Performing Arts Trip from Nashville to New Orleans

Discover the musical heritage of the USA on your performing arts school trip from Nashville to New Orleans!

You’ll start your tour of the Deep South in Nashville. Nicknamed Music City, this is the home of the country music industry. You’ll then head southwards to Memphis, where the blues were born and Elvis rocked.

Continuing to follow the Mississippi River, you’ll eventually end up in New Orleans. Here you’ll find music that has been influenced by European, African and Latin cultures. Especially known for its jazz, which is so ingrained in the city’s culture it’s even performed as part of the traditional funeral service here, New Orleans is also well regarded for its theatre scene, and film and television production, which have earned it the nicknames ‘Broadway South’ and ‘Hollywood South’.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Flight to Nashville

Afternoon

Arrive in Nashville Group to be met on arrival and take short city tour as you transfer to your acommodation

Evening

Evening meal at BB King Blues Club restaurant

Day 2

Morning

Spend the morning at RCA Studio B making your own recordingafter a short tour

Afternoon

Lunch at the Country Music Hall of Fame, followed by a visit to the museum

Evening

Enjoy dinner and a show at the Grand Ole Opry

Day 3

Morning

Depart from Nashville after breakfast at your hotel

Afternoon

Tour of Jack Daniel's Distillery and Memphis city tour

Evening

Evening meal at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street with time to explore

Day 4

Morning

Visit to Sun Studio where Elvis recorded many of his hit songs

Afternoon

Lunch at the famous Corky’s BBQ Tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory and visit the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum Tour Elvis’ home, Graceland Visit the Civil Rights Museum where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated

Evening

Evening meal at the Majestic Grill restaurant

Day 5

Morning

Leave the hotel and travel into Mississippi to Natchez

Afternoon

City tour of Natchez

Evening

Evening meal at Castle Restaurant and Pub

Day 6

Morning

Travel to New Orleans

Afternoon

Enjoy a swamp tour and visit to Oak Alley Plantation

Evening

Evening meal at Huck Finn's restaurant

Day 7

Morning

Visit the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas See the IMAX movie 'Hurricane on the Bayou'

Afternoon

Lunch at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Board the Creole Queen Paddlewheeler Tour of the Old US Mint

Evening

Evening meal at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

Day 8

Morning

Breakfast at the hotel

Afternoon

Transfer to airport via a short city tour of New Orleans, to see the areas devasted by Hurricane Katrina

Evening

Flight to the UK

Day 9

Morning

Arrive UK

7 nights' half-board accommodation
Airport transfers in resort
All flights including tax
Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
Detailed information pack
Entrance fees to attractions as shown in the programme
Free staff place ratio 1:10
Itinerary can be done in reverse
Itinerary planning service
Overland transportation
VAT

Curriculum

A Level

Exploring music genres, styles and eras in greater detail
Blues, Jazz, Swing and Big Band
Innovations in music from 1900 - present day
Instrumental Jazz from 1910 - present day
Jobs and organisations of the performance industry
Social, cultural and historical influences on performing arts
Musical performance
Producing music using technology

GCSE

Exploring musical context, language, performance and composition
Broadening musical horizons
Roles and responsibilities within the performance industry
Performing arts within society

Accommodation

Americas Best Value Inn & Suites

The Americas Best Value Inn is a three storey buliding that offers 75 guest rooms and suites. Accommodation is close to many fine restaurants, businesses, and historic landmarks.All rooms have complimentary wireless hi-speed internet, a refrigerator, microwave, cable television with HBO, radio, wakeup service and much more.

Baymont Inn & Suites Memphis East

The Baymont Inn Memphis East has 96 guestrooms, accessible via elevators and interior corridors. Guestroom amenities include cable television, in-room coffee and a complimentary USA Today newspaper and high-speed Internet access.

Days Inn Natchez

This historic property features beautifully finished deluxe rooms. Facilities include a continental breakfast, 24hr front desk, vending machines, a games room, outdoor pool, restaurant, lounge, Internet access, satellite TV, air conditioning, tea & coffee making facilities, maid service and more.

Tour highlights

Visit the Historic RCA Studio B

The only recording studio tour in Nashville, this is an essential inclusion on your itinerary and offers your students the opportunity to explore the birthplace of the ‘Nashville Sound’, which not only made country music popular again, it also established Nashville’s reputation as an important centre for recording music. Located in the city’s famous Music Row district, you’ll certainly be surrounded by history when you visit the RCA Studio B on your school trip to Nashville – Elvis Presley alone recorded over 200 songs here!

Did you know?

Dolly Parton once crashed her car into the side of the building in a rush to make her first recording session there having just signed to RCA. If you look carefully, you can still see the spot where she hit it.

Visit the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum

Learn about the birth of rock and soul music and discover the stories of the musical pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to live their dream! Start by exploring the rural lifestyle and culture that spawned the musical traditions of the South - blues, country and gospel. These distinct styles eventually came together in Memphis, as people moved to the city from the countryside. You’ll go on to find out how the music industry boomed in Memphis and how it influenced and was influenced in turn by social and political changes.

Did you know?

The museum is located on Beale Street in downtown Memphis. This street played a pivotal role in the history of the blues. From the 1920s to the 1940s a number of artists performed in venues along the street, helping to develop the Memphis Blues style.

Tour the Sun Studios

Tour the studios where Elvis Presley made his very first recording! In fact, these studios have played a very important role in the beginnings of a number of iconic careers, including those of Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis. This is also said to be the studio where the very first rock ’n’ roll single was recorded – ‘Rocket 88’ by Jackie Brenton and His Delta Cats. But the studio will forever be known for its association with Elvis Presley, who walked into the studio at 18 years old having just graduated from high school. And in 1956 it was the setting for an impromptu jam session between Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, later dubbed the ‘Million Dollar Quartet’!

Did you know?

While the studio is a museum during the day, at night it still hosts recording sessions – a number of famous musicians have recorded here in more recent times including Def Leppard, Chris Isaak and U2.

Educational Activities

Gibson Guitar Factory

Take a complete tour of the Gibson Beale Street Showcase in Memphis.

Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry is the perfect place to celebrateover 80 years of great country music.

Historic RCA Studio B

In the heart of Music Row, you can experience for yourself the magic, the stories, and the music at Historic

Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum

The Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum is about the birth of rock and soul music, created by the Smithsonian Institution,

National Civil Rights Museum

The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr.

Sun Studio Tour

There are few studios that have had such an impact on the world as Sun Studios in Memphis.

Cultural Activities

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

Walk beneath the bright and glowing Caribbean Reef tunnel which is 30 meters long, marvel at the beauty of the

Historic Beale Street

Memphis is the home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll. Beale Street has been playing the

Jack Daniel's Distillery

Known all over the world for its square bottle and black label, Jack Daniel's Whiskey has long been linked with

Oak Alley Plantation

Oak Alley Plantation is a historic plantation located on the Mississippi River in the town of Vacherie, Louisiana. Protected as

Swamp Tour

See the Cajuns of the Bayou living and surviving in harmony with the swamps. Here, the waterways are their highways. From

The Queen Creole Paddle Wheel Boat

The Paddlewheeler Creole Queen boat cruises along the Mississippi River both during the day and at night. An authentic paddlewheeler

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.