Earlier this year,I went back to Memphis and New Orleans on the American Music Heritage Tour.

If you are staying at the Doubletree,it is about 10-15 minutes walk to Beale Street,depending on where you are headed. The Peabody and it’s famous duck march is opposite.

Sun Studios is interesting and the guides are good,often musicians themselves.

Graceland is very good with a self guided tour using IPads, and the area opposite has been improved in the last couple of years.

Oak Alley,outside New Orleans, is beautiful although it has a sad history of having slaves.

New Orleans is very walkable in the French Quarter,lots of places to look at and places to stop for refreshments.

The Dukes of Dixieland,on the Jazz Cruise are very good,head for the top deck for the best view, both of the band and the shoreline when the boat casts off.

Hi I have booked for 3rd sept the year to go on the Chicago and New Orleans tour. Anyone else going? Or anyone been this year and has any advice or tips.

Hi Lollypops

I have just returned from this tour 3 weeks ago and had a fantastic time, hope you enjoy it too.

I highly recommend the optional river tour in Chicago, the architecture is stunning and a great way to see the city. The views from the Hancock tower at breakfast were amazing although the breakfast was just a snack.

St Louis wasn't the most exciting city but going to the top of the Gateway Arch was fun. You have to get into a little pod which is like stepping into a spaceship. The Budweiser brewery tour was good but you don't have a lot of time for a beer at the end, if like me you pick the one that is over 8%. The hotel is not the one advertised, it is the Holiday Inn Downtown. It is recently refurbished and the rooms are lovely, the food at the bar was also good.

I wasn't expecting Memphis to be the highlight for me but it was a great city. Beale Street had a great atmosphere but was very busy on the Saturday. A group of us went in the Irish bar called Slinky's as there is a lovely outdoor courtyard that wasn't too crowded. There was a live blues band playing outside with a dance floor and apparently a pet goat somewhere. Main Street is good if you want to eat somewhere quieter, The Majestic restaurant is good. The Peabody hotel with the ducks is next to the hotel, worth a visit even just to look round the hotel.

New Orleans was lovely and the hotel was very nice, I was lucky enough to get a Suite. I would also recommend the optional swamp tour, lots of alligators to see and a live baby alligator on the boat. They are a conservation area so the alligators are well looked after and there favourite snack you would never guess.

All the places we stopped off to eat on route where fast food outlets but we did stop at a few Walmarts. One of the local dishes in the southern states is deep fried ravioli, several of the group tried this and said it was very nice. I found it difficult as a vegetarian but I did enjoy the Cheesecake factory in Chicago.

Sarah