MUSIC CITIES & ROUTE 66' - 17 Day Tour 'LONE STAR STATE, DIXIELAND, Bishops Adventures
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17 Day Tour ‘LONE STAR STATE, DIXIELAND,
MUSIC CITIES & ROUTE 66’
(DALLAS - DALLAS) Departing: 5th October 2020
Experience the diversity of Southern USA on this unique tour developed by Bishops Adventures especially for
Australian travellers. From the Lone Star State of Texas with its cowboys and oilfields we travel down to the
Mississippi Delta experiencing the Creole/ Cajun culture then up through the “cradle of the Civil War” to the
music cities of Memphis (home of the Blues) and Nashville (country music capital of the world). Get some “kicks
on Route 66” when we drive a section of the “Mother Road” from St Louis to Joplin.
Just a short walk from our hotel in Dallas Texas Book Depository in Dealey Plaza
DAY 1: Mon 5th October DALLAS TEXAS (D)
Make your own way to Dallas Texas and settle into the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Elm Street downtown. This hotel is
situated just a 7 minute walk from the JFK historic sites in Dealey Plaza. We suggest you arrive by early afternoon so
that you can visit the site, see the Sixth Floor Museum in the Texas Book Depository and take a JFK Red Tram Tour
of Dallas (great commentary as you see where Oswald lived, the motorcade route, Methodist hospital where JFK was
taken, the theatre where Oswald was arrested and the Police station where Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby).
At 6:30pm join your fellow travellers and tour leaders Bruce and Lindy Bishop in the function room at the hotel for a
“meet and greet” dinner.
DAY 2: Tues 6th October DALLAS – SAN ANTONIO (Spanish for “St Anthony”) (B)
Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at the hotel then board our tour coach at 9am. The coach is a late model, midi sized 5-
star vehicle fitted with a washroom and a USB port at all seats.
We leave Dallas heading south towards San Antonio with first stop being in central Waco TX where we stop beside
the Brazos River alongside the historic Cattle Bridge that once allowed longhorn cattle to be driven along the
Chisolm Trail to Kansas. The park alongside the river has monuments and sculptures of great significance as Waco
has been the site of many news-worthy events.
Then we follow Interstate 35 through quite productive ranching country and past the new “Circuit of the Americas”
Grand Prix racetrack. On arrival in San Antonio we take a guided tour of the famous Alamo before settling into our
hotel for the next 2 nights, the Best Western Plus Sunset Suites Riverwalk in easy walking distance to the must-see
attractions in the city. San Antonio is a real surprise because of the Riverwalk area - most of the nightlife is
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positioned alongside the San Antonio River which is deep below the level of city streets. Numerous open-air,
riverside restaurants, bars, boat tours sculptures colourful lights, Spanish music etc. make our 2 nights here amazing
experience.
Rancher & Longhorn Cattle commemorate the Chisolm Trail A ‘must do’ at San Antonio
DAY 3: Wed 7th October SAN ANTONIO - FREDERICKSBURG – SAN ANTONIO TX (B)
Depart for Fredericksburg in the Texas Hills with a drive-past of LBJ’s boyhood home in Johnson City then to the
nearby LBJ Ranch where we see the Texas Whitehouse (if it has re-opened after restoration) and the gravesite of
LBJ. Nearby Fredericksburg is best known for its German heritage with many stone buildings and for being the
hometown for fleet admiral Chester W Nimitz who was Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet plus Allied Air, Land
and Sea Forces in the Pacific during WW11. We spend time at the Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg on
the site of the old Nimitz Hotel. The museum highlights the life of Nimitz and the major battles of the Pacific War.
You must spend time along the Plaza of the Presidents honouring the ten US Presidents that served during WW11.
DAY 4: Thurs 8th October SAN ANTONIO – GALVESTON (B)
Depart for Galveston at 8am with our first highlight being a guided tour of the historic aircraft carrier USS Lexington,
moored in the bay near Corpus Christi fronting the Gulf of Mexico Coast. Nicknamed “The Blue Ghost” the “Lady
Lex” is now a National Historic Monument and is a fascinating museum with theatres, aircraft displays cafes etc. This
is the fifth US ship to carry the name Lexington- the previous one was sunk off the northern shores of Australia
during the WW11 Battle of the Coral Sea.
This afternoon’s drive is a stark contrast of broad acre farming and the lifestyles of “the working poor”. For our two
night stop-over, the hotel (Country Inn and Suites) is fronting the Gulf of Mexico coastline on Galveston Island.
