|
The
Ultimate Pampering Ladies Only Tour
Deep
South USA, Apr 12 – 22, 2011
A
fully escorted, guaranteed departure to:
Nashville & Memphis, TN
Jackson & Natchez, MS
Lafayette & New Orleans, LA
Tour
Price Single Occupancy $3,975
Single
Share Reduction $ - 950
Your
tour includes 10 nights deluxe accommodations,
all coach transportation, fully escorted by an
experience female tour leader, 10 full breakfasts,
5 dinners & 1 lunch, plus all the attractions
and tours listed in the itinerary in bold / italic
print.
Detailed
Itinerary
Tue,
Apr 12 Nashville
Arrive Nashville and check-in the deluxe Gaylord
Opryland Hotel. You will be greeted by your Sweet
Magnolia Tours’ escort and coach. Overnight
Gaylord Opryland Hotel Nashville.
Wed,
Apr 13 Nashville
This morning you will be pampered in the Relâche
Spa. Nationally renowned as a premiere
spa for exclusive luxurious treatments,  Relâche
offers soothing massages, rejuvenating facials,
relaxing body treatments and invigorating fitness
options. The perfect place to soothe the body
and soul. You will be able to choose from 4 different
types of massages or 2 different facials.
Late
morning & early afternoon is free to explore
the many shops at Opry Mills
next door. Opry Mills features the best names
in manufacturers' and retail outlets including
Nike Factory Store, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5TH,
Bass Pro Shops, Gap Outlet, Bose Factory Store,
XXI Forever, Ann Taylor Factory Store, and Old
Navy; high quality entertainment venues and themed
restaurants including Rainforest Cafe, Aquarium
Restaurant, Regal/IMAX Cinemas and Dave &
Buster's. Also, you will be provided with a discount
coupon book providing you with great shopping
opportunities.
Mid
afternoon you will board the coach for a tour
of Belle Meade  Plantation
and Wine Tasting. Belle Meade Plantation
represents a history of agricultural and Thoroughbred
breeding success without equal in the American
south. It was a world-renowned thoroughbred stud
farm and nursery in the 19th century. This 30-acre
site features 10 out buildings, which include
an 1832 slave cabin, a colossal carriage house
and stables and the centerpiece is the mansion
built in 1853.
Tonight
you will board the General Jackson
for a wonderful dinner cruise. You’ll take
a nostalgic journey through America’s music
as we cruise the Cumberland River. Join us as
we explore the history of country music through
the songs that gave a voice to America. We’ll
start with the music of country legends like Hank
Williams, Patsy Cline and other icons of the Grand
Ole Opry. We’ll e xplore
the hits of the 90’s from Garth Brooks,
Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. And finally, we’ll
enjoy the blockbuster hits of country music today
through the music of Carrie Underwood and Rascal
Flatts. This authentic American musical journey
includes a delicious prime rib dinner and a three-hour
cruise. Overnight Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Nashville (B, D).
Thu,
Apr 14 Nashville to Memphis (210 miles
/ 338 kilometers)
Today you depart for Memphis. En route the group
will stop a Casey Jones Village featuring the
world famous Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store
Restaurant serving delicious Southern buffets
daily with an authentically recreated 1890's Ice
Cream Parlor & Fudge Shoppe, charming Southern
Gift and Confectionery Shoppe and the convenient
Old Country Store, all accented with an amazing
collection of over 15,000 Southern antiques (lunch
not included in pricing). Upon arrival in Memphis
you will check-in the luxurious Hilton Hotel.
This
afternoon you will enjoy a Memphis
city tour. Memphis is the Gateway
to the Old South. It is one of the most beautiful
cities in the Southern United States. Filled with
Southern charm, beautifully restored mansions,
sculptured tree-lined parkways, on a s etting
high on the Fourth Chickasaw Bluff, this river
city boasts of glowing sunsets over the Mississippi,
the world’s finest BBQ restaurants, and
the “Red, Hot & Blue” sounds of
the Beale Street Historic Entertainment District.
Come with us on this inclusive tour to explore
the city that is called, “The City of Good
Abode.” This tour will take you to the Mississippi
Riverfront and through downtown Memphis where
tradition and modern progress collide to form
an exciting modern city filled with historic sites,
fun & adventure. Sites include the Mighty
Mississippi River Front, Harbor Town, the first
residential community built on the Mississippi
in the last 100 years, Mud Island, the Pyramid,
Historic Cotton Row, Beale Street & South
Main Historic District, the National Civil Rights
Museum / Lorraine Motel, Sun Studio and Victorian
Village. We will drive by Overton Park, Brooks
Museum, Pink Palace Museum, University of Memphis,
Rhodes College, the Medical Complex and the beautiful
mid-town homes of Chickasaw Gardens. Optional
stops to tour inside will be the Danny Thomas
Pavilion at St Jude’s Children Research
Hospital (or) A. Schwab’s Variety Store
on Beale St. where Mr. Schwab says “if you
can’t find it at Schwab’s, you didn’t
need it in the first place. Evening is at leisure.
