Compare Country Roads of the Deep South 2022 Small Group by Insight Vacations vs On the Road in Southern New Mexico: Rugged Beauty and the Final Frontier by Road Scholar

Day 1: Arrive in Nashville

Welcome to Nashville, the capital of Tennessee and the USA’s glittering centre stage. From the Everly Brothers' “Bye Bye Love," to Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman," the streets are paved with talent. Your airport transfer will whisk you to your hotel.Relax and unwind before meeting your Travel Director and mingling with guests at 18:00 followed by a Welcome Dinner with wine.

Day 2: Take centre stage in Nashville

Start your day with an orientation tour of music city. You'll visit the picturesque Riverfront Park, Tennessee State Capitol and the 132 acre Centennial State Park, where you'll encounter an exact replica of the Parthenon. Pass by the city's lively honky-tonks and street performers on Broadway, as you make your way to the Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry. Built in 1885 as a building for religious gatherings, it held its first concert in 1892, before opening its doors to Hollywood greats. It is here where Johnny Cash first met June Carter, where bluegrass was born and where country music found an audience. Tonight, head to the famous Grand Ole Opry, the world-renowned country music stage and longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history.

Day 3: A day of legends

Go behind the scenes of a Nashville recording studio. This intimate experience introduces you to a performing artist, musicians and the techniques behind a song’s development. Make a stop at Nashville’s Farmers' Market and Market House to explore its artisanal crafts and produce.Explore Nashville with Insight Choice. Choose to visit Nelson’s Green Brier, a local Tennessee distillery and home of the Original Tennessee Whiskey. Alternatively, visit the National Museum of African American Music, which shares the story of the American soundtrack through history and interactive technology.Tonight's dinner at Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant will introduce you to the colourful flavours of Nashville. Perhaps try the crabmeat cheesecake.

Day 4: Heading back home to Memphis

This morning you'll head to Memphis. Whether it’s your first or hundredth time visiting this vibrant city, you’ll be drawn in by the lively melodies coming from Beale Street.Spend the morning on a sightseeing tour of the city, followed by a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the National Civil Rights Museum. While there, you’ll be guided through five centuries of The Civil Rights Movement history and its impact on our culture today.End your day by joining a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a private evening at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The museum is part of The Soulsville Foundation, which aims to prepare young adults for life success and inspire future artists.

Day 5: A day dedicated to the King

Begin you day with a visit to Sun Studio, the “birthplace of rock and roll”, where music legends, including B.B. King, Johnny Cash and Elvis recorded.Make your way to the magnificent Graceland, the former home of the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley.Dinner this evening will be served at The Beauty Shop, a former parlour turned whimsical New American eatery where Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla, was said to get her hair done.

Day 6: Memphis to Greenwood

Travel through the Mississippi Delta down the Mississippi Blues Trail, a route that tells the stories of bluesmen and women. Explore the Delta town of Greenwood at your own pace, before heading to the Viking Cooking School for a hot tamales cooking demonstration - a regional specialty.Later, dine on a mouthwatering dinner at a James Beard Award finalist restaurant that features southern inspired dishes that include produce local to the area.

Day 7: Moving on to Natchez

Learn more about Southern history and hospitality as you head to Natchez. Tour the historic antebellum mansions, and discover the preservation efforts of later generations to tell the story of African-Americans through the decades, understanding that slavery and cotton allowed plantation owners to build these mansions. Test your mixologist skills as you concoct a traditional Southern cocktail, the Mint Julep. Minty, cooling and with a touch of sweetness, you're sure to learn a few party tricks to bring back home with you. Enjoy an evening to yourself. Ask your Travel Director for restaurant suggestions and discover one of the wonderful options in town.

Day 8: Natchez to Lafayette

Move on to Lafayette for a taste of the Cajun and Creole culture. Get to know more about Cajun culture and how it is defined by its roots.Head to the Acadian Cultural Center followed by a unique Cajun music experience.A genre rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians, it is both eclectic and joyous. Learn more about this fast tempo music and its history from a local accordion maker and musician.In the evening, indulge in a delicious dinner with your fellow travellers.

