road scholar trips to nashville

Reflecting on My Road Scholar Music Cities USA Tour: Nashville to Memphis

In March 2022, I embarked with my sister on a pilgrimage of sorts to learn more about the roots of American music. Our destinations included Nashville, Memphis, Muscle Shoals, Asheville and Bristol The backbone of the trip was built on the Road Scholar Music Cities USA Tour; this post focuses on my impressions from that tour.

• Saturday, March 12 – To Nashville – Musicians Hall of Fame 
• Sunday, March 13 – Nashville – National Museum of African-American Music, Road Scholar orientation
• Monday, March 14 – Nashville – Country Music Hall of Fame, City Tour, Studio B, Wildhorse Saloon
• Tuesday, March 15 – Nashville – Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry
• Wednesday, March 16 – Nashville to Memphis – Belle Meade, Tina Turner Museum, Peabody Ducks, B.B. King’s Blues Club
• Thursday, March 17 – Memphis – National Civil Rights Museum, Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Sun Studio
• Friday, March 18 – Memphis – Graceland, Beethoven Club, Road Scholar Tour Final Dinner

For a more detailed look at our complete trip, see Music Roots Road Trip: Nashville, Memphis and More . I’ve also done two companion posts: Memphis Music Education and National Museum of African American Music Playlists .

This trip gestated in my mind and heart for a number of years. I wanted to visit some of the origin points for American music and get to know more of the history and connections that weave so many genres together: Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Rock and Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Pop, Americana, Appalachian, Mountain, Old Time — so many labels and so much overlap. I also wanted to see for myself some sections of the country I had never been or only touched briefly, chiefly Tennessee but also the Mississippi Delta region, northern Alabama, the Carolina mountains and Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia.

Ken Burns’ 2019 Country Music documentary series cemented my desire to make this journey. The only questions were when, how and with whom. Covid-19 put a two-year dent in all travel but also gave me time to daydream and research. I looked into a variety of organized tours and itineraries online, and thought hard about doing the trip on my own or through a tour. Eventually I came upon the Road Scholar Nashville-Memphis tour that seemed to include many of the highlights I wanted to visit. I opted to use the Road Scholar week-long tour through Nashville and Memphis to cover the basics in those cities, then added my own road trip to include the Mississippi Delta, Muscle Shoals, Asheville (to see family) and Bristol in a manageable two-week journey. I also decided to add a day-and-a-half in Nashville ahead of the tour in order to see additional museums and potentially some performances.

Saturday, March 12 – To Nashville 

We flew from Washington, D.C. to Nashville, arriving to unseasonably cold weather for March. We checked into our hotel, the very centrally located Hyatt Place Nashville Downtown , which was our Nashville base for the Road Scholar tour. I thought the Musicians’ Hall of Fame Museum would be a good place to start because it featured music and musicians from Nashville, Memphis, Muscle Shoals and elsewhere.

Musicians’ Hall of Fame Museum

We walked to the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum , entering around 2:30pm which gave us more than the recommended 1.5-2 hours needed for the self-guided tour before the museum closed at 5pm. As recommended on the museum’s website, we downloaded the museum’s app which included an audio guide for the tour so we thought we were set, but as we got our tickets, we saw a sign for an $8 audio guide. The ticket person explained that the $8 got you a device with an updated guide as the app’s one was a little out of date. We elected to stay with the app.

We had to wait a few minutes for an introductory movie about the museum, a grainy 10-minute piece narrated by Duane Eddy. We then went into the museum proper and promptly got lost using the audio guide. The audio guide is narrated by Joe Chambers , the museum director and a songwriter whose heart may be in the right place but who makes for a dull, rambling speaker. The first entry in the guide was for a display of guitars back in the lobby and the second entry was for a room of audio equipment that we’d already walked through. On top of that, you couldn’t advance from one track to the next in the app. I finally figured out that we needed to fully exit the app then come back in to get to the next display. 

We followed along with the app’s audio guide, getting a lengthy, seemingly unscripted, unedited explanation of every item in every display case…basically whatever came into Joe Chambers’ mind at the time. Some descriptions were interesting, others not nearly as much, but there was no easy way to skip forward. We moseyed along, inch by inch. We got through the Nashville and Motown sections, and I was up to the LA (Wrecking Crew) exhibit when they announced the museum would be closing in 15 minutes. We had already spent more than 2 hours in the museum but were less than halfway through. I turned off the app and raced through the rest of the museum, blasting through the Sun Studios, Stax, American Studios in Memphis, Muscle Shoals and other exhibits. There was a lot I would have liked to see and hear about in more depth, including the whole interactive Grammy Gallery, the Mobile Studio and the Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix displays (though exactly why they were there was an unanswered mystery to me — they were hardly faceless studio musicians) but there was no more time.

It was, in all, a disappointing visit. It’s a shame because the museum really does have some interesting artifacts and I like the focus on the musicians behind the various recording studios and styles. The museum presumes a good acquaintance with the actual music it would be very helpful to have more access to the actual recordings being discussed — there were a lot of references we didn’t fully understand. The museum has the feel of being something of an afterthought in the galaxy of Nashville music/tourist destinations — a little forlorn and under-resourced — which is too bad because it’s trying to fill an important role in celebrating the musicians and support systems that make the songs soar.

Sunday, March 13 – Nashville

National museum of african american music.

Our focus this day was the National Museum of African American Music ( museum website ). The museum controls the number of visitors per hour which means you need a timed reservation; we’d made ours online a few days before. If you are willing to give them an email address when you enter, they outfit you with a bracelet that lets you save music selections to personalized Spotify playlists. These playlists turn out to be an excellent souvenir and reminder of the visit; it’s a gimmick that I wish other museums would quickly embrace. The playlists stay active on the NMAAM site for 60 days; I have downloaded ours to a separate post .

The museum turned out to be excellent, with a good introductory movie and a number of informative interactive displays that let you listen to a wealth of music. We spent about four hours working our way through display areas on pre-1900 music, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock, disco, hip hop and today.

While each exhibit area was informative with artifacts and descriptive displays, the heart of the museum were banks of interactive touch screen stations with headphones from which you could explore vast archives of curated music selections. There were two main databases or interfaces. Rivers of Rhythm was organized by a timeline of major eras in African American history — and I’m a sucker for timelines. I wandered through each era and downloaded the playlist for each.

Another station, Roots and Streams , was a way to explore artist-by-artist based on who influenced them, their peers, and who they in turn influenced. Both databases were excellent and extremely educational; I wish they were available online. While the museum doesn’t make the databases publicly available, taking home personalized playlists of favorite songs at least hints at some of the connections.

I didn’t realize the museum had opened just a year earlier in January 2021, during the pandemic. Nor did I realize there was some controversy within Nashville that the museum wasn’t located in the historic black section of town. I have to say its current location across the street from the Ryman Auditorium, a block away from the Broadway tourist hubbub and two blocks from the Country Music Hall of Fame makes it very easy for tourists to visit. I think it should be on everyone’s itinerary. It’s a shame it wasn’t on the Road Scholar itinerary; I recommend it should be added.

Road Scholar Tour Orientation

We came back to the hotel around 4pm to check in with our Road Scholar group. Our group leader, Terrie Dal Pozzo, oriented us to the itinerary and rules of the tour. It became clear that Terrie was primarily our tour guide and logistics person, not a particular expert on music. But she was a veteran guide and proved to be an enthusiastic, efficient leader.

Terrie made us introduce ourselves to the group so we could meet our 20 or so fellow travelers. They were all older folks…just like us, which wasn’t a surprise since Road Scholar is aimed at retirees (excuse me: lifelong learners). This was the first time my sister or I toured with Road Scholar. Most of the others were veterans of other Road Scholar tours, which I took to be a good sign for Road Scholar’s sake. Most of them also seemed to be couples in one form or another, either married, close friends or family. Only a few were singles. They were from many parts of the country — mostly east coast and west coast, a few from the midwest. A surprising number seemed to be taking the tour simply for the sake of having something to do or to see new places rather than any actual familiarity or love of music. After the introductions and orientation we shared a hotel buffet dinner where we got to know a few others a little better.

Monday, March 14 – Nashville

Country music hall of fame.

We gathered in the lobby for our first day of official touring. Our first stop: the Country Music Hall of Fame , a three-minute walk from hotel. Terrie gave us three hours to get through the museum on our own with an audio guide. I hoped it would be a better guide than we had at the Musicians’ Hall of Fame.

The museum is arranged in three floors; you start at the top to work your way down. I skipped a special exhibit on country music veteran Bill Anderson , not realizing he would be one of the acts we would see two nights later at the Grand Ole Opry. The audio guide was better than at the Musicians’ Hall of Fame but again it was light on actual recorded music…it offered a recitation of objects in the display cases but not a whole lot of context if you don’t already know the artists or their songs.

There was a special exhibit on Outlaws and Armadillos featuring lots of folks I like. The emphasis was on the original generation of Outlaws including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson whom I respect but don’t really love as much as later artists that fall under the Outlaw Country genre . I’m more a fan of next-generation folks like Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Jason Isbell, and so on . Some of them were mentioned in the exhibit, including a re-creation of Guy Clark’s workshop, but there was more of a focus on the first generation which I guess makes sense in a museum.

After the Outlaws and Armadillos exhibit there was a whole special section of the museum dedicated to Kasey Musgraves and her wardrobes which frankly seemed like an unnecessary use of museum real estate. There was also a section on rising current (2021) stars that evidently included mentions of several folks I like including Allison Russell, John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas’ recent collaboration (which I was pleased to find, as Leftover Feelings was one of my favorite albums of the year), Brittney Spencer, Billy Strings and many others. By the time I got to this area I was running out of time and sped through it and the Hall of Fame area. I spent a full three hours in the museum and could have stayed longer but we were on a schedule. We had to get lunch on our own before meeting back at 1:15 for the afternoon tour activities.

In comparing notes on the museum, my sister wondered why there were no exhibits for folks she admired like Dolly Parton (how could there be no permanent Dolly cabinet?), Rhiannon Giddens, or Iris DeMent. I agreed that the exhibit selections seemed a bit scattershot, and we both agreed that there was a need to be able to listen to the actual music in case you weren’t well versed in it already. The museum started with a fairly coherent thread of a story through the early 20th century but somewhere around the 1950s it splintered into a lot of smaller displays that showcase different genres and eras without a lot of context or connection between them, which somewhat reflects the state of the country music industry as a whole.

The tour let us fend for ourselves for lunch so my sister left a few minutes before me to grab a spot at the nearby Assembly Hall , a new upscale food hall with lots of dining options. We figured we should try a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich from Prince’s Hot Chicken which had an outpost in the Hall.

Nashville City Tour and Studio B

Our group assembled back at the museum at the appointed hour of 1:15pm for an afternoon bus tour of Nashville. We boarded and met our tour guide for the afternoon, Ron Harman .

Our first actual stop was at the Nashville Parthenon in Centennial Park . This concrete replica, originally constructed in plaster, wood and brick for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial , is nowhere near as imposing as the Athens original but Nashville is proud of it anyway. We took a group photo on the steps but couldn’t go inside (it was closed that day for a private tour anyway). We wandered to the nearby Women’s Suffrage memorial for a moment before hopping back on the bus.

We next headed to the Bicentennial Park (not to be confused with Centennial Park) where we took a short walk through history. The park included a World War II Memorial with a number of pillars dedicated to different themes and phases of the war. We walked down the Pathway of History that documents great moments in Tennessee history. I would have like to take more time to read the many inscriptions and events, but we had schedules to keep.

Bicentennial Park was opened in 1996; little was said on our tour of its history other than that the area had fallen into disrepair in the 1970s-80s and was ripe for redevelopment. A few weeks after the trip, I watched a PBS documentary, Facing North: Jefferson Street, Nashville which tells how Jefferson Street (which borders the north end of the park) was a vibrant hub of the African American community in Nashville in the early-to-mid-20th century until it became the route of Interstate 40 and urban renewal starting in the 1960s. It’s a story that is all too prevalent in American cities and all too overlooked. I have to say the black history of Nashville was pretty much non-existent on our tour; this would have been a good place to at least say something.

It also would have been good to mention at some point during the tour why the name of Nashville’s 5th Avenue was changed last year to “John Lewis Way”. Congressman Lewis had been a college student in Nashville and participated in the historic lunch counter sit-ins at the Woolworth’s on 5th Avenue and other locations in 1960. He represented Nashville as one of the 13 original Freedom Riders the next year. Both Ron and Terrie mentioned the name change in passing but mostly out of annoyance that it wasn’t 5th Avenue anymore. It would have been good if there was a clearer explanation. But then again, none of us on the tour asked at the time.

For that matter, there were several veiled references from various Nashville guides that the downtown area around Broadway was a seedy red-light district in the last decades of the 20th century and the vibrant current area is a triumph of tourist-based redevelopment, led partly by the relocation of the Country Music Hall of Fame along with luring NFL and NHL franchises…and building downtown arenas for both. I don’t know the full story but it’s kind of interesting that it’s not front-and-center in Nashville’s boosterism. The redevelopment and current party atmosphere is presented as the God-given natural order of things; the not-too-distant past is something to be brushed over and forgotten.

Our short walk in Bicentennial Park ended at the Rivers of Tennessee fountain (dry at this time of year) and a giant granite map of the state where again I would have liked to spend more time. But it was time to get back on the bus. Ron had been sticking close to his script so far and seemed eager to keep us on schedule.

As we got to Music Row , the bus slowed and Ron started relying less on his script. This was the section he really knew. The bus crawled up and down the eight blocks or so of 16th and 17th Avenues twice so Ron could get in all his stories. We finally stopped outside RCA Studio B , the most famous of the studios on the Row. Ron was totally in his element here and proceeded to delight us with an hour-long dissertation on the history, lore, notable stars (especially Elvis Presley but many others as well) and music produced in the studio. He clearly loved the subject and dramatically played with the lights as he queued up various tracks to illustrate his stories. It was a true one-man performance, well beyond the boundaries of a regular tour. It was the highlight of the day, even if we never did quite get a handle on what defined the Nashville Sound .

Line Dancing at Wildhorse Saloon

The bus took us back to our hotel for a short wait until it was time for dinner and line dancing. We assembled in the lobby and walked a few blocks, past Broadway to 2nd Avenue. I didn’t realize that this was the street where the Christmas 2020 RV bomb went off until someone in the group mentioned it. Sure enough, there were still boarded-up buildings and construction sites just up the block from our destination, the Wildhorse Saloon . Evidently, most of 2nd Avenue had been shut down for most of 2021.

The Wildhorse is mecca of line dancing , specially built as a showcase and site of a line dancing TV show in the 1990s. My sister is an active line dancer and looked forward to this evening. I, on the other hand, am emphatically not a line dancer and rather dreaded the whole idea. I took it as a dose of cultural immersion to be endured mainly on my sister’s behalf.

On this Monday, the Wildhorse was closed to the public except for us and another tour group. We were the first to arrive and our little 21-member group was dwarfed in the cavernous three-story room. A live band headed by frontman Steven Metz was already up and playing loud, with full lights and video. When it was clear after the first few tunes that we were not going to swarm the dancefloor, the band made some effort to quiet down and not intrude too much on our dinner — a very ordinary little buffet of southwestern food — but it was still quite loud and we were seated right next to the speakers. It all felt silly to have the band playing oldies for our little group of oldies while they made believe a much larger crowd was in the house. A gig is a gig, I guess, and bands are a dime a dozen in Nashville.

