Tauck launches new itinerary to mark 15-year partnership with filmmaker Ken Burns

Tauck launches new itinerary to mark 15-year partnership with filmmaker Ken Burns
Edited by Travel Weekly


Tauck has launched a new tour that delves into the rich musical heritage of America to mark its 15-year partnership with award-winning filmmaker, Ken Burns.

The new itinerary traces the roots of country, blues, jazz, rock’n’roll, and more across iconic locations such as Nashville, Memphis, the Mississippi Delta, and New Orleans. Debuting in 2025, the Music of America: Nashville to New Orleans tour will be enriched by Ken Burns. The renowned filmmaker is known for his award-winning documentaries Jazz and Country Music as well as numerous other explorations of American history.

The nine-day itinerary begins with a two-night stay at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, followed by two nights at The Peabody Memphis. After an overnight stay at The Westin Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi, the tour concludes with a three-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.

Guests will explore the rich history of American music through exclusive experiences, including a private pre-opening tour and a presentation by a professional songwriter at Nashville’s famous Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. This is followed by an evening at the Grand Ole Opry.

Tauck Music of America, Grand Ole Opry.

Tauck Music of America, Grand Ole Opry.

In Memphis, guests head out to visit the historic Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley made his first recordings and enjoy a Tauck-exclusive after-hours tour of Graceland, complete with dinner at the Presley Motors Automobile Museum.

In Mississippi, guests will tour the Delta Blues Museum in Clarkdale, enjoy a Southern-style lunch, and a performance at the historic Club Ebony in Indianola and visit the nearby B.B. King Museum. New Orleans marks the end of the trip with a private jazz performance at Preservation Hall, rounding off a three-night stay.

Beyond music, Tauck’s new tour also highlights the South’s vibrant culinary heritage as guests enjoy a bourbon tasting and lunch at the Belle Meade plantation, a culinary demonstration and lunch at the New Orleans School of Cooking, and dining experiences at various renowned establishments. Additional highlights include a tour of Houmas House and Gardens, guided city tours in Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans, and a visit to the acclaimed National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Included in the price are 19 meals, airport transfers, service charges and most gratuities, all admission fees, and taxes. Tauck offers departures between March and May, and in September and October, including a number of special Small Group departures averaging just 24 guests each.

Tauck Music of America, Preservation Hall.

Tauck Music of America, Preservation Hall.

Music of America: Nashville to New Orleans

The new itinerary is being offered as part of Tauck’s Ken Burns American Journeys portfolio of tours presented in cooperation with the acclaimed filmmaker. Regarded by many as “America’s Storyteller”, Burns has been honored with 17 Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Oscar nominations.

Throughout this tour, guests will gain insight from Burns and his longtime collaborator, Dayton Ducan, as they view a series of exclusive-to-Tauck vignettes, or short videos, featuring anecdotes and personal observations provided by the two filmmakers.

Topics highlighted in the vignettes include the crucial role of the Mississippi River in fostering the spread of America’s musical genres, the birth of country music, the roles of New Orleans and Memphis in the development of jazz and rock and roll, and the life and legacy of Louis Armstrong.

2025 marks the 15th season that Tauck and Burns have crafted and offered tours together, with more than a dozen itineraries included in their Ken Burns American Journeys portfolio. The trip includes two recently enhanced and reimagined East Coast itineraries, In Freedom’s Footsteps: New York to Washington, DC and Southern Charms: St. Augustine, Savannah & Charleston.

Other offerings range from tours of the national parks in the American West and Southwest to a wintertime exploration of Yellowstone National Park, while guests on Tauck’s Hidden Gems of New England itinerary enjoy a true insider treat; a Tauck exclusive guided tour of the Walpole, New Hampshire studio where Burns and Duncan have long produced their award-winning films.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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