Only in America

Day 1 - UK to Newport

Fly from the UK to Cincinnati, collecting your car, take the short drive to Newport and check into your hotel.

Day 2 - Explore Covington & Newport

Today explore Northern Kentucky across the two neighbouring cities Covington and Newport. There is plenty to see and do some highlights including strolling across the Roebling Suspension Bridge a prototype of the Brooklyn Bridge spanning across the Ohio River or take in the Cincinnati River Front with its parks, baseball and American football stadiums.

Day 3 - Newport to Louisville

Today depart Covington and head south toward Louisville on I-65. For a rest break on your journey take exit # 23 for Petersburg and amidst the rolling hills of Kentucky is the Creation Museum, which opened in 2010 and has been visited by more than 200,000 visitors annually.

Continue south to Louisville, which is firmly embedded in the American national consciousness for its multimillion-dollar Kentucky Derby held each May at Churchill Downs. The Derby, known as the richest two minutes in sport, attracts 500,000 fans to this cosmopolitan and diversified city the first Saturday in May, but there is racing at Churchill Downs in April, May, June, October and November, and the track is open for tours year-round. The next-door Kentucky Derby Museum offers an excellent hands-on experience and a magnificent audio-visual display that captures the Derby Day atmosphere on a 360o screen.

Day 4 - Explore Louisville

Spend today exploring Louisville popular highlights include Louisville Slugger Museum and factory and be sure to sample the Urban Bourbon Trail along Whisky Row.

A must visit when in Louisville is the Muhammad Ali Centre located on the south bank of the Ohio River providing views of Cassius Clay where Ali was born. At the visitor centre learn about Muhammad Ali life and both the ups and downs of his boxing career.

Day 5 - Louisville to Lexington

Today continue to Lexington the horse capital of the world home to more that 450 Thoroughbred and Strandardberd Farms which many are open to the public. If your visiting in April to October visit the Keeneland Race Course located near the Kentucky Horse Park offering an authentic equine experience, there is also lots of seasonal events running throughout the year.

Day 6 - Lexington to Bowling Green

The next part of your journey takes you to Bowling Green. Traveling through Bardstown which has been voted America’s most beautiful small town other highlights along the way include Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Centre and the Bluegrass Parkway. As I-65 heads south toward Bowling Green, you are in the heart of Kentucky's Cave Country. The region's “karst” topography is responsible for hundreds of ancient caverns and the idyllic rolling hills seen on the surface.

Bowling Green is famous for creation of the Corvette at the National Corvette Museum learn about the history of the Corvette and how its constructed. At the racetracks beside the museum you can zoom around the race track in a corvette.

Day 7 - Bowling Green to Paducah

Departing Bowling Green continue your journey to Paducah a small river town in Kentucky and one of only 7 UNESCO Creative Cities in the world. Creativity is the common thread that connects people from around the globe to Paducah. Home to the National Quilt Museum, the Lower Town Arts District and 50 life-sized panoramic floodwall murals.

Paducah’s location at the heart of America’s inland waterways (the Ohio and Tennessee rivers) has shaped its history and culture. The River Discovery Centre chronicles these heritage highways from the era of Paducah's earliest inhabitants to the City's modern-day life on the river.

Day 8 - Paducah to Memphis

Driving south from Paducah to Memphis, make a stop in Henning at the Alex Haley Museum & Interpretive Centre. Kunta Kinte. Kizzy. Chicken George. In the mid-1970s, these characters became household names thanks to author Alex Haley. His 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of An American Family, and the television miniseries Roots, which aired a year later, changed what many thought they knew about African-American heritage, taking the story of slavery and the quest for freedom out of dry-as-dust history textbooks and making it come alive in our living rooms.

Continue to Memphis on the mighty Mississippi River and immerse yourself in the city renowned as the Home of Blues, Soul & Rock ’n’ Roll.

Day 9 - Explore Memphis

Memphis is a vibrant city renowned for its musical influences including the Sun Studio also know as the birthplace of Rock n Roll its where artists including B.B King, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash where discovered. Make sure to stop at Beal Street to hear blues music live, the street offers a variety of good dining, street entertainment and busking. A Memphis highlight is Graceland the home of Elvis, take a guided tour of his estate.

Day 10 - Memphis to Nashville

Leave Memphis and head east through cotton fields to Nashville via Brownsville and be sure to sample the Southern delicacies served at The Old Country Store at the Casey Jones Village in Jackson.

Nashville is famous for it’s contribution to country music, the Bluebird Café is legendary hotspot where you can see local songwriters perform original material. Experience the Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry the longest running radio show where you are likely to see rising country stars performing, famous country starts who have performed here include Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton.

Day 11 - Explore Nashville

Continue to explore more of Nashville country music at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The world’s largest museum dedicated to music. There is something for all ages here with plenty of artifacts from various different country start as well as dedicated exhibits for your favourite country stars including the Taylor Swift education centre.

An other Nashville highlight is the Johnny Cash Museum where visitors can learn about Johnny Cash’s life and career featuring many never before seen historical documents, awards, costumes and instruments.

Day 12 - Nashville to Great Smoky Mountains

Drive east from Nashville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited, and just west of Knoxville at Exit 364 on I-40 is Oak Ridge. Traveling along the banks of the Tennessee River is Knoxville, and its Volunteer Landing includes refreshing waterfalls and fountains, historical markers, and locally owned restaurants. Volunteer Landing is also the location of the Star of Knoxville riverboat and Three Rivers Rambler Railroad. Continue to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America's most visited, stretching for half-a-million acres across Tennessee and North Carolina. 

Day 13 - Explore Great Smoky Mountains

Hike, cycle, ride a horse, drive or rent a motorbike and explore the scenic roads of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Be sure to stand across the state line with one foot in Tennessee and the other in North Carolina at Clingman’s Dome.

The nearby towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Townsend offer a wide array of activities from mini Nascar racing to zip-lining. Make time for the extraordinary Titanic Museum and the excellent outlet shopping.

A unique and popular attraction to visit is Dolly Parton’s theme park Dollywood which spans over 150 aces and celebrates the heritage and people of East Tennessee region which was popularise by her music.

Day 14 - Great Smoky Mountains to Chattanooga

Drive south from the Smokies to Chattanooga and travel through the ancient homeland and territory of the Cherokee Indians. Chattanooga is nestled along the beautiful Tennessee River and surrounded by spectacular mountains and scenic beauty. Chattanooga has a newly revitalised riverfront, first-class attractions, a free electric shuttle, a green & clean environment, outdoor adventures, rich American Civil War history, a thriving music scene and plenty of annual events that offer year-round entertainment.

 No visit to Chattanooga is complete without a visit to the Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station Complex & Hotel. This 1909 train station was made famous by the song "Pardon me boy – is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?” when it became the first record in the world to sell over one million copies. But you can still tour this historic complex, ride an electric trolley, spend the night in a train carriage, and have “dinner in the diner” where your waiter will take the stage and sing you a song.

Day 15 - Chattanooga to Atlanta to UK

See the scenic sights of Chattanooga before driving south to Atlanta for your evening flight back to the UK.