'Live' In The Deep South

Welcome to New Orleans, Louisiana or ‘NAW-LEANS’ as it’s pronounced by the Cajun locals. Our motorcycle tour for music lovers’ kicks off with dinner on the steamboat Natchez. Then we head for Bourbon Street.

We have a whole day to discover New Orleans. Join us for a walking tour of the French Quarter, or Visit Café Du Monde for a morning coffee and beignet. Stroll on through Jackson Square and you will discover the old world charm of the French Quarter with its many boutique stores and antique shops. This evening’s festivities will probably bring us to Coops Place for Crawfish Etouffee. Next we move to Frenchmen Street, the unspoken secret that makes New Orleans music truly unique.

We pick up our Harley-Davidson motorcycle and the adventure begins. Leaving this historic town behind us, we head through the Homochitto National Forest, stopping for a brief lunch before we head into the heart of the delta.

A short riding day but the whole of it spent on the Natchez Trace Parkway, an original historic trail used by Native Americans as a lifeline of the deep south. This brings us directly into the heart of Natchez, a historic town steeped in southern charm, where we spend the afternoon on a plantation house tour. Our evening will be spent overlooking the mighty Mississippi river.

It’s a short ride to Clarksdale, home of the blues. We stop at the Tunica Roadhouse Casino and make our way down Highway 61. Passing Muddy Waters’ childhood home we arrive in Clarksdale, Mississippi – the site of the infamous ‘Crossroads’, Ground Zero and many more blues sites. And we think you’ll like your accommodation tonight – a bit of a surprise! And expect more ‘live’ music. Well, what else would you expect on this motorcycle tour for music lovers.

Heading out of Clarksdale we visit Tutwiler, where the blues were ‘unofficially’ discovered by WC Handy in 1903. We continue south through the Mississippi delta to the BB King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. Next we visit Leland home of Kermit the Frog and continue riding on through Rolling Fork. Today we pick up the Natchez Trace Parkway for a beautiful ride to Tupelo, and Elvis’ birthplace, for lunch. Then it’s a straight ride into Memphis, stopping, of course, at Sun Studios! Our hotel is in downtown Memphis, within walking distance of Beale St, where now we are immersed in juke joints and live blues music.

A full day that really packs a punch! We visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, and Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Hopefully you’ll have time to visit the National Civil Rights Museum. The evening continues with ‘live’ blues music at the Rum Boogie Café or Beale Street’s bars. Indulge in the local cuisine and eat a plate of home-made red beans and rice or gator gumbo.

First stop today, the world-famous Jack Daniels Distillery, where we take a 90-minute distillery tour. It is a complete change of scenery now as we leave the mountains behind and head for the delta. In the afternoon we head into Alabama and end the day with a visit to the Muscle Shoals Sound studios.

We leave the Great Smoky Mountains via the Cherohala Skyway, a beautiful winding picturesque ride, with views across the Tennessee River Valley. Leaving the natural forest ecosystems, we come to the charming city of Chattanooga. We visit Lookout Mountain above the city, and if there’s time the Civil War battlefields of Chicamauga and Chattanooga. And yes, we are staying at the Chattanooga Choo Choo!

We start the day with a ride to the amazing Wheels through Time Motorcycle Museum. Then we head up into the Blue Ridge Mountains and onto the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. This is a virtually traffic-free thoroughfare, winding and rising up to 6,000 ft, To end this memorable riding day, we ride Hy 129, better known as the Tail of the Dragon at Deal’s Gap- twice! We overnight a short ride away near the Fontana Dam.

Our first stop is the Cumberland Falls. Then our first riding challenge – the Devil’s Triangle. Take your time, enjoy the twisting roads and the views. After that, it’s a short ride to Pigeon Forge. Tonight we take in Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede – a foot-stomping show and extravaganza.

Our final day’s ride keeps up the fun as we head back to Nashville. Following the Foothills Parkway we reach familiar territory, the westerly end of the Tail of the Dragon. Following the banks of the Tellico Reservoir where possible, we then reach Lenoir. Here we pick up Highway 70 for most of our ride into Nashville. Highway 70 was one of the original transcontinental highways launched in 1926, known at different times as the ‘Broadway of America’ and the ‘Treasure Trail’, with a number of historic stops. After returning our bikes to Boswell’s Harley-Davidson and a final souvenir shop maybe, it’s time to head to our hotel and enjoy what Nashville is famous for – having a good time!

Welcome to Music City. Home of country Music, state government, the Tennessee Titans, the infamous Ryman Auditorium and the perfect place to get your yeehaw on. There’s so much to explore in Nashville, the list of sights is endless. We’ve included tickets to the Country Music Hall of Fame (an all-encompassing showcase of Country music legends and lifestyle) and we come across our first legend at the Johnny Cash Museum! Our nights will be spent on Broadway and we recommend two of the top ‘live’ music venues – Robert’s Western World and the Station Inn. You will be realising why this really is the motorcycle tour for music lovers!

Time to say goodbye. On your flight home reflect on your country, blues and jazz musical riding adventure that was ‘Live’ in the Deep South!