2025 Mardi Gras & Music Cities Excursions

Country music fans won’t want to miss the chance of experiencing the longest-running radio show in US history, The Grand Ole Opry is an iconic experience whilst in Nashville. Shows take place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at Opry House, located around 20-25 minutes outside of town. Book your tickets today and receive roundtrip transportation from downtown Nashville.

Jump onboard the Old Town Trolley for a fully narrated hop-on hop-off tour of Nashville. Make the most of your day and take one of the first departures after 9am from Lower Broadway and explore Nashville’s most famous sites. There are 13 stops where you can get off and explore including Nashville Farmers’ Market, Union Station Hotel, The Gulch, Centennial Park and our favourite stop Marathon Music Works, where you can visit the Tennessee Legend Distillery and enjoy some free Moonshine tastings.

Go behind the scenes at Nashville’s RCA Studio B. Hear stories of Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, and many more during a guided tour. Next, explore the Country Music Hall of Fame, located in the heart of downtown Nashville. Discover an array of photographs, artefacts, text panels, recordings, and archival footage as you move through the museum’s collection. You can even stop by the Taylor Swift Education. Return transportation to RCA Studio B from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is included in the combo ticket.

Leave downtown Nashville at 09:00 am and head to the home of Jack Daniels in Lynchburg, Tennessee. You’ll arrive just before 11:00 am when the distillery tour and tastings will begin. Smell the ageing whiskey as it rests in one of the massive barrel warehouses as well as tasting it straight from the source! You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy lunch at your leisure in Lynchburg before heading back to Nashville.

Get ready for 90 minutes of high-energy fun on this musical journey through Memphis, featuring professional, local musicians. This is hands down the best way to see and learn about the city that became the “Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock’n’Roll”. The tour also includes a guided backstage tour of the Overton Park Shell, where Elvis performed his first public concert.

One special tour that combines visits to three great must-see musical attractions: Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and the Smithsonian’s Memphis Rock’n’Soul Museum. This is a must for any music fan. A guide will entertain you between stops and give background information on Memphis history and other fun trivia! The tour will end at the Peabody Hotel so you can witness the world-famous march of the Peabody ducks!

Beyond the rhythms of Beale Street’s blues lies a darker history of vice, voodoo, phantoms, ghosts and lost souls. Hear the eerie legends while seeing some of Memphis’ oldest sites. On this two-hour walking tour, you’ll see the notorious Ernestine & Hazel’s, a former brothel long recognized as one of the most haunted buildings in Memphis, home to several ghosts as well as a haunted jukebox. The Orpheum Theater, home of “Mary,” who has haunted performances since 192, plus the John Alexander Austin House, a Victorian-era mansion haunted by star-crossed lovers

A short walk from your hotel you will be picked up and driven to the Honey Island Swamp, one of Louisiana’s last preserved wetlands where you will board the custom‐made, open‐air boat and set off on your swam adventure. Admire the view as the boat quietly winds through narrow swamp passages and brings you closer to native wildlife. Glide along the water, viewing the lush greenery and the chance to sport various wild animals, including alligators, owls, raccoons, snakes, black bears, bald eagles, and wild boar.

If you’re looking for some of the best views of the parades and potentially, some of the best trinkets tossed out by riders, then you’ll want to book your place on one of the grandstands located on Lafayette Square. Tickets will be valid for the parades of the Krewes of Okeanos, Mid-City, and Thoth on the morning of Sunday 2nd March. Just a short walk away from your hotel the grandstands provide a comfortable location from which to watch the parades, the perfect option for those looking to experience their first ever Mardi Gras parade.

One of our guests’ favourite activities in New Orleans. This two-hour Mississippi River cruise sets sail from the heart of the French Quarter and shows you why the city was founded on the beautiful crescent of the lower Mississippi River. From onboard the only surviving authentic steamboat in New Orleans, The Natchez, you can sit back, relax and soak up the New Orleans atmosphere as smooth jazz fills your ears. Upgrade your experience by booking a Sunday Brunch.

Also available on Monday, this two-hour Mississippi River cruise sets sail from the heart of the French Quarter and shows you why the city was founded on the beautiful crescent of the lower Mississippi River. From onboard the only surviving authentic steamboat in New Orleans, The Natchez, you can sit back, relax and soak up the New Orleans atmosphere as smooth jazz fills your ears. Upgrade your experience by booking lunch onboard.

Designated by Congress as the official WWII museum of the United States, the National WWII Museum is just a short walk from your hotel and ranks as the city’s top attraction. Set across 5 buildings, the museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world – why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. The Louisiana Memorial Pavilion features the “D-Day Invasion of Normandy” exhibit and an exhibit telling the story of the war experienced on the Home Front. 

Step beyond the iron gates of New Orleans’ most well-known cemetery and discover the charming and moving stories etched into each stone. Take a walk through New Orleans’ past when you visit St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Discover the tombs of famous residents, get up close and personal with the city’s unique above-ground burial structures, and learn interesting historical facts.