Overnight Hilton Memphis (B).
Fri,
Apr 15 Memphis
This morning you will head to Graceland,
the home of Elvis Presley. The audio tour of  Graceland
Mansion is full of music and interesting stories
about how Elvis lived in the home he loved so
much. You will see the largest privately owned
collection of gold records in the world and Elvis'
elaborate stage costumes and jewelry. The mansion
tour ends with a quiet visit to Meditation Garden
where Elvis and members of his family are buried.
You can also see Elvis' famous 1955 pink Cadillac
in the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum and climb
aboard his custom jet the "Lisa Marie."
Graceland plaza also offers fabulous shopping
and restaurants.
You’ll
return to the hotel just after noon for some free
time to explore the various local shopping areas.
Your hotel is located in the heart of Memphis’
most upscale homes & shops. Then at 4:00 pm
you will board the coach and travel downtown to
see the famous  Peabody
Duck March, which began in the 1930s,
when the general manager placed his live hunting
decoys in his lobby fountain and started a tradition.
Today the Peabody Ducks have become a world-famous
symbol for The Peabody and for Memphis hospitality.
Every day at precisely 11 a.m., the ducks arrive
marching on their own red carpet to John Philip
Sousa's "King Cotton March." The fanfare
repeats at 5 p.m. when they retire to their penthouse
pond. Throngs of spectators gather daily in the
mornings and evenings to witness this charming
tradition in the spectacular Grand Lobby of The
Peabody Hotel.
Tonight
you will explore Beale Street, one of America's
most famous streets where W.C. Handy first penned
the Blues music of the Mississippi Delta. Located
 downtown
stretching several blocks east of the river bluffs.
Nightclubs and restaurants offer a variety of
food and live music including traditional Blues,
Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and Rock'n'Roll. Shops
and boutiques throughout the district provide
visitors with the opportunity to purchase souvenirs,
t-shirts, memorabilia, and novelties. The world-famous
street also features a statue of W.C. Handy, a
musical "Walk of Fame," and Church Park,
built by the South's first Black millionaire,
Robert Church. Then you’ll go to Kings
Palace Café for a great dinner
& live music entertainment on Beale Street.
Overnight Hilton Memphis (B, D).
Sat,
Apr 16 Memphis – Jackson, MS (225
miles / 362 kilometers)
Our first stop will be at the Tunica Museum in
north Mississippi. Inside the permanent exhibit
galleries of Tunica Museum
you will learn the rich and colorful history of
the area now known as Tunica County. The county
and Town of Tunica take their name from the Tunica
Indians who once inhabited this land before migrating
south. After the Tunica the Chickasaw Indians
controlled the area. Eventually all of the land
of Tunica County was sold by the Chickasaw to
settlers. The early settlers either worked the
land themselves or with slaves brought from the
east. Trees were removed and plantations began
the production of cotton. You will actually get
to touch & feel cotton as comes directly from
the field and learn how it is processed.
As
you leave Tunica and drive down legendary Highway
61, you will realize that you are in the
true "Birthplace of the Blues". Out
of these fields came the original blues singers
who performed in local honky tonks and juke joints.
The best of these brought their talents to Beale
Street in Memphis. Highway 61 takes you through
the heart of the Mississippi River Delta, which
is the world’s richest farmland. Our next
stop is in B.B. King’s hometown of Indianola,
where you will tour the outstanding new B.B.
King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center,
which is dedicated to creating a welcoming place
where visitors find meaning, value, and perspective
by exploring the history and heritage of the unique
American musical art form of the blues. It also
tells the story of B.B. King’s life from
a kid without anything but the dream in his heart
and a destiny that would take him around the world.
Against all odds the kid became the King of the
Blues. Next you will continue on to Jackson and
check-in the new Hilton Garden Inn. Tonight you
can walk about two blocks to the new Farish Street
development of restaurants & nightclubs. Overnight
Hilton Garden Inn Jackson (B).
Sun,
Apr 17 Jackson to Natchez (180 miles
/ 290 kilometers)
You will have a leisurely morning before checking
out at 10:30 then you will get a very special
treat by attending a local African-American church
service where you will be treated to a lively
gospel singing hallelujah service. Before leaving
Jackson you will tour the beautifully restored
Old Capitol Museum.
For sixty-four years (1839 – 1903) this
building was the original seat of state government.
Next
we will jump on the famous Natchez Trace Parkway,
which stretches from the Mississippi River in
Natchez through the Shoals area in Alabama and
across the Tennessee Valley to  Nashville.
