Tennessee

Signature City Memphis

Program No. 12347RJ

Learn the unique story of Memphis, from its blues and rock ’n’ roll to its National Civil Rights Museum, from the role of the Mississippi River to artistry of antebellum architecture.

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Deposit, Transfer & Cancellation Policy

Program Terms & Conditions

Signature City Memphis

Program No. 12347RJ Deposit at Enrollment: 100 Final payment due: 59 days before departure date

Transfer & Cancellation Policy

Note: These fees apply to at least one date of this program, but may vary by date.

If you transfer or cancel:

fee will be applied if you do not call Road Scholar Participant Services at least one business day prior to the program start date.

Transfer Fee: 100 % of order total

Cancel Fee: 100 % of order total

less than 14 days prior to program start date

Transfer Fee: 50 % of order total

Cancel Fee: 50 % of order total

55 to 14 days prior to program start date

Cancel Fee: $200.00

119 to 56 days prior to program start date

Cancel Fee: $100.00

up to 120 days prior to program start date

Cancel Fee: $50.00

up to 14 days prior to program start date

Transfer Fee: $0.00

If you transfer or cancel:	Transfer Fee:	Cancel Fee:
fee will be applied if you do not call road scholar participant services at least one business day prior to the program start date.	100 % of order total	100 % of order total
less than 14 days prior to program start date	50 % of order total	50 % of order total
55 to 14 days prior to program start date		$200.00
119 to 56 days prior to program start date		$100.00
up to 120 days prior to program start date		$50.00
up to 14 days prior to program start date	$0.00

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

For the greatest peace of mind and protection, we require all Road Scholar participants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including having received all recommended boosters if eligible.

Road Scholar Program Terms and Conditions

How to Enroll in a Program

Call Us or Enroll Online To enroll

Please call us toll free at (877) 426-8056, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. You may also enroll online at www.roadscholar.org. To reserve space on a program, Road Scholar requires a deposit followed by final payment.

Road Scholar is Not-For-Profit

Road Scholar is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that incurs over $5 million annually on credit card fees. Please help us reduce this cost by paying for your program with a check. Please consider our paperless check option when paying on the phone or over the Internet. Our Advisors are happy to explain this payment option to you.

Tax-Deductible Donations

As a not-for-profit organization, we appreciate and rely on charitable donations to help us develop and maintain high-quality educational programs with exceptional value. Donations from U.S. citizens are tax-deductible as provided by law. As Road Scholar is not a registered charity in Canada, donations are not tax deductible for Canadian citizens.

Financial Assistance

Road Scholar offers two kinds of assistance: Scholarships, for those with desire but not the financial means to participate in our U.S.- or Canada-based learning adventures; and Caregiver Grants, designed to provide a unique respite opportunity for unpaid family caregivers to participate in a U.S.- or Canada-based Road Scholar program. Visit www.roadscholar.org/about/financial-assistance/scholarships, email us at scholarships@roadscholar.org, or call us toll free at (877) 426-8056.

General Program Information

Activity Level Ratings

Each Road Scholar program is assigned an Activity Level rating, ranging from Easy Going to Challenging, which are noted on program webpages. Try our Advanced Search tool to find programs that match your activity level. If you have special needs, or need a little extra help in finding the right program for your level of fitness and ambition, please call us and we’ll work to find options for you.

Disabilities and Special Needs

Road Scholar is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to participants with special needs and disabilities. If you have special needs requiring accommodation, please communicate them to Road Scholar at the time of enrollment. We will discuss your request with you and make every effort to accommodate you.

Service Learning

Our Service Learning programs bring participants together to work as a team to serve worthy projects. Road Scholar and sponsoring service institutions are not-for-profit organizations and are tax-exempt under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The program price may qualify as a tax-deductible gift. However, since individual circumstances vary, we suggest participants contact their tax advisors.

