, historical memorabilia, and more, and nearby Dockery Farms is a former plantation that’s considered the birthplace of the blues
- Drive to (6) Indianola, Mississippi – 25 miles (40km); 35 minutes
Points of interest: The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center tells the story of the legendary bluesman who was born in the area in 1925
- Drive to (7) Natchez, Mississippi – 165 miles (265km); 3 hours
Points of interest: As you travel south through the Mississippi Delta, stop and explore the markers along the Mississippi Blues Trail in places like Leland, Greenville, Yazoo City, and Vicksburg
Where to stay: Natchez is a historic city along the Mississippi River that dates to 1716—book a stay at an 19th century mansion like the Monmouth Historic Inn & Gardens or the Dunleith Historic Inn
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Day 5: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Drive to (8) New Orleans, Louisiana – 175 miles (280km); 3 hours
Points of interest: New Orleans’ French Quarter is home to lots of outstanding places to see live music, including Preservation Hall and The Jazz Playhouse, and Frenchmen Street offers a funkier vibe with venues like The Spotted Cat Music Club and Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
The New Orleans Jazz Museum tells the story of this uniquely American musical style, and the city’s calendar is filled with musical festivals and events like the French Quarter Fest and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Where to stay: Whether you’re looking for a historic hotel or a modern one, you’ll find it in New Orleans—notable places to stay include the Hotel Monteleone and the stylish Hotel Saint Vincent
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Day 6: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Fly out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Points of Interest
(1) Chicago, Illinois
- Buddy Guy’s Legends: buddyguy.com
- Green Mill Jazz Club: greenmilljazz.com
- Chicago Blues Fest: chicago.gov
- Lollapalooza: lollapalooza.com
(2) Nashville, Tennessee
- Country Music Hall of Fame: countrymusichalloffame.org
- Grand Ole Opry: opry.com
- Ryman Auditorium: ryman.com
- Honky Tonk Highway: visitmusiccity.com
(3) Memphis, Tennessee
- Graceland and Elvis Presley’s Memphis: graceland.com
- Sun Studio: sunstudio.com
- Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum: memphisrocknsoul.org
- Beale Street: bealestreet.com
(4)(5)(6)(7) Mississippi Delta
- Delta Blues Museum: deltabluesmuseum.org
- Blues Crossroads: clarksdale.com
- Ground Zero Blues Club: groundzerobluesclub.com
- Red’s: facebook.com/RedsBluesLounge
- GRAMMY Museum Mississippi: grammymuseumms.org
- Dockery Farms: dockeryfarms.com
- B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center: bbkingmuseum.org
- Mississippi Blues Trail: msbluestrail.org
(8) New Orleans, Louisiana
- Preservation Hall: preservationhall.com
- The Jazz Playhouse: thejazzplayhouse.com
- The Spotted Cat Music Club: spottedcatmusicclub.com
- Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro: snugjazz.com
- New Orleans Jazz Museum: nolajazzmuseum.org
- French Quarter Fest: frenchquarterfest.org
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: nojazzfest.com
