Welcome to Memphis, Tennessee, a city pulsating with music, history, and Southern charm. Before embarking on your river cruise, explore iconic landmarks like Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum.

Settle into your hotel before sampling some of the BBQ cuisine that Memphis is famous for and taking a stroll down Beale Street to absorb the rhythms and tunes emanating out of the bars and entertainment venues.

Memphis Hotel

This morning you will gather, with your fellow travellers, in the hotel lobby ready to be transferred to your riverboat.

The comfort of your ship awaits at the nearby Beale Street Landing, docked along an impressive, recently renovated city park. Your bags will be collected and taken directly from the hotel and placed in your cabin aboard the ship.

Once you board your ship, you will be greeted at a Welcome Reception, where there is a chance to meet the crew and your fellow passengers. Spend the afternoon relaxing as you begin cruising along the majestic Mississippi, a river woven into the fabric of American history and culture.

You will also be able to enjoy some live musical entertainment provided by local performers who will bring to life the music that originated from along the river.

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Design a day just the way you want it. Sleep in. Or greet the morning from your stateroom’s private veranda to read, enjoy the scenery, or watch the ship transit through the Ohio River’s newest lock and dam, completed in 2018 after 23 years of construction. View the awe-inspiring confluence of the Ohio River emptying into the mighty Mississippi.

There are a variety of activities scheduled on board as the riverboat cruises onwards. Listen to special guest speakers as they talk about the future ports of call, or join in art classes, cooking demonstrations or the trivia quiz.

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Just upriver of your ship’s dock, the beautiful Tennessee River empties into the Ohio River. Also nearby are the confluences with the Cumberland River and the Mississippi. The convergence of these four major rivers crossroads has made Paducah an important trading port over the years.

Wander along the landing to admire more than 50 murals which highlight the region’s rich history. Learn the importance of the town as headquarters for Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant as he embarked to secure Union control of the rivers.

Only a block away, the excellent River Discovery Centre details the importance of river transportation to this historic port. Alternatively, you can view a treasure trove of incredible works of art created with fabric at the National Quilt Museum.

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In 1966 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the 57ft Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River. The subsequent Lake Barkley pooled back 134 miles, creating a stunning collection of coves and inlets.

From the large picture windows, sundeck or your private balcony you will have the perfect view of the ever-changing scenery around the lake.  Between Lake Barkley and the Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lake paralleling to the west, the ‘Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area’ includes more than 170,000 acres of forests, wetlands, and open spaces home to roaming herds of elk and bison. The resident naturalist on board will be able to help you identify more wildlife as you cruise by.

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At Dover, your ship nestles in at the town’s lovely waterfront park. Locals often welcome the vessel and set up booths of crafts and tasty treats.

The adjacent bluff is the site of the historic Fort Donelson National Park, a site that played a pivotal role in the Civil War. It was there that Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant won their first battle during this early struggle to gain control of the rivers.

You can learn about the importance of river transportation during the war and the story of this February 1862 battle which led quickly to the Union’s capture of their first Confederate state capital at Nashville, during your visit.

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As the Cumberland River narrows, your riverboat will dock at the riverfront park in Clarksville. The town is named for General George Rogers Clark, a frontier fighter, Revolutionary War hero, and brother of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

It is possible to wander for miles along the picturesque waterfront trail, or you can head into town for a tour of the Customs House Museum. Built in 1898, this building originally housed a U.S. Post Office and Customs House for the flourishing tobacco trade. Architecturally unique, the building consists of Italianate ornamentation, a Far East influenced roof, Romanesque arches and Gothic copper eagles perched at the building’s four corners. The museum is among the most photographed buildings in Tennessee.

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As an introduction to Nashville you can join a narrated exploration of historic downtown. Along the way, you will view Honky Tonk Row, Bicentennial Park, and the State Capitol Building. You can also stop at the Country Hall of Fame and Museum, home to a growing collection of over 2.5 million artifacts, including one-of-a-kind recordings, films, and instruments.

In the evening you will be transported to the famous Grand Ole Opry for a country music show featuring well-known and up and coming musical artists and groups.

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Your Music Cities River Cruise comes to an end as you disembark your riverboat Nashville

You could choose to return to the airport to continue your holiday or return home. Alternatively you may like to spend some more time exploring Nashville and the neighbouring areas.

If you stay on you will be able to walk in the footsteps of country music history with a VIP guided backstage tour of the legendary 1880 Ryman Auditorium. Visit President Andrew Jackson’s fascinating Hermitage home, the Tennessee State Capitol, a full-size replica of the Parthenon, or the opulent Gaylord Opryland Hotel’s nine acres of indoor gardens, rivers, and waterfalls.

Speak to your travel consultant for hotel recommendations and further holiday idea.

Breakfast