Included Emergency Assistance and Medical Evacuation Insurance

Road Scholar’s continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified in our Road Scholar Assurance Plan. Whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our programs overseas, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under the Road Scholar Assurance Plan. This plan is purchased by Road Scholar on behalf of every participant. The plan provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program and insurance for emergency medical evacuation. This plan includes insurance benefits underwritten by Arch Insurance Company and emergency assistance services provided by LiveTravel Assist. To learn more about this plan, including its terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions, and to view and download a certificate of insurance, please visit: www.roadscholar.org/about/included-insurance/

Travel Health

In addition to maintaining necessary vaccinations, including seasonal influenza vaccination, Road Scholar recommends all participants consult with their physician, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of State regarding their health condition and any recommendations specific to the destinations they will visit or transit well before departure. While Road Scholar does its best to provide pertinent information regarding international health requirements and travel health precautions for travel abroad, please remember we are not health experts and can only share with you the recommendations made by the CDC and the US Department of State. It It is therefore your responsibility to consult with your physician and/or contact the CDC for health information specific to your travel destination. Your physician will be able to assess your overall health and fitness, provide information and guidance on health risks you may encounter while traveling, medication you may need to take, and other precautions for the prevention of injury and illness during your program.

Here is guidance from the Centers for Disease Control on how to avoid contracting and spreading an illness.

Only travel if you are healthy. Stay home if you are sick, displaying any symptoms of potential sickness.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For those looking for additional resources on this topic, we recommend trusted sources such as your physician, the US Department of State, CDC, and WHO.

U.S. Department of State: www.travel.state.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov/travel
World Health Organization (WHO): www.who.int/

Your health and safety are of the utmost importance to us. To learn more about Road Scholar’s commitment to our participants’ well-being and the steps you can take to keep yourself healthy when traveling, please visit www.roadscholar.org/practical-information/general-health-safety/

Please also be sure to review our Travel Updates webpage for the latest travel information, steps we are taking to keep your program experience as safe as possible, as well as helpful information about how to prepare for your upcoming program and what to expect once you're there. www.roadscholar.org/practical-information/travel-updates/

Domestic Travel Arrangements

Programs in the United States and Canada require independent arrivals and departures unless otherwise stated, meaning that you must make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. If you are flying to your program, you will be responsible for getting yourself from the airport to the starting location of your program and returning to the airport at the end. Please keep in mind that many airlines assess penalties if you need to change or cancel your ticket— up to 100 percent of the ticket price in certain cases — for which you will be responsible. Please also be aware that Road Scholar may occasionally have to alter a program in a way that affects flight schedules, and you will be responsible for changing your flight arrangements and paying applicable fees. For the greatest protection, we recommend waiting until 60 days prior to your program in the United States or Canada to purchase airfare.

International Travel Arrangements

Road Scholar Can Help Arrange Your International Airfare

Almost all of our international programs can be purchased with airfare arranged by Road Scholar. We have negotiated special international rates with major airlines. A list of departure cities can be found by visiting our website or calling to speak with one of our experienced Advisors. As an added benefit, guaranteed airport transfers on the program’s published start and end date are included with your international air travel when arranged through Road Scholar. If your preferred airport is not listed, or you would like to travel on a different day, travel in premium or business class, specify the airline or routing, or travel independently before or after our program, we are happy to customize and create a personalized air travel itinerary to meet your needs. Select the “Custom Flight Arrangements” option and then the airport you want, or discuss your flight preferences with one of our expert air Travel Advisors.

Arranging Your Own International Airfare

If you choose to make your own international air travel arrangements, you will be responsible for getting yourself from the airport to the starting location of your program and returning to the airport at the end. Please keep in mind that many airlines assess penalties if you need to change or cancel your ticket— up to 100 percent of the ticket price in certain cases — for which you will be responsible. Please also be aware that Road Scholar may occasionally have to alter a program in a way that affects flight schedules, and you will be responsible for changing your flight arrangements and paying applicable fees. For the greatest protection, we recommend waiting until 90 days prior to your International program to purchase airfare,

Road Scholar Optional Trip Protection with “Cancel for Any Reason” Coverage

The optional Road Scholar Trip Protection Plan helps protect your investment if you must cancel or interrupt your program for specified, covered reasons, such as illness or injury to you, your traveling companion or an immediate family member of you or your traveling companion. Plus, if you need to cancel your program for any reason not covered by insurance, you will receive a credit good for future travel with Road Scholar for the full amount of the Road Scholar cancellation fee. The plan also provides benefits if you are delayed getting to or returning home from your program and protects your investment should you have an emergency during your program that causes you to miss program days or return home earlier than expected. Your airfare, whether purchased through Road Scholar or independently, is covered at no additional cost — an exceptional benefit and value offered exclusively to Road Scholar participants. You will receive information about this optional travel insurance plan when you enroll in a program. To learn more about this plan, including its terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions, and to view and download a certificate of insurance, please visit: www.roadscholar.org/about/protection-plan.