After about an hour of listening to the band, they took a break and an energetic young woman came out to lead a line dance lesson. The other tour group hasn’t shown up yet so we all felt obliged to get up and give it a try. My sister and a few of the ladies were in their element but very quickly I and the other guys drifted back to our seats. As the dancing lesson progressed, the other tour group showed up — a bunch of high school kids, evidently a music/band tour. Fortunately, there were close to 100 of them and they enjoyed dancing so the floor filled up enough that the whole thing seemed slightly less silly. After 30 minutes or so of actual dancing, the members of our group started leaving and before long we did too, leaving the Wildhorse and the band to the teenagers. We hope they all had a good time.

Tuesday, March 15 – Nashville

Ryman auditorium.

We met in the hotel lobby for the short walk to the Ryman Auditorium for our tour . We had a proper tour guide for the first 30 minutes or so, then were given another hour to wander the Ryman and look at the exhibits in more depth. The tour and the Auditorium were very impressive.

I didn’t know much of the history of the Ryman: that it was started as a tabernacle by riverboat captain Thomas Ryman in 1892 after he saw the light at tentshow revival; that an enterprising stenographer, Lula C. Naff , started booking highbrow entertainers, speakers and shows in 1904 and effectively became the General Manager for more than 50 years; that the Grand Ole Opry made the Ryman its home in 1943 — somewhat against Lula’s wishes — after the radio show bounced around various Nashville venues for close to 20 years; that the Ryman fell into disrepair after the Opry left in 1974, nearly facing demolition; that a series of 1991 concerts by Emmylou Harris and the Nash Ramblers helped revive interest in the decrepit auditorium (only 200 people were allowed in the shows for safety concerns); that major renovations in 1994 and 2015 restored the Ryman as a world-class concert venue, “The Mother Church of Country Music.”

Toward the end of our tour, our little group got to sit in the front-row pews and get a photo on the stage. It was a nice little touch and it actually did feel a little bit reverential being so close to all the history that came from that stage.

After a couple of hours at the Ryman, we were on our own for lunch. My sister and I decided to go around the corner to Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge , one of the oldest and most famous of the honky tonk bars on Broadway so at least we could say we went in one. We climbed three flights of stairs, passing a band on each level playing quiet afternoon sets for a handful of patrons each. We found a spot on the roof and ordered what proved to be a pretty ordinary lunch. But the view was nice and the music pleasant enough. We didn’t properly appreciate the history of Tootsie’s (evidently a core part of the revival of the downtown area ), nor did we peruse the many historic photos on the walls, but we did enjoy the view.

Grand Ole Opry House Tour

We got back on the bus for the 20-minute jaunt to the Grand Ole Opry House for our afternoon tour and evening performance. True confession time: despite it being an American institution and perhaps the most recognizable national outlet for country music, I have never listened to a radio broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry. I think it’s mostly because I don’t listen to the radio at the times it’s broadcast (generally Saturday from 9-11pm) and unlike most things on Sirius/XM nowadays, the show doesn’t seem to be rebroadcast or streamed on-demand (I could be wrong, but in any case I haven’t found it). Similarly, I’ve never actually watched a TV broadcast of the Opry for pretty much the same reasons: it’s been hard for me to find to watch at the times I want to watch. It’s been mostly a matter of inconvenience but also a matter of not knowing who was appearing when and not wanting to sit through a package of acts I don’t know or like to get to the one or two I want to see. It’s the same reason I never listen to mainstream country music stations — most of it I just can’t take so I find other ways to seek out the (unjustly) “fringe” artists I like. So I walked into this afternoon’s tour and evening performance not knowing a whole lot about the institution or its traditions.

The Grand Ole Opry moved to this showcase concert hall and TV studio in 1974, part of a whole Opryland theme park and tourist attraction at the time. Today, the theme park is gone, replaced by a giant Opry Mills mall , but the concert venue, mall and nearby Gaylord Opryland Hotel still feel quite like a standalone theme park. The whole thing is the spawn of Ryman Hospitality Properties , the corporate overlord of all things Opry…and so much more.

Our hour-long Grand Ole Opry Tour started with a star-studded, highly produced introductory film featuring Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood as the reigning royal couple of country music, I suppose. After the film, a guide briefed us further on Opry history and led us through backstage areas including the TV soundstage where Hee-Haw was filmed for many years (I had no idea).

We were guided through the backstage “front desk” and Opry Post Office. Evidently you can address a fan letter to your favorite Opry member in care of the Grand Ole Opry and they will get the mail right in their little post box. A cute gimmick. I’m sure Garth and Trisha stop by regularly to collect their mail.

There was a wall commemorating Opry Members . Much is made of Opry Membership , which I didn’t know much about. It’s not the same as being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but has its own mystique hyped by the Opry machine. The Opry’s intro movie and Circle TV network repeatedly sprinkle clips of the moment various stars are “surprised” on stage by getting their invitation from an existing Opry member. The clip most prominently featured is that of Darius (Hootie) Rucker being invited in 2012 — most prominent because a) Darius seems genuinely surprised and moved by the honor and cries appropriately and b) because he’s black and it shows that the Opry is really truly open-minded, shamelessly papering over the fact that Rucker was (and still is) only the third black Opry member in its history (the other two: Charley Pride in 1993 and DeFord Bailey in 1926).

Opry membership criteria is opaque and very much a subjective commercial decision made by the vaguely defined “Opry management team”. Membership is for life (usually) and includes an obligation to perform with some frequency on the Opry program, evidently up to 12 times/year though there’s little evidence the big stars appear that often. Oddly, despite Internet denizens’ penchant for documenting everything, I can find no track record for how often various performers actually show up. There are, for example, a handful of Opry members I’d like to see or search out their clips (e.g., Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Marty Stuart) but I can’t find when or how often they’ve performed. Opry membership skews heavily toward mainstream country radio artists that are not in my wheelhouse of music preferences. That said, I’ve found one pandemic show from 2020 that featured Old Crow Medicine Show (an Opry Member), Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings and Dom Flemons. I’d enjoy seeing more shows like that. Where are they?

We were escorted through dressing rooms, a few of which had actual band members starting to get ready for the evening’s show (though no one I recognized). We went in the green room for a few minutes where we had the option to sit in the actual couches that held country music legends’ butts! I didn’t sit. It’s kind of hard to believe they let tour groups in there every day, but it’s all very much part of the mystique the Opry cultivates of everything being close to and all for its audience.

That mystique was strongest when we were shuffled onstage for a few minutes and given the chance to worship at the circle in the center of the stage (though if you wanted an official photo that would be $45 extra, please). This circle of wood from the original Ryman Auditorium stage (actually taken from a rear corner of the Ryman stage during reconstruction) is now treated as a holy relic and symbolic center of Country Music. The circle is wrapped up in the self-reinforcing mythology of the song, Will the Circle Be Unbroken , its links to the Carter Family and country music’s oldest roots, the circle of Grand Ole Opry members , the deep history of all the performers on the Opry, and permeates the Circle TV network , one of the current key propaganda wings of the Opry empire. Even though we didn’t get a picture in the circle, it was pretty cool to be onstage for a few minutes while the tech people got ready for the night’s show. It is a full-scale professional production as big-league as it gets, four nights a week or more.

The tour finished around 3:30pm which left 3.5 hours to kill before showtime. To help fill time, Terrie took a bunch of us on the bus to the nearby Gaylord Opryland Hotel to be wowed by its vast enclosed atria of gardens and such. We were duly impressed.

For the rest of the time until the 7pm show, Terrie left us to our own devices to feed or entertain ourselves in the Opry Mills mall. We found the Bavarian Bierhaus where we shared some wings and beers until it finally neared time for the show. We made our way back to the Opry and were pleasantly surprised to find Road Scholar arranged a nice block of seats for us near the left front of the stage.

Grand Ole Opry Show

For the several months leading up to the show I checked the Opry website to see who would be performing. The whole time, even a week before the trip, it said the lineup would include Carly Pearce , Dailey & Vincent , Karen Mills , Randall King , and more. I didn’t know any of them well though I learned Carly Pearce was a rising star in the Nashville firmament and just won top female entertainer awards from the CMA and ACM. Evidently her star rose far enough she found something better to do because she wasn’t actually on the bill when we showed up. Instead, Bill Anderson , Dustin Lynch , MacKenzie Porter , and Chris Young were added. I didn’t know any of them either, other than the longtime Nashville fixture Bill Anderson whose exhibit we had skipped at the Country Music Hall of Fame the day before…and even then I really only knew his name, not his songs. I don’t know how frequently the Opry juggles its show lineups but I get the feeling it’s pretty often. I guess the audience is there for the overall Opry experience, not so much for the specific performers.

The show started promptly at 7pm for the live radio and streaming video audiences. Bill Anderson opened the show with three quick songs and a smile and then was gone. I guess at age 84 he has an early bedtime. Randall King brought some youthful energy in what I believe was his Opry debut but I won’t be running out to find more of his songs. Comedian Karen Mills did some stale jokes for her set. Dailey & Vincent closed the first hour with three quick bluegrass tunes and an a capella gospel song.

There was a little break before the top of the hour when the Circle TV audience was added for what was effectively a second show featuring Dustin Lynch, MacKenzie Porter and Chris Young. I’m sorry to say none of the songs or performers were especially memorable for me. By 9pm the main show was all wrapped up. We were asked to stay in our seats while Chris Young and his band recorded one more song for a video. And that was it. Back to the buses. In all, the Opry was an interesting spectacle but the performers and music were so-so at best. There was not a lot of magic to be had this night, though everyone gave it their TV-energy all. I was not converted to become a regular fan.

Wednesday, March 16 – Nashville to Memphis

Belle meade plantation.

We had one last Hyatt breakfast then checked out and boarded our bus by 8:30am. We rode a short distance into the Nashville suburbs to Belle Meade Plantation ( Wikipedia ). Belle Meade was mainly a horse farm going back to 1807 but is now basically a tourist attraction. We spent a while in the gift shop before touring the main house. The guides made a good effort to keep things interesting but there’s honestly not a whole lot of history to be had unless you’re particularly interested in the Harding family or their line of thoroughbred horses. I’ll give the curators credit for at least mentioning several of the key enslaved people that played important roles running the house and keeping the horses (though I’m afraid I didn’t note their names, nor did they make it into the Wikipedia entry). The Plantation was built to take advantage of the Natchez Trace which gave me an incentive to look up the fascinating history of this ancient trail but it was research I had to do on my own.

After the house tour, we were given nearly an hour to have a wine tasting and wander the grounds before having a very early 11am lunch at the carriage house. We got back on bus at 12:15 or so to begin the 3-hour drive to Memphis. In my view, this Belle Meade stop was entirely unnecessary. There was no connection to music or anything else on the tour and we easily could have made it to Memphis before needing a lunch break. If the Road Scholar folks were looking to fit in one other Nashville attraction, I would have much rather spent a couple of hours at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage , even if it was 25 minutes in the wrong direction from downtown. 

West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center

After a couple of hours on the road Terrie said we would make a special stop at a museum dedicated to a singer originally named Anna Mae Bullock. I think I was the only one on the bus that knew she was talking about Tina Turner . We stopped at a small roadside visitor center, grandly named the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center & Tina Turner Museum . The Center looked like a former chain restaurant that was now mainly a gift shop with bathrooms. There were three smallish rooms given over to displays of cotton growing technologies, local wildlife and history, and local blues musicians. We wandered through them for a few minutes and wondered what they had to do with Tina Turner.

Behind the “Heritage Center” were two much older buildings. One was the Flagg Grove School which Anna Mae Bullock attended as a child; it had been moved to this location from her hometown of Nutbush (chronicled in her song “ Nutbush City Limits “) a few miles away. This one-room schoolhouse now houses the Tina Turner Museum with items contributed from Tina herself. Evidently Tina supports and approves of the museum but has never actually visited. The displays include a small mix of costumes and memorabilia but don’t capture the breadth or achievements of her extraordinary life; she deserves a more extensive showcase. The museum includes a partial recreation of the schoolroom setting, a stark reminder of what some rural schoolhouses looked like as recently as the 1960s.

Even more stark was the second, much smaller building, the home of Sleepy John Estes . He was one of many old Blues singers whose name I vaguely recognized but about whom I knew very little. I didn’t learn much more about him walking through the sparsely furnished cabin other than he was very poor. Wikipedia and iTunes told me more about his career and influential recordings in the 1920s-1940s and rediscovery in the 1960s. It’s hard to imagine these two tiny rooms were his home through much of his later life.

In writing this post, I discovered the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center is part of the Americana Music Triangle , a website I hadn’t seen before but wish I had. The site offers an inclusive overview of Americana music (with timelines and playlists that are a nice complement to what we saw at the National Museum of African American Music), routes to travel and sights to see. It’s not clear to me who actually runs this site but they’ve done a good job collecting information that would have been useful planning our trip or making adjustments as we went along.

Peabody Ducks

We got to Memphis in time to quickly check into our hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis – Beale Street , then walked over to the Peabody Hotel to see their famous duck march at 5pm. The ducks were not officially on our itinerary but Terrie was nice to lead the way so we could see it. There were signs outside the Peabody discouraging non-guests from viewing the duck march but Terrie led our group of ducklings right in. I’m not sure we would have seen it otherwise. We wedged into spots on the balcony for a decent view of the crowded lobby.

The Duck March is a silly tradition but fun to see once. The hotel makes a big deal of it, with a long spiel by the Duck Master and the appointment of an honorary kid duck master to assist. Eventually the five resident ducks hop out of the fountain and march on their red carpet to the elevator to return to their “apartment” on the roof for the evening. We didn’t go up to see their rooftop digs, but evidently for a duck it’s quite palatial.

B.B. King’s Blues Club

After the ducks, our group gathered for a short walk down Beale Street for dinner at B.B. King’s Blues Club . Beale Street is the legendary entertainment district in Memphis, famous as a showcase for the Blues and African American culture for more than a century. About four blocks are now pedestrian-only and lined with bars, tourist shops and noisy places to spend your money. Some of the storefronts were empty and appeared to have not survived the Covid slowdown in business. The street was less raucous and energetic than Nashville’s Broadway honky tonk scene, but that suited me just fine.

I wasn’t expecting much from the B.B. King’s Blues Club, but it had a prominent spot on Beale Street and a crowd of tourists waiting to get in. Our group was ushered to reserved tables right near the bandstand. There was a good semi-acoustic quartet playing some tasty blues and R&B for the first hour, followed by a louder upbeat quartet with a featured female singer. The first group was more our speed but both were good; I’m sorry I didn’t get the names of either of them but we enjoyed their playing and left tips in their buckets.

The food at B.B. King’s was surprisingly good. The servers quickly brought our drinks and an appetizer of fried pickles that none of us would have ordered but we devoured. They were addictive. My sister and I shared ribs (finally some fall-off-the-bone ribs, the tastiest we had on the trip) and chicken fried chicken. A few of our party braved the dance floor. Overall, it was the best evening of food and music we enjoyed on the tour. There’s something to be said for having lower expectations at the outset.

Thursday, March 17 – Memphis

We had breakfast at the hotel then gathered in a conference room for an introductory lecture on Memphis History presented by Dick Cockrell. I can’t remember his credentials other than being an enthusiastic amateur historian, a fan of Memphis music, and I think Terrie said he was a former Road Scholar guide in Memphis. I believe with a little preparation I could have pretty much given the lecture, but Dick had some decent slides and music samples. I didn’t learn much that I hadn’t already picked up from my own deep dive on Memphis music , but before doing that dive a few months before the trip I hadn’t known much at all.