The Pleasure Pier off the Seawall at Galveston Oil rigs and shrimp boats off the Gulf of Mexico Coast
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Located just back from the seawall, it is very close to many interesting restaurant choices, a brewery and is easy
walking distance to the historic Pleasure Pier. Just behind the hotel is a tram track with regular services into the
historic downtown Galveston and main marina on the other side of the Island.
DAY 5: Fri 9th October GALVESTON (Johnson Space Centre) (B)
Depart for NASA’s Johnson Space Centre just a one-hour drive away at Houston TX. See the fascinating space
displays, participate in lectures, take a tram tour to the Mission Control Room from where the moon landings and
Apollo 13 (‘Houston we have a problem’) missions were controlled. Walk around the immense Saturn 5 rocket that
was unfired after the Apollo program was cancelled. The size of this rocket is staggering!
We return to Galveston and do a quick driving tour through the City of Galveston and hear about the Hurricane and
tidal surge of 1900 that claimed 12,000 lives and is still the most deadly natural disaster in US history.
Dwellings along the Gulf Coast Experience the French Arcadian (‘Cajun’) influence
DAY 6: Sat 10th October GALVESTON TEXAS – LAFAYETTE (HENDERSON) LA (B)
Depart Galveston at 8am and first up we board the ferry crossing over the main Galveston/ Houston shipping
channel to Point Bolivar. We stop briefly at the historic Fort Travis, initially built by Mexican revolutionaries then by
the Republic of Texas, Confederate army and twice by the USA. You will be astounded by the scale of the petroleum
industry on our drive through southern Texas. In contrast, along the Gulf Coast we see fleets of shrimp boats and
holiday facilities. Many of the structures are elevated high-up on poles to allow for tidal surges from the shallow
waters of the Gulf during hurricanes.
We cross into Louisiana today and follow a National Scenic By-way through swampy country infested with alligators
(may even see alligator road kill). At the Cameron Prairie Nature Reserve we take a gravel track through swampland
and have time to walk along a boardwalk into the swamp. Tonight is a unique chance to experience the Cajun/Creole
culture of Louisiana. Our accommodation is alongside the Atchafalaya Swamp and beside Pat’s Fisherman’s Wharf
Restaurant. We are in town on Saturday night when the locals head for Pat’s! Music, dancing, dinning, socialising etc.
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DAY 7: Sun 11th October LAFAYETTE (HENDERSON) - NEW ORLEANS LA (B)
This morning we board a Swamp Boat and head into the Atchafalaya Swamp, the largest river swamp in North
America and one of the world’s richest eco systems - it is both beautiful and menacing! A great commentary
highlights the natural features and Cajun culture of the Louisiana swamp region. Later we drive to Darrow LA on the
Mississippi River to visit one of the most impressive Antebellum plantation houses in the south – The Houmas
House. The house reflects the immense wealth of its “Sugar Baron” ownership and has the most beautiful gardens of
all the southern plantation houses. At one time the immense plantation included 12,000 acres of the best farmland
and engaged 550 slaves to work the fields. The house was featured in the 1963 film, “Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte”
starring Bette Davis. We are guided through the house and gardens by a true southern belle and can also take a
raised boardwalk for grand views over the mighty Mississippi River.
From here we drive into New Orleans (pronounced – “New Awlins!”) or also known as “The Big Easy!” and settle into
the Best Western French Quarter Courtyard Hotel for the next 2 nights. Situated on the edge of the historic French
Quarter, the hotel is only a short walk from Bourbon St and on a city tramline to all the main attractions of this
exciting city.
Magnificent Houmas House & gardens Cruise or walk along the mighty Mississippi at New Orleans
Architecture of the French Quarter Enjoy the sights or find a quiet jazz club
DAY 8: Mon 12th October NEW ORLEANS LA (B)
A full day free and at your own expense. Roam through the centuries old French Quarter, take a carriage ride while
listening to tales of Voodoo Queens and Pirates, or head to the River Walk for a leg stretch and the many market
stores. History buffs can roam through sprawling Victorian mansions and museums catching a glimpse of how life
used to be in the old south. Tonight, you may like to see the city’s beauty from a steamboat cruise on the Mississippi
River that departs from right near the French Quarter. Enjoy a coffee and Beignets at Café Du Monde/try a ginger
mint julep donut/taste the “goodness” of BBQ beef brisket & gooey cheese/ride a streetcar and enjoy the music
scene in a Jazz Club.