Additional Program Information

Our goal is to make sure our participants have the most enjoyable and rewarding program experience possible. Whether you are considering one of Road Scholar’s many educational adventures or are currently enrolled in a program, we highly recommend you review the additional program information available in the Practical Information section on our website. The section includes a wide range of topics and information -- everything from how to choose the perfect program to traveling solo to insurance. Please visit www.roadscholar.org/practical-information, or call us if you have specific questions. After you enroll in a program, please be sure to carefully read all pre-program communications and your Program preparatory materials, as they provide important information about how to prepare for your upcoming program and what to expect once you're there.

Program Policies

Deposit, Transfer and Cancellation Policy

Road Scholar requires deposits for all its programs, and charges fees if you transfer or cancel your enrollment. Deposits and fees vary between programs. Please refer to the Deposit, Transfer & Cancellation Policy on program webpages for specific deposit amounts, and transfer and cancellation fee schedules.

About Program Details and Itineraries

We make every effort to operate our programs as advertised. The information on our website is updated regularly, and reflects the most up to date information. We are committed to providing participants with final program details no later than three weeks before the start of land programs within the United States, four weeks for programs International and Afloat programs. and one week for online programs. However, itineraries or other aspects of a program may change due to situations beyond the control. If this happens we will do our best to notify you of the change prior to arriving on your program. We ask you to pack a little extra patience and flexibility, just in case there are last-minute changes to your program.

If Road Scholar Cancels or Interrupts a Program

Road Scholar reserves the right to cancel programs prior to departure, terminate a program early, and to take action as needed on an individual or group basis when, in Road Scholar’s opinion, the health, safety or well-being of participants requires such action. Additionally, due to low enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances, Road Scholar must occasionally cancel or change the dates of a program. When that occurs we will notify you as far in advance as possible and will assist you in transferring your enrollment to another program or refunding your full Road Scholar program payment. If you have made transportation arrangements, such as an airline ticket purchase, Road Scholar will give you a credit good for future travel with Road Scholar to help cover the cost of transferring your travel arrangements for use on a replacement program. The maximum value of the credit will be $300 and documentation of your paid fees is required before issuance of the credit.

Accuracy of Information

While every effort is made to provide accurate information on our website and in our catalogs, Road Scholar is not responsible for typographical errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may relate to program descriptions, pricing, and availability. Road Scholar reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may appear in our publications, and to change or update information at any time without prior notice. If you discover an error on our website or catalog, please let us know.

Program Pricing

As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing exceptional educational opportunities at a remarkable value. We do everything in our power to ensure that the published program price is the price you pay. On occasion, costs we can’t anticipate and that are beyond our control arise and may be passed along to you. If this occurs, we will let you know as soon as possible.

Terms and Conditions

Program Selection
We want every participant to have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding program experience. The travel and activities of Road Scholar programs require participants to be in good general health and capable of performing all program activities as described by the program description and its corresponding Activity Level. As a group travel experience, participants must be capable of caring for themselves during the program and agree not to impede the progress of the program or interfere with the enjoyment of other participants. Participants are required to disclose known medical and physical conditions that may interfere with their safety and well being or the safety and well being of others during this program. Road Scholar may limit or terminate the participation in the program at the participant’s expense and without refund any participants who fail to disclose all medical information or do not honestly assess their physical capabilities in advance. With this information in mind, carefully consider the travel and program demands as described on the Road Scholar website, and consult with your physician about your travel plans. If after enrolling you have second thoughts about the program you chose, please call us and we will be happy to assist you in finding a program better suited to your abilities.

