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SOUTHERN STATES SELF-DRIVE TOUR

12 night self-drive tour from £ 2889pp by car

toe-tapping musical cities • notable historic sites & attractions • ideal American road trip

DAY 1 Fly to Atlanta On arrival collect your car and head to your hotel .

DAY 2 Atlanta

A bustling city with a glittering skyline and charming neighbourhoods . At the Centennial Olympic Park you ’ ll find the World of Coca-Cola , CNN ’ s global headquarters and the National Centre for Civil and Human Rights all within steps of each other . When it ’ s time to refuel , choose from upscale gourmet cuisine to Southern staples and international fare .

DAY 3 Atlanta / Chattanooga

Bid farewell to Atlanta and head north west towards Chattanooga in Tennessee , a friendly walkable city with plenty of unique things to do . Enjoy the revitalised riverfront district and see the Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station Complex , a 1909 railway station made famous by the song Chattanooga Choo Choo ( 118 miles ).

DAY 4 Chattanooga / Nashville

On your way out of the city , visit Lookout Mountain where you ’ ll find the Incline Railway with the steepest incline in the world , Ruby Falls and the geological wonder that is Rock City Gardens . Continue your journey to Nashville , a city of endless entertainment ( 134 miles ).

DAY 5 Nashville

Explore Music City at your leisure . Its many attractions include the legendary Grand Ole Opry , world-renowned Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum , historic RCA Studio B and the Johnny Cash Museum . If time allows drop into the Bluebird Cafe to catch a performance .

DAY 6 Nashville / Memphis

Drive to Memphis , where music also reigns supreme albeit to a different beat : blues , soul and rock ‘ n ’ roll ( 212 miles ).

DAY 7 Memphis

Wander along Beale Street , where greats like WC Handy and BB King performed , head to Sun Studio where musical giants including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash got their start . If time allows visit the Memphis Rock ‘ n ’ Soul Museum , Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Graceland , the most famous address in rock ‘ n ’ roll . Beyond the music is the National Civil Rights Museum , sited at the spot where Dr Martin Luther King Jr lost his life .

DAY 8 Memphis / Vicksburg

Today ’ s route takes you south and across into Mississippi for the river city of Vicksburg . During the Civil War , Vicksburg was a hotbed of activity and you can find out more at the Vicksburg National Military Park . ( 224 miles ).

DAY 9 Vicksburg / New Orleans

Louisiana beckons next and its most famous city , New Orleans where the sound of jazz and Creole aromas fill the air ( 208 miles ).

DAY 10 New Orleans

Spend the day exploring , being sure to take in the sights of the French Quarter , including Jackson Square , Bourbon Street and the French Market . See also Royal Street , a shopper ’ s paradise with grand antique shops and fine art galleries . After dark , see why New Orleans is one of America ’ s top food cities and if you can , pop into one or more of the many music venues .

DAY 11 New Orleans / Mobile

Travel onwards along the coast into Alabama and the city of Mobile . Founded in 1702 by the French , Mobile has seven unique and nationally designated historic districts which you can easily walk around . Heritage architecture aside , the city has an abundance of cosmopolitan restaurants , lively bars , locally-owned shops and fascinating museums ( 144 miles ).

DAY 12 Mobile / Birmingham

Continue your journey northwards to Birmingham , which has the foothills of the Appalachians as a dramatic backdrop . The city has had a prominent role in the USA ’ s Civil Rights Movement which is commemorated at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute . Equally impressive is the Civil Rights District , which is home to important sites like the 16th Street Baptist Church ( 257 miles ).

DAY 13 Birmingham / Atlanta

Your final day of driving sees you heading back to Atlanta where your tour concludes at the airport for your onward journey ( 147 miles ).

Memphis

Vicksburg LOUISIANA

TENNESSEE

MISSISSIPPI

New Orleans

Birmingham

ALABAMA Mobile

Chattanooga

Atlanta

Atlanta 2 nights | Chattanooga 1 night Nashville 2 nights | Memphis 2 nights Vicksburg 1 night | New Orleans 2 nights Mobile 1 night | Birmingham 1 night

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Departures : Daily .

Accommodation : 4H Candler Hotel , Atlanta ; 4H The Chattanoogan , Chattanooga ; 4H The Fairlane , Nashville ; 4H ARRIVE , Memphis ; 3H Hampton Inn & Suites , Vicksburg ; 3H Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter ; 3H Hampton Inn & Suites , Mobile ; 3H Redmont Hotel , Birmingham .

Meals : Room only . Breakfast included in Vicksburg & Mobile .

Tour price : The price shown for this self-drive tour includes international flights to and from Atlanta , 13 days compact 4 door car hire with fully inclusive insurance and 12 nights accommodation .

62 SOUTHERN STATES visit your local travel agent or call 08444 937 666