Memphis Music & More Weekend

  Arrive in Memphis and make your way to the group’s hotel, the famous Peabody Hotel. Known as the “Souths Grand Hotel”, the Peabody is legendary for its charm, elegance, gracious hospitality, and rich history. Meet your tour leader and fellow travelers at our group meeting in the lobby, and walk to our optional group dinner. Tonight, we will choose from a variety of restaurants on Beale Street, the very heart of entertainment in Memphis. With more than 25 clubs and numerous shops lining the street, it’s no wonder that this street attracts both locals and visitors alike. Whether it's Rock, Blues, or anything in between, Beale street offers live music in all varieties to make our evening fun!

  Today is a full day, starting with boarding our bus for our self-guided tour of Graceland. Step inside Graceland Mansion and follow the same steps as Elvis himself, on a multimedia tour with stories by Elvis and Lisa Marie See where Elvis lived, relaxed, and spent time with friends and family. Our experience includes an audio-guided tour of Graceland plus self-guided tours of the Elvis Car Museum, Elvis’ custom jets, the new Elvis: Live from Vegas and Elvis’ Hawaii exhibits, and much more! Before we leave, we will have lunch in one of Elvis’ favorite restaurants. Then we will go to Sun Studio and take a guided tour through the birthplace of Rock and Roll. Experience outtakes from recording sessions, touch Elvis’ first microphone and hear the real story of the studio that launched the careers of not only Elvis Presley, but Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, and many others. At 4:30 in the lobby, we can witness the famous Peabody Duck Walk. Peabody's famed ambassadors are housed in the "Duck Palace" on the hotel roof. Every day they are led by the Duckmaster down the elevator to the Italia travertine marble fountain in the Peabody Grand Lobby. A red carpet is unrolled and the ducks march through crowds of admiring spectators to the tune of John Philip Sousa's King Cotton March. The ceremony is reversed at 5 p.m. when the ducks retire for the evening to their palace on the roof of the hotel. Then we will walk over to Beale Street and have dinner at one of the many restaurants (not included).

  Blues Hall of Fame- Beale Street This morning, we will walk to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present.. This is a special experience that takes us through centuries of history. We begin at the original Lorraine Motel and end at the Boarding House Buildings. The museum has 260 artifacts, more than 40 new films, oral histories, interactive media and external listening posts that guide us from slavery, through the Civil War and Reconstruction, the rise of Jim Crow, and the events of the 20th century that inspired people around the world to stand up for equality. Let’s have lunch (not included) at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, described as “the best fried chicken on the planet”. Gus's restaurant is low-key with a southern flare where we will hear soulful classics emitting from the jukebox. Many people call Gus's a "blues-infused southern eatery." The Home of the Blues comes alive on our afternoon city tour aboard the nation’s only music bus. All of the guides on our tour are professional Beale Street musicians who play and sing selections from the city’s rich musical heritage, while entertaining us with comedy, history, and behind-the-scenes stories of your favorite Memphis personalities. Enjoy 90 minutes of high-energy fun on this musical journey featuring Memphis’ greatest attractions. Tonight enjoy a two-hour riverboat cruise on Ol’ Man River featuring live entertainment and dinner. View the Memphis sights at night as we traverse the waters of the Mississippi River. Our southern meal comes complete with grilled chicken and pulled pork, different side dishes, and a delectable dessert.

It is a short walk from our hotel to the Rock and Soul Museum. The Museum’s birth of rock and soul music exhibit tells the story of musical pioneers who, for the love of music, overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create the music that shook and shaped the entire world. The museum offers a comprehensive music experience from the rural field hollers and sharecroppers of the 1930s, through the explosion of Sun, Stax, and Hi Records and Memphis’ musical heyday in the 70s. We’ll rock with the likes of Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Johnny Cash, Sam & Dave, Al Green, and others. The museum’s digital audio tour guide is packed with over 300 minutes of information, including over 100 songs, and you can visit at your own pace. The afternoon is free for you to explore Memphis on your own. There are many options to choose from, here are a few: Visit Memphis' Music Hall of Fame, which is free to enter for our group. The Hall of Fame honors Memphis musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. Since its establishment in 2012, the Hall of Fame has inducted more than 48 individuals or groups and features memorabilia, video interviews, and interactive exhibits. Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum ($12), will draw you back to the pre-Civil War era. The main house features artifacts of life in the South during slavery days. A stop along the Underground Railroad, the house is filled with secret passages and trap doors used by runaway slaves attempting to flee north to freedom. Mississippi River Museum at Mud Island Park ($10) - 18 galleries showcase 10,000 years of history of the Lower Mississippi Valley. Step back in time as you experience a life-size replica of a riverboat complete with sounds of gamblers and revelers. Civil War history buffs enjoy five galleries dedicated to this era. A gunboat reproduction simulates a battle complete with artillery pieces, uniforms, and other war-related items. Tonight we will have our Farewell Dinner at another wonderful Memphis restaurant.

Our Vacation is Over