Responsibility

Road Scholar’s responsibility is limited. Road Scholar organizes, promotes, and sells educational programs consisting of certain travel services, including land, air, and water transportation, excursions, and cruise/barge/hotel accommodations that Road Scholar purchases or reserves from various suppliers (collectively, “Suppliers”). Road Scholar neither owns nor operates any of these Suppliers; they are independent contractors and are not Road Scholar’s agents. Therefore, Road Scholar is not responsible for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any Supplier or any other third party. You agree that you will look to such Suppliers, and not to Road Scholar or its agents, for any accident, injury, property damage, or personal loss you may suffer. Without limitation, Road Scholar is not responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to person or property, death, delay, or inconvenience in connection with the provision of, or failure to provide, any goods or services occasioned by or resulting from — but not limited to — acts of God or force majeure, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or revolt, strikes or other labor activities, criminal or terrorist activities of any kind, mechanical or other failure of airplanes or other means of transportation, or the failure of any transportation mechanism to arrive or depart on time, or for any other cause beyond the direct control of Road Scholar.

Safety & Risks

Certain risks — from natural disasters to accidents, outbreaks of illness, crime, insect-borne and other infectious diseases, environmental risks to health, terrorism and other unforeseen events — are inherent in travel. While such occurrences are beyond our control, we make substantial efforts to be prepared for such possibilities. Participants are encouraged to review the safety and travel information provided by the U.S. Department of State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn about current security issues, travel advisories and warnings, recent embassy notices, country-specific health information, health risks you may encounter while traveling, precautions for the prevention of illness, disease and general health issues during your program and other helpful destination-specific information. By enrolling in a program, you agree to assume responsibility for your own health, safety, and welfare, and acknowledge that Road Scholar cannot guarantee your safety or health at any time.

Admission & Participation Policy

The granting or denial of admission to a program is within the sole discretion of Road Scholar. Road Scholar reserves the right to revoke admission or terminate or limit participation at any time if Road Scholar reasonably determines a participant’s condition, behavior or actions are inappropriate or disruptive, or adversely affect the participant’s health or safety, or the health, safety or enjoyment of other participants. Road Scholar reserves the right to take action as needed on an individual or group basis when, in Road Scholar’s sole opinion, the health, safety or well-being of participants requires such action.

Photography and Video

Road Scholar reserves the right to take photographs, videos or audio/visual recordings during the operation of any program or part thereof and to use them, whether taken by a representative of Road Scholar or by other participants, for promotional purposes. By enrolling in a Road Scholar program, participants agree to allow their images or recordings to be used for such purposes. Participants who prefer that their images or recordings not be used are asked to identify themselves to program staff and the photographer at the commencement of their program. For Road Scholar online programs, all audio or video recordings, content and materials are the property of Road Scholar. Participants are prohibited from taking screen captures, or making, copying or distributing all or part of any audio or video recordings of online programs.

Online Program Terms

If you enroll in one of Road Scholar’s online programs, you are responsible for the integrity of the device on which you will attend this online program, as well as your own high-speed internet connection. Road Scholar is not responsible for outages or interruptions in internet service. Road Scholar cannot and will not provide recordings, content or materials, or provide reimbursement of any kind, for missed portion(s) of your online program, regardless of the reason.

Seller of Travel Information

Road Scholar’s state of Washington Seller of Travel Reg. No. 602244658. CST #2068427-40. Florida Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST35594.

Modifications to Terms and Conditions

Road Scholar reserves the right at any time to update, change, modify, or revise these Terms and Conditions at any time. Any changes will become effective upon posting the changes, modifications or revisions to the Terms and Conditions. Accordingly, participants should review Road Scholar’s Terms and Conditions regularly prior to travel in order to ensure they are aware of any changes.

© 2023 Elderhostel. All rights reserved. The Road Scholar service marks, logos, website address and other marks are owned by Elderhostel, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring adults to learn, discover and travel.

