At a glance
- Duration:
- 8 Days
- Start/End:
- Memphis, Tennessee to Nashville, Tennessee, or reverse
- From:
- $5,499
- Time of Year:
- October - November
Embark on an unforgettable 8-day journey through the heart of the American South aboard Viking’s Nashville, Memphis & the Cumberland river cruise, where history, music, culture, and scenic beauty blend into a singularly rich travel experience. From your first steps in Memphis, you’ll be immersed in the birthplace of the blues and a city that helped shape American music and civil rights history. Stroll iconic Beale Street, sample legendary barbecue, and feel the pulse of soulful rhythms that echo through town.
As your elegant river ship glides along the Mississippi River, the landscape unfolds with wildlife, wetlands, and peaceful waters that have inspired explorers and storytellers for centuries. Enjoy leisurely scenic sailing days that allow you to relax on deck with a drink in hand, watching the riverbanks drift by while onboard enrichment lectures deepen your appreciation for the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
You’ll make stops in charming river towns that reveal hidden treasures of the South. Cape Girardeau, Missouri, welcomes you with its preserved Civil War-era sites and scenic riverfront charm, while Paducah, Kentucky, invites exploration of its UNESCO Creative City downtown, full of artistic spirit and historic architecture. Clarksville, Tennessee, offers yet another facet of Southern life with its blend of historic landmarks and a lively arts scene.
Your voyage culminates in Nashville, the “Music City,” where the influence of country music reverberates through every corner,from honky-tonk bars and live venues to museums honoring the legends who defined American sound. Overnight stays in both Memphis and Nashville give you ample time to soak in the local culture, savor regional cuisine, and perhaps catch a live performance that becomes one of your most cherished travel memories.
Throughout the cruise, enjoy Viking Inclusive Value amenities, a shore excursion in every port, all onboard meals with regional specialties, complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner, onboard Wi-Fi, and enlightening destination lectures, which together create a seamless and immersive travel experience.
Whether you’re drawn by the call of the river, the lure of legendary music, or the stories woven into every stop from Mississippi to Tennessee, this itinerary offers a deeply engaging exploration of America’s cultural heartland.
Nashville, Memphis & the Cumberland Details
Day-to-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Situated on the Chickasaw bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis is revered for its blues music and barbecue. Some of the most famed names in blues, including B.B. King, got their start in Memphis, and the city has a well-deserved reputation as the home of this classic American music genre. Memphis is also celebrated for its culinary heritage and is renowned for its traditional barbecue restaurants serving flavorful dry rub ribs. Rich in history and culture, Memphis’s many notable museums include the National Civil Rights Museum and Elvis Presley’s Graceland.
Day 2: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
The “Queen City of the South” is the birthplace of Memphis blues, popular in vaudeville shows of the early 20th century. With its strong trade in agricultural goods and other natural resources, it grew into one of the South’s largest commercial centers. Memphis famously boasts a wealth of civil rights history, much of it along Beale Street and at the Lorraine Motel, site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. It is also the home of Graceland, the mansion where Elvis Presley, “the King of Rock ’n’ Roll,” lived.
Day 3: Scenic Sailing: Mississippi River
The rich and varied landscape along the Mississippi River is characterized by wide floodplains, rocky outcroppings and sandy beaches nestled between fertile farmland and bustling bankside cities. Indigenous peoples used the river for thousands of years before Europeans began exploring the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. It became an important trade route during the 19th century, with the rise of steamboats and river commerce. Today, the river is an important ecological region, with diverse wildlife and habitats, including wetlands and forests.
Day 4: Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States
The largest city between St. Louis and Memphis, Cape Girardeau has a long and storied history. It was an important site during the Civil War and once housed a number of forts, including Fort D, which remains a well-preserved historic site to this day. Fondly referred to as “The Cape” by locals, this riverside destination is also popular with visitors who come to enjoy nature. The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is a stunning facility with verdant landscapes and picturesque trails to explore, as well as an abundance of flora and fauna.
Day 5: Paducah, Kentucky, United States
Located at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers, Paducah is one of Kentucky’s hidden gems. A UNESCO Creative City, Paducah is famed for its preserved 19th-century architecture and historic buildings that line the main street. The city’s Downtown streets are a delight to explore on foot. The National Quilt Museum houses a superb collection of contemporary style quilts by artists from around the globe. Paducah is also famed for its “Wall to Wall” murals, colorful paintings by different artists that document the heritage and history of the city and the region.
Day 6: Clarksville, Tennessee, United States
Clarksville is a city steeped in history and rich in culture. Nestled along the shores where the meandering Cumberland River meets the Red River, it was established in 1785 and named after General George Rogers Clark, a Revolutionary War soldier and frontiersman. The city has evolved from its agrarian beginnings into a center of education and the arts, home to Austin Peay State University and a vibrant arts scene. The river itself, a vital artery for the city’s development, offers stunning vistas and recreational opportunities, such as kayaking, boating and fishing.
Day 7: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Nestled in the Central Basin of Middle Tennessee, Nashville is beloved as one of the South’s most influential country music cities. With its location on the Cumberland River, it experienced a rapid rise after its founding in 1779. In the 19th century, the arrival of the railroad bolstered its economy further. But this dynamic city found its cultural footing in the 1920s when “hillbilly music” made its mark. Today, the rhythm of Nashville centers on the famed Grand Ole Opry, founded in 1925, and the neon-lit clubs that line Lower Broadway.
Day 8: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.