This was, in retrospect, the “scholar” portion of our Road Scholar tour — the only classroom lecture of the tour. I don’t fault Dick for his local knowledge and willingness to share with us, but it was a pretty superficial scratch at the surface of the wealth of music and complicated history that has intertwined in this region for a couple of centuries. It wasn’t a bad introduction but I sure would have liked to explore deeper. As I think it through, though, if you go much deeper you very quickly touch on racial and political nerves that could make for a very uncomfortable rest of the journey with any given set of tour mates. I guess I can see why Road Scholar doesn’t press too hard on the scholarly part of their mission, but I wish they would do at least a bit more.

National Civil Rights Museum

For a more emphatic history lesson, we took a short bus ride to the National Civil Rights Museum , located at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. We arrived at 9am at this already crowded site and had to wait a while on the bus before we could get in. Even then, we had to jostle with crowds all the way through the museum. I was glad to see that the museum was popular, but the crowd made it a little difficult to see each of the exhibits.

While we waited outside, I overheard one of the docents speaking with a group in front of the balcony where Dr. King was shot. There was a brick line leading over toward the boarding house indicating the direction of the shots. I was surprised to hear the docent say something to the effect of, “These are are where the shots came from if you believe that James Earl Ray was the assassin. There are other theories and other possible locations for the shots depending on what you believe.” I thought it was well established that James Earl Ray had been the shooter and didn’t realize there were a variety of alternative conspiracy theories in play, much less that they would be promoted by the museum staff.

Once we got inside the museum and past the very good introductory movie, we were given audio guides and could move at our own pace through the exhibits that chronicled many milestones of the Civil Rights movement . Exhibits included an overview of the rise of slavery and the extended eras of segregation that followed, then more detail on the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling (1951-1954), Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956), Lunch Counter protests in Greensboro , Nashville and elsewhere (1960), Freedom Riders (1961), the 1963 March on Washington , Selma Voting Rights marches (1965), and the Memphis Sanitation Strike (1968) leading to the assassination of Dr. King (1968). I remembered news reports of many of these events from my youth but it was very helpful to see them contextualized and laid out in sequence. I still don’t know as much about them as I should, but I have a better grasp having visited the museum and read more since.

Once again we were only about ⅔ of the way through the main part of the museum when our three hours were nearly up. I hustled through the last segments from 1964-1968 and aftermath, and never got across the street to the boarding house. I learned afterwards there were even more exhibits over there. The museum was very well done and I felt like we needed to go back to see the rest.

We left the museum somewhat reluctantly because few in the tour group made it all the way through. Nevertheless, it was back on the bus for a short ride back to downtown and lunch at a local restaurant, Sugar Grits . Terrie had been talking this up as one of her favorite spots. When we arrived it seemed clear the restaurant was not expecting us. Evidently, the previous manager quit a few days before and took all his notes, so the new people only had a vague idea we were showing up. They improvised moderately well but the meal was slow and not very good. The shrimp and grits I had were passable, better than the nearly inedible chicken with grits variant my table mates received. This lunch was an unfortunate low point on the tour, a victim of raised expectations this time.

Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

After lunch it was back on the bus for another short ride to the Rock n’ Soul Museum (itself just a short walk from our hotel). We spent two hours at this very compact but well put-together Smithsonian-affiliated museum. They had sections on the rural roots music of the region, Memphis Blues from the early 20th century, the development of Sun Studios and rock ‘n’ roll, Stax Studios and soul, and a bit of what followed. The audio guide was helpful and they had a nice gimmick of featuring juke boxes with more music from each era to explore. I could have spent longer at this museum but at least I managed my time well enough to get through all the exhibits.

We got back on the bus to go to Sun Studio ( Sun website ), the erstwhile birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. The original couple of storefronts make for some very tight quarters. We started in the gift shop for a bit before being ushered upstairs to an orientation room/museum with an enthusiastic guide. He set up the story of Sam Phillips before taking us downstairs into the surprisingly small studio, riffing on the piano for a bit to escort us down — it was nice to know we were in the hands of an actual musician. He continued with a good summary of the studio history including Elvis and the Million Dollar Quartet while allowing time for photo ops. This was a good tour, with a lot of information, history and energy packed in a small space. It’s odd to consider they still regularly use this cramped space as an active recording studio and site for TV shows in the evenings after the day’s tours are done.

After this busy day we had dinner and the evening on our own. It happened to be St. Patrick’s Day so we were a little worried about things being crazy on Beale Street. We decided to get appetizers at Itta Bena , a restaurant above BB King’s that I found on Yelp and TripAdvisor. The restaurant turned out to be a lovely upscale spot with a quiet guitar and piano duo playing pleasant dinner music.

Friday, March 18 – Memphis

We made it to the bus in the morning in time for our departure to Graceland ( official website ). Terrie dutifully played a bit of Paul Simon’s “ Graceland ” on the way. The Graceland complex now encompasses Elvis’s home, an adjacent hotel, and a large exhibition space and museum area across the street. Call it Elvisland, the theme park.

We arrived promptly at 9am then waited a few minutes in the ticket area before slotting into our time for the introductory movie. The movie gave a decent 15-minute synopsis of Elvis’s life and career but was hardly a critical masterpiece. Before catching a shuttle across the street to the Graceland house tour we each got our own iPad with an audio tour narrated by John Stamos . Why John Stamos? Wikipedia says “Stamos is a big fan of Elvis Presley and has often referenced or paid homage to him in the show Full House .” OK, whatever.

As I suspected, a little of Elvis goes a long way, as does a little of Graceland. I wasn’t terribly impressed by the shrine, despite the best efforts of John Stamos and the reverent staff members helping make sure we didn’t wander anywhere off limits. We toured the ground floor and basement playrooms of the mansion. The upstairs bedrooms are off limits. I thought I heard a guide or someone say that some family events are still held at the mansion though it’s hard to believe anyone actually stays there. The main levels are strictly in museum mode, set to the early 1970s before Elvis died.

The audio guide is reasonably informative and keeps you moving along at a regular pace, but it also meant you couldn’t easily linger anywhere or ask questions. You are kind of force-fed the Elvis legend like you are a pâté goose.

I was struck by a clip of a press conference that played in a loop in the office at the rear of the mansion. I had to take off my audio guide to listen to it. The press conference was done in that office “at Vernon’s desk” the day after Elvis got back from his military service in Germany. In it, Elvis was asked (at about the 5-minute mark) whether he “left any hearts in Germany” and he replies “not any special one.” He goes on to say there was a “little girl” he was seeing quite often but “it was no big romance.” There’s no further explanation around that interview or quote, but the reference was to Priscilla , who later became his wife . I don’t think there was any other mention of her anywhere else in the mansion or the museum areas, despite many references to their daughter, Lisa Marie . I had to later read some gossipy websites to get more details about the sad relationship between Elvis, Priscilla and Lisa Marie. You weren’t going to get that story at Graceland.

After touring the house, we shuttled back to the Elvisland complex across the road, an umpteen thousand square foot array of exhibit areas and gift shops (many, many gift shops) featuring his cars, his outfits, his military service, his movies, his concerts, a random assortment of other stars that were evidently inspired by his wardrobes, and a section on growing up Lisa Marie. And don’t forget his airplanes!

The exhibits are extensive in square footage and include a number of interactive arcade-style gadgets that let you insert yourself into various scenes or costumes from Elvis’s career so you can snap a digital photo and further promote the Elvis brand on social media. The exhibits, however, amount to a mountain of empty calories in terms of actual information conveyed. You don’t really learn much but you get a lot of Instagram opportunities…and many gift shop purchase opportunities as well.

Leaving Graceland, I was struck by a number of things. One was a question of who was in Elvis’s posse of hangers on and facilitators who evidently populated Graceland and indulged Elvis’s whims? They were mentioned amorphously several times during the tour (and in Lisa Marie’s life) but there was no real detail on any of them. Later, I found they were a floating crew of largely disreputable (but trusted by Elvis) hangers on called the Memphis Mafia ( more ). There’s a lot to be said about them — little of it good — and little of it actually said at Graceland.

Also, what about the staff and helpers at Graceland? How many were there? Were there any black faces? Any that stayed with him an especially long time? I later found this BBC interview with his longtime cook, Mary Jenkins . There was also Nancy Rooks , a maid who wrote a book about her experiences with Elvis. Why couldn’t there have been a passing mention of them or others? At least at Belle Meade the curators made some effort to acknowledge the role that enslaved and post-Reconstruction-era African-Americans played in the estate’s prosperity and hospitality. Graceland could benefit from a little more representation.

The whole experience at Graceland is heavily whitewashed, scrubbed to venerate the legend…and sell trinkets in the endless gift shops. Who is profiting from all this? Does Lisa Marie “own” Elvis, Inc.? Who actually runs Graceland? Part of the answer, not that you’d learn it at Graceland, is that Elvis Presley Enterprises was formed after Elvis’s death by Priscilla Presley acting as Lisa Marie’s guardian in what proved to be a savvy move at the time. Since 2013 it has been 85% owned by privately held conglomerate Authentic Brands Group , which itself is now owned by an assortment of private equity investors in anticipation of an IPO (though it was recently delayed indefinitely). Lisa Marie Presley owns the remaining 15%; I presumed she was doing OK, but evidently her share of the estate was squandered and as of a few years ago she was more than $16 million in debt as she sued her executor. I’m not sure where things stand now. It’s another sordid chapter of the Elvis legacy that goes unreported at Graceland.

There just seems to be a lot more Graceland could do to build some credibility toward being an honestly informative museum rather than a money-making shrine. There’s room for a fuller discussion of Elvis and his impact on the music business and society.

I left Graceland feeling more than a little nauseated by the Elvis fawning but also with very little appreciation for the significance of Elvis and his music. There is so much emphasis on Elvis the brand, his movies, lifestyle and surrounding folderol that the essence of his music and its social impact is overwhelmed. We got a better sense of his musical impact at Sun Studios and to a lesser extent the Studio B tour in Nashville. At Graceland it is a given that Elvis was a god; there’s little effort made to explain why so many thought so.

In May 2022, about two months after our trip but before Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie came out, The Washington Post published a good article, “ Should Elvis Presley’s Legacy Live On? ” based partly on a trip to Graceland that raises a number of the same questions I’ve been grappling with, and tries to answer a few of them. It’s an ongoing debate. I’m of the opinion that Elvis should be remembered and his substantial accomplishments put in context, but he should not be personally deified.

Beethoven Club

We departed Elvisland for one final tour activity, a visit to the grandly named Beethoven Club for a musical performance and lecture. This was advertised in our itinerary as a highlight for the tour so I looked forward to hearing a musician play especially for us. The Beethoven Club turned out to be a rather nondescript older home in a residential neighborhood and the performance turned out to be another older white guy explaining Memphis music history, this time with a piano. The lecturer/performer was Richard Raichelson, a professor and folklorist who published at least one book about Memphis music and local history, so at least he had some academic credentials. His stories, however, covered pretty much the same ground as our first day’s speaker, Dick Cockrell. They were pleasant but tame, and while his piano playing was fine he admitted his voice was not in good shape so the performance was not his best. Not a whole lot was learned, unfortunately.

As I thought about it later, this was a sorely missed opportunity for a capstone recap of the trip, a chance to tie together some of the threads we had gathered from Nashville to Memphis. Musical development, genres, personalities and technology in Nashville, Memphis and the country as a whole are inextricably woven into and influenced by our nation’s larger history and culture. Music offers insights into who we were and who we are, a fascinating prism for education and reflection. Richard Raichelson might have been a decent choice for this task but that’s not what he tackled. How much more powerful it would have been to have an authoritative voice (and better yet, a black one) give us a parting perspective, with or without an actual performance.

Beyond giving a better grounding in history, I wish that Road Scholar would include at least a hint of a call to action for taking things forward, for those so inclined. What organizations today are building bridges rather than walls between and among cultures? The Blues Foundation ? The Center for Southern Folklore ? Arts Memphis ? Can Road Scholar get speakers from them? Offer a list of worthy websites or foundations to learn more and maybe support? What can we as freshly educated and potentially empowered tourists do next? The tour could do more to foster dialogs, consider what we’ve learned, talk about experience with family and friends. Encourage participants to find artists, songs, organizations that you love, and support them in any fashion.  

The Beethoven Club event was the last official stop on our itinerary but Terrie offered to add two quick side trips for those of us that wanted to stay on the bus. Most of us did. The first stop was at the Memphis Pyramid , now the world’s biggest Bass Pro Shop . Terrie gave us a short history of the pyramid, skipping over most of its troubled past as a mostly publicly-funded boondoggle, then let us loose for 20 minutes to gawk. It was a quick and overwhelming look at a thriving corner of American hunting and outdoor culture that I rarely see. We were strangers in a strange land.

After our short stop in the alternate universe of the Pyramid, it was back on the bus for a walk on the Big River Crossing across the Mississippi so we could say we stepped into Arkansas. Photo op! The pedestrian bridge is part of the Harahan Bridge, now primarily a railroad crossing. It was a chilly, grey walk out to the middle of the bridge, the river looked cold and forbidding, the Memphis skyline was a long way away, and we could discern nothing consequential on the Arkansas side of the river other than highways and scrub trees, but I can now say I had a good look at the Mississippi River and set at least one foot in Arkansas, if not on actual dry land.

Road Scholar Tour Final Dinner

We had one final dinner with our Road Scholar tour group at the Majestic Grille , a well-reviewed Memphis restaurant that I wanted to try anyway, so win. We said farewells to our tour mates and sneaked tips to our tour leader and driver. Road Scholar doesn’t seem to have a specific policy on tips but we were all happy to make a contribution.

I can’t say that we made any lifelong new friends on this trip or even met anyone whose name I could remember for more than five minutes at a time, but everyone on the trip was pleasant enough and stayed out of everyone else’s way. Some were easier to get along with than others, but mostly I was happy that my sister and I could hang out together. Most of the tour members were couples in one form or another and stayed to themselves. Only a few were singles; I can imagine it must be a bit harder to be on a tour like this as a single. But then again, it’s probably easier to go to new places as a single with a tour group rather than traveling completely on one’s own.

Overall, I was pleased we did the Road Scholar tour. It simplified much of the trip and got us into places we might not have seen. The tour certainly got us better seats at things like the Grand Ole Opry and B.B. King’s than we would have on our own. There were only a few superfluous stops (Belle Meade and the downtime at Opry Mills, for example) but for the most part the tour was well paced and covered most of the stops I knew I wanted to see. I wish the tour had been stronger on actually educating us about the sights we saw and music we heard, but most of that was left to the individual traveler. I would have liked to share more time with actual musicians and experts to get a better sense of the history and threads of connection between the different types of music we encountered but I can understand how that might be a far higher logistical (and expensive) challenge for a tour operator.

If we had only done the tour, however, I would have been less satisfied. I’m very glad that we added days before and after the tour to see additional sights and satisfy more of my curiosity. I would liked to have added more but there are always limits to the time and patience of others. Plus it would have been more expensive. There are always tradeoffs. If you are interested in a more detailed look at our complete trip, including stops on the Mississippi Blues Trail, Muscle Shoals and Bristol, see Music Roots Road Trip: Nashville, Memphis and More .

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America's Music Cities

About this tour.

Enjoy a finger-snapping, toe-tapping time on a tour of America’s most famed musical cities – New Orleans, Memphis, and Nashville. Experience New Orleans, where jazz, food and fun are always on the menu. Explore New Orleans with a tour highlighting the city’s musical history and influence. Spend 2 nights in Memphis, "birthplace of the blues." Choose how you explore Nashville highlights – with a chocolate-making lesson or a visit to the Johnny Cash Museum. Enjoy reserved seats at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. See where country legends recorded hit tunes at RCA Studio B. You’ll be hummin’ and strummin’ long after you’ve returned home.