Optional Trip Protection Plan

6 days

5 nights

11 meals

5B 3L 3D

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Memphis, TN

Memphis Field Trip, Sun Studio, Peabody Ducks

Memphis, TN

Beethoven Club Performance, Metal Museum, Rock & Soul Museum

Memphis, TN

Elvis Lecture, Graceland Exploration,

Memphis, TN

Stax & National Civil Rights Museums, Blues Hall of Fame

Memphis, TN

Program Concludes

Memphis, TN

View Full Itinerary

At a Glance

Memphis — home of the blues, birthplace of rock ’n’ roll — beckons you to experience its panorama of history, heritage and culture, and discover what makes it special from the local experts who really know the city’s soul. Trace the transformation of the Old South into the New from King Cotton to the National Civil Rights Museum. Experience Memphis’ outstanding museums, beautiful parks and botanical gardens, and the distinctive architecture of its churches and old mansions. Take field trips to iconic places like Beale Street, Graceland and Sun Studios, and hear the music that reflects Memphis.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

Learn the story of Memphis blues and delve into the lives of legends from the “Father of the Blues” W. C. Handy to “The King” Elvis Presley.
Study the mighty Mississippi River’s environmental influence.
Visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel to trace events of the movement and Dr. King's assassination.

Suggested Reading List (6 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

Search for a Title

Going Down Jericho Road: The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King's Last Campaign

by Michael K. Honey

The definitive history of the epic struggle for economic justice that became Martin Luther King Jr.'s last crusade. Memphis in 1968 was ruled by a paternalistic "plantation mentality" embodied in its good-old-boy mayor, Henry Loeb. Wretched conditions, abusive white supervisors, poor education, and low wages locked most black workers into poverty. Then two sanitation workers were chewed up like garbage in the back of a faulty truck, igniting a public employee strike that brought to a boil long-simmering issues of racial injustice. With novelistic drama and rich scholarly detail, Michael Honey brings to life the magnetic characters who clashed on the Memphis battlefield: stalwart black workers; fiery black ministers; volatile, young, black-power advocates; idealistic organizers and tough-talking unionists; the first black members of the Memphis city council; the white upper crust who sought to prevent change or conflagration; and, finally, the magisterial Martin Luther King Jr., undertaking a Poor People's Campaign at the crossroads of his life, vilified as a subversive, hounded by the FBI, and seeing in the working poor of Memphis his hopes for a better America. 16 pages of illustrations

Memphis Beat : The Lives and Times of America's Musical Crossroads

by Larry Nager

This book fills in what isn't so familiar: Memphis, it reveals, is our great cultural mixing board, where all the black and white folk have met and done musical business for two centuries or more. Larry Nager, former music editor of the "Memphis Commercial Appeal," offers more than a casual history. His chronicle reaches back into the nineteenth century, when Memphis was a wild frontier town full of whiskey, fiddle players, and minstrelsy. It hits cruising speed at the turn of the century, as W. C. Handy discovered the blues, women like Lil Armstrong and Memphis Minnie kept up with the men, and a Memphis deejay dreamed up the Grand Ole Opry. It chronicles the strange alchemy by which local rhythm 'n' blues, hard country, and black and white gospel got remade into powerful rock and roll in Sam Phillips's Sun Records studio on Union Avenue. The beat goes on into the '60s and the era of Stax and Hi Records - when the first integrated generations, raised on Sun 45s, started waxing their own sounds. And it follows Memphis even into contemporary times, through Big Star's adventures at Ardent Records, the difficult revival of Beale Street, and the birth of the House of Blues. There is triumph and tragedy here, and much in between - from the stalwart presence of lifelong musicians like Gus Cannon and Furry Lewis, through the horrific accident that killed Otis Redding, the Bar-Kays, and years and years of musical dreams.

My Life With Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Coretta Scott King

This personal, inspirational account of the history of the Civil Rights Movement describes the author's relationship with Martin Luther King, Jr., detailing their marriage, the events of the 1960s, and King's tragic assassination. Reprint. SLJ.

Elvis by the Presleys

by David Ritz

For the first time, the inside story of legendary entertainer Elvis Presley’s life as a husband, father, son, cousin, friend, spiritual seeker — Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley, and other family members, come together to memorialize our greatest star in this stunningly illustrated companion to a major television special and longer-form documentary. Elvis by the Presleys is a uniquely fascinating treasure and serves as the essential companion to a major television special on CBS and, from Sony BMG, a longer-form documentary DVD and its related CD. Culled from hours of new family interviews conducted for the television special and DVD (much of it appearing exclusively in this book), enhanced with Elvis quotes, and illustrated with private family photographs and images of personal memorabilia from the archives of Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises, Elvis by the Presleys is an extraordinary document about an extraordinary figure.