The Old Trace was first trod by buffalo, then
American Indians. In the early 1800's it was the
main return route for Ohio Valley traders who,
rather than fight the Mississippi currents, sold
their flatboats for the value of their timber
in Natchez and walked home via the Old Trace.
By the mid-1820's, steamboats made the dangerous
trek unnecessary, and the Old Trace disappeared
into the trees. Today, the 444-mile National Scenic
Byway and All-American Road has emerged as one
of America's most important examples of our nation's
natural and cultural heritage. Administered by
the National Park Service, the road's non-commercial
environment coupled with a wide variety of historic
sites, wayside exhibits and beautiful venues make
it a memorable destination for an unhurried trip
that both reveals and explains a unique time in
our country's history.
Welcome
to Natchez – for almost 300 years she has
been an international destination glistening with
Southern charm & grace! Natchez adorns the
banks of the Mighty Mississippi with her magnificent
antebellum homes, fascinating history, exciting
events, romantic atmosphere, and unlimited activities.
You will stay at the historic Monmouth Plantation.
Monmouth Plantation is home to nearly every luxury
amenity you can envision or imagine. You will
be provided nightly turn down service with  chocolates,
plush in-room robes, satellite TV in every room,
mini-bar in every room, Gilchrist & Soames
amenities in every room, in room spa service.
You will have some free time this afternoon to
walk around downtown Natchez and enjoy its many
quaint shops. Next you will enjoy a fascinating
Natchez City Cemetery Tour.
A tour of the Natchez City Cemetery is a glimpse
back in time to the early days of historic Natchez,
revealing the rich and colorful tapestry of this
early Southern city on the Mississippi River.
You will find many of the builders of the magnificent
Natchez antebellum homes are buried here. Numerous
beautiful, creatively designed iron fences, benches,
iron mausoleum doors, tombstones and monuments
are found within the cemetery. The varied patterns
of ironwork represent almost the entire spectrum
of ironwork produced in America in the 19th and
early 20th Centuries. Artistically sculptured
markers with often-poignant inscriptions add to
the unique character of the burial ground.
Later
tonight you can visit Natchez Under-the-Hill,
which was the most dangerous landing on the entire
Mississippi River. In its day, 165 years ago,
Natchez-under-the-Hill was the most notorious
river landing on the entire Mississippi. From
1785 until about 1820 Under-the-Hill was the departure
point for frontiersmen and their last chance to
"whoop it up" before their long trek
home on the Natchez trace. Overnight Monmouth
Plantation Natchez (B).
Mon,
Apr 18 Natchez
This morning our local tour guide will take the
group and show them the beautiful city of Natchez
and give you the full story of its exciting history.
Perched on the highest bluff north of the Gulf
of Mexico, Natchez is the oldest settlement on
the entire Mississippi river – older by
two years than New Orleans. After the Natchez
Indians controlled this region, the history of
Natchez begins in 1716, when the French established
a settlement and built a fort they named Fort
Rosalie. In 1798 Natchez came under American control.
With
the rich soil of this region Natchez quickly became
a major producer of cotton and enormous fortunes
were made through the use of slave labor. Vast
plantations were carved from the wilderness and
ocean-going vessels would sail up the Mississippi
to deliver goods and pick up cotton for European
markets.
You
will tour the Longwood House,
the grandest octagonal house in America. It is
a superb example of mid-19th century Oriental
style. Designed for Haller and Julia Nutt, it
retains original furnishings. You will also tour
the Rosalie House (ca.
1820), located on the Mississippi Bluff near the
site of the Natchez Indians' massacre of the French
at Fort Rosalie. It was the headquarters of the
Union Army during the War Between the States.
 Tonight
you are in for a very special treat. The evening
begins with complimentary drinks & hors d’oeuvres
in the Quitman Study. Then you will enjoy a gourmet
5 course dinner featuring contemporary
Southern cuisine at its finest. You will dine
under 17th century Waterford crystal chandeliers
on the Empire table with beautiful china, silver
and first class service. Overnight Monmouth
Plantation Natchez (B, D).
Tue,
Apr 19 Natchez to Lafayette (147 miles
/ 237 kilometers)
This morning you will depart for Lafayette. Upon
arrival in Lafayette you will tour Vermilionville,
a
Cajun/Creole heritage & folklife park that
authentically portrays a way of life preserved
with a distinctly French accent. Situated on the
banks of the Bayou Vermilion, this Cajun/Creole
heritage and folklife park recreates life in the
Acadiana area between 1765 and 1890. The beautiful
grounds, which are laid out as an historic village,
contain eighteen structures, including six restored
original homes. In most of the structures, costumed
interpreters demonstrate traditional crafts or
musical styles. Cooking demonstrations, a full-service
restaurant, bakery, gift shop and art gallery
enhance time spent at Vermilionville. The gift
shop and art gallery are filled with Cajun and
Creole items (many of which are made by our craftspeople)
that you are sure to bring home and treasure.