Your Tour Includes

• 4 Handpicked Accommodations
• 1 Choice on Tour Options

Included Highlights

• French Quarter
• Grammy Museum

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7 Breakfasts

2 - Moderate

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Must-See Inclusions:

Discover historic Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry.

Explore the Country Music Hall of Fame, the largest museum of popular music in the world.

Cultural Experiences:

Embark on a one-of-a-kind tour of Memphis tracing its ties to the Civil Rights Movement.

Tour the historic RCA Studio B for an up-close look at Nashville’s oldest remaining recording studio.

Enjoy reserved seats at the Grand Ole Opry, the “home of American music.”

Culinary Inclusions:

Enjoy Creole delights at a favorite French Quarter restaurant in New Orleans.

• Civil Rights Tour
• Ryman Auditorium
• Grand Ole Opry Show
• Country Music Hall of Fame
• Historic RCA Studio B
• Choice on Tour: Goo Goo Cluster Candy or Johnny Cash Museum

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Hotel-Gaylord Opryland Resort

During your stay in Nashville, you may choose to enjoy views of one of the Gaylord Opryland Resort's beautiful atria by upgrading your accomodations to a superior room. Please inquire about this upgrade at time of booking.

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Hotel-Sheraton New Orleans

This afternoon, enjoy a jazz brunch at one of New Orleans’ most famous restaurants, The Court of Two Sisters. Relax and enjoy the live jazz music as you soak in the centuries-old atmosphere and the largest courtyard in the French Quarter. Indulge in the expansive brunch buffet, with over 60 items available, including made to order omelets and Eggs Benedict. After lunch, embark on a leisurely cruise aboard the traditional Steamboat Natchez, iconic in New Orleans. The ambience will transport you back in time to the 19th century when steamboats were the mode of transportation of choice to travel along the Mississippi. Sit back and take in your surroundings during your narrated harbor tour, listening to stories of days gone by along the way. As your paddlewheel boat makes its way back, it is time for a lively jazz band to take the stage for some toe-tapping fun!

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A Little Bit Country & A Little Bit Rock and Roll – Tupelo, Memphis & Nashville

A Five-night package that begins with Elvis Presley and ends at the Grand Ole Opry.  Join us on a musical journey through Tupelo, Memphis, and Nashville. We discover where Elvis got his start, continue to Graceland, and make our way to Nashville and a night at the Grand Ole Opry.  Along the way we visit recording studios, the Country Music Hall of Fame, enjoy delicious meals, visit the Peabody Ducks and take our turn line dancing.

Today the group arrives in Tupelo, Mississippi.  We will check in at our local hotel.  Dinner is included this evening at a popular, local restaurant.

Breakfast is included at the hotel this morning.  Following breakfast, we board the motorcoach for a short trip to the Tupelo Visitor Center where we meet our local, knowledgeable guide.  On a fully narrated driving tour we discover the roots of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.  Sites include the Elvis Homecoming Statue, the Jailhouse Rock Mural, and a stop at Tupelo Hardware, where Elvis purchased his first guitar.  Our tour ends at the Elvis Presley Center, where we explore the birthplace of Elvis, the Elvis Presley Museum and Memorial Chapel and grounds.  We finish our morning with lunch on your own at Johnnie’s Drive-In, Elvis’ favorite place to eat.  After lunch we board the coach for our journey to Memphis, Tennessee.  We check in at our local hotel for the next two nights.  Dinner is included this evening at a popular, local restaurant.

Breakfast is included at the hotel this morning.  After breakfast we board the coach for Graceland, the place Elvis called home.  Here we have the opportunity to tour his mansion, visit the memorial gardens, tour the planes that carried him from show to show and explore the state-of-the-art entertainment complex filled with personal mementos, artifacts and the costumes that made the man a legend.  Lunch is on your own this afternoon at Graceland.  After lunch we will be greeted by our local, knowledgeable guide for an afternoon of exploration.  Our first stop brings us to Sun Studio, “The Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll”.   Here is where Elvis was discovered along with B.B. King, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis just to name a few.  Next we visit the Rock N’ Soul Museum for a true Memphis music experience.  We end our afternoon at the Peabody Hotel where we will get to see the march of the famous Peabody Ducks.  Tonight, we enjoy a delicious dinner and evening of Jazz on Beale Street.

Breakfast is included at the hotel this morning.  Following breakfast, we board the coach and make our way to Nashville.  Upon arrival we enjoy a delicious lunch followed by line dancing.  Dust off your boots!  Our next stop brings us to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the world’s largest museum and research center dedicated to country music.  We then make our way to the Gaylord Opryland Resort, our home for the next two nights.  Your evening is free for dinner on your own and exploring the resort amenities.

Breakfast is included at the hotel this morning.  After breakfast we are met by our local, knowledgeable guide for a scenic driving tour of Nashville – Music City, USA.  We round out the morning with a guided tour of RCA Studio B, the recording studio of Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Chet Atkins and many more.  Following the tour, we visit Fifth & Broadway for lunch and shopping on your own.  After lunch board the coach for the Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery.  We enjoy a guided tour of the 1853 Greek Revival Mansion followed by a wine tasting.  We return to the resort to freshen up, take in dinner on your own and get ready for the highlight of your trip – a night at the Grand Ole Opry!  Reserved seats await you for a night filled with Country greats.

Breakfast is included at the hotel this morning.  After breakfast we board the coach and begin our journey home with fond memories (and singing songs).

One night’s accommodations – Tupelo, MS

Two nights accommodations – Memphis, TN

Two nights accommodations – Nashville, TN

Three dinners including Dinner & Jazz

Five Full breakfasts

One Lunch and line dancing

Fully narrated driving tour of Tupelo, MS

Admission to the Elvis Presley Center

Visit to Johnnie’s Drive-in

Admission to the Elvis Experience at Graceland

Admission to Sun Studio

Admission to the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

Visit to the Peabody Ducks

Admission to the Country Music Hall of Fame

Fully narrated driving tour of Nashville

Admission to RCA Studio B

Admission to Belle Meade Plantation

Reserved seating at the Grand Ole Opry

Three days local guide service

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Contact Sugar Tours:

Call Chris Donnelly at 802-579-8687 or email at  [email protected]

Call Brenda Handy at 802-464-9740 or email at  [email protected]

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5 awesome road trips you can take from Nashville

Editor's note: Please check with every facility when planning your trip. Some may have limited hours or even be closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, my kid and I decided to drive from Baltimore to San Antonio to shelter with our family. On the way, we spent the night in Nashville at the Kimpton Aertson . I've spent many work-related trips in Music City, which has become a hot spot for bachelorette parties, sporting events and even New Year's Eve celebrations.

But as nice as Nashville is, you may be feeling a little stir crazy as the pandemic drags on. Thanks to its central location, locals and visitors can reach a variety of destinations north, south, east and west of Nashville that are great for road trips. If you're in Music City, consider making at least one of these five trips.

Related: 10 tips for anyone taking a road trip right now

Louisville, Kentucky

Distance from Nashville : 2 hours and 30 minutes

Louisville is far more than the Kentucky Derby and bourbon. Named after King Louis XVI, the city was founded by George Rogers Clark in 1778. It's where the cheeseburger was invented and Kentucky fried chicken was born. Right now, the city is selling custom face masks to benefit the Louisville COVID Relief Fund and The Black Artists Fund .

What to do : Louisville has the Urban Bourbon Experience™ , the world's only city-wide trail filled with award-winning micro-distilleries, exhibits and craft cocktail destinations. You can also visit Churchill Downs , home of the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Derby Museum. Baseball fans will want to make the pilgrimage to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and get a custom bat. The multicultural Muhammad Ali Center is an award-winning museum dedicated to the life and legacy of the beloved championship boxer, who hailed from Louisville. You can even have locals create a custom list of things to do while in Louisville.

Where to stay : If you can't afford to stay at The Brown Hotel -- the historic property where the Hot Brown sandwich was invented -- at least have a cocktail in its famous Lobby Bar. Families may enjoy staying at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown , with its indoor pool, free breakfast and full kitchens. For those on a budget, consider the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Louisville Downtown .

What to eat and drink : Despite being known for mint juleps, Louisville is where the classic cocktail, the Old Fashioned, was invented in 1881. During the first two weeks of June, the city even celebrates Old Fashioned Fortnight with bourbon events, cocktail specials and National Bourbon Day on June 14. Feast BBQ is the place to go to get your fix of delights including pulled pork and brisket. Local favorite Jack Fry's is known for its shrimp and grits, and you can't leave Louisville without trying Kern's Derby-Pie® , best described as a chocolate-pecan pie. Because it's trademarked, most local restaurants serve their version of it, usually called Chocolate Pecan Pie or some variation thereof. Try the one served at Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen.

Related: 5 American road trips to take with the family

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Distance from Nashville : Start your drive in Louisville, which is roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes away.

This famous trail highlights where some of the world's best bourbons are distilled. It comprises 18 distilleries, including Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Angel's Envy and Bulleit. You can even memorialize your drive on the trail with a passport that you can either pick up at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center at the Frazier Museum in Louisville, at your first distillery stop, or download it online and print it in advance. There are plenty of distilleries in Louisville, so that may be the best place to start. And if you need help planning your trip, the Kentucky Bourbon Train website is there to help.

What to do : Drive south to Shepherdsville to check out the Jim Beam American Stillhouse . An hour away is the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto. After spending the night in Loretto, take a quick 45-minute drive to the Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville. Then, drive north to Wild Turkey Bourbon in Lawrenceburg and also visit the Woodford Reserve distillery in Versailles. Finish with a final swing to Shelbyville to see the Bulleit Distilling Co.

Where to stay : If you want to stay in full bourbon mode, consider a stay at Bourbon Manor in Bardstown, the first bourbon-themed bed and breakfast in the U.S., featuring a bourbon-themed breakfast and a spa. After visiting Woodford Reserve, book a room at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Lexington W - Versailles . And the Country Inn and Suites by Radisson in Shelbyville is a solid option after your tour of the Bulleit distillery.

What to eat and drink : If I'm going to be sampling adult beverages out on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, I may as well eat at the distilleries. Have lunch at Star Hill Provisions, located at Maker's Mark Distillery, which serves bourbon cocktails and premium, farm-to-table fare without the pretense. The Jim Beam stillhouse is home to Fred's Smokehouse , which features dishes such as Devil's Cut™ pulled pork barbecue sandwiches and chocolate bourbon pie topped with Graeter's Jim Beam Bourbon ice cream. And Woodford Reserve's chef-in-residence served bourbon-flavored food including barrelhead brie, turkey brined in bourbon and Kentucky butter cake.

Related: Are we there yet? 6 ways the classic road trip has changed — and stayed the same

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Distance from Nashville : 3 hours, 15 minutes

The park , nestled between North Carolina and Tennessee, was founded in June 1934. Six years later, it was formally dedicated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Each state transferred deeds for 300,000 acres to the federal government to create the park. Start your trip by going to either the Sugarlands Visitor Center, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, or the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee, North Carolina, to get the latest information on attractions.

What to do : You'll never be bored here, since the park is home to auto tours, walking and cycling trails, camping, fishing, waterfalls, horseback riding, scenic overlooks, Park Service Ranger-led programs and historic areas to explore. A pandemic-friendly activity is to do a car tour of the park's 384 miles of road, including the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail . Take a hike on the Rainbow Falls Trail or go fishing in one of the park's 2,900 miles of streams, including one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern U.S.

Where to stay : The only on-site hotel in the park is the Le Conte Lodge . Located on the crest of Mount Le Conte, it can only be reached by hiking. If you want to stay, advance reservations are required. To reach the backcountry campsites , you'll need to hike several miles. If your heart is set on staying in the park but you're not quite up for a hike, you also have your choice of three other campsites:

• Frontcountry : RV and tent camping in a developed campground that has restrooms.
• Group Campgrounds : Large front-country campsites suitable for groups of eight people or more.
• Horse Camps : Small campgrounds, accessible by vehicle, that offer hitch racks for horses and primitive camping facilities.

If camping or hiking to a hotel isn't your thing, there are plenty of hotels, cabins and bed and breakfasts in the area. Consider the Mountain Laurel Chalet Rental s in Gatlinburg, the Black Fox Lodge Tapestry Collection by Hilton in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee or the Quality Inn and Suites in Robbinsville, North Carolina.

What to eat and drink : There aren't many places to eat inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park . The Cades Cove Campground Store has a snack bar that serves breakfast items, hot and cold sandwiches and wraps, soups and chili, pizza, soft-serve ice cream, fountain drinks and other items. After that, you're relegated to scavenging at vending machines. The Old Mill Restaurant , which serves massive portions of Southern comfort food, is a popular eatery in Pigeon Forge. And Gatlinburg's The Peddler Steakhouse gives you a great steak and a nice view of the Little Pigeon River.

Related: 9 things to know about visiting a national park right now

Asheville, North Carolina

Distance from Nashville : 4 hours and over 30 minutes

With its eclectic mix of lovingly preserved architecture (including Art Deco, Beaux-Arts and Neoclassical), downtown center with locally owned shops and art galleries, a hot restaurant scene and lively entertainment spots, Asheville is a vibrant city nestled unassumingly in the Appalachian Mountains. It boasts more breweries per capita than any other U.S. city, and there's also plenty to do for visitors who love the great outdoors.

What to do : No trip to Asheville would be complete without a visit to the Biltmore Estate , George Vanderbilt's 250-room (35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces) French Renaissance castle. Tap your inner artist and check out Roberto Vengoechea's Visions of Creation Gallery , where you can take a one-day workshop to make your own custom silver ring. Drive along the 469-mile scenic Blue Ridge Parkway , known as "America's favorite drive," and the gateway to outdoor adventure in Asheville, including hiking, biking, birdwatching, fishing and tubing down the French Broad River.

Where to stay : After visiting the Biltmore Estate, why not stay at the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate ? It features hotel rooms and more family-friendly studios and suites with a living room and two bathrooms. If you're more of a downtown person, book a room at the AC Hotel Asheville Downtown , which is within walking distance of all the city's hot spots. Or enjoy the hospitality at the Hill House Bed and Breakfast , which serves guests coffee from Javataza, fresh fruit juices, and eggs, cream, breads and cheeses.

What to eat and drink : For great barbecue washed down with a local brew, you'll want to have a meal at 12 Bones Smokehouse . If you're a fan of farm-to-table fare, The Blackbird's menu features the bounty of local farmers, fresh seafood from the Carolina coast, local microbrews, craft cocktails and American wines. For more upscale dining, enjoy gourmet cuisine — including harissa-spiced rack of lamb, pumpkin spice and rye-crusted salmon and cold water lobster and spaghetti — at t he Biltmore Estate's The Dining Room .

Related: Coronavirus tourism done right: A visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina

Little Rock, Arkansas

Distance from Nashville : Just over 5 hours

This capital city, which is on the banks of the Arkansas River, is in Pulaski County, the largest in the state. In the heart of Little Rock is the popular River Market District , home to the city's best restaurants, shops, bars, nightlife, museums and hotels. Outdoor enthusiasts also have plenty to do, with city parks offering running and walking trails, bike paths, fishing, private and public golf courses, sports facilities and picnic areas.