Daddy King: An Autobiography

by Murtin Luther King, Sr.

Born in 1899 to a family of sharecroppers in Stockbridge, Georgia, Martin Luther King, Sr., came of age under the looming threat of violence at the hands of white landowners. Growing up, he witnessed his family being crushed by the weight of poverty and racism, and escaped to Atlanta to answer the calling to become a preacher. Before engaging in acts of political dissent or preaching at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he would remain for more than four decades, King, Sr., earned high school and college diplomas while working double shifts as a truck driver—and he won the heart of his future wife, Alberta “Bunch” Williams. King, Sr., recalls the struggles and joys of his journey: the pain of leaving his parents and seven siblings on the family farm; the triumph of winning voting rights for blacks in Atlanta; and the feelings of fatherly pride and anxiety as he watched his son put his life in danger at the forefront of the civil rights movement. Originally published in 1980, Daddy King is an unexpected and poignant memoir.

Battling the Plantation Mentality: Memphis and the Black Freedom Struggle (The John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture)

by Laurie B. Green

African American freedom is often defined in terms of emancipation and civil rights legislation, but it did not arrive with the stroke of a pen or the rap of a gavel.No single event makes this more plain, Laurie Green argues, than the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers' strike, which culminated in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Exploring the notion of "freedom" in postwar Memphis, Green demonstrates that the civil rights movement was battling an ongoing "plantation mentality" based on race, gender, and power that permeated southern culture long before--and even after--the groundbreaking legislation of the mid-1960s. With its slogan "I AM a Man!" the Memphis strike provides a clarion example of how the movement fought for a black freedom that consisted of not only constitutional rights but also social and human rights. As the sharecropping system crumbled and migrants streamed to the cities during and after World War II, the struggle for black freedom touched all aspects of daily life. Green traces the movement to new locations, from protests against police brutality and racist movie censorship policies to innovations in mass culture, such as black-oriented radio stations. Incorporating scores of oral histories, Green demonstrates that the interplay of politics, culture, and consciousness is critical to truly understanding freedom and the black struggle for it.

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6 days

5 nights

11 meals

5 B 3 L 3 D

DAY

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Memphis, TN

Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis - Beale Street

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. Program check-in at 5:00 p.m. Stroll to Beale Street for dinner is a two block walk. Midnight is the cut off time for loud music in Memphis. Our hotel is right at Beale St. so be prepared for loud music. Walk to King's Palace is 2 blocks.

Afternoon: Road Scholar check in is at 5:00 pm. After you have your room assignment, come to the lobby area conference room to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and to learn when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation. 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. 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.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

Memphis Field Trip, Sun Studio, Peabody Ducks

Memphis, TN

B,L

Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis - Beale Street

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach at select spots during Memphis field trip. Climbing stairs to second floor at Sun Studio-no elevator. Walking from Peabody Hotel to Hampton Inn is approximately 2 blocks.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: This morning we will meet our local expert and travel by motorcoach to explore the sights and sounds that made Memphis the "Home of the Blues" and the "Birthplace of Rock n Roll".

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will head over to Sun Studio, an iconic recording studio where some of the most famous artists recorded in the 1950s. Whether rock-and-roll or country, and genres in between, the likes of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Ray Harris, Warren Smith, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis could be found there at one point or another. Led by an expert from Sun Studio, we’ll see where they made musical history. We'll continue our field trip with our group leader to see the Pyramid and Welcome Center.