Day 9: Lafayette for foodies

Start the day with a crawfish farm tour just outside the city. You will be joined by a Local Expert who will help you catch your lunch the old-fashioned way, using hand nets. You’ll be taught how to prepare a traditional boil, before sitting down to the meal. If crawfish are out of season, you'll take part in a boil experience with seasonal seafood. Later, enjoy time at leisure or head out on an optional swamp tour.

Day 10: Welcome to the Big Easy

New Orleans is a lively and dynamic city, known for its vibrant culture and electric jazz festivals. On the way down south, stop at the Tabasco® Factory for a self-guided tour and discover how the world-famous red hot pepper sauce is made. This afternoon, head to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, where you’ll learn more about the city’s diverse cuisine with a guided tour and included lunch.

Day 11: Festivities in New Orleans Relaxed Start

Get to know the city with a Local Expert as you discover each neighborhood's unique architecture and explore the vibrant art scene. See how the community comes together through celebration.In the afternoon, take your pick of optional activities, perhaps getting to know the local culture through a jazz music experience or by meeting a voodoo specialist.End your day by joining your fellow travellers at a Celebration Dinner at the Palace Cafe - a contemporary and upbeat Creole restaurant at the foot of the French Quarter.

Day 12: Depart New Orleans

It’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travellers as your adventure comes to an end with a departure to the airport.

Day 1 Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Program Registration: 3:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Remember to bring your name tag (sent previously). Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. The activity level for this program is “Keep the Pace.” Participants should be able to walk up to two miles over uneven, sometimes slippery terrain. Transportation for program-related activities will be via motorcoach unless specified otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Welcome dinner at the hotel

Day 2 Roswell Museum & Art Center, Transfer to Carlsbad Carlsbad, New Mexico

Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 300 miles, approximately 4.5 hours over the course of the day. Walking up to 1 mile indoors and out and standing approximately 1 hour; paved sidewalks.

We’ll check out of the hotel, board our motorcoach, and ride to Roswell, 200 miles southeast of Albuquerque. This drive will provide us with our first look at the arid, high-desert terrain of southern New Mexico.

Next, we’ll go to the Roswell Museum and Art Center, founded in 1935 through an agreement among the City of Roswell, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Federal Art Project (FAP), the Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society, and the Roswell Friends of Art. It first opened in 1937 with its initial support coming in the wake of the Depression through the WPA’s project dedicated to supporting public art through federal establishments across the country. Other than the Roswell Museum and Art Center, only a few of these Federal Art Centers remain open. It is home to the largest public collection of works by Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth, painters who lived in the nearby Hondo Valley and made the distinctive local landscapes of southeastern New Mexico famous. Back aboard the motorcoach, we’ll drive 75 miles south to Carlsbad and check in to our hotel.

After returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

At a local restaurant.

At a local restaurant.

Day 3 Carlsbad Caverns National Park Roswell, New Mexico

Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 75 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; varied terrain, some stairs, inclines and occasionally slippery trails.

After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board our motorcoach and ride 30 miles southwest to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Carlsbad Caverns, one of the oldest and most famous cave systems in the world, include several vast underground chambers, up to 250 feet high, filled with amazing formations of many colors and shapes, all formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes. Upon arrival, we will have some time to explore the Visitor Center independently and watch the introductory film, “Hidden World.” It features high definition photography of cave natural wonders, bats in flight, cave explorations, and a fly-over of the Natural Entrance. We will then take the elevator down for a self-directed walk through the Big Room, home to some of the most well-known features in the caverns. It is more than 30,000 square yards in total size. We will each make our way along the well-lit, mostly level trail at our own pace and then take the elevator back up to regroup in the Visitor Center.

We’ll have some more time to explore the Caverns and the museum at the Visitor Center independently. We’ll then reboard the motorcoach and ride to Roswell for a late afternoon hotel check-in.

Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Carlsbad Caverns Trading Company at the west end of the Visitor Center offers hot and cold choices cafeteria style.

At a local restaurant.

Day 4 UFO Museum, Hurd Gallery, Lincoln, Three Rivers Petroglyphs Alamogordo,NM

Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 120 miles, approximately 2 hours over the course of the day. Walking up to 1 mile; varied terrain; standing at museum and gallery.