What to do : You must visit the Clinton Presidential Center and Park , home to the Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum and the Clinton School of Public Service. Want to see some historic sites? Check out the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site , where nine African American students made history in 1957 as they integrated the schools. Take the kids to the Little Rock Zoo to see the animals and experience the restored historic Spillman Engineering Over the Jumps Carousel. For some outdoor time, visit Pinnacle Mountain State Park , west of Little Rock. There are great views of the city, plus you can enjoy nature trails and even take a hike.

Where to stay : Book a room at The Empress of Little Rock , an award-winning bed and breakfast built in 1888. Amenities include a majestic double stairwell, candlelit breakfasts, hydrotherapy massage jet showers and distinctly decorated guest rooms and suites, all with private bathrooms. The Burgundy Hotel, a Tapestry Collection property by Hilton , is Little Rock's first boutique property, offering double and king studio suites, two-room double and king suites, king whirlpool suites and board room suites. For travelers who prefer camping, there's the Maumelle Recreation Area and Campground , about 20 minutes outside Little Rock. The park is on Lake Maumelle and the Arkansas River and has reservable and walk-in campsites with water and electricity, picnic shelters, playgrounds, showers, flush toilets, a dump station and a boat ramp.

What to eat and drink : Locals swear by Big Orange , known for its craft burgers (white truffle and pecorino, anyone?), amazing salads (such as the Border Town Wedge) and whimsical milkshakes (I'll take a dulce de leche, please). If you want to go more upscale, then Cache Restaurant , in the center of downtown Little Rock, is the place. It's known for using locally sourced vegetables and meats to create three- and nine-course meals, along with vegetarian options. Beer lovers will love the city's microbrew scene, including Stone's Throw Brewing , Lost Forty Brewing and Diamond Bear Brewing . All three serve the pub food you'd expect at a brewery.

Related: Going on road trips? Consider using these credit cards

Bottom line

As the pandemic wears on, there's plenty of time to hit the road for a nearcation or schoolcation . These five destinations are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to places to see on your next road trip from Nashville.

Related: Opening America: State-by-state guide to coronavirus reopening

23 Best Road Trips from Nashville

Home of bluegrass, bourbon, and biscuits; Nashville doesn't have to try hard to please. This capital of Tennessee and country music has a deep history and a wonderfully alive contemporary culture. Another great thing about the Music City is that it is also centrally located for some remarkable road trips.

On this list of the 23 best road trips from Nashville, you can discover UNESCO World Heritage Sites, find rejuvenation in the Appalachian Mountains, relax on a white sand beach, and see iconic American cities from the heartland to the coasts.

Don't restrain your thirst for adventure any longer; all of Nashville's charms will be there when you get back. Read on below to find a guide to the road trip you've been daydreaming about.

The map below shows our 23 favorite road trip destinations from Nashville. See each route - and skip to the related section of the article - by clicking the star icon.

Best road trips from Nashville

Day trips from Nashville (under 3 hours each way)

1. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY

1 hour 30 minutes from Nashville (90 miles)

Why you should visit: Get ready to explore an unparalleled natural wonder and still be able to make it back in time for supper.

As the name suggests, the Mammoth Cave system is massive. Consisting of over 400 miles, it is the longest in the world and contains amazing, cathedral-like, limestone formations.

How to get there: Drive north of Nashville along Interstate 65 (I-65), then take Mammoth Cave Entrance Road in Park City to the caves.

Our highlights: Prepare to get down and dirty on one of the many tours available through the caves. The two-mile long historic tour is a favorite and a great way to learn more about the many generations who have been amazed by these caves.

A tight squeeze awaits you at Fat Man's Misery. Despite the name, most people should be able to navigate the narrow crevices of this popular underground trail.

Explore a bit above ground along the gorgeous Cedar Sink Trail, just south of the Green River. This short trail meanders through an emerald forest into a sinkhole surrounded by limestone cliffs where water descends into the caves below.

In case you want to adventure for more than a day, you can camp in Mammoth Cave National Park. Whether you prefer to rough it in a tent, glamp in a cabin, or stay in the Lodge, there are accommodations to suit everyone's preferences.

Bonus: Mammoth Cave is so unique that UNESCO created the Mammoth Cave Biosphere Region and deemed the area a World Heritage site.

Our travel tips: As you can imagine, summer is the most popular season, so any tours or camping sites should be booked before you visit during the warmer months. The National Park Service recommends booking tickets for popular tours weeks in advance.

2. Huntsville, AL

2 hours from Nashville (110 miles)

Why you should visit: This is one of the few places where that stranger whom you meet at a bar who claims to be a rocket scientist might actually be telling the truth. Housing NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the US Space and Rocket Center, it's easy to see why Hunstville is called “Rocket City”.

How to get there: Head south on I-65 until Ardmore, near the Alabama border. From there take Alabama Route 53 further south to Hunstville, AL.

Our highlights: It would be silly to come all the way here and not visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Hunstville's biggest attraction. It has one of the most comprehensive collections of shuttles and rockets in America, spread out over an area so big they even have scooters for people to see all the exhibits without wearing out their legs.

For more earthly delights, head to the nearby Monte Sano State Park. Rolling hills carpeted with verdant forests interspersed with waterfalls and narrow canyons await your explorations. You can also find a carefully cultivated Japanese Garden here.

For stunning sunsets and a taste of local history, saunter up to Burritt on the Mountain. Situated on 167 acres, this 19th-century mansion built by an eccentric homeopathic doctor is both an educational park as well an event space.

Check their calendar before your visit and try to catch one of their cocktail hours or musical evenings.

Another outdoor gem is the Hunstville Botanical Garden. Spread out over several ecosystems, from forests to wetlands, it is open year-round. During a spring or summer visit you will be greeted by endless blossoms in a picturesque landscape.

Bonus: Despite the futuristic rocket theme that dominates modern Huntsville it is actually Alabama's first Anglophone town which was incorporated in 1811. At places like the beautiful Maple Hill Cemetery and Twickenham Historic District you can get a better sense of the town's deep roots.

3. Jackson, TN

2 hours 10 minutes from Nashville (120 miles)

Why you should visit: Rustic Jackson, TN has a long history as a center of railroad development and is the birthplace of Rockabilly music.

Less well-known than Memphis and Nashville, Jackson can still hold its own when it comes to music and whiskey. There's plenty to fall in love with in this country town.

How to get there: I-40 directly connects Nashville and Jackson. Just head southwest from Nashville, then take US-70 for the last little stretch into Jackson.

Our highlights: At Rusty's TV and Movie Car Museum you'll get your daily dose of childhood nostalgia. Walking through their two warehouses full of over 50 cars and other props actually used in filming classics such as “Ghostbusters”, you'll relive the magic that these movies inspire all over again.

Learn more about Jackson's role in the formation of Rockabilly, where country and rock n' roll mingle, at the Carnegie Legends Museum. This museum has memorabilia from individual musicians as well as telling the story of how the Hard Rock Café was born in Jackson.

Travel back to the romantic era of steam engines and railroad heroes at the Casey Jones Village and Railroad Museum. This historical site tells the tale of a supremely talented and ill-fated 19th-century locomotive engineer, Casey Jones, who was famed in life for his uncanny skills and immortalized after his death at 37 in “The Ballad of Casey Jones.”

Spend a leisurely afternoon at the rustic Century Farm Winery, on the outskirts of Jackson. This friendly and unpretentious winery has a knowledgeable staff and a wide selection. Be sure to try the Blackberry wine, it's one of the best!

If you want to try something really embraces the country lifestyle, head out to the Samuel T Bryant Distillery just off Exit 74 on I-40. From fruit-infused moonshine to expertly distilled whiskey, there's a wide range of spirits to taste and learn about in their spacious, barn-like tasting room. Tours of the distillery are also available.

Just south of Jackson, you'll find Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park. Here 15 Native American burial and ceremonial mounds are preserved, some dating back to 400 A.D. The museum on site is designed to model a mound that you can explore, along with many artefacts found throughout Western Tennessee.

4. Muscle Shoals, AL

2 hours 20 minutes from Nashville (120 miles)

Why you should visit: Surrounded by cotton fields and the heavy heat of the Deep South, this small town has been the creative incubator of some incredible music.

In addition to two iconic studios, FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound, where the likes of Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan recorded some of their hits, this town has some more understated yet thoroughly enjoyable attractions.

How to get there: From Nashville, drive south on I-65 to US Highway 31 in Spring Hill, which connects to US Highway 43. Take that all the way to Killen, then hop on US-72 across the river to Muscle Shoals.

Our highlights: FAME Recording Studio was opened in the early 1960s by producer Rick Hall. You can still visit the small wood-paneled studio and admire the many original photos and recordings of the dozens of soul and R&B hits that were recorded in this magical space.

In the neighboring town of Sheffield, you can continue your musical time traveling at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, which was founded later in the 60s by several studio musicians who broke away from FAME Studio. Here the Rolling Stones recorded ‘Brown Sugar” in 1969.

Move from a world of sound to the silent world of a familiar face. In Muscle Shoals, you can tour the birthplace and childhood home of Helen Keller, who broke innumerable boundaries to show a world that doubted her what she really was beyond her perceived disability.

What's a trip down South without some soul food? Try and record your own “Hot Ones” style interview at the Rattlesnake Saloon as you munch on some incredibly spicy wings.

Fans of the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright will be excited to know that across the river in Florence, the Rosenbaum House is open for visitors. The only house Wright ever built in Alabama, this striking Usonian home was constructed in 1939 and contains many of the features that make his houses instantly recognizable.

Bonus: You can prepare for your trip by watching the 2013 documentary “Muscle Shoals” about the town's two genre-defining recording studios.

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Weekend trips from Nashville (3-5 hours each way)

5. Chattanooga, TN

Via McMinnville and Jasper, TN

3 hours 10 minutes from Nashville (160 miles)

Why you should visit: Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Chattanooga is a premier adventure destination in southeastern Tennessee. Beyond breathtaking views and forest trails, Chattanooga has great food and shopping in the rustic riverside downtown area.

How to get there: Take I-24 east towards Murfreesboro, then hop on US-70 south towards McMinnville. After smelling the roses there, take Tennessee Highways 8 and 28 to Jasper and finally cross the Tennessee River to arrive in Chattanooga.

Our highlights: Two wonderful places to explore on the way are McMinnville, the “Nursery Capital of the World” and perfect for gardening enthusiasts, and Jasper, which has a cute downtown area and is surrounded by climbing spots.

In Chattanooga, start your sightseeing by taking the Incline Railway up to Lookout Mountain. Operating since 1895 and retrofitted with a see-through ceiling, you can enjoy spectacular views all the way up to the top.

Once you get there, be sure to check out the Civil War battle sites which marked a great turning point in the course of the war.

In the land of bourbon, it is quite an accomplishment to be a thriving distillery for over 100 years. The Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery is one of the area's top attractions and is deserving of its stellar reputation. Try a flight and discover your next go-to nightcap.

Raccoon Mountain Caverns is a must-see for adventure seekers who aren't afraid of the dark. These intricate limestone caves were formed over millions of years and boast a cavern so impressive it was deemed the Crystal Palace Room.

If you want to get some thrills above ground, Chattanooga is a mountain biker's paradise. Raccoon Mountain is a popular spot with an extensive trail system, as is Enterprise South Nature Park on the other side of town.

After a day of adventure, wind down with a sunset stroll over the wrought-iron Walnut Street Bridge. It is a pedestrian-only bridge that connects the two sides of Chattanooga. There are plenty of dining options, shops, and viewpoints on either side and along the way.

Bonus: Ruby Falls is the largest underground waterfall in the US. Take a guided tour and learn about its unlikely discovery and all the work that went into making it an accessible and unmissable Chattanooga sight.

Our travel tips: Chattanooga is increasingly known as a fine dining destination, so plan on eating out often to try as many of the great flavors of this scenic town as you can.

There are mountain bike and e-bike rental places around the town, in case you don't feel like hauling around your own cycle.

6. Memphis, TN

Via Jackson, TN and Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge

3 hours 30 minutes from Nashville (220 miles)

Why you should visit: Memphis is a city of soul; from food to music this is a city that knows how to get to the heart of goodness. Famous for influential recording studios and key moments in the Civil Rights Movement, this city has a great balance of fun and historically significant sites to visit.

How to get there: I-40 stretches all the way between Nashville and Memphis on this road trip , down in the southeast corner of Tennessee. Along the way, we suggest stopping in quaint Jackson, TN and Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge if you'd like to make this a multi-city trip.

Our highlights: The Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge is a unique floodplain environment that is great for birdwatching. You can explore the area via the extensive trails or on a kayak as you take a break from the road.

Just outside of Memphis, pay homage to the King at Graceland, a 13-acre complex Elvis Presley purchased to be in a place he loved. You can tour the mansion and learn more about the legend at the Elvis Presley Museum.

When Elvis was just 19, he recorded at Sun Studio in downtown Memphis and the rest is history. You can still tour this small studio where B.B. King and Johnny Cash also recorded.

Follow it by visiting the highly interactive and groovy Stax Museum of American Soul Music where they tell the complete story of how soul music came to be.

Memphis is also home to the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. It has since been transformed into the National Civil Rights Museum and is a must see for those who want to learn more about the long struggle to realize the American Dream for everybody.

To go deeper into the cultural and economic roots of the area, stop by the Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange. This small museum in the renovated Exchange building won't take more than an hour to explore, but it will be worthwhile for anyone interested in this plant that shaped the American economy for centuries.

Bonus: Memphis was named for the ancient Egyptian city and around this American counterpart you can still catch a few nods to their ancient namesake.

There's a free museum of Egyptian artefacts at the University of Memphis and even a 60% scale version of the Pyramid of Giza that was turned into a Bass Pro shop. Here you can still ride a 28-story elevator to the top for incredible views of this river city.

Our travel tips: Get around downtown Memphis via the affordable and adorable vintage trollies.

Be sure to buy tickets for Graceland ahead of time online as it is one of Memphis' most popular attractions.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Nashville to Memphis

7. Tupelo, MS

3 hours 50 minutes from Nashville (220 miles)

Why you should visit: Tupelo is best known as the place where Elvis Presley was born, but it is also the headquarters of the Natchez Trace Parkway. You can find our ultimate guide to Natchez Trace parkway here .

Especially if you've already visited Memphis, where Elvis first made it big, a trip to Tupelo will really complement many of the sights and tidbits about the King's life you picked up there.

How to get there: Take I-65 south until you get to the Highway 64 bypass in Frankewing. Use that to get to Tennessee Route 11, which connects to Alabama Route 64 and leads towards Tuscumbia, AL.

After visiting this charming town, head towards Red Bay on the border with Mississippi and navigate towards Interstate 22 which will take you towards Tupelo.

Our highlights: T he main attraction here is the memorialized birthplace of Elvis, which consists of the small wooden house where he was born and his small childhood church. They've even preserved his outhouse!

Many people feel like they finally get the complete picture of who Elvis was as a whole human being after visiting this site of his humble origins.

You could easily turn a trip to Tupelo into a soul food tasting tour. In the downtown stretch, you'll find several great places where you can sample the delicious cuisine of the area. They all have delicious fare and plenty of flair to make for some memorable meals.

Just to the west of the city, you'll run into part of the 444-mile-long Natchez Trace Parkway , a scenic byway and a popular biking route. In case you're an avid cyclist, this would be a great place for a long, scenic ride as part of a weekend getaway.

Learn more about one of the Native tribes which lived along the historic Natchez Trail at the Chickasaw Village Site towards the northwest part of town. This village consisted of several roundhouses and had been inhabited by the Chickasaw people since the 1500s.

