Cajun Cowboys

Welcome to Nashville, the ‘Music City’ and see where it all began at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Take a tour of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery, although you won’t be able to try any in this ‘dry country’ where, in a throwback to prohibition, the sale of alcohol is somewhat restricted. Grab your guitar and experience a piece of musical history at the Grand Ole Opry, an iconic performance venue for country music stars past and present. For a more obscure Nashville tradition, head down to the Pancake Pantry and taste the wide variety of innovative flavours such as Georgia peach or apricot and lemon.

Head onwards to gritty Memphis, home of the world’s most succulent slow-cooked barbecued pork. Feast on this delicious delicacy, then find out more about the musical home of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, touring the home of the King at Graceland. Perhaps continue the music theme by taking a look around Sun Studio, where such classics as I Walk the Line were recorded. Learn more about the Civil Rights Movement at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968, now an enlightening museum.

Arrive in Natchez on the banks of the Mississippi River and discover days gone by as you follow the pathways of the southern belles and civil war soldiers. Natchez was left mostly undamaged during the American Civil War, and so the many heritage buildings and old churches are in an excellent state of preservation. Top of the list are the grand antebellum houses, with Longwood the most famous of these, being the USA’s largest octagonal house. Once you’ve had your history fix, watch the sun set over the Mississippi River or try the local crispy fried chicken with coleslaw and freshly baked cornbread.

Bouncing back from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans is once again a thriving multicultural melting pot, with Creole, Caribbean, Haitian and Asian influences all coming together. Get down to the French Quarter and catch some live music in an atmospheric jazz club or taste a traditional Louisiana gumbo in a cosy restaurant. Outside the city, discover the beauty of the surrounding swamps and bayous, keeping a look out for crocs. Later, relax on the river on your evening jazz cruise.

Experience life on a real Texas Ranch in Graham, just outside Dallas. Here, you can take a horseback ride, a guided 4x4 tour of the estate, or try your hand at clay pigeon shooting. Visit Possum Kingdom Lake, known locally as PK, a popular recreation spot for boat trips, fishing and picnicking, plus of course hiking and biking. Back on the ranch, take a wagon ride, feed the cattle, or listen to old western tunes played on the guitar.