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Land of country music and Delta blues – Nashville & Memphis holidays are old southern soul and surprising new delights

The legendary music cities of Nashville and Memphis serve up all the Southern flavours you need for an adventure into the rhythms of rock ’n roll, country and blues.

Jingling with welcoming vibes, honky tonk clubs and iconic theatres, the Tennessee capital of Nashville is a journey into the soul of the south. Famed for its country music, culinary scene and creativity, you can dive into the history of music, drink beer and whisky in gritty bars and dine your way around top chef Southern food restaurants. Grab tickets to an all-star performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry or seek out up and coming performers at the bijou Bluebird Cafe where Taylor Swift got her start. Fancy shopping for cowboy boots to go along with those country music roots? Broadway is where you’ll find them. Prefer to see one of Jimi Hendrix’ guitars or Elvis Presley’s studio booth? Head to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Set along the banks of the Mississippi River, Memphis is a heady mix of barbecue, blues and rock ‘n roll with a strong Civil Rights Movement history. You’ll find the kitsch and novel on Beale Street and in the private home of Elvis Presley at Graceland. Visit Sun Studio, where B.B. King and Johnny Cash recorded albums, and the Rock ‘n Soul Museum for insight into the city’s musical heyday. Memphis is both cool and cultural; you can step back in time at the Victorian Village, taste proper southern grill at flavoursome barbecue joints and cruise along the Mississippi River on a historic paddle wheeler.

Looking for a trip bursting with heritage, flavour and soul? We offer handpicked inspiration and Nashville and Memphis holidays.

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Nashville & Memphis Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Nashville & Memphis

The Peabody Memphis

Historic, opulent, classic

The Guest House at Graceland

This ain’t no Heartbreak Hotel – The Guest House at Graceland embodies southern charm and is wove...

Hotel Indigo Nashville

Hotel Indigo brings a little character to its prime spot on Printers’ Alley in Nashville. It’s ea...

Virgin Hotels Nashville

A super modern, super stylish hotel in the heart of Music City, Virgin Hotels Nashville brings a...

Cambria Hotel Nashville

A touch south of Nashville’s famous Broadway, the SoBro neighbourhood is home to live music venue...

Omni Nashville

The essence of Nashville’s personality is brought into the folds of Omni Nashville thanks to thou...

Noelle Nashville, Tribute Portfolio

Sitting prettily on Nashville’s Printers’ Alley, Noelle is an elegant enclave swathed in Art Deco...

Holston House, The Unbound Collection

Step out the front door and you’re in the thick of it: neon lights, live music drifting down the...

Kimpton Aertson Hotel

Kimpton Aertson Hotel is a design-led base that puts the city’s music, food, and nightlife within...

Canopy by Hilton Memphis Downtown Beale Street

A clean and contemporary hotel with easy access to Memphis’ metropolis of attractions.

Holidays in Nashville & Memphis

  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4.5 Star

Historic, opulent, classic

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4 Star

This ain’t no Heartbreak Hotel – The Guest House at Graceland embodies southern charm and is woven with an Elvis theme throughout. What’s more, it’s right next door to the Graceland Mansion.

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 3 Star

Hotel Indigo brings a little character to its prime spot on Printers’ Alley in Nashville. It’s easy to get to the honky-tonks of Broadway, and it’s within walking distance of the Nissan Stadium.

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4 Star

A super modern, super stylish hotel in the heart of Music City, Virgin Hotels Nashville brings a carefree sense of fun and vivacity that few other hotels can match.

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4 Star

A touch south of Nashville’s famous Broadway, the SoBro neighbourhood is home to live music venues, restaurants, and bars. At the heart of it is the Cambria, a hotel that harnesses the area’s energy.

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4 Star

The essence of Nashville’s personality is brought into the folds of Omni Nashville thanks to thoughtful touches and design quirks in this large, perfectly located hotel. 

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4.5 Star

Sitting prettily on Nashville’s Printers’ Alley, Noelle is an elegant enclave swathed in Art Deco charm. It attracts a well-heeled crowd to its acclaimed social hotspots.

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4 Star

Step out the front door and you’re in the thick of it: neon lights, live music drifting down the street, and that unmistakable Nashville buzz.

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  • Nashville & Memphis

Kimpton Aertson Hotel is a design-led base that puts the city’s music, food, and nightlife within easy reach.

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  • Nashville & Memphis
  • 4 Star

A clean and contemporary hotel with easy access to Memphis’ metropolis of attractions.

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From the home of country music to the birthplace of blues and Rock 'n' Roll, discover Nashville and Memphis’ iconic music scene with an independent itinerary

Giving you the freedom to experience the old southern soul of Nashville and Memphis in a way that suits you, our suggested independent itineraries are flexible and can be tailored so you can explore both cities at your own pace. This land of country music and Delta blues is all about those music filled nights in honky tonk bars, fascinating museums, and tasting the region’s unique cuisine, including barbecue favourites. Our itineraries even go beyond Nashville and Memphis; you can visit a bourbon distillery in Louisville; visit the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Mississippi; and learn about Creole cuisine during a lively cooking demonstration in New Orleans. Along the way, you’ll meet local singer-songwriters, taste the region’s renowned cuisine and experience southern hospitality at its very best.