Bonus: In addition to Elvis, Tupelo is also the birthplace of modern electronic musician Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known as Diplo. To catch some of the live music atmosphere in Tupelo, spend an evening at the Nautical Whimsey for one of the acoustic sets after dinner.

8. Gatlinburg, TN

Why you should visit: Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, being situated just outside the national park. As you can imagine, there are ample opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, and every sort of adventure. The town itself is incredibly charming and welcoming.

How to get there: Head out on I-40 east for the bulk of the journey until you reach Kodak. From there, start driving south on Tennessee Route 66 to get to Dollywood. Gatlinburg is only 10 miles south of there, along US Highway 321.

Our highlights: Be sure to have a peek at Dollywood, the Southern-themed park jointly operated by the one and only Dolly Parton. It's only a few miles away from Gatlinburg, so you can see it on your way or make a day trip. There's a tram that goes into the park from Pigeon Forge so you can avoid the high parking costs.

Once you arrive in Gatlinburg, you can't help but notice the hazy and picturesque backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While this park is a joy to explore in every season, there's just something about the fall that's filled with magic as the park's many trails and waterfalls are enwreathed by gilded leaves.

If you want to take in the mountain views without leaving town, visit the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. Not only can you enjoy the unobstructed eastern Tennessee scenery on your way up in the open ski lift, but once you get there, you can test your vertigo while walking across the longest pedestrian bridge in the US.

Proud of its country roots, Gatlinburg is a great place to acquaint yourself with some moonshine. There are a few distilleries in town, the two most prominent being Ole Smoky and Sugarlands Distilling Company. So, try a flight and plan on taking a taxi back to the hotel.

Another reason to visit Gatlinburg from Nashville in the fall is the opportunity to do your Christmas shopping at the delightful Village Shops. This shopping center is full of boutique stores featuring local artists and plenty of a particular local delicacy: pancakes!

Bonus: Black bears are a symbol of the Smoky Mountains and the mascot of Gatlinburg. There are an estimated 1,500 bears in the park.

Our travel tips: Regarding those darling bears, be careful when hiking in the spring as mothers emerge from their winter hibernation with new cubs in tow.

In case you make the trip in the winter, there are plenty of places to go sledding, tubing, and even skiing- Gatlinburg has the only ski resort in Tennessee.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Nashville to Gatlinburg

9. Cumberland Gap National Historic Park

4 hours 40 minutes from Nashville (240 miles)

Why you should visit: From breathtaking mountain vistas to the mesmerizing Gap Cave, and the original trail tread by Daniel Boone, there is a great breadth of attractions at this Historic Park.

This massive park spread over 14,000 acres and three states (Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee) has 85 miles of trails in addition to places central to pioneering American history.

How to get there: Start driving east on I-40 from Nashville until you reach Monterey. From there, follow signs to Jamestown via US-127. Spend some time in this quaint town or continue on to Pickett State Park.

After exploring the park, take the winding Tennessee Route 297 to Oneida then take several routes to Caryville where you'll link up with Tennessee Route 63 which will take you towards Cumberland Gap and the Historic Park.

Our highlights: On your way to Cumberland Gap, spend an evening in one of the adorable wooden cabins at Pickett State Park in northern Tennessee.

It is thought that even before Native Americans forged the gap trail through the wilderness to reach hunting grounds, the route was worn by herds of buffalo seeking natural salt deposits.

Embark on a tour of Hensley Settlement and discover what life was like for the early pioneers in this living history museum on the Kentucky side of the park. There are 45 restored structures and tours are led from May through October by knowledgeable park rangers.

Stand at the tristate point within the park where Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee meet. This is surely much closer to Nashville than the Four Corners.

The Daniel Boone Visitor Center is located in the Virginia section of the park and is surrounded by interpretive signs and metal sculptures. Inside, you can learn about how the American explorer Daniel Boone was hired to widen the existing trail in 1775 to allow for more hopeful settlers to try their luck out west.

Hike through the dense forest to the gap itself, where thousands of pioneers and innumerable Native American hunters and traders before them, made use of this low point along the Cumberland Range of the Appalachian Mountains.

In case you'd like to take in the views, but have mobility restrictions, you can drive up to Pinnacle Overlook from where you can survey all three states. There are also trails if you're up for a steep hike.

10. Covington, GA

4 hours 30 minutes from Nashville (280 miles)

Why you should visit: If you've ever seen a movie that featured a sprawling Southern plantation, it was very likely shot in Covington, which earned it the name of “Film Town”.

Fans of “The Vampire Diaries” will instantly recognize Covington as the real-life Mystic Falls. Even if you've never binged the show, Covington is an idyllic town and a great place to unwind over a weekend.

How to get there: Take I-24 to Chattanooga, then hop onto I-75 south towards Atlanta for the bulk of the drive. From Atlanta, take I-20 to Covington.

Our highlights: Meander through the impressive Covington Historic District along Floyd Street which passes by the charming town square and stately 19th-century courthouse. It is particularly festive around the holidays.

Fans of the resurgent romantic vampire genre will find plenty of places to swoon on one of the several “Vampire Diaries” themed tours around town. Vampire Stalkers is a popular one that is also a great way to see some of the area's notable mansions.

If you'd like a general orientation to Covington and to pick up some tips on top sights in the area, stop by the Covington Visitor's Center which also houses a small museum with some filming memorabilia.

Just north of Covington there's a small town called Oxford. Much like its British namesake, it is home to a university and the Oxford Historic district has many examples of Greek Revival and Gothic Architecture which are included on the U.S. Register of Historic places.

Bonus: Of the 140 movies and television series that have been filmed in Covington, some of the best-known are ‘The Dukes of Hazzard”, “My Cousin Vinny”, and “Selma.”

11. Indianapolis, IN

4 hours 20 minutes from Nashville (290 miles)

Why you should visit: If you've got a need for speed then a trip to Indianapolis, home of the Indy 500, will certainly scratch that itch. Beyond the raceway, Indianapolis, also known as “Indy” is the capital of Indiana with more than a few treats in store for the curious visitor.

How to get there: From Nashville, simply start driving north on I-65 for the whole journey to Indianapolis.

Our highlights: A stop by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is definitely in order. Regardless of whether you're a fan of racing, the extensive collection of custom cars and the tour of the home of the Indy 500 will be a highlight of this trip.

Monument Circle forms the core of the impressive urban center of Indianapolis. The area is full of shops and restaurants and in the middle, you'll find a towering 284-foot limestone monument to “Hoosiers” that fought in various wars.

Another main feature of Indianapolis' cityscape is the White River State Park, the only urban state park in America. This hybrid park along the main waterway contains green spaces, museums, theaters, bike rentals, and even an outdoor concert venue.

Especially if you visit in the warmer months, you'll find yourself spending some thoroughly enjoyable hours here.

One of White River Park's attractions is the Eiteljorg Museum. With an extensive collection of Western Art and Native American artifacts, this well-curated museum has expanded since opening in 1989 to include more genres and is one of the most popular museums in the city.

Another museum to check out is the Indianapolis Museum of Art. It is housed in a beautiful, sprawling estate with manicured gardens; a visit here envelopes you in tranquility and refinement.

Bonus: If you need to wet your whistle, head to the historic bar at the Slippery Noodle Inn, one of the oldest in the state. It might be haunted, so keep an eye out for any ghosts.

12. Parke County, IN

5 hours from Nashville (290 miles)

Why you should visit: On this laid-back trip to the Covered Bridge Capital of the World you'll get your fill of provincial scenery and a fair share of covered bridges.

Road trips are all about a slower pace and discovering places you never knew were out there. A trip to Rockville and Parke County is full of pleasant surprised and will leave you feeling refreshed.

How to get there: Start out driving west on I-24, then hop on to I-169 north near Hopkinsville. Continue on until you reach Evansville, where you will switch to US-41, which will take you the rest of the way to Rockville, IN, the seat of Parke County.

Our highlights: Every October, Parke County celebrates the splendor of fall and its fabulous bridges during the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival. Sometimes as many as two million tourists come to this small county to enjoy the festivities and learn more about the county's 31 covered bridges.

In case you can't come during October, all 31 bridges are still waiting to be explored the rest of the year. Some of the most impressive include the Bridgeton, Neet, Narrows, and McAllister Covered Bridges.

If you just can't resist anything old, ornate, and preferably with a patina, then the many antique shops in Rockville and the surrounding area are calling your name. Nothing's better than finding the perfect piece for your living room mantel while on an unforgettable road trip.

To get some R&R in the great outdoors while on your trip, look no further than Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area. Here you can hike, bike, fish, boat, or just come to hang out with some locals having a barbeque.

Bonus: Legend has it that Rockville was named and chosen as the county seat after some drunk commissioners smashed a whiskey bottle on a rock in 1824. The gorgeous Parke County courthouse in Downtown Rockville is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was built between 1879-82.

Our travel tips: The two weeks during October when the Covered Bridge Festival is on is understandably the busiest time of the year, so if you really want to visit during this time, make your bookings very, very early.

13. Atlanta, GA and Lake Lanier, GA

4 hours 40 minutes from Nashville (300 miles)

Why you should visit: A city that is both undeniably hip and green, Atlanta, or “The Big Peach” will captivate anyone who comes within its borders.

It is also known as the “New York of the South” due to its vibrant nightlife and many artistic and economic contributions that have impacted the whole country.

How to get there: From Nashville, drive southeast on I-24 to Chattanooga, just past there, change onto I-75 south to Atlanta. Lake Lanier is located to the north of Atlanta, and you can get there via I-85 and I-985 North towards Buford, GA.

Our highlights: Pick a park, any park. Atlanta is famous for its gorgeous green spaces that are just begging you to spend a leisurely afternoon with a sweet tea. Piedmont Park is the largest and at the center you'll also be able to visit the stunning Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Atlanta was also the place where Martin Luther King Jr. was born and grew up. You can visit his childhood neighborhood at the MLK Jr. National Historic Park, which stretches over two blocks.

Make sure to also visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights downtown to explore the complex journey to secure full rights for African Americans and the connection to the current movement for Global Human Rights.

Admire the striking architecture in the Fox Theatre Historic District, then catch an evening performance at the theater which was originally constructed by a masonic order in 1929 to resemble a mosque. It's also home to the second-largest theater organ in the country, the Mighty Mo.

The High Museum of Art is a work of art in itself and has been featured in several movies like “Black Panther” and “The Watch”. On the inside, you'll find a stunning and extensive collection with top-notch special exhibits, making this the premier art museum in the South.

See the Atlanta of yesteryear at the Atlanta History Center, which also features the historic Swan House. The Cyclorama is bound to amaze and many people walk away with a new appreciation of the country's early struggles after seeing the Civil War exhibit.

If you proudly identify as a freak or just can't resist some vintage thrifting, the Little Five Points neighborhood is a must-see on your Atlanta trip. Anchored around the Junkman's Daughter emporium, this off-beat enclave is the epicenter of Atlanta's alternative culture.

Bonus: In 1886 in Atlanta, back before cocaine was a controlled drug, Dr John Pemberton, a chemist, used coca leaves and kola nuts in a “temperance drink” to remove headaches and pep people up. Boy did it work! At the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta you can learn more about the humble roots of this global beverage behemoth.

Our travel tips: Prepare to sweat on a summer visit, but don't let that deter you! There are a lot of bodies of waters nearby to have a carefree day splashing about like a local. To the north is Lake Lanier and to the west is the Chattahoochee River.

14. St Louis, MO

4 hours 40 minutes from Nashville (310 miles)

Why you should visit: St Louis, or the STL as locals know it, is a fun-filled Southern town that offers great food, sights, and music in abundance.

This riverside city is the “Gateway to the West,” where adventurers such as Lewis and Clarke prepared for their journey that would redefine American boundaries and the birthplace of musicians like Miles Davis who redefined American music.

How to get there: From Nashville, hop on I-24 westbound, then take I-57 north towards Mt. Vernon. There, you'll change onto I-64 which will take you into St Louis.

Our highlights: The icon not only of St Louis but of a westward expansion that has been put into more sober perspective recently, the Gateway Arch is still a modern marvel worth seeing.

Located at the site of the founding of St Louis, it is both a National Park as well as a National Historic Landmark. There are trams to an observation deck near the top of the arch with spectacular views.

St Louis loves baseball and nowhere is this more apparent than at Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. This stadium is uniquely open and unfolds into a plaza with bars, and restaurants, all enveloped in that unmissable crimson.

For an exquisite example of urban green space, head to St Louis' Forest Park, popular with locals and tourists alike. Originally developed for the 1904 World's Fair and Olympics, the park has many architectural treats in addition to a free zoo and art museum.

For a truly whimsical and historical experience in St Louis, spend an afternoon at the Missouri Botanical Garden. In addition to its well-known dome, there is also an immaculately kept hedge maze and sites of historical significance in connection with its 1859 founding by Henry Shaw.

If you're young at heart and have a soft spot for the zany, be sure to squeeze in a visit to the City Museum. Spread overall several stories in a downtown building, there are winding staircases and slides between the museum's eclectic exhibits.

Bonus: It is rumored that people in St Louis consume more BBQ sauce per capita than anywhere else in America. This should be a hint to try as many barbeque joints as you can while you're here.

Our travel tips: Given the Cardinals' regional popularity, hotel rates downtown tend to spike whenever they have a home game. So, whether you're planning to see them or not, check their schedule online while planning your trip.

Long weekend trips from Nashville (5-8 hours each way)

15. Columbus, OH

5 hours 50 minutes from Nashville (380 miles)

Why you should visit: While some Midwestern cities are struggling to hide their rust, Columbus is thoroughly fresh, hip, and ever-ready to innovate. This is a place that has tons of sightseeing to do during the day and opportunities to live it up with the locals at night.

With a world-class science center, vibrant arts scene, beautiful Capitol building, and historic neighborhoods built by early waves of German immigrants, you're sure to enjoy your time in Columbus no matter what floats your boat.

How to get there: Make your way north on Interstate 65, which runs through Elizabethtown, KY and on to Louisville, where you'll switch to Interstate 71 North. This will take you the rest of the way to Columbus.

Our highlights: On your way, spend an hour or so visiting Elizabethtown, KY. This is the place where Lincoln was born and where Fort Knox and several other places of importance to the Civil War are located.

Whether you're visiting Columbus on a fresh spring morning, sultry summer afternoon, or crisp fall day, the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will provide respite from a bustling world. Well-maintained and informative, the gardens also feature a wonderful array of Chihuly glass sculptures.

Home to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and regularly featuring Broadway plays, the historic 1928 Ohio Theater is worth a visit even if you don't catch a performance. Its ornate interior was fully restored in the 70s after passionate residents saved it from demolition in 1969.

Developed in the mid-18th century, the German Village located just next to downtown Columbus feels a world away. It has been scrupulously maintained as a distinct and wonderfully walkable neighborhood with too many places to stop and enjoy pastries, sausages, and of course expertly crafted beer.

The Short North district, nestled between downtown and the university, is at the very heart of Columbus' revitalization. Come here to feel the buzz, see some stimulating art, and shop for unique gifts while supporting local artisans. There are also great restaurants and venues perfect for a date night in the middle of your trip.

Bonus: At the Ohio Historical Center you can see a preserved two-headed calf that was born in the area in 1941.

Our travel tips: Another great attraction in Columbus is the Art Museum, which is free on Sundays.

Columbus is a multicultural city and there are several great festivals throughout the year, like the Ohio Black Expo, Dublin Irish Festival, and Columbus Asian Festival. If you'd like to participate in some counterculture, come to the Doo Dah Parade, held on the 4th of July.

