Self-guided tour – motorcycle and double room, on the road with a perfectly prepared road book. 

Southern States – Tour to the Film

In the Footsteps of the Blues – Self-Guided Tour – 15 Days

This culturally rich tour of almost 3,000 kilometers through the southern states offers impressive insights, knowledge, and experiences even to proven USA experts and newcomers to blues and jazz music.

Day 1 – Flight to New Orleans
Welcome to New Orleans. Transfer to your hotel in the famous French Quarter on your own. Overnight in New Orleans.

Day 2 – New Orleans
Today you can explore New Orleans and the surrounding area, where you'll get your first taste of the blues. There are numerous activities available locally, such as a paddlewheeler tour, where you'll enjoy a Southern fried lunch and live music on the Mississippi. In the evening, stroll along the famous Bourbon Street, which, with its countless live music offerings, offers something for every taste. Overnight in New Orleans.

Day 3 – New Orleans – Biloxi – Ocean Springs – approx. 95 miles/150 kilometers
Motorcycle pickup begins at 9:00 a.m. Today, we'll continue from Nawlins to Biloxi. The city is located on a peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico coast. A drive along the scenic coastal road of US Highway 90 is well worth the drive. A detour to Biloxi's landmark is also worthwhile: the lighthouse, built in 1848 and located on a traffic island in the middle of Highway 90, which was built in the 1970s, withstood Hurricane Katrina. Numerous works of art in the form of dead trees, a legacy from Katrina, adorn the beach. In the evening, you can enjoy the sunset on the beach. Overnight in Biloxi.

Day 4 – Ocean Springs – Meridian – Tupelo – approx. 300 miles/480 kilometers
We travel along Highway 49 and Interstate 59 to Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. The King of Rock 'n' Roll bought his first guitar at the Hardware Store. The store is simply wonderful; nothing has changed there in the last seventy years. This is the place where the history of rock 'n' roll began! Overnight in Tupelo.

Day 5 – Tupelo – Chattanooga – approx. 250 miles/400 kilometers
A visit to the King's birthplace, which you'll have time for in the morning, will vividly demonstrate the desperately poor circumstances from which Elvis Aaron Presley came. Then you'll head straight east, across northern Alabama, past Huntsville, and toward Tennessee. In the early evening, you'll reach this impressive city on the Tennessee River. Here, you won't be staying in an ordinary hotel, but in the historic Chou Chou Hotel (subject to availability). Chattanooga's former dead-end railroad yard has been lovingly converted into a hotel. In addition to standard hotel rooms, you can also stay in an original sleeping car. The over 100-year-old cars exude a truly indescribable atmosphere, both inside and out. The city has some great old pubs to offer.

Day 6 – Chattanooga
Time for this very beautiful and interesting city - a guided tour of Ruby Falls followed by a trip up Lookout Mountain, a coffee on the banks of the Walnut Street Bridge or a great dinner in one of the many unusual, trendy restaurants.

Day 7 – Chattanooga – Tail of the Dragon – Pigeon Forge approx. 190 miles/300 kilometers
Today we're heading to Gatlingburg, where the infamous 'Tail of the Dragon' is on the agenda. 318 curves in 11 miles – no picnic even for those experienced in the Alps. This is where the real street battle between bikes and trucks still takes place. So watch out!

Day 8 – Pigeon Forge -– Lynchburg – Nashville approx. 299 miles/478 kilometers
After the spectacular drive the previous day, today we head straight towards Lynchburg. The town has historical roots, which it still reflects today with its 1940s charm. A tour of the Jack Daniel's Distillery is worthwhile, and not just for bourbon whiskey lovers; it's an impressive historic factory where the founder's credo is still practiced. You should save the tasting for the evening, when you arrive in what is arguably America's most vibrant city. The entertainment district there, 'Broadway,' is colorful and stimulating. You won't find anything like that in a European city. Practically every house on Broadway is a music bar, and every stage features live music of various musical styles. A great place for an evening stroll, exactly a great place! If you want to eat there, Jack's Barbeque is a good choice. Jack is a nice guy and has been running his shop for decades.

Day 9 – Nashville
A city in its own right with numerous attractions, be sure to visit the Johnny Cash Museum and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Enjoy the life of jazz and blues here, where it truly beats in the hearts of all its residents.

