Highlights

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Whatever you want, America4Kids by US Tours will be happy to customize this program for you.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Memphis, TN – Memphis’ Incredible Food and Fun

Arrive today in Memphis, TN, home of the Blues.  Enjoy a three-night stay at a local hotel.

Tonight, includes a buffet dinner and fun at Memphis’ Incredible Food and Fun. There is so much to enjoy from 80+ arcade games and go-karts to laser tag, mini-golf, bowling, and immersive VR. (D)

Day 2 – Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum & Sound Education Lesson Plan Option – Sun Studio Tour – BBQ Lunch – Graceland, Home of Elvis – Dinner at Blues City Cafe – Free Time on Beale Street or Ghost Tour

After breakfast at the hotel, start the day with a visit to the Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum. The museum offers a historical and educational exploration of the origins of rock and soul music, of the musical legends who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create America’s music, and of its influence on world culture.

The museum’s “Sound Education” program offers lesson plans, as well as a comprehensive 72-page curriculum guide addressing many educational standards and offering effective opportunities for students to learn more about music and the music business. (This will be provided to the teacher before the trip.)

Next, visit Sun Studio, where rock ‘n’ roll was born. Sun Studio was also home to the ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ – Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Experience outtakes from sessions, touch Elvis’ microphone and hear the history of the studio.

Lunch will be included today at Central BBQ.

The afternoon is spent at Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. A trip to Graceland will offer an opportunity to learn about music, Memphis history, the life of Elvis Presley and more. Students will go on a one-of-a-kind journey through Elvis’ humble beginnings and rise to super-stardom with up close and personal looks at the influence that forever changed music. They can explore the life of the king of rock ‘n’ roll through videos, photos, personal mementos, artifacts, movie memorabilia, stage costumes and more.

The Graceland experience now includes Elvis Presley’s Memphis, new state-of-the-art entertainment complex. Elvis Presley’s Memphis enables students to follow the path that Elvis took, surround yourself with the things that he loved, and experience the sights and sounds of the city that inspired him. Experience Elvis’ life and career like never before – his roots, his influences and his artistry.

Travel to Beale Street this evening for dinner at the Blues City Cafe and sample some of the South’s favorite dishes.

Groups have the option of exploring Beale Street after dinner or enjoying a Backbeat Ghost Tour.  On the ghost tour, get ready to hear eerie legends while seeing some of Memphis’ oldest sites on this popular walking tour. Hear the mind-puzzling stories of the rich, poor, yellow-fever victims and other spirits haunting Memphis today. (B,L,D)

Day 3 – National Civil Rights Museum- Center for Southern Folklore w/lunch – Withers Collection Museum & Gallery – Stax Museum of American Soul – Evening Entertainment or Student Performance Opportunity

This morning after breakfast, visit the National Civil Rights Museum. Located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., chronicles key episodes of the American civil rights movement and the legacy of this movement to inspire participation in civil and human rights efforts globally, through their collections and exhibitions.

Next, visit The Center for Southern Folklore showcasing the music and cultural history of the Memphis/Delta region.  Southern style lunch included with visit.

The afternoon features a visit to the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery housing the work of Ernest Withers Sr., an internationally acclaimed photographer and photojournalist recognized for his iconic photographs of Memphis and the broader South during the civil rights era. Withers documented a history that still resonates today, capturing the momentous and often dangerous upheaval of America’s Civil Rights Movement across the South from the late 1940s through the 1960s.

Then tour the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. With more than 2,000 cultural artifacts, music exhibits, video footage, and items of memorabilia, the museum is designed to preserve and promote the legacy of American soul music, particularly that of Stax Records.

Dinner will be included this evening at a local restaurant.  The evening will feature entertainment or a student performance opportunity. (B,L,D)

Day 4 – Blues Hall of Fame – Depart for Home

After breakfast, visit the Blues Hall of Fame. Filled with robust exhibits and in-depth history, it educates and entertains with all that what is The Blues Culture. Enjoy 10 individualized galleries with interactive touchscreen displays along with three master databases where they can hear the music, watch videos, and read the stories of each of our inductees. In addition, each gallery houses one-of-a-kind memorabilia.

Following your visit, depart for home. (B)

Tour Map