16. Blowing Rock, NC and Blue Ridge Parkway

6 hours 50 minutes from Nashville (390 miles)

Why you should visit: Blowing Rock is enveloped in fresh alpine air and that small-town hospitality, making it a fantastic destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This trip also takes you along the breathtaking Blue Ridge Parkway for the last stretch of the journey.

Named for a rocky outcrop 4,000 feet above sea level, you can expect an abundance of sweeping vistas on this trip.

How to get there: From Nashville, head east towards Knoxville on I-40 and continue on to Asheville, NC. Once you get to Old Fort, NC, hop on US-70, which will take you to Lake Tahoma Rd/NC Highway 80, which connects to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow "America's favorite drive" to reach Blowing Rock.

Our highlights: Well, you can't visit Blowing Rock without visiting the eponymous rock itself. Though once you arrive after an easy hike, you'll realize that the views over rolling hills carpeted in forest all the way to Grandfather Mountain steal the show.

A truly multifaceted treat in the area is the Moses Cone Memorial Park, formed out of the estate of a turn-of-the-century textile baron. There's a massive Colonial Revival mansion, 25 miles of carriage trails that you can explore by foot or in a horse-drawn carriage, several man-made lakes, and it houses the Southern Highland Craft Guild who give frequent demonstrations on the porch.

Enjoy a cold brew, hearty fare, and excellent company at the Blowing Rock Brewery. Occasionally you can catch a live gig on the patio and their pretzels are always to die for.

There are literal treasures in the Blue Rock Mountains and gem mining in the area goes back hundreds of years. A great place to see some sparkling stones and learn about the historical geography of the area is Doc's Rocks Gem Mine. Be sure to check out their impressive fossil museum.

Take a day to simply take it all in. Blowing Rock is surrounded by forests and trails that you can wander. Why not find a perfect picnic spot in the woods to take in all the natural beauty?

Bonus: Blowing Rock is one of the oldest tourist towns in North Carolina. Most of the development, such as paved roads, all came about in the late 19th century due to the influx of tourists. Luckily it hasn't been overbuilt in all that time and it still has its country charm!

Our travel tips: This route takes you through Knoxville, TN and a wonderful NC town called Little Switzerland. If you'd like to break the trip up, these are two great places to spend a night.

Blowing Rock is surrounded by white rhododendrons, also known as a Rosebay. To catch the peak of the blooming season, visit in late June or early July.

17. Hot Springs, AR

6 hours 40 minutes from Nashville (420 miles)

Why you should visit: As you might have guessed, the main draw of this town is its abundance of hot springs. They have been bringing people to this otherwise remote part of Arkansas since the early 1800s.

In our humble opinion, this is one of the coolest places in Arkansas. Not only can you enjoy these rejuvenating waters, but there's tons of natural beauty around and a whole street of perfectly preserved antique bath houses.

How to get there: Start heading west on Interstate 40 from Nashville until you get to Little Rock. From there head towards Benton, AK on Interstate 30 west which will connect to US Route 70, which will take you into Hot Springs. To get to Lake Ouachita, take Arkansas Route 227 which heads northwest out of town, for 15 miles.

Our highlights: Spend a day exploring the many trails and natural springs of Hot Springs National Park. Originally established as a Federal Preserve in 1832, the springs and the surrounding area have been kept in their pristine conditions.

While there's nowhere to soak in the 147 degrees Fahrenheit water outdoors, you can still experience the springs in their natural glory; watch the springs emerging from the hillside at the Display Spring and Hot Water Cascade.

Prepare to go back in time as you walk along Bathhouse Row downtown, which is also a national park. These exquisite buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are unique architectural monuments. Two of them, Buckstaff Bathhouse and Quapaw Bathhouse, are still open so you experience a luxurious spa day on your trip.

Along the row, be sure to step into Fordyce Bathhouse, which now operates as a visitor center where you can get a better understanding of how such remote hot springs were carefully developed into a gorgeous spa town.

The Garvan Woodland Gardens is not only a beautiful labor of love but a hopeful testament to woodland regeneration following clear-cutting.

Consisting of 210 acres planted over 40 years by Verna Cook Garvan, this path-filled woodland and botanical garden is currently looked after by the University of Arkansas and open to visitors between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Before you head back home, make the short drive out to Lake Ouachita, the largest lake in Arkansas. There are easy to moderate trails all around the lake and you can even take a boat tour to appreciate it from a different perspective.

Bonus: There are 47 thermal springs in the greater Hot Springs area, and it is the only park in the entire National Park System which is required to let the public partake of its unaltered natural resource.

There are plenty of spouts and fountains around town, so be sure to bring a few jugs along to fill and take home.

Our travel tips: There are a few prominent art and music festivals throughout the year here, like the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival and the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, in case you'd like to visit when the small town is filled with excitement.

The nicest times to visit are in the spring and fall, to avoid the sweltering temperatures and tourist rush during the summer.

Longer trips from Nashville (Over 8 hours each way)

18. Natchez, MS

9 hours 20 minutes from Nashville (460 miles)

Why you should visit: Well known for the abundance of antebellum mansions and historical charm, Natchez is the oldest town on the Mississippi River.

Of course, this is a great trip for history lovers, but the way to Natchez is strikingly beautiful and the outdoorsy types can enjoy numerous state parks and trails on the way. Even high rollers can have their fun on the Lady Luck riverboat casino docked in Natchez.

How to get there: Take Tennessee Highway 100 south of Nashville to find the terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway, marked by milepost 444, and from here you can begin your journey through ample green spaces and roadside attractions the 444 remaining miles to Natchez.

Our highlights: On your way into Natchez, you can see one of the oldest structures in Mississippi, Mount Locus. Built in 1780, this site was at one point an inn, then a plantation. The building is open to visitors from Thursday through Sunday and has a regular schedule of interpretive tours.

One of the most impressive offerings in Natchez is Stanton Hall, a painstakingly maintained, 14,000-square-foot Antebellum Classical Revival mansion.

Surrounded by fuchsia rhododendrons and filled with antiques that were as rare in their own time as they are today, a guided tour can give you deeper insights into the historical background and unique features of this impressive estate.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live inside an octagon? Even if you haven't, Longwood, the unfinished 1860 mansion of a plantation owner, is an interesting example of this ambitious architectural style.

In addition to the aesthetic features, which also led to it being chosen as a filming location for “True Blood”, this house is also a piece of tangible history which was left unfinished due to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Time seems to move just a bit slower down south. Ease into the relaxed pace here and stroll along the well-maintained paths of Bluff Park where you can take in the sweeping views of the Mississippi River. There are also interpretive plaques along the way which tell more about this historic port town.

Learn more about the people who built the eye-catching mansions in Natchez and formed the backbone of the local economy dating back to when the area was under French control at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture.

Bonus: The modern Natchez Trace Parkway follows a route through the wilderness that had been used by Native Americans for over 10,000 years before being developed into a road after President Jefferson's authorization.

There are six ancient mounds along the route, including two neat Natchez, as well as a small wooden inn where the explorer Meriwether Lewis likely took his own life.

Our travel tips: The route we've laid out follows the Natchez Trace Parkway between Nashville and Natchez. If you'd like to shorten the driving time, stick to the Interstates between Nashville, Memphis, and Jackson.

Because this is a scenic parkway, you won't readily see gas stations or towns from the road itself, but behind the greenery, there are tons of cute towns to explore and refuel at.

19. Destin, FL and Gulf Shores, AL

9 hours from Nashville (530 miles)

Why you should visit: Sparkling white sand as far as the eye can see will meet you at both these fun-in-the-sun destinations. Grab your shades and get ready to embrace the summer!

In addition to pristine beaches and the warm, azure waters of the Emerald Coast, you can cycle, kick it in a cabana, and try to spot some wildlife on this trip.

How to get there: Drive south on I-65 past Birmingham, AL all the way to Georgiana, AL. Here you'll take a series of smaller highways towards Florala near the Florida border, then take Florida Highways 2, 285, and 293 all the way south to Destin.

Gulf Shores is 80 miles west of Destin; start out on US Route 98 west, head across the Pensacola bridge and keep along the coastal roads until you reach Gulf Shores.

Our highlights: After all that driving, you'd better get straight to a seaside happy hour. Head no further than Destin Harbor, which contains a long stretch of bars, restaurants, and entertaining attractions.

Once you're rested and ready for full beach mode, Henderson Beach State Park in Destin will be calling your name. There's also plenty of space to spread out your beach towel or even make an epic piece of seashell art in the sand. Snorkeling is another popular activity in these crystal-clear waters.

No matter how you like to enjoy the beach-splashing in the waves, reading a novel with the sand between your toes, or by enjoying a sunset walk that never seems to end, Gulf State Park, Alabama welcomes all kinds of beachgoers with sugar-like sand and the crashing waves.

There are also 28 miles of paved trails in case you're up for a shoreline hike or cycle.

When you're out fishing, you never know what you're going to catch, and when you fish on a pier, you never know what kind of colorful characters you could meet. Whether you're out to catch dinner or just get those steps in with an ocean view, you'll have a wonderful time at the Gulf State Park Pier.

Bonus: Destin is a great place to spot some Dolphins. There are at least two species you can see, the Atlantic spotted dolphin and the more common bottlenose dolphin.

From the land, a great place to try and spot these aquatic cuties is the Okaloosa Island Pier. Alternatively, you can climb aboard a pontoon boat for a morning of marine life watching.

Our travel tips: You can also see dolphins frolicking across the horizon from the upper floors of the high-rise hotels along the Destin shores.

There are six different species of jellyfish that live in the waters near Destin and Gulf Shore, including ones that can pack a powerful sting like the Man of War. There seem to be higher numbers of jellyfish from mid-July to when the weather cools off in the fall

20. New Orleans, LA

8 hours 10 minutes from Nashville (550 miles)

Why you should visit: Beyond the revelry of Mardi Gras, New Orleans is a simmering cultural hotspot where Cajun and Creole combine to make one of the most enjoyable and vibrant cities in America.

Whether you'd like to wander the French Quarter, catch an exhilarating jazz performance, try to spot a ghost, or simply eat your way through the city, there are oh too many ways to enjoy your time here and on a road trip from Nashville to New Orleans .

How to get there: From Nashville, start going south on I-65 to Birmingham, AL. From there take I-20 to Meridian, then I-59 to Slidell, where you'll hop on Interstate 10 for the last few miles into New Orleans.

Our highlights: If you've come to NOLA for the music, you won't want to miss an evening on trendy Frenchmen Street. There are dozens of bars and venues along this two-block stretch that is more toned down than Bourbon Street, but by not much. For starters, check out The Maison and Three Muses.

To see the intersection of music and history in New Orleans, head to Preservation Hall at the outskirts of the French Quarter. Being the oldest jazz venue in NOLA with live music 350 nights a year, this rustic venue is for the diehard fans of jazz.

What is it about wrought iron that just screams whimsy? There are literally tons of this ornate metalwork around the quiet Garden District, which was primarily developed between the mid-19th century and WWI.

This neighborhood is also home to St Louis Cemetery No. 1, the oldest in New Orleans, which features many elaborate, above-ground tombs and the occasional haunting.

It would be a shame to come to New Orleans without spending at least a little time in the French Quarter, even if crowds aren't your thing. This vibrant district dates back to the early 18th century.

This beating heart of the city is centered around the iconic Jackson Square and St Louis Cathedral. Here you can watch local performers and knock back a few beignets.

Many casual visitors to New Orleans might not know that it is also home to America's official World War II Museum. This extensive museum is expertly curated and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian.

Bonus: Gumbo is a southern Louisiana delicacy with West African roots, getting its name from “ki ngombo”. For a fancier take on the dish head to one of the famous restaurants in the city.

Our travel tips: Of course, this city is completely transformed around Mardi Gras in the early spring, so if you are weary of high prices, crowds, and beads, plan your trip any other time.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Nashville to New Orleans

21. Savannah, GA

10 hours 30 minutes from Nashville (620 miles)

Why you should visit: Come wander tree-lined streets, where Spanish moss hangs as if frozen in time in Georgia's oldest city. With oodles of colonial architecture, southern comfort food, and welcoming locals, walking around this riverside city is an absolute delight.

How to get there: From Nashville, take I-40 to Knoxville. From there, head towards Gatlinburg and the winding US-441 to tour the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This road reconnects with I-40 and heads towards Asheville.

Once you've spent at least a day here, head south from Asheville on I-26, passing Columbia, until you come to the I-95 junction. Take I-95 south all the way to the outskirts of Savannah, then follow signs into town.

Our highlights: Take a tour of the historic downtown Savannah, where Neoclassical civic buildings mingle with Georgian and Gothic Revival homes.

This area is also home to Georgia's oldest Catholic Church, the majestic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Interspersed are tree-filled squares where the sweet aroma of magnolia blossoms lingers.

In the southern Historic District, you'll find Forsyth Park, a sprawling, 30-acre, urban green space. Filled with paths, historic statues and plaques, the centerpiece of the park is an utterly photogenic 150-year-old fountain.

On the other side of the Historic District, to the north, you'll find the cobblestone River Street along the Savannah River. There are street performers, souvenir shops, a bevvy of bars and restaurants, making this a lively spot to kick back in the evening after a day of historical tours.

Bonaventure Cemetery, one of America's oldest and most prominent cemeteries, is both historic and hauntingly beautiful. If you'd like to make a more intimate acquaintance with the residents of old interred here, you can take a guided tour.

To go all the way back to the early 18th-century origins of Savannah, visit the Wormsloe Historic Site. This is where you'll find that iconic oak-lined avenue for the perfect road trip pic.

At the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters learn about the complex relationships of master and slave beyond all the grandeur and obvious wealth that once flowed through the city. This is a wonderfully preserved house and garden which offers self-guided audio tours.

Bonus: The oldest African American Church in America is located in the north Historic District. The First African Baptist Church was established in 1777 and later served as a safe house along the underground railroad. The church is open the visitors and offers guided tours.

Our travel tips: As you make your way to Savannah, you'll pass through some gorgeous places that are worth a peek. Any outdoor enthusiast can't help but love the Great Smokey Mountains and Asheville is an artsy mountain town with charm to spare.

22. Yellowstone National Park, WY

25 hours from Nashville (1,640 miles)

Why you should visit: The environment of Yellowstone is so incredible that it inspired Congress to deem it the first national park in America, and the whole world, starting a trend of preservation with global impacts.

Thermal springs, rugged mountains, and thundering falls are only a few of the natural wonders on full display in this extensive park that is perfect for adventure any time of the year .

How to get there: Start out on I-24 west towards St Louis, then find the scenic Missouri Route 36 towards St. Joseph, MO. From there, hop on I-29 north to Nebraska City, where you'll again start going west towards Lincoln, NE.

Navigate to I-80, which you'll stay on for 270 miles, then change onto US-26 in Ogallala, NE. Take that all the way to Moran, WY, where you'll finally get on US-191 for the final stretch into Yellowstone.

Our highlights: The most famous feature of Yellowstone is undoubtedly Old Faithful. This thermal geyser erupts every 1-2 hours and has been wowing visitors to Yellowstone for hundreds of years.

If you are a bit more intrepid and would like to see a less crowded backcountry geyser, try the 8.5-mile hike out to the Shoshone Geyser Basin.

Where there are mountains, there are valleys and Yellowstone has some striking ones. On an early morning trip to Lamar Valley, you can see the park's most magnificent wildlife, such as buffaloes, elk, wolves, and eagles, just going about their daily lives. A pair of binoculars would be really handy to get the most out of a trip here.

