Nashville and Memphis in Tennessee and Tupelo in Mississippi were the destinations for the recent Delta Air Lines / American Holidays fam trip in conjunction with the Tennessee CVB.
Led by Teresa Murphy, Leisure Account Manager, Air France-KLM / Delta (fourth left above), the American Holidays sales team participants were Paula McMullan, Sharon Kelly, Paddy Dunne, Linda Collins, Amanda O’Brien, Sarah McCormick, Tracy Crowley and Shannon Harris.
The group travelled on Delta Air Lines to Nashville via Atlanta International Airport, Delta’s largest hub (with 963 peak day departures to over 219 worldwide destinations) and so easy to navigate, and later returned to Dublin from Memphis via Atlanta.
In the evening they were wowed by the show at the Grand Ole Opry (which included a backstage tour) and besides being entertained by many great artists, the evening finished with a performance by the amazing Reba McEntire and her band.
The following day it was Studio B, Nashville’s oldest recording studio, and home to hits from Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins and the Everly Brothers, as well as many many other greats and, indeed, 250 hits by Elvis Presley. It is now a classroom for Nashville area students and a popular cultural attraction. The American Holidays team also made a recording there – and can be contacted for a copy of their CD!
Other attractions included the Country Music Hall of Fame, Johnny Cash Museum and the Ryman Auditorium, while the evening included visits to several Honky Tonks and local craft beer.
Tupelo was next on the agenda, visiting Elvis’s Birthplace Museum and on to Johnnie’s Drive-In for a tasty burger and fries.
Last but by no means least came Memphis with Sun Studio, Smithsonian’s Rock n Soul Museum, Stax Museum and the very moving National Civil Rights Museum. Of course the only place to be of an evening in Memphis is Beale Street, a melting pot of blues, jazz, soul and rock ’n’ roll – most bars don’t have a cover charge and musicians rely on customers feeding the tip jar. The street itself is a paradise for people watchers and outdoor entertainment included some very flexible twerkers… and a visit to Memphis would not be complete without a trip to Graceland to visit the mansion that became home for Elvis and his family.
Nashville, Memphis and Tupelo! Go for the music, the Southern hospitality, the BBQ Ribs, the Goo Goo, the mighty Mississippi, the smoky mountains, the cities vibrancy, but go, because you can’t help falling in love with Tennessee’s rich history, cultural heritage and friendly fun people!
Delta Air Lines flies daily from Dublin to Atlanta until 8th September and then five weekly flights until 24th October 2015. Enjoy the excellent inflight service, including complimentary wine and beer in the Main Cabin, spirits in Comfort+ , not to mention the industry-leading suite of onboard entertainment options, including the latest movies, live satellite TV, HBO, Showtime, games and thousands of songs. With Delta Studio, take advantage of more free onboard entertainment options on more flights than any other US airline.