Then we will check-in the beautiful Crowne Plaza
Hotel.
 Tonight
you are in for a real treat. We will take you
to Mulate’s the Original Cajun
Restaurant. Mulate's features live
Cajun music and dancing along with great authentic
Cajun food seven days a week. Mulate's is a place
where Cajuns come to celebrate their heritage
and the world comes to join them in their celebration.
You will be encouraged to get up and dance and
learn the Cajun dance steps. Overnight
Crowne Plaza Lafayette (B, D).
Wed,
Apr 20 Lafayette to New Orleans (137
miles / 220 kilometers)
Today you depart for New Orleans. En route we
are going to drive through Cajun back country
and make a stop at Avery Island and tour the one
and only
original, Tabasco Factory.
Your next stop will be near Houma for A
Cajun Man’s Swamp Cruise on
a 49-passenger vessel fully narrated by authentic
Cajun singer-song writer. Relax on the motor vessel
Cajun Man, as Captain Ron "Black" Guidry
guides you into the Cypress Swamps of Southern
Louisiana. Ron is a former Army Green Beret and
Louisiana State Trooper will not only take you
into the swamp to see all types of wildlife &
alligators, but will also sing for you.
We
will continue on to New Orleans and check-in the
elegant W Hotel located beside the French Quarter.
Tonight is free to explore the famous French Quarter.
At the heart of New Orleans' enduring allure are
the hundred-odd squares of the French Quarter.
Alive with history, myth, music and a joie de
vivre, the Vieux Carre attracts visitors from
around the world to its time worn streets. For
jazz, for food, for history or for frivolity the
French Quarter is a legendary destination. Overnight
W Hotel New Orleans (B).
Thu,
Apr 21 New Orleans
This morning will be somewhat at leisure. You
walk next door & try your luck at the huge
casino or do a little early bird shopping. At
10:00 you will  go
to the New Orleans School of Cooking
with lunch. Their entertaining classes and the
Louisiana General Store are located in a renovated
molasses warehouse built in the early 1800s in
the heart of the French Quarter. They teach the
basics of Louisiana Cooking in a way you'll never
forget. Fun is a primary ingredient in their kitchen!
Their Creole/Cajun experts teach New Orleans specialties
such as Gumbo, Jambalaya and Pralines, and season
them with history, trivia and tall tales. It's
a "ga-ron-teed" good time for all. The
classes are taught by well known local chefs;
skilled in the arts and traditions of Cajun and
Creole cuisine. Visitors will be treated to a
wide range of local classics such as Jambalaya,
Gumbo, Corn & Crab Bisque, and Pralines. Your
class will include generous samplings of the demonstrated
menu items as well as recipes, coffee, iced tea
and Abita beer.
This
afternoon you will enjoy a New Orleans
City Sightseeing tour, where you
will visit one of its historic cemeteries, referred
to as "Cities of the Dead," and learn
about this unique above ground burial system.
Marvel at stories of voodoo and piracy on Bayou
St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and
his band of pirates, as we make our way to the
shores of Lake Pontchartrain. View the longest
bridge over water in the world, the Lake Pontchartrain
Causeway. Follow the path of the St. Charles Avenue
streetcar, the oldest continuously operating passenger
railway system in the world (until service was
disrupted by Hurricane Katrina). See the homes
of former Kings & Queens of Mardi Gras, stately
mansions and the world-famous, exclusive Garden
District.
 Your
final night in New Orleans promises to be really
special. We started off the tour with a dinner
cruise in Nashville and will end it with a Dinner
Jazz Cruise on the Mighty Mississippi
River aboard the authentic steamboat Natchez.
You will have a breathtaking view of the city
while enjoying a freshly prepared on board Cajun
dinner. You will also be treated with live jazz
music by the “Dukes of Dixieland.”
Overnight W Hotel New Orleans (B, L, D).
Fri,
Apr 22 Depart for Home
This morning will be your last opportunity for
shopping and best of all New Orleans & Louisiana
offers duty free shopping! It is time to bid a
sad farewell to your many new friends made along
the way and head back home.
Terms
& Conditions: All prices are the
total costs for the number of adults occupying
the room in existing bedding. Rolloways are not
included & may be at an extra charge if available.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover & American
Express. A $250.00 per person deposit is required
to hold your space. Deposts are fully refundable
until Mar 12 after which they are non-refundable.
Full payment is due Mar 12 and is non-refundable
after that.
Contact
Us:
Postal
Mail:
Sweet Magnolia Tours
P.O. Box 753548
Memphis, TN 38175
Telephone:
1-901-369-9838
Toll
Free:
1-866-320-5295
FAX:
1-901-369-9839
E-mail:
memphis@sweetmagnoliatours.com
|