Dramatic waterfalls can be found in the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, where rushing water plunges 300 feet from the rocky cliff. A less crowded alternative is Fairy Falls, which can be reached after a short hike over flat terrain.

No trip to Yellowstone would be complete without seeing at least one of the thermal springs. By far the most striking is the aptly named Grand Prismatic Spring. Here vibrant tones of aquamarine contrast with yellow and rust-colored hues as steam rises up from pools which can get as hot as 188 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bonus: Yellowstone is home to 1,800 archaeological sites. You can learn more about the area's pre-history and geological history at the Museum of the Yellowstone near the park's west entrance.

Our travel tips: To skip the crowds and increase your chance of viewing wildlife, aim to visit during the shoulder season months of April, September, and October.

Any campsite in one of the park's 12 campgrounds must be reserved in advance on the National Park Service website. Only Mammoth Campground is open year-round.

Most of the park roads close in winter, though the park remains open, and you can go on guided snowshoe and snowmobile tours.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Nashville to Yellowstone National Park

23. Los Angeles, CA

29 hours from Nashville (2,000 miles)

Why you should visit: What could be more exciting than a trip from Nashville to sunny Los Angeles and Hollywood , where stars are born?

In addition to the magic of studios and celebrity spotting, LA also has amazing food and world-class art museums. You can top off every day by taking in the sunset over the Pacific Ocean beachside or in a trendy rooftop bar.

How to get there: For such a massive trip, the route is surprisingly simple: head due west on Interstate 40 for 2,000 miles to Los Angeles.

Our highlights: Through an iconic gate you'll find exhilarating rides and the chance to tour operational filming locations at Universal Studios. This is one of LA's most popular attractions with themed rollercoasters like Jurassic World and daily performances around the sprawling amusement park.

Santa Monica is a town in west Los Angeles that is home to some of the area's most iconic beaches, including Muscle Beach, and the buzzing Santa Monica Pier. A night here under the neon lights, passing by carnival games and roller coasters will make you feel like you're back in high school on a sneak away date by the beach.

How about a little natural history? Los Angeles is a major oil-producing region and this was actually one of the area's earliest industries.

Along with plenty of oil, America's largest tar pit is also located in LA. At the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, you can learn about the early uses of tar and the 3.5 million Ice Age fossils that have been found here.

For fashionistas, a must-see stop will be Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. This road is studded with every major designer you can think of with thousands of dollars of opulent handbags, shoes, clothes, and sunglasses on display. This is the palm-tree lined street that really makes you feel like you're in LA.

A little north of downtown LA, perched on a hill, is the sprawling Getty Center. Replete with classical Greek and Roman sculptures, this art museum, estate, and gardens was developed from the home and private collection of J.P. Getty, one of America's early billionaires.

On the other end of the artistic spectrum, contemporary art lovers can revel in the excellent selection of modern art on display at The Broad, back in downtown LA. Their collection of over 2,000 pieces is housed in a fluid building that announces the boldness of many of the works within. We think the Infinity Mirror Room is especially cool.

Bonus: The film industry in LA began because of intellectual property disputes! At the time, Thomas Edison owned most of the patents for filmmaking equipment and could keep a closer eye on East Coast activities from his New Jersey home.

Hence Nestor Studio moved to Los Angeles in 1911 and built Hollywood's first filming stage to save on production costs. While the original building was demolished, Columbia Square facility stands on the site today.

Our travel tips: L.A. is a sprawling patchwork of smaller cities and there is horrific traffic around the commuting hours. Plan to stay close to the sites you most want to visit and leave lots of time to get to any show times or fixed appointments.

When there isn't gridlocked traffic, Los Angelenos like to drive fast. While the speed limit might proclaim to be 65 miles per hour, the average flow of vehicles is closer to 80. If you want to drive like a granny, stick to service streets.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Nashville to Los Angeles

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• I’m comfortable with some walking throughout the day
• I expect to get on and off of a coach, and I’m ready to stroll through cities and to stand for a few hours when we’re learning in museums

What's this trip about?

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Travel themes.

• Culinary & Wine
• High Adventure
• Hiking & Walking
• Nature & Wildlife
• Train & Rail Journeys

Destinations

• North America
• United States

Attractions

• New Orleans
• Adventure & Adrenaline
• Trains & Rail

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Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Dinner at the hotel will be plated and includes a salad, entrée, vegetables, bread and dessert. You will have a choice of coffee, tea or water.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Country Music Hall of Fame Museum is a 1-block walk from the hotel. We will travel to the Grand Ole Opry by motor coach.

Walking and standing for approximately an hour at Ryman Auditorium and at Grand Ole Opry House.

Walking around the grounds at Graceland. Travel by motor coach to Sun Studio. Walking a couple of city blocks to Rock n Soul Museum.

Walking a couple of blocks to Civil Rights Museum.

Travel time from Memphis to New Orleans is approximately 5-1/2 hours, depending on traffic and circumstances.

After checking out of the hotel, we board our motorcoach for the transfer to New Orleans with commentary en route.

French Quarter streets are too narrow for motorcoaches, so most of our exploration will be on foot. This morning’s walking field trip is up to 6 blocks. The afternoon excursion to other parts of the city is by motor coach.

Walking up to 6 blocks.

Enjoy a special performance at the hotel by a local musician just for our Road Scholar group.

Hotel check-out is by 12:00 Noon.

Want a tailor-made trip instead?

Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:.

• You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
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Dates & Availability

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar .

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Road Scholar Reviews & Ratings

Other road scholar reviews, not a good bicycle trip.

Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, th...

Travel Section Incompetent, Unhelpful, and Won't correct error

I booked a tour to Italy for May 2024. I cancelled in Oct. for a lot of reasons. Before I enrolled, I asked if Road Scholar would book the flights so that on the las...

Jane Johnson

There is a nonrefundable deposit

Please know that Road Scholar will always keep a nonrefundable $100 deposit. I cannot find that buried in all the paper and fine print but they state it is there???...

See all Other Road Scholar reviews

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Tour operator, road scholar.

Road Scholar, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975, offers 5,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. Alongside local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Programs For Whatever You Love to Do:

Much more than a tour, a Road Scholar program is a true learning adventure. Whether you join us in Seattle or Santiago, Beijing or Berlin, Road Scholar programs all share four unique attributes:

--Exceptional opportunities for learning and exploration through special behind-the-scenes access to the world's most fascinating treasures, led by our passionate and knowledgeable instructors.

--The shared fellowship of learning and warm camaraderie, whether a solo traveler or with a companion.

--Comfortable accommodations and appetizing meals.

--Excellent value.

Explore Your Mind and the World:

There are no grades or tests on Road Scholar programs. All that's needed is an inquiring mind, an adventurous spirit, and the belief that learning and discovery are lifelong pursuits.

Established in 1975, Road Scholar offers participants once-in-a-lifetime experiences delivered by local and world-renowned experts. Experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural excursions and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Our Most Popular Tours:

Adventures Afloat Cruises: On these educational cruises, you’ll traverse some of the world's most spectacular waterways, offering you a convenient and rewarding way to learn and explore aboard ocean liners, riverboats and small ships.

Independent City Discoveries: Combine structured learning with independent discovery — each program includes hotel accommodations and some meals, lectures, expert-led field trips and detailed outlines for four self-guided excursions.

Grandparent Travel: Discover and explore together with your grandchild through interactive learning experiences and field trips. Both you and your grandchild will share the joy of learning with other grandparents and their grandchildren, bridging generations and opening doors to discovery and friendship.

National Parks: From Denali to the Everglades and countless beautiful, historic places in between, field trips to America’s National Parks reveal what tourists can’t see on their own, with specialized experts showing you how to track wildlife or lead you to the spot with the most awe-inspiring view.

Outdoor Adventures: From hiking in the Grand Canyon to exploring France by barge and bicycle, to sharpening your golf or tennis skills, these active programs exercise the body and the mind.

Service Learning: From tutoring school children or helping restore a crucial forest habitat for wildlife, to assisting with artifact restoration and museum curatorial work, Service Learning adventures are an opportunity to make a difference in the world.

Small Groups: Love to learn in a small-group setting? Check out this collection of programs that have 10-24 participants.

Why Road Scholar?

You Can't Beat Road Scholar's Remarkable Value : Our all-inclusive prices have no hidden costs. Compare the price of one of our programs to what it would cost to duplicate the experience on your own (if that's even possible) and you'll see what we mean by "remarkable value."

Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Friends : When you participate in a Road Scholar program, you will not only expand your mind, you will be in the company of other people who believe that learning is one of the best parts of life.

Instructors Who Inspire: Road Scholar instructors are both experts in their field and lifelong learners themselves who are excited to answer your questions, hear your opinions and share in your experience.

Solo Participants Love Our Programs : Road Scholar programs are renowned for being inclusive, warm and welcoming for solo participants. We can either match you with a roommate or, on most programs, you can choose to room on your own.

Think Outside the Tour : The educational focus of Road Scholar programs makes us completely different from a commercial travel tour. Road Scholar programs offer educational experiences that answer the what's, the why's and the how-to's.

You Go Where Others Can't : We've been offering educational experiences since 1975 and we've made connections with educators and other local "insiders" all around the world, creating learning opportunities that show you the world in a way that just can't be done on your own or on a "tour."

We've Covered All the Bases : From expert-led lectures and field trips to comfortable lodgings and meals, we handle all the details, including the ones you might not anticipate. We've taken the worry out of the planning, so you can focus on your learning experience.

Peace of Mind Through the Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan : The Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan, which is purchased on behalf of every participant, provides 24-hour emergency assistance in the unlikely case of a medical emergency.

Scholarships for Those in Financial Need : Each year, Road Scholar awards $250,000 in scholarships toward programs in North America for those who do not have the financial means to participate.

Our Donors : Each year, thousands of donors contribute to our Annual Fund, helping to cover the gap between the tuition we charge and the actual cost of our programs.

About Travelstride

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• Number of Breakfast: 8
• Number of Brunch: 1
• Number of Lunch: 4
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Tour Companies

Things to do, itineraries.

Center for Educational Adventure Providing Road Scholar programs since 1984

We Organize and Lead Trips

Take an Expert Led Adventure

Explore the South

Relax... Learn... Travel...

Summer Road Scholar Intergenerational Programs

What's more rewarding than cultivating your love of lifelong learning? Teaching a grandchild to love it, too. Road Scholar has been offering grandparent and grandchild trips for more than 30 years. Choose from one of 4  tours throughout the Southern United States led by Center for Educational Adventure. Share your passion for educational travel with a grandchild and make their trip with you a memory that will last a lifetime. 

Program #17691: Chattanooga for Grands: Trains, Mountains, Underground Waterfall, Space Center & Aquarium Sleepover

Program #9577: Awesome Atlanta Intergenerational Adventure: World's Largest Aquarium, Zoo Overnight and More!

Program #2534: Intergenerational Adventure on Three Coastal Islands: Sea Turtles, Lighthouses, and Shrimp Trawl

Program #2533: From the Land to the Sea to the Swamp: An Intergenerational Experience

Program #5907: Southern Serenade: Cruising the Intracoastal Waterway

  The Center for Educational Adventure is leading a group of 42 Road Scholar Participants on a cruise up the Intracoastal Waterway.  The cruise begins today in Jacksonville, Florida and ends in Charleston, South Carolina with stops along the way in Amelia Island, Cumberland Island, Jekyll Island, Savannah, and Beaufort. The transportation is being provided by a ship out of the fleet of Blount Small Ship Adventures. These small ships are a great way to travel.  They can go under low bridges, navigate through shallow waters, and one can walk straight from the ship to the shore.

Road Scholar Travelling Itinerary Programs

CEA will be leading several Road Scholar Itinerary Programs coming up in 2013. Itinerary Programs are Programs that travel and stay at different sites as opposed to staying at the same site for the entire tour. There are some great ones to choose from including the following:

Program # 20644: A Southern Coastal Trilogy: Charleston, Savannah, and Jekyll Island

Program # 20162: Coastal Culinary History & Delectable Flavors of the Lowcountry in Florida, Georgia, & South Carolina

Program # 13431: On the Road: Historic Homes and Gardens of Georgia and South Carolina

NEW Program # 21154: Music Cities USA: Nashville to Memphis

They are filling up fast so Sign Up today!

Page 6 of 28

Testimonials

"Excellent leader. Whole program was good. I am a new widow and am very pleased about how easy it is to work into a crowd of Road Scholars and be comfortable. Thank you for making that possible."

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Unsolicited - verified purchase, solicited - verified purchase.

Road Scholar has a rating of 1.85 stars from 113 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Road Scholar most frequently mention customer service, non profit, and trip insurance problems. Road Scholar ranks 6th among Student Travel sites.

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• Booked British Airways through Road Scholar $4,000 lost $1,700 on flight.
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“Enrollment in the program was quick and easy!”

Enrollment in the program was quick and easy! I was able to navigate in on the website without any problems.

“Terrible customer service”

Leaving for an Antartica expedition in 4 weeks and still don't have final packet with instructions. Have been getting conflicting info since we booked. This last call to ask about final packet took forever to get a response which was vague and unhelpful about when we would have materials, including what we need to bring. Completely unresponsive to our requests for medically necessary adjustments to accommodations and ignored our airplane seating requests. Do not seem to have any interest in customer satisfaction once they have your payment. Hope the tour itself will be better. It is handled by a subcontractor (Albatross) who has been responsive. This is our third booking with Road Scholar and are surprised and disappointed so far.

Reviews (113)

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Dear Betty, We are sorry to hear that your recent experience with us did not meet your expectations. Our Covid support and travel teams are available to provide guidance and assistance when the unfortunate situation of testing positive for Covid arises on one of our programs. Covid exposure remains a possibility during many daily activities, and unfortunately international group travel is not free of this risk. We can see that our office, Road Scholar’s travel team, and your group leader were in communication with you on several occasions to try and help address your questions and requests. We know how disappointing it can be when a planned adventure is disrupted and wish you well. Sincerely, Road Scholar

Dear Tim, We were so sorry to hear about the experience you and your wife had to endure and hope she is doing better. We include emergency assistance in the price of our programs for situations just like yours. We apologize the paperwork you were asked to complete seemed onerous, but when someone gets sick abroad, our emergency assistance provider requires as much information as possible so they are informed and able to provide the necessary help. Our primary concern in these situations is the health, safety and well-being of our participants. We’ll be in touch with you to discuss filing a claim for reimbursement of your travel expenses home. Again, we’re sorry to hear about the disappointing end to an otherwise positive Road Scholar experience and are glad you made it home safely. Sincerely, Your Friends at Road Scholar

What are the group sizes for road scholar new england fall tours What are the group sizes for road scholar new england fall tours

Hello Robert, the sizes of all our trips varies quite a bit. If you can give us the program number or title we'd be glad to check and see how many participants can attend a certain program you'd like to attend. We are also available by email -- [email protected] and by phone at 877-436-8056 during business hours Monday - Friday 8am - 9pm (EST). We hope to hear back from you soon!

We want rs to reserve our flights for two tours to costa rica that begin in oct. we were told there is a way to send an email re: flights. anybody?

If my travel partner cannot go on the trip, can she send someone in her place assuming the trip is fully paid for, can’t see your question ask to get answers from the road scholar staff and other customers..

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Road Scholar, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975, offers 6,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries.

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• Student Travel , Senior Resources
• #6 in Student Travel
• Boston, MA, United States
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