Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation

Jazz Blues and Rock 'n' Roll

Nine-day Amtrak journey from Chicago to Memphis to New Orleans

Jazz Blues and Rock 'n' Roll, a rail journey with Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak Vacations runs this nine-day, one-way independent rail vacation from Chicago to New Orleans, with a stop in Memphis along the way. The trip opens with two days in Chicago, where a multi-day hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour covers Skydeck Chicago, Navy Pier, and the Magnificent Mile before a dinner at a popular restaurant. On day 3, the City of New Orleans train carries travelers overnight south to Memphis, arriving in time to settle into The Peabody Memphis hotel and explore Beale Street. A narrated Memphis city tour on day 5 takes in Graceland and Sun Studio. From there the train continues to New Orleans for three nights, where a jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters and a paddlewheel Battlefield Cruise round out the trip. Because hotel stays run two to three nights per city, the pace is relaxed rather than rushed. The trip suits independent travelers who want their city sightseeing and train legs pre-booked but like handling hotel check-ins and free time on their own.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only two meals are included across the nine days, a dinner in Chicago and a jazz brunch in New Orleans; other meals are on your own.
  • Several transitions are unescorted: the itinerary has you travel to the station and to your hotel on your own between the included tours.
  • The overnight Amtrak leg from Chicago to Memphis is booked in Coach class seating, not a private sleeper cabin.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Chicago

    Your Journey Begins in Chicago

    Welcome to Chicago! Explore the Windy City on a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour covering 13 miles of the city. Later, explore on your own; we suggest a walk down Magnificent Mile.

  2. Day 2overnight: Chicago

    Chicago, IL

    Continue your sightseeing tour, stopping by Skydeck Chicago, Navy Pier, Millennium Park, 360 Chicago, and more. Dinner this evening at a popular restaurant is included.

  3. Day 3overnight: onboard Amtrak

    Overnight Onboard Amtrak

    Board Amtrak's City of New Orleans for a relaxing overnight trip south to Memphis, through the heart of the nation's musical heritage.

  4. Day 4overnight: Memphis

    Memphis, TN

    Arrive in Memphis early in the morning and travel on your own to your downtown hotel. Free time to explore the sights and sounds of the city, including Beale Street or the Peabody Hotel's famous ducks.

  5. Day 5overnight: Memphis

    Memphis, TN

    Enjoy a narrated tour of Memphis, including the iconic Graceland, downtown, the Mississippi, Beale Street, the Peabody Hotel, Sun Studio, and the Meditation Garden.

  6. Day 6overnight: New Orleans

    Memphis to New Orleans

    Travel on your own to the station and board Amtrak to New Orleans, taking in the Southern scenery through Mississippi. Travel to your hotel upon arrival.

  7. Day 7overnight: New Orleans

    New Orleans, LA

    Start the day with a jazz brunch at the famous Court of Two Sisters restaurant, then set off for your included New Orleans city tour: the French Quarter, Jackson Square, historic cemeteries, Bayou St. John, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.

  8. Day 8overnight: New Orleans

    New Orleans, LA

    Enjoy a Battlefield Cruise on the outside deck of an old-fashioned paddlewheel boat, taking in the French Quarter and the Port of New Orleans with narration on landmarks and history, disembarking at the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans.

  9. Day 9

    Your Holiday Ends in New Orleans

    Journey concludes in New Orleans.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Boards Amtrak's City of New Orleans for an overnight trip south to Memphis, through the heart of the nation's musical heritage.
  • Day 5A narrated tour of Memphis stops at Graceland, downtown, Beale Street, the Peabody Hotel, and Sun Studio.
  • Day 7A jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters restaurant, followed by a city tour of the French Quarter, Jackson Square, and Bayou St. John.
  • Day 8A Battlefield Cruise on the outside deck of a paddlewheel boat disembarks at the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans.

Included

  • One-way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Chicago to Memphis and Memphis to New Orleans onboard the City of New Orleans®
  • 7 nights' hotel accommodations; 1 night onboard Amtrak
  • 2 meals included (1 dinner, 1 brunch*), *Dinner at a popular restaurant substituted when brunch in New Orleans is unavailable.

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed by more than one company. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Questions travellers ask

Is rail travel included?
Yes. One-way Amtrak Coach travel from Chicago to Memphis and Memphis to New Orleans is included aboard the City of New Orleans.
Which train do I ride?
Amtrak's City of New Orleans, in Coach class, for both legs of the journey.
Is this trip guided or independent?
It is an independent rail vacation with included city tours: a hop-on, hop-off tour of Chicago, a narrated Memphis tour with Graceland admission, and a guided sightseeing tour of New Orleans.
What hotels are included?
The Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, in Chicago; The Peabody Memphis; and Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.
How many meals are included?
Two: one dinner in Chicago and one jazz brunch in New Orleans (dinner is substituted if the brunch is unavailable).
Is there an overnight on the train?
Yes, one overnight on Amtrak's City of New Orleans on the trip from Chicago to Memphis.

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