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DAY 9: Tues 13th October NEW ORLEANS LA – VICKSBURG MI (B)
Depart for Vicksburg at 9am travelling via Baton Rouge City where we drive by the Capitol building that looks like a
mini Empire State Building and has a macabre history. We enjoy some beautiful country scenery today passing by
the occasional Plantation House and the massive levee banks built to control flooding. Over the border into
“Mississippi Burning” country we visit the historic town of Natchez and take time to walk the riverfront, historic
streets and monuments. See the heart-wrenching “Lost Cause” “monument erected in 1890 to commemorate the
Confederate dead from Natchez in the Civil War. Some of the most memorable civil rights events occurred in this
part of Mississippi and to explore more fully you may like to visit the Museum of African American History & Culture.
This afternoon we cross back into Louisiana and drive by some vast broadacre farms growing cotton and maize. At
Delta LA we stop at the historic Civil War site known as “Grant’s Canal”. Here, during the Civil War, General Grant’s
engineers attempted to dig a shipping canal off the Mississippi River to avoid exposing Union Army ships to
Confederate guns as they attempted to pass by Confederate held Vicksburg.
Crawfish chowder also recommended at the Biscuit & Blues Hotel Overlooking the Mississippi R at Vicksburg
DAY 10: Wed 14th October VICKSBURG MI – MEMPHIS TN (B)
First highlight is a visit to Vicksburg Military Park that occupies the site where the famous siege of Vicksburg
happened. Eventually the Union Army won this battle and coincidently on the very next day they achieved their
massive victory at Gettysburg. From this point onward in the Civil War, momentum was very much in favour of the
North.
We leave Vicksburg bound for Memphis Tennessee and on arrival we do a brief orientation drive around this city
famous for “The Blues” music, Elvis Presley and Martin Luther King Jnr. Our hotel is situated in the Downtown
district within easy walking distance of Beale Street where most of the nightlife attractions are located. Here you
can lose yourself amidst the throb of Blues guitar or gorge yourself on smoky pulled pork or dry-rubbed ribs whilst
sipping a bourbon.
DAY 11: Thurs 15th October MEMPHIS TN (B)
The famous Sun Studios where “Rock and Roll” was first recorded is our first port of call today. Names such as BB
King, Ike Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and of course the “King”, Elvis Presley recorded here.
Next we head to “Graceland”, the magnificent home of Elvis where we enjoy a guided tour through his 15,000
square foot southern styled mansion, past his gravesite and through a museum that houses many of his cars etc.
Back in the city we visit the Lorraine Motel where Dr Martin Luther King Jnr was shot in 1968. This site is now
preserved for its historical value and we may also see Jacqueline Smith who has been living on the street outside the
motel and conducting a 30+ year continuous protest against the way MLK is being remembered. Later this afternoon
we visit the Peabody Hotel for the daily “march of the ducks” – a long-standing ritual in Memphis.
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Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Elvis Presley’s ‘Graceland’
DAY 12: Fri 16th October MEMPHIS TN – NASHVILLE TN (B)
Depart for Nashville at 8am travelling via Elvis’s childhood home in Tupelo MS. Adjacent to the very modest cottage
where he spent his early childhood is an excellent museum featuring Elvis and his extraordinary achievements.
This afternoon we travel through the longest NP in North America when we drive a section of the Natchez Trace
Parkway from Mississippi, through Alabama and into Tennessee. The beautifully maintained, park-like drive follows
what was first a buffalo trace seasonal migration route then Indian and pioneer settler route. We see Indian
mounds, the gravesite of Merewether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark fame) and cross the Tennessee River. On arrival in
Nashville we settle into our hotel for the next 2 nights in the Opryland district of the city. Walk to southern style
restaurants bars etc.
We may see Fall colours on the drive through the Trace Parkway Indian Mounds - one of our stops along the Parkway
DAY 13: Sat 17th October NASHVILLE TN (B)
Nashville is a place of great interest not just for Country Music fans but also for History “buffs” and lovers of the
South. Our first city highlight is a guided visit to the world-famous RCA Studio B where many artists recorded – Floyd
Cramer, Chet Atkins, The Everly Bros, Connie Francis, Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Jim
Reeves, Charlie Pride just to name some! Later we spend time at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
before doing a city tour aboard a pedal bar! We enjoy a cold Yazoo as we explore the city and at the same time get a
little cardiovascular exercise.
For many on our tour, tonight is perhaps the most anticipated highlight when we attend the Grand Ole Opry! This is
the world’s premier Country Music venue having operated continuously every week since 1925. It is operated by
radio WSM as a weekly radio show and is broadcast all over the States and the world. A mixture of up and coming
artists along with Internationally-renown artists contribute to the show and it is fascinating to see the workings of
the radio broadcast.