Day 10 – Nashville – Memphis – approx. 212 miles/340 kilometers
From one highlight to the next – the 350 kilometers to Memphis are best broken up with a delicious Southern-style lunch near Jackson at Brooks Shaw's Old Country Store. Afterwards, it's worth exiting the interstate in Brownsville, where a small but excellent Tina Turner Museum awaits. Then it's straight to Memphis – where you can enjoy a pleasant evening stroll along the Beale Street entertainment district.

Day 11 – Memphis
In the morning, you can first visit Sun Records, the music publishing house where Elvis Presley's incredible career began. After a ten-minute drive, continue on to Graceland, the stately home that the King of Rock 'n' Roll bought in 1957 and where he died twenty years later. It exudes an incredible atmosphere, and afterward, you can visit the King's Car Show Museum, where, of course, his Harleys are also located. There, you can also find the best and kitschiest Elvis icons from all over America in a huge merchandise store. But don't expect empty streets or parking lots—around 650,000 visitors cruise through Graceland every year.

Day 12 – Memphis – Greenwood – approx. 140 miles/220 kilometers
Today, you'll travel approximately 200 kilometers along the legendary W Blues Road, Highway 61. You'll follow in the footsteps of Robert Johnson, the most famous guitarist, singer, and songwriter in blues history. Stop at the Crossroads, the junction of US Highway 61 and US 49 in Clarksdale, where the musician is said to have sold his soul. Just before Greenwood, you should definitely visit the Tallahatchie Flats (or spend the night there). These former Black cabins are now run as a farm hotel and are unique in the world. Each cabin has been authentically preserved and is modernized with the addition of air conditioning. It's truly rustic, and as the sun sets over the cotton fields, a cold Jacky on the porch will accompany you into the night.

Day 13 – Greenwood – Natchez – approx. 199 miles/320 kilometers
Passing endless peanut and cotton fields with vast farms, you'll make a detour to the small town of Indianola, home to the BB King Museum, which is well worth a visit, before continuing on to Vicksburg (Tomato Place) with its Military Park, where the decisive battle of the American Civil War took place. Then the most scenic stretch of your journey begins. The Natchez Trace Parkway, also known as the Devil's Backbone, an 8,000-year-old Native American trade route, is your paved companion and leads you to the final destination of the trip, Natchez. This city on the vast Mississippi River, with its paddlewheel steamers, lies ahead of you and promises another unforgettable day and an overnight stay in the luxurious Monmouth Historic Inn. The evening should definitely be spent with a blues session at the Rolling River Bistro.

Day 14 – Natchez – New Orleans – 180 miles/ 290 kilometers
Your final journey begins. From Natchez, you drive the last 290 kilometers back to New Orleans. After miles of water bridges and swamps, you finally reach the metropolis on the Mississippi. One last time on Bourbon Street, with a bit of voodoo and lots of live music. This is the Southern States.

Day 15 – Return flight to Europe

Included services:

• 14 nights as per itinerary in good standard or mid-range hotels or motels, some including breakfast
• Rental of a HD Big Twin® including unlimited free miles, local taxes, preparation costs, half-shell helmets (subject to availability), saddlebags, security lock and motorcycle instruction
• VIP supplementary insurance without deductible in case of damage or theft***
• Additional liability insurance over EUR 1 million
• detailed roadbook with extensive information and road maps

*** In the event of theft/accident/tire damage, the deductible is up to a maximum of US$5,000 and must be paid by the customer in the event of damage. The claim will be submitted after the tour, and the deductible will be reimbursed after verification by our German reinsurer. INFO: Any recovery/towing costs are not covered and must be borne by the customer in all cases!

Services not included:

• Flight (we will be happy to make you an offer at the current daily price)
• additional transfers, personal expenses, parking fees, petrol, oil, entrance fees, road tolls, tips, other fees
• Travel insurance

Seasonal surcharges:

• 01.05.-30.06.25 and 01.10.-31.10.25
  EUR 150.- per person for 2 people on one bike
  EUR 295,- per person for 2 people on 2 bikes and as a single rider
• 01.08.-30.09.25
  EUR 228.- per person for 2 people on one bike
  EUR 450,- per person for 2 people on 2 bikes and as a single rider