Sounds of America: Nashville to New Orleans

Your musical US holiday begins at London Heathrow by meeting the Tour Manager ahead of an indirect transatlantic flight to Nashville.

After touching down, we transfer to our hotel in the heart of Nashville. This is the home of country music, and our hotel is close to significant locations connected to the popular genre. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Walk of Fame Park are half a block away, while the Johnny Cash Museum and Gibson guitar factory are only a short distance.

From Uncle Jimmy Thompson's first performance on what would become the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 to modern stars like Taylor Swift, Nashville has produced and nurtured many icons of country music. After breakfast, we delve into the city's rich musical history as we embark on a guided coach tour.

Along the way, we view Nashville's attractions, including some of the recording studios on Music Row, hearing the stories of artists who laid down tracks there. There's free time this afternoon to explore or dine independently before a highlight of the holiday.

This evening, we visit one of Nashville's most famous institutions, the legendary Grand Ole Opry, known as country music's biggest stage. Founded as a radio station in the mid-1920s, this venue still hosts a regular live music broadcast in addition to its stage shows. We take our seats for a performance of eight or more artists, from legendary music stars to upcoming talent.

• Breakfast

After last night's performance at the Grand Ole Opry, we step into the history of country music after breakfast today.

Our day starts with a visit to the world-famous RCA Studio B, where artists including Elvis, Everly Brothers and Dolly Parton once wrote songs and cut records. Afterwards, we arrive at the Country Music Hall of Fame, the world's largest music museum. Here, we are free to explore and find out more about the stars and superstars that have shaped the history of country music from its roots until today. A glittering roster of names are on display, with likes of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Garth Brooks being honoured in the Country Music Hall of Fame. There are various interactive exhibitions, and the centre has an unrivalled collection of country music recordings dating back to the 1930s.

The rest of the day is free to explore further and, this evening, you might like to head to Honky Tonk Highway, a dazzling row of bars with live music and lively atmospheres lasting well into the night.

• Breakfast

"We're goin' to Jackson, look out Jackson town," sang Johnny Cash and future wife June Carter in the famous 1967 song. And today, we follow in their footsteps as we leave Nashville and travel through Tennessee.

Renowned for its railway heritage, Jackson is also revered as the birthplace of rockabilly, a high-energy combination of country music and rock'n'roll popularised by Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Cash himself. There's time to find lunch independently or you could choose to pay for a guided tour of the rockabilly hall of fame. From Jackson, we continue to the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center for a guided tour. The centre is dedicated to the diverse history of the southern states, from the rich musical traditions to the area's infamous history of slave labour in the cotton fields. The site also hosts the Tina Turner Museum, honouring the iconic singer who was born in nearby Nutbush.

We complete the day's journey in Memphis and check in to our four-star accommodation at The Guest House, right next to Elvis Presley's legendary home, Graceland.

• Breakfast

It's one of the most famous addresses in music: Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee. Waking up next door this morning, it's our first destination. The mansion that Elvis Presley called home has become a pilgrimage site for his legions of devoted fans as well as music lovers from all around the world. Touring Graceland, we get an insight into the King of Rock'n'Roll as we walk through his house, viewing preserved living quarters decorated with an eclectic mix of memorabilia, and admire his incredible car collection.

This afternoon, we're introduced to the main attractions of Memphis' musical history, beginning at the iconic Sun Studio, where legendary blues artists Howlin' Wolf and BB King first cut records. The studio also claims the title of the birthplace of rock'n'roll, as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash recorded here during their careers.

We're transferred back to our hotel and the rest of the day is free. You could immerse yourself in the beating heart of musical Memphis, Beale Street. Known as the birthplace of the Blues, there is live music in every bar along this buzzing street.

• Breakfast

It's believed that blues music spread from the Mississippi Delta by rail and, this morning, we board Amtrak's City of New Orleans train to experience that journey in reverse. Along the way, we pass through Mississippi towns with significant stories to tell, such as Greenwood, Jackson and Hazlehurst, the birthplace of Robert Johnson.

Blues has its roots in songs of delta plantation workers and, after our train arrives in the Louisiana town of Hammond, we visit Oak Alley Plantation for an emotive tour. We learn about history of this grand Greek revival house at the end of a spectacular canopy of oak trees and the grounds that stand as a reminder of the privileged lives of landowners and to the suffering of those who were enslaved to work on the sugar cane fields.

We continue to New Orleans, where we check in to our hotel in the historic heart of this city. Our hotel is a short distance from Bourbon Street, which comes alive at night with the blast of jazz trumpets, cocktail bars and flamboyant dance shows.

• Breakfast

Our renowned neighbourhood, the French Quarter, is one of the best-known areas of New Orleans and a National Historic Landmark. This morning, we tour this beautiful area that is the hub of the party during Mardi Gras.

On a guided tour, we stop at the famous Café Du Monde to enjoy a beignet and a café au lait. Savouring the deep-fried choux pastry in this open-air café draws us into New Orleans life as we take our seats in the same venue as jazz luminaries such as Louis Armstrong. After some free time, we regroup and board the Creole Queen, a traditional paddle steamer, for a sightseeing cruise along the Mississippi River. Enjoying views of the Big Easy that only the river can provide, our cruise also takes in the site of the Battle of New Orleans.

After disembarking, you are free to enjoy your evening at leisure. You might like to explore Bourbon Street and surrounding areas, where you can pop into a jazz bar, seek out Cajun zydeco music or spend the night listening to authentic blues.

Your day is free to soak up the sights of New Orleans. Known the world over as the Deep South's party city due to its Mardi Gras celebrations, there's a year-round sense of spirited adventure and playfulness.

A wander through the colourful streets offers an introduction to the city's eclectic architecture that stretches back centuries, including the stunning St Louis Cathedral, North America's oldest cathedral founded in 1720. For an authentic New Orleans experience, you could hop on a streetcar on St Charles' Avenue, taking in the sights as you travel from uptown to downtown, or spend some time in the peaceful green space of one of the city's great parks.

The French Quarter has an endless choice of eateries for your final evening in the Deep South. Most places offer traditional Southern food, from po-boys (meat, seafood or crawfish-filled bread rolls) and jambalaya to fresh oysters - served raw, baked or chargrilled.

There's free time this morning, and you can revisit your favourite spots in the French Quarter or further afield, do some last-minute souvenir shopping or simply relax before our homeward journey begins.

As our explorations of America's music and Southern culture come to an end, we transfer to the airport in New Orleans to board our overnight flight back to London Heathrow.

Providing a soundtrack to our explorations, America's music cities have revealed their links to influential and world-famous stars, while also providing insights into the heritage of this region. From Nashville's country music to the rock'n'roll and blues of Memphis and jazz of New Orleans, we have encountered icons such as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Louis Armstrong on our journey.

Landing at London Heathrow today, your holiday concludes, and you can begin to make your way home.