Last reviewed: · Prices in US Dollars ($ USD) are approximate and for orientation only.
Route at a glance
Travel from Nashville's Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame to Memphis's Sun Studio, Graceland, and National Civil Rights Museum, then ride Amtrak's City of New Orleans south to the French Quarter.
Estimated per-person budget ($1,680 – $2,950) covers mid-range hotels, intercity transport, timed attraction or national park passes ($80 America the Beautiful Pass), and daily dining including state sales tax and tip.
Day-by-day plan
Nashville Arrival: Ryman Auditorium & Honky Tonk Highway (Lower Broadway)
Tour the 1892 'Mother Church of Country Music' at Ryman Auditorium, eat Nashville hot chicken, and hear live bands along Broadway.
Country Music Hall of Fame, RCA Studio B & Songwriters at The Bluebird Cafe
Explore historic Music Row recording studios, 12 South boutiques, and an acoustic songwriter showcase.
Drive to Memphis (3 hrs): Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul & Beale Street
Stand on the exact spot where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King recorded at Sun Studio, then feast on slow-smoked Memphis dry-rub ribs.
National Civil Rights Museum (Lorraine Motel) & Graceland
Spend a deeply moving morning at the National Civil Rights Museum before touring Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion and planes.
Amtrak 'City of New Orleans' or Delta Drive (Via Clarksdale Blues Trail) to New Orleans
Ride the storied Amtrak train down through the Mississippi Delta (or drive US-61 past the Crossroads in Clarksdale) into New Orleans.
French Quarter (Jackson Square, Royal Street), Café Du Monde Beignets & Frenchmen Street Jazz
Explore Vieux Carré courtyards, eat warm powdered-sugar beignets and gumbo, and hear live brass bands on Frenchmen Street.
St. Charles Streetcar, Garden District & National WWII Museum
Ride the historic green streetcar beneath live oaks to the Garden District and tour the National WWII Museum.
Bayou Swamp Tour or Whitney Plantation & Departure from MSY
Visit the Jean Lafitte bayou boardwalks before flying out of Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY).
Transport, driving & pass notes
Designed for country, blues, rock 'n' roll, jazz & creole-southern food journey travel. Compare train, flight, and road-trip costs in USD ($) using our Amtrak & Rail Pass Calculator, $80 National Parks Pass Calculator, and US Trip Budget Calculator.
What to book ahead
- Apply for your $21 ESTA at esta.cbp.dhs.gov at least 72 hours before departure (or verify visa validity).
- Book Amtrak Acela / Northeast Regional tickets or rental cars 4–8 weeks ahead for the lowest USD ($) rates.
- Reserve timed-entry slots for high-demand sights (Statue of Liberty Crown/Pedestal, Alcatraz, Capitol/White House tours, or Recreation.gov park entries) 30–90 days out.
Ways to adapt this route
- Add 1–2 buffer days if traveling during summer peak or Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday weeks.
- Use our interactive Itinerary Builder to customize stops and print your day-by-day plan.