Meals Included:  None

Your “Exploring the Musical Heartland Tour” begins, as you are welcomed aboard your deluxe coach in St. Albert. 

Travel south through Red Deer and Calgary, then west through Medicine Hat, before crossing the Alberta/Saskatchewan border and arriving in Swift Current for the evening with a stay at the Holiday Inn Express.  Enjoy meeting your traveling companions en route.

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning, you board your coach and continue west through Moose Jaw, then turn south and head through Weyburn and Estevan before entering the U.S. Border. You will cross at Portal into North Dakota, then continue south before arriving in Minot for the evening.  We will enjoy lunch and coffee stops along the way before retiring for the evening at the Hotel Revel.

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Bag Lunch

We will cross through 2 more states today as we make our way further south.  We will pass Jamestown and then cross into South Dakota.  We will travel past Sioux Falls and then cross into Iowa where we will make our way to Sioux City and the Avid Hotel, our accommodations for the evening

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast this morning, we continue our journey south leaving the state of Iowa behind as we head towards the state of Missouri and our overnight accommodation the Drury Inn & Suites in St. Joseph MO.

Upon our arrival in St. Joseph, we will have a guided tour of the Pony Express Museum, a one-room schoolhouse, and will enjoy an included catered lunch. We will also have a surprise performance from a special guest.  Your guide will give a personalized tour of exhibits covering the creation, running, and demise of the Pony Express.

After our tour, we will head over to the Patee House Museum and Jesse James House. The World Hotel was the headquarters for the Pony Express in 1860 and the finest hotel west of the Mississippi.  Today it offers a “hands-on” look at St. Joe’s colorful history.  Stroll down Old Main Street, climb aboard a steam engine, and visit the little house where Jesse James was shot and killed by fellow gang member Bob Ford to collect a $10,000 reward.

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy an included breakfast and a little later departure today as our first stop will be the Walter Cronkite Memorial. The self-guided tour of this Memorial is dedicated to the life of one of St. Joseph’s greatest native sons.  The permanent memorial is a collection of items designed to honor the legendary CBS News anchor, born in St. Joseph, Missouri, on November 4, 1916.  Tour a replica of the CBS newsroom where he reported the nightly world news.  You can actually sit in his chair and experience what it was like to report to millions across America.

After our visit, we will make our way to Branson where we will enjoy an included plated dinner at Landry’s before settling down in our hotel the Holiday Inn Express for the next 3 evenings.

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, after breakfast, you will have a guided city tour and discover all that this Ozark town in southwestern Missouri has to offer.  This afternoon we will enjoy a lunch show & cruise aboard the Showboat Branson Belle. Themed after the majestic showboats of the 1800s, the Branson Belle evokes the spirit of a bygone era when riverboat adventure was a glamorous way to travel.  As you stroll the ship’s four decks, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the lush Ozark Mountains and see gorgeous views of Table Rock Lake from one of the most unique vantage points in Branson.

Meals Included: Breakfast 

After your included breakfast, you will enjoy some free time at Branson Landing for shopping and browsing before taking in the afternoon show, TBA.  After the show, you will have time to relax at the hotel or do some more shopping before we take in the TBA evening show.

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Lunch

We will continue our journey today to Memphis, located on the Mississippi River in southwest Tennessee.  Famous for the influential strains of blues, soul, and rock n’ roll that originated there, as well as Elvis Presley’s Graceland. On our way, we will stop for an included lunch at Johnson’s Fish House where you can try some fried catfish or if you are not a fish fan they have other options as well. We then continue to Memphis for the next two evenings where we will stay at the Comfort Inn Memphis Downtown by the river.

Meals Included:  Breakfast

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before we take a short drive to Elvis Presley’s Graceland. Walk in the footsteps of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll as you experience the Superstar’s estate including the Elvis Experience + Airplanes at Graceland. Explore Elvis Presley’s home to learn more about the personal side of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Experience museums and exhibits tracing Elvis’s roots, his influences, and his artistry, as well as his two custom airplanes. Savor delicious Memphis cuisine at themed restaurants, pick up a few souvenirs at the gift shops, and enjoy your day in an unforgettable destination. Later in the afternoon, we will enjoy a locally guided city tour of Memphis before settling back into our hotel for the evening.

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, it’s time to depart Memphis and head to Nashville, “Music City USA”.  Enroute, we will have a coffee stop in Jackson TN and then carry on to Nashville. We will enjoy a Nashville welcome at the Visitor Center and then enjoy time on your own for lunch and browsing on Broadway. This afternoon will check into your home for the next three nights at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, situated in the heart of Nashville with an impressive lineup of amenities. Tonight, we will enjoy the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theatre.

Meals Included:  Breakfast

This morning, after breakfast, you will board your coach for a 3-hour sightseeing tour of Music City with a local step-on guide. An enlightening & entertaining narrative will include the downtown area with some of its colorful history and beautiful architecture, a visit to Music Row where you’ll learn about the recording industry, as well as a drive-through of Bicentennial Mall Park and viewing of the Parthenon, and much much more.  This afternoon you will have time for lunch on your own, some shopping and then it’s time to visit the Grand Ole Opry Theatre and enjoy a guided backstage tour.  This evening sit back and enjoy the world-famous Grand Ole Opry where for over 90 years, the country’s best have mesmerized audiences.

Meals Included:  Breakfast, Lunch

Today is the driver’s day off so you can enjoy a leisurely morning and all that the Opryland hotel has to offer.  Maybe experience downtown Nashville by shuttle or for anyone wanting a little retail therapy, head over to the Opry Mills Mall with your Savings Passport.  This afternoon, everyone will take the shuttle from the resort to one of America’s most entertaining cruises – The General Jackson Showboat. While rolling down the river, you’ll enjoy stunning views, a delicious meal and toe-tapping entertainment in a two-story Victorian Theater in the center of the boat. Your cruise lets you experience the Nashville skyline, as it can best be seen from the beautiful Cumberland River.

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning it’s time to say goodbye to Nashville and the musical heartland, as you board your coach and start making your way back home. We have a quick photo stop in St. Louis at the Gateway Arch, commonly referred to as “The Gateway to the West”. It is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere and Missouri’s tallest accessible building. It stands at 630 feet and is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi River. From here we will make our way to Columbia MO where we will check in to our hotel the Hampton Inn

Meals Included:  Breakfast

After your included breakfast, we will continue your journey north through Kansas City, Sioux City and Sioux Falls making our way to Brookings SD settling in at our hotel the Country Inn and Suites

Meals Included:  Breakfast

We will travel further north today after an included breakfast.  Following I-29 north through Watertown and Fargo.  We will then jog west to Jamestown before heading both north to end our day at the Hotel Revel in Minot, ND.

Meals Included:  Breakfast

This morning, after breakfast, it’s time to continue your journey as you retrace your steps and head north stopping at the Duty-Free before crossing the border back into Canada. You will travel through Estevan, Weyburn, and Moose Jaw before arriving in Swift Current back at the Holiday Inn Express.

Meals Included: Breakfast

With fond memories and new friends, you will enjoy your last leg of the journey today, as we drop passengers off at their pickup locations. You will arrive at your final destination this evening, after having had an amazing experience and memories to cherish for years to come!