Our recommended Nashville and Memphis tours

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From the home of country music to the birthplace of blues and Rock 'n' Roll, discover Nashville and Memphis’ iconic music scene with an independent itinerary

Giving you the freedom to experience the old southern soul of Nashville and Memphis in a way that suits you, our suggested independent itineraries are flexible and can be tailored so you can explore both cities at your own pace. This land of country music and Delta blues is all about those music filled nights in honky tonk bars, fascinating museums, and tasting the region’s unique cuisine, including barbecue favourites. Our itineraries even go beyond Nashville and Memphis; you can visit a bourbon distillery in Louisville; visit the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Mississippi; and learn about Creole cuisine during a lively cooking demonstration in New Orleans. Along the way, you’ll meet local singer-songwriters, taste the region’s renowned cuisine and experience southern hospitality at its very best.

Our recommended Nashville and Memphis tours

Nashville Old Town Trolley Hop-on Hop-off Day Tour

Famed for its thriving music scene, this hop-on, hop-off day tour around Nashville Old Town welcomes you to traverse a buzzing network of entertainment venues, eateries and unique speciality shops all in one action-packed day trip. For the avid theatregoers and music enthusiasts, Opryland, The Ryman Auditorium and Tootsie's Orchid Lounge serve great spots in which to watch a show, while the Country Music Hall of Fame and Bicentennial Mall State Park lend a glimpse into Music City’s rich history. Hop on and off the Old Town Trolley at your leisure and delight in all that this energetic hub has to offer!

• Duration: Full day
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Good to know
Bus departures run every 30 minutes. Refreshments are not included but can be purchased on the day at the various different stops.

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The Soul of Music City Tour

As dusk descends, harness the opportunity to explore Nashville at nightfall with our Soul of Music Night Tour. Taking you on a glittering journey through the beating heart of Nashville, this expertly guided tour is every music buff's dream. Immerse yourself in the city’s vibrant rhythm & blues heritage, honky tonks and esteemed music venues, all beneath the soft glow of the star-studded velvety night sky. Stealing vistas of some of the city’s most sought after sights, you’ll also enjoy a leisurely saunter across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, as well as getting an exclusive insider scoop on some of Nashville’s best loved hotspots. 

• Duration: 1.5 hours
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Good to know
Tour begins at 7pm. Expert guides lead the tour, sharing stories and original songs. Refreshments are not included.

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Graceland Elvis Experience Tour

Walk through Graceland as if you belong there. This tour lets you follow in Elvis’s own blue-suede footsteps, with an audio guide featuring stories and commentary from Elvis himself and his daughter, Lisa Marie. You’ll see the rooms where he lived, laughed, worked, and unwound, from the living room and music room to the TV room, pool room, and the famously untamed Jungle Room (no lions, plenty of legend).

Explore more of the 14-acre estate, then take a quiet moment in the Meditation Garden, where Elvis now rests with members of his family. Step aboard Elvis’s custom jet, then wrap things up at Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex, where the story keeps rolling. This sprawling mix of museums and exhibits invites you deeper into Elvis’s world, from dazzling jumpsuits and gold records to his beloved cars and memorabilia, with spots to eat, browse, and linger. Thank you very much.

• Daily departures 
• Operates year round
• Group experience

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Fun Nashville Attraction Pass

Think of this as your backstage pass to Nashville. The Attraction Pass lets you line up some of the city’s greatest hits in advance, saving money and leaving you free to enjoy the show. There’s no rush either. The attractions don’t have to be done in a single day, so you can set your own tempo.

Start things off at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, where you can sample moonshine, cocktails, and local beer by the glass, fuel up on crowd favourites like White Duck Taco and Prince’s Hot Chicken, and take home a jar or two for later. Nashville believes in souvenirs you can sip. Step into the spotlight at Madame Tussauds Nashville, an interactive celebration of American music where legends past and present are always ready for a photo op. Then head to the Country Music Hall of Fame, where the story of country music unfolds through iconic instruments, costumes, and moments that shaped two centuries of sound. Go deeper behind the music with a visit to historic RCA Studio B, once home to recording greats like Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and the Everly Brothers. Prefer ink to vinyl? Opt instead for Hatch Show Print, the legendary letterpress poster shop that has been hand-printing Nashville’s look for generations. To tie it all together, hop aboard the Old Town Trolley for a one-day hop-on, hop-off tour that lets you see the city at street level, with stories included and walking optional. Finish on a high note at either the Johnny Cash Museum, home to the most comprehensive collection of artefacts from the Man in Black’s life, or the Patsy Cline Museum, a heartfelt tribute to one of country music’s most unforgettable voices.

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Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum & Memphis Music Hall of Fame Combo Ticket

With one ticket, you’ll visit two museums that make a very strong case for why so much of the world’s music seems to trace back to this city. Begin at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, a lively, ever-changing space that tells the story straight from the source. You’ll see personal, sometimes unexpected memorabilia from the artists who put Memphis on the map and hear their stories in their own words.

Elvis is here, of course, along with B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Johnny Cash, and Justin Timberlake, proof that Memphis doesn’t belong to just one era. Stand next to Jerry Lee Lewis’s custom Cadillac, admire Isaac Hayes’s legendary Stax organ, and test how well you really know those lyrics you’ve been singing for years.

Then head to the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, created by the Smithsonian Institution and located beside the FedEx Forum. This gives you the big picture. Through music, film, and sound, it charts how artists pushed past racial and social boundaries to create rock and soul and change the world while they were at it. The journey runs from rural blues and early gospel to the rise of Sun, Stax, and Hi Records, and on to Memphis’s global influence today.

A rich digital audio guide, packed with songs, stories, and behind-the-scenes moments, leads you through seven galleries filled with instruments, costumes, and archival footage.

• Departs Wednesday to Sunday
• Operates year round

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