We’ll head to the International UFO Museum and Research Center for a self-guided exploration. Best known as the home for information about the 1947 Roswell Incident and other UFO phenomena, the museum works to fulfill the mission of educating the general public on all aspects of the UFO phenomena. The museum asserts its position as representing the serious side of the UFO phenomena. Next, we will board our motorcoach and ride 50 miles west to San Patricio in the beautiful Hondo Valley. On arrival, we’ll stop at the Hurd La Rinconada Gallery. The gallery is located on the Hurd family’s ranch and is home to the works of both the Hurd family, Peter, Henriette Wyeth, and their son Michael. The gallery also features a selection of works by acclaimed artists N.C. and Andrew Wyeth. A local expert will give us an introduction followed by time to view original works by the artists.

From San Patricio, it’s a short drive to Lincoln, New Mexico, center of the famous Lincoln County Wars. It was during this conflict between rival cattle barons in 1878 that Billy the Kid earned his place in history. Our Group Leader will take us on a walking exploration of the town, including a visit to the Lincoln County Courthouse, complete with bullet holes, and some other historical buildings nearby. Next, we’ll head to Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America. This 50-acre preserve was set aside by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to protect some 21,000 petroglyphs created by the Mogollon culture between 900 and 1400 CE. We’ll set out on a walking field trip to see some of these rock carvings. We’ll ride on to Alamogordo and check in to our hotel in late afternoon.

Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll have boxed lunches.

At a local restaurant.

Day 5 White Sands National Park, Pistachio Farm Alamogordo,NM

Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 140 miles, approximately 2.5 hours over the course of the day. Walking several hundred feet; sand dunes with inclines; standing at museum.

We’ll drive to White Sands National Park, where we’ll stop first at the Visitor Center to explore the museum and enjoy an orientation video. We will then embark on an 8-mile scenic drive through the stunning dune landscape.

Next, we’ll board 14-passenger electric vehicles for an expert-led exploration of a working farm where pistachios and wine grapes are produced. We’ll ride through the orchards and vineyards and learn about growing techniques, then return to the hotel.

Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

At a local restaurant.

At a local restaurant.

Day 6 Museum of Space History, Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge Socorro,NM

Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 180 miles, approximately 3 hours over the course of the day. Walking several hundred feet.

After checking out of the hotel, we will set out on a field trip to the New Mexico Museum of Space History. The mission of the museum is to educate visitors from around the world in the history, science, and technology of space. During a docent-led exploration, we’ll learn about the significant role the state of New Mexico has played in the development of the U.S. Space Program through the collection, preservation, and interpretation of significant related artifacts. We’ll then drive north to Socorro, stopping briefly at the Valley of Fires Recreation Area en route.

Next, we’ll drive to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, situated between mountain ranges to the east and west. Established in 1939 to provide a resting stop for migrating waterfowl, the refuge is well known for the thousands of sandhill cranes, geese, and other waterfowl that winter here each year. The 60,000 acre refuge includes a wild stretch of the Rio Grande, a “bosque” of cottonwood and willow trees that provide for the diversity of wildlife. While in the refuge, a local expert will lead our exploration and describe the birds and unique ecosystems we’ll see at several spots.

After dinner we will continue on to Socorro, where we will check in to our hotel.

Hotel buffet.

At a scenic spot in the Valley of Fires, we’ll have boxed lunches.

At a local café.

Day 7 Very Large Array National Radio Astronomy Observatory Albuquerque, New Mexico

Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 180 miles, approximately 3 hours over the course of the day. Walking about 1 mile; varied terrain.

After hotel check-out, we’ll board the motorcoach and ride 50 miles west to the Very Large Array, one of the world’s premier radio astronomy observatories. The array comprises 27 radio antennas — each 82 feet in diameter — configured in a Y-shape and set on moving tracks on the Plains of San Agustin. Our expert-led field trip through the facility will begin with a 20-minute video presentation that will provide an overview of radio astronomy, interferometry, and the VLA itself. We’ll then examine exhibits to learn more about radio astronomy and the role the Very Large Array and other NRAO telescopes play in current research.

We’ll ride on to Albuquerque and check in to our hotel with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

We’ll gather for a wrap-up session to touch upon highlights of the program and say farewells. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

At a local restaurant.

Farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 8 Program Concludes Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hotel check-out 12:00 Noon.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.