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DAY 14: Sun 18th October NASHVILLE TN – ST LOUIS MO (B)
Depart for St Louis at 8am and drive Interstate highways through Tennessee, the bottom corner of Kentucky and
Illinois. On arrival in St Louis we settle into our hotel adjacent to the St Louis Gateway Arch on the banks of the
Mississippi River. The Arch was built in the mid 1960’ opened in 1967 and designed to mark the point as “the
gateway” to the west. St Louis is where the Missouri River meets the Mississippi River and from where many pioneer
trails started (Lewis & Clarke Trail/Oregon to California Trail/California Trail/Oregon Trail/Mormon Trail/Santa Fe
Trail). The east/west and north/south rail and road networks crisscross the country here and the famous Route 66
passes right through the city.
We walk to the Arch from the hotel with plenty of time to catch the elevator tram ride to the summit viewing deck,
200mtrs above the ground. Enjoy the superb views of the mighty river plus and downtown area of St Louis. Also see
the fascinating, newly opened museum situated under the Arch. Dinner tonight is a Kickback” “at the hotel – an
informal but simple selection of hot and cold buffet choices plus several complementary drinks from the bar.
Entering the ‘Gateway to the West’
DAY 15: Mon 19th October ST LOUIS - ROUTE 66 – CARTHAGE MO (B,D)
Depart for Carthage at 8am for our full day of exploring many of the heritage items along the famous Route 66. This
well used highway ran the 4,000km from Chicago IL to Los Angeles CA and in the early days of motor car travel
became the main ‘migration” route for folks wanting to re-settle for a better life in California. It became known as
“The Mother Road”.
First highlight is an optional brisk one mile walk over the now disused Chain of Rocks Bridge that carried RT 66 traffic
from 1936 to 1965 across the Mississippi River. About half way over the river bridge engineers were forced to put a
20 degree corner in the bridge so that piles could stay on the rocky river bed.
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A motel still operating at Cuba One of many murals in the town of Cuba
Frozen custard outlet in Springfield Boots Court Motel in Springfield
Much of the original RT 66 through Missouri is now overlapped by I-44 but there are many options to leave the
Interstate and drive sections of the by-passed old road. When driving along these sections the old road is like
travelling back in time with retro gas stations, diners, motor courts, amusement parks, drive-in theatres etc. Many
towns have embraced this theme and presented their heritage beautifully.
On arrival in Carthage we have time to explore the beautiful town square and meet the locals. We have arranged for
a roving dinner here in town and this also gives us an excellent chance to see close-up where the first official battle
of the Civil War occurred.
DAY 16: Tues 20th October CARTHAGE MO – DALLAS TX (B,D)
Depart for Dallas at 8am and drive through the Missouri town of Joplin where in 2011 one of the most violent
tornados ever recorded cut a path through the town one mile wide! (200mph winds/160 fatalities/US$2.8 billion
damage bill)
Much of our drive is through Oklahoma and because we are driving a State Highway via Muskogee we drive through
many rural towns to get more of a look at rural life. Later in the day we cross the Red River and arrive back in Texas.
Tonight we stay in a hotel nearby to DFW airport and have arranged for a special “last night on tour dinner”.
DAY 17: Wed 21st October DEPART DALLAS (B)
The tour ends this morning after breakfast with guests departing on individual schedules. Our hotel offers a free
shuttle service to Dallas Fort Worth Airport. (DFW)
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TOUR PRICE: AUD $5,500 per person twin share AUD $1,300 Single supplement
(NB: Price based on AUD$1 no less than US$0.65 and may change)
PRICE INCLUDES:
• All travel in 5-star midi coach
• All accommodation in 3.5 - 4 star hotels
• Admissions to all attractions as in the itinerary (Guided tour of The Alamo/LBJ Ranch/Museum of
the Pacific War/USS Lexington museum/NASA Johnson Space Centre/Bolivar Ferry/Cameron
Prairie Visitors Centre/Swamp boat Tour/Houmas House & Gardens guided tour/Vicksburg
Military Park/Natchez Trace Parkway/Graceland/Sun Studios/Elvis’s birthplace Museum Tupelo/
Pedal Bar Tour/RCA Studio B/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum/Grand Ole Opry Show/
Gateway Arch Tram museum and movie
• Meals as shown (B) – Breakfast (L) – Lunch (D) – Dinner
• Gratuities on included meals
• Tour led by Bruce and Lindy Bishop
Back in the heart of Texas
BISHOPS ADVENTURES Ph: 0428 244 229 Website: www.bishopsadventures@bigpond.com
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