Itinerary

Land at the Cincinnati/North Kentucky (CVG) International Airport, pick up your rental car for your stay and make the short drive over to your accommodation. You’ll be staying within walking distance of the riverfront at the beautiful Hotel Covington. Get settled in and then head out to stretch your legs before letting jet lag take its course. A walk along the riverfront to see the spectacular John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge offers a scenic stroll, before you head to one of the cities delightful restaurants for a bite to eat. In Covington, you’ll find traditional Southern Cooking reimagined for a contemporary audience. If you prefer to end the day with a drink, head to one of many rooftop terraces to try the local bourbon while watching the sun set.

Drive just over an hour from Covington to Lexington after breakfast. Lexington is Horse Country: a place where verdant pastures filled with horses coexist with a lively city scene, and the roots of Bluegrass music coincide with the creation of Kentucky’s famous spirit, Bourbon.

You’ll be staying in the heart of Lexington’s charming downtown district but take a drive just 10-minutes out and you will find yourself in the land of bluegrass, surrounded by 450 horse farms and nurseries. Take a Horse Country tour around the magnificent thoroughbred farms or watch the horses training at the renowned Keeneland Racecourse.

If you like your spirits, spend the evening tasting at one of 15 bourbon distilleries across the city.

Drive over to Louisville – it’s just over an hour away – and get checked in to the Hotel Genevieve. Ideally situated within Louisville’s lively centre, you’ll find yourself surrounded by shops, distilleries and award-winning restaurants. Louisville hosts the world-famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby, and boasts a culture filled with bourbon, horses, and history.

Continue learning about Kentucky’s horse culture with a visit to the iconic Churchill Downs racecourse and its neighbouring Kentucky Derby Museum, which features an immersive 360° spectacle for those who cannot attend the annual horse race in May.

For sporting fans, there’s also the excellent Muhammad Ali Centre which celebrates the achievements of Louisville’s former famous resident.

Spend at least part of the day sipping on some of the world’s finest spirits in Louisville by walking along the city’s famed Bourbon Trail. You’ll start with first ever- established distillery on what would become Louisville’s historic ‘Whisky Row’, Evan Williams. Their historic tour and tasting takes you from the late 18th century right up to the present, and you’ll witness different distilling methods, hear stories from the friendly staff and taste four different bourbons.

Finish your day with dinner at one of the best restaurants in the country. Louisville might be synonymous with Kentucky Fried Chicken, but these days the city has a culinary scene filled with prestigious award-winning restaurants.

Make the nearly 2-hour drive from Louisville to Bowling Green at your leisure. You’ll spend a good part of the day visiting the National Corvette Museum. Filled with jaw-dropping exhibits on the history of the Corvette, as well as interactive exhibits like the Corvette Racing Simulator, an actual drive in a new Corvette or some high-speed karting at the NCM Motorsports Park, you’ll be in for a fascinating ride into the history behind America’s Sports Car.

Spend what is left of the day exploring some of the town’s other interesting museums or walk through one of Bowling Green’s many beautiful parks.

After breakfast make the short 1-hour drive over to one of the USA’s most iconic southern cities: Nashville. The capital of country music, the city is known for striking a chord with music lovers of any genre. Get settled in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day getting introduced to Nashville’s legendary music scene by heading to the heart of the city: Broadway. Located just a short walk from your hotel, there’s plenty to see and you can sit back and relax to the sounds of live music in one of the area’s many honkytonks.

While you’re there, be sure to also start with the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum where you can follow the evolution of Country music in the context of American history and see an expansive collection of Country music memorabilia from the likes of artists such as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift and more. You can’t beat this introduction. Afterwards, head next door to tour the renowned Studio B where Country artists still record to this day.

Spend the morning continuing your musical journey by exploring the extensive collection and interactive exhibits at the National Museum of African American Music. The only museum devoted to the contributions of African-American musicians and artists from Gospel, Rock n Roll, Blues, Pop and Jazz, you can even take a collection of your favourite songs home from your visit – and chances are, you’ll want to.

During the afternoon, take a self-guided tour of the Ryman Auditorium – where some of the greatest talents in Country music have performed – or take a Backstage Guided Tour of the mecca of Country music itself, the Grand Ole Opry.

Alabama’s music capital, Muscle Shoals is the place where the Soul and R&B sounds of the Sixties and Seventies were born. Drive over after breakfast – the journey is 2.5 hours – and spend an incredible day visiting the two recording studios used by icons such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Sonny & Cher and many others: FAME Recording Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Many of the music industry’s greatest hits were and still are recorded here, and a visit means standing where the Rolling Stones found their harmony and walking through the padded booths where Aretha Franklin recorded some of her finest work. You might even find out where the local speakeasy is in which Willie Nelson was said to have frequently partied.

End the day with a stop by the nearby Alabama Music Hall of Fame, boasting music and memorabilia from Alabama’s extraordinary number of famous musicians. You’ll get to see a whole host of Alabama natives, including Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Lionel Richie, Nat King Cole, and Percy Sledge, just to name a few.

After breakfast, make the 2-hour drive over to Birmingham. One of the South’s industrial centres, it has everything from an incredible ‘soul food’ scene to numerous sports teams and museums galore – but it is perhaps best known for being the focal point of America’s Civil Rights Movement. You’ll be staying in one of the city’s finest historic hotels, so get settled in and then head out for a private walking tour to learn about Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. You’ll pass by the 16th Street Baptist church – bombed in 1963 by the KKK and often considered the catalyst for the movement – as well as other historical sites like the Kelly Ingram Park and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, will getting insight into Alabama’s importance within this tumultuous period of American history.

Spend the rest of the day exploring Birmingham’s rapidly expanding cultural scene, not forgetting to stop for some of the South’s most incredible home cooking whenever you need a break.

Leave first thing for your last destination: Atlanta. Bursting with Southern Charm and world-class sophistication, Atlanta combines rich history with contemporary cultural attractions, delectable dining, hip nightlife and enticing shopping. You’ll be in downtown Atlanta just a five-minute walk from the Centennial Olympic Park. Drop off your bags and spend the rest of the day strolling around one of Atlanta’s many eclectic and lively neighbourhoods. Choose from the historic Downtown, where you’re staying, cool Midtown, funky Little Five Points, hip Old Fourth Ward or sophisticated Buckhead. You’ll easily find a place for lunch or dinner too, with so many delicious restaurants to choose from.