Arrive in New Orleans today and spend some time exploring before meeting up with your Tour Guides and fellow travellers at an orientation meeting this evening. New Orleans retains much of its French colonial influence and has a lot to explore. This unique American city is famous around the world for its culture, cuisine and music.

Today you’ll pick up your bikes from the New Orleans depot and ride out to spend the day exploring one of the historic Plantations and gardens, soaking in the landscape and cultural history of this special region. Tonight, will be all about the Welcome Dinner and celebrating the beginning of your amazing experiences together.

New Orleans/Plantation Ride | 100 miles
Breakfast and Welcome Dinner

Begin your ride today by rolling out of New Orleans by way of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, at 28 miles it is the longest bridge over water in the world! From there you’ll spend the day riding the backroads of Mississippi, experiencing your first towns along the Blues Trail. Tonight, you’ll get to explore the great blues town of Natchez, on the banks of the Mississippi.

New Orleans > Natchez | 190 miles
Breakfast

Today you will continue to immerse yourself in the history of the Mississippi blues. There are tons of Blues Trail Markers to hit today, as well as some incredibly preserved ‘Juke Joints’ such as Po’ Monkeys in Marigold. You’ll explore parts of the Natchez Trace and ride through plantations of cotton. The food, well, that goes without saying. It’s a menu of soul food, BBQ and sweet tea. Before arriving at the hotel, you’ll take a stop at the B.B. King Museum. The museum commemorates the famous blues artist B.B King, who was from the Mississippi Delta. Tonight, it’s cold drinks and live blues!

Natchez > Clarksdale | 215 miles
Breakfast

Today is all about exploring Memphis! Music lovers around the world know Beale Street, a national historical landmark that showcases the impact Memphis has had on Blues and Jazz. Legends such as Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, Memphis Minnie and most notably B.B. King, all helped develop the style known as Memphis Blues. One of the city’s most important Rock and Roll icons is Sun Studio, which discovered the talents of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. It’s just a short ride from Clarksdale so you’ll have plenty of time to explore this amazing city.

Clarksdale > Memphis | 80 miles
Breakfast

From Memphis, head out of Tennessee and into Alabama where you’ll have time to explore the famous city of Muscle Shoals. Since the 1960s, the city has been known for music – developing the ‘Muscle Shoals Sound’, as local recording studios (including FAME Studios in the late 1950s and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in 1969) produced hit records that shaped the history of popular music. Tonight, you’ll spend along the shores of the mighty Tennessee River in this lively music and arts district.

Memphis > Muscle Shoals | 160 miles
Breakfast

Head North today, into the southern Appalachian foothills of Tennessee for a beautiful day of riding along the winding and historic Natchez Trace Parkway. A stop has been arranged at the Jack Daniels Distillery for lunch and a guided tour of this famous site! Tonight, you’ll land in the Country Music Capital of the World, Nashville.

Muscle Shoals > Nashville | 200 miles
Breakfast

The Capital of Country music throws its doors wide open for you to explore! Today is a free day that you might want to use to seek out some of its museums and icons, such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, RCA Studio B and the Grand Ole Opry.

Today you head towards the Appalachians and the Tail of the Dragon! You’ll have the chance to ride up the 318 curves in 11 miles to Deals Gap and then turn around and come back down! Make sure none of the fairings on your bike get nailed to the Tree of Shame! Let’s just say the last miles of this day will stay with you forever!

Nashville > Townsend | 250 miles
Breakfast

This is your day to explore as far and as wide as you’d like. Out the back door of your hotel is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where twisty roads dominate! You could also head back to do more laps on the Tail of the Dragon, explore the Native American history in the town, or just enjoy a leisurely day by the river.

Today’s journey will begin on the Blue Ridge Parkway! And what a day it will be. You’ll be taking in endless views out across North Carolina and the perfectly surfaced parkway leading you to one of America’s greatest and most famous roads. Tonight will be spent in the charming mountain town of Boone NC with its boutique shops and brew pubs.

Townsend > Boone NC | 230 miles
Breakfast

Your ride along the Blue Ridge continues today as you drop into the history and music of the mountain people of this region, exploring such places as the Blue Ridge Music Centre and Mabry Mill. You will be heading into your last state today – Virginia – where you will spend the night in the historic Hotel Roanoke in the city centre.

Blowing Rock > Roanoke | 180 miles
Breakfast

Your last day of riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway will be leisurely with plenty of time to stop and explore. Speeds are slow but the views are spectacular with your biggest issue being the amount of wildlife along the road. Wild pigs and bears can sometimes be spotted on this road. Your hotel for the night is right on the edge of the parkway in rural Virginia.

Roanoke > Waynesboro | 125 miles
Breakfast

Today you will be heading towards the nation’s capital of Washington D.C. but before you turn your bikes in, spend the morning cruising along the famous Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. Take one final look at the end of your Appalachian road and then get ready for a farewell dinner in the heart of D.C.

Waynesboro > Washington D.C. | 180 miles
Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Today your exciting trip will conclude in Washington D.C. After dropping your bike back at the depot, make your way to the airport to catch your scheduled flight back to the UK.