Dinner: Take time to sample some of the local cuisine that suits your taste. This meal is on your own.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

Beethoven Club Performance, Metal Museum, Rock & Soul Museum

Memphis, TN

B,D

Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis - Beale Street

Activity note: Motor coach will take participants to the Beethoven Club. Standing and walking in the Rock n Soul Museum and the Metal Museum up to an hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast, our coach will transport the group to the Beethoven Club where we will enjoy a special presentation with a professional historian who literally “wrote the book” on Beale Street and the blues — an illustrated and entertaining project on the rich variety of music in Memphis through the years. Sit back and enjoy the professional historian/musician perform a private piano session for our group. After an energetic lecture and performance, we will visit the Memphis Metal Museum. Located on 3.2 acres overlooking the Mississippi River, south of downtown Memphis, is one of Memphis' best kept secrets. This property which includes three historic buildings was formerly part of a public health service hospital and is now the residence for artists, a museum, and a library.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will meet meet up at the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, the first museum ever jointly developed by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of American History. Debuted in August 2004, it came out of a traveling exhibition on the roots of uniquely American music in the South, from “field hollers” to work songs, blues, country, and gospel. These more countrified forms gradually met and mingled with their urban cousins: blues, jazz, and what became rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, and soul music.. It charts the story of a field of music that has had a tremendous impact on popular culture and lifestyles from the mid-20th Century through today. It also documents the story of musical pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create music that changed our world. The museum’s digital audio guide lets us move at our own pace on a self-guided visit through seven galleries of audio-visual programs, instruments, costumes, other musical treasures, and more than 300 minutes of information including more than 100 songs.

Dinner: Dinner will be at the famous B.B. King's Blues Club. The house band is B.B. King’s All Stars, and guest musicians include some of the best in the business for one of the most diverse, sophisticated line ups of modern blues and R&B in Memphis — a good show every night of the week. Feel free to jump up and dance or sit back and relax. This is the real deal! Then go out and hear music up and down Beale Street on your own.

Evening: At leisure or continue the fun at B. B. King's Blues Club.

DAY

Elvis Lecture, Graceland Exploration,

Memphis, TN

B,L

Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis - Beale Street

Activity note: Walking through Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion has steps in a split level home with no elevator. Walking around the Presley property involves standing in museum's up to an hour. Plenty of seating for weary visitors.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll start the day off with a lecture about Elvis Presley before traveling to Graceland to explore the 14-acre estate Graceland that was the home of Elvis Presley. Now a virtual shrine with museums, films, and exhibits for a unique glimpse into the life and times of The King, we’ll explore Graceland Mansion on our own and see his personal mementos including gold and platinum awards. The Elvis Experience includes the Mansion audio-guided, Elvis' Custom Jets and Entertainment Complex, Automobile Museum and Discovery Exhibits. The average time spent on property is 3.5 - 4 hours.

Lunch: At a restaurant on the Graceland property.

Afternoon: Continue self exploration and music listening at Graceland. If anyone decides to leave early, they may call uber or catch a shuttle ride to the Rock & Soul Museum and walk back to the hotel, a 10-15 minute walk.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

Stax & National Civil Rights Museums, Blues Hall of Fame

Memphis, TN

B,L,D

Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis - Beale Street

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach to the National Civil Rights Museum and Stax Museum. Walking and standing at both museums for up to an hour or longer at the Civil Rights Museum.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: This morning, we will travel by motor coach to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, one of few museums dedicated to soul music, for a self-guided visit. Along with classic Stax artists like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Booker T and the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and the Staple Singers, the museum also celebrates the legacy of soul artists from Motown and other labels. We will learn about the gospel roots of soul from a carefully reassembled c.1906 Mississippi Delta church and dance along to Soul Train videos on the Express Yourself dance floor. The motor coach will drop us off at the National Civil Rights Museum, a privately-owned complex of museums and historic buildings built around the former Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. We’ll follow a timeline that charts the course of events around the assassination and the impact and legacy of the civil rights movement.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, continue at the National Civil Rights Museum for those who wish to delve deeply into the Civil Rights Movement in Memphis. This well done museum can take up to 3 hours if you go to all the exhibits and the across the street house where the assassinate looked out a window and shot Dr. Martin Luther King. Your Road Scholar badge will get you into the Blues Hall of Fame, which is across the street from the Civil Rights Museum. The mission and focus of the Blues Hall of Fame is to preserve blues heritage, celebrate blues recording and performances, expand awareness of blues, and ensure the future of American art form. We can catch the trolley back to the hotel on our own and at our own leisure. We'll meet up in the lobby to ride to dinner at the end of the day.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

Program Concludes

Memphis, TN

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel. Our program concludes after breakfast.

Morning: We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

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