We have long been fond of Memphis and St. Louis, two great and historic Mississippi River towns. For years, we have offered Memphis beter than anyone else by including the remarkable Memphis Jones, performer and entertainer extraordinaire who gives our guests a musical tour through the home of the Blues that everyone raves about. We also visit the famed Rendezvous Barbeque, voted year afer year one of the top ten barbeque places in America. And last but not least, Memphis is a repository of live music, spilling out of clubs on colorful Beale St. St. Louis too, is the classic American city with its great Arch and here we are fortunate to have the doyenne of St. Louis historians, Nini Harris, to show our guests the best of this great city on a tour most of our travelers rate as the highlight of their trip.

Of course, a great holiday requires great hotels and we have two of the best in the Midwest featured. In Memphis, the highest rated hotel in town, the elegant Westn Memphis Beale St. and in St. Louis, the Drury Plaza and, naturally, our guests enjoy two night stays in each since no one likes checking in and out of a hotel for just a one night stay. Nicer stll, we have included complete sightseeing in both cities with a visit to Graceland in Memphis and the Arch in St. Louis. As always, we have a nice balance of included amenites and free tme, for you to explore and enjoy these two cities at your own pace.

This would not be a Train Holiday without a distnctve train ride and we have two, one at the beginning of our trip and one to conclude it. We travel from Chicago to Memphis aboard Amtrak’s City of New Orleans on a short overnight ride via the Illinois Central Railroad. On our final day of the holiday, we travel back to Chicago in great style aboard our own 1940’s era streamliner train, the ‘St Louis Special’ complete with round-end observaton club car! With comfortable seatng, fresh flowers, an atentive staff and all meals, wines & spirits, this is a nostalgic reminder of the golden age of train travel.

In short, this is the perfect, elegant relaxing mini vacaton. There is only one flaw and that is the fact that this exclusive program will operate only four times in 2010 and prompt reservatons are encouraged due to the limited number of departures.

Call 877-929-7245 for rail fares to and from Chicago, IL.

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• Train travel from Chicago to Memphis aboard Amtrak’s "City of New Orleans" train, a short comfortable overnight ride. Before boarding, we begin our holiday in Chicago with dinner at the justly acclaimed Lawry’s, the Prime Rib, for the best prime rib in America.
• Memphis sightseeing tour with the acclaimed Memphis Jones with live music entertainment as we tour the home of the Blues. We also enjoy breakfast at the storied ‘Arcade Restaurant’, witness the famous ‘Duck March’ at the Peabody Hotel and visit Graceland during our tme in Memphis. Two nights deluxe hotel accommodatons are also included as is dinner at the renowned Rendezvous BBQ Restaurant.
• One-night in St. Louis at the superbly located Drury Plaza Hotel in the heart of downtown with breakfast and happy hour daily included. In St Louis we also enjoy an extraordinary in-depth tour of this historic city by its leading historian, Nini Harris. A very special farewell dinner at Carmine’s Restaurant is also on the agenda in St. Louis.
• Classic Streamliner train travel aboard our own private train, the "St. Louis Special", from St. Louis to Chicago on the fnal day of our holiday. There is a swank Club car to enjoy and all meals, wines and spirits while aboard are included, the perfect end to a trip that no one else ofers.
• Hosted by professional tour manager from start to finish to handle all of the details, allowing you to concentrate on the important things like whether to have the crème brulee or the triple chocolate cake for dessert the last night of the tour.

• All Hotel Lodging
• All Sightseeing and Admissions as noted below
• 12 Meals
• Services of Professional Tour Manager
• All Rail and Motorcoach Transportation as outlined
• Luggage Handling

Day One - Independent arrivals into Chicago
We begin our holiday in Chicago with dinner at the justly famed ‘Lawry’s, the Prime Rib, for what is simply the best prime rib in America. Afer this elegant beginning, a five-minute transfer to Union Staton where we board Amtrak’s City of New Orleans for the short overnight ride to Memphis over the Illinois Central Railroad. In additon, the oversized reclining coach seats, akin to First Class airline seats on an internatonal flight, the train features a diner-lounge for conversaton with new-found friends. (D)

Day Two - Memphis
Upon arrival in Memphis early this morning, we enjoy breakfast at the historic Arcade Restaurant, a ten second walk from the staton, a fine beginning to a lovely day. Afer breakfast, we enjoy a city sightseeing tour of Memphis, birthplace of the Blues with the legendary ‘Memphis Jones’ who gives us a fantastc musical tour through the city. We have lef the afernoon free for you to enjoy a ride on the historic trolley, to see the famed ‘Memphis Ducks’ parade through the lobby of the nearby Peabody Hotel or to visit the remarkable Mississippi River museum on Mud Island. Tonight is a special treat with dinner at the storied Rendez- vous Barbeque Restaurant, always rated one of the top ten places for barbeque in the country. Overnight at the Westn Memphis Beale St. (B, D)

Day Three - Memphis
All morning to sleep in with a midday departure for Graceland, the perfect coda to yesterday’s musical tour with Memphis Jones. We have intentonally lef the evening at leisure for you to enjoy the many great nightclubs and musical venues in Beale St., including our favorite, BB Kings, and happily, Beale St., which is sort of a miniature version of Bourbon St. in New Orleans, is only a half minute walk from our hotel. Overnight at the Westn Memphis. (B)

Day Four - St. Louis
Afer breakfast this morning, we depart on the short drive to St. Louis, Gateway to the West as it was described in the 19th Century and upon arrival, we visit the famed Arch with its stunning views of the Mississippi River. Litle known is the fact that the Arch also has a remarkable museum on the Westward Expan- sion pioneered by Lewis & Clark and there will be tme to visit it as well. Our hotel tonight is superb, the Drury Plaza, in the heart of downtown near the historic Courthouse, in the shadow of the Arch. Later this evening, there is a complimentary happy hour at the hotel with an open bar, always a nice end to the day. (B, L, R)

Day Five - St. Louis
This morning a special treat: an in-depth sightsee- ing tour of St. Louis by its most acclaimed historian, Nini Harris whose knowledge and passion of this historic city is without equal. We will visit Forest Park, the elegant Euclid Area, Soulard, the great Basilica and the downtown core to name just a few and many of our guests rate Nini’s comprehensive tour the highlight of their holiday. We have intentonally left the afernoon at leisure for you to visit either restored Union Staton, the Anheuser- Busch brewery or the huge casino now open along the riverfront. Tonight, our happy hour and a fantastc farewell dinner at Carmine’s, one of the finest Italian restaurants in the St. Louis. (B, R, D)

Day Six - The St. Louis Special
Saving the best for last, this morning we board our own vintage streamliner train from the 1940’s, the St. Louis Special, for the fast ride up to Chicago in great comfort and style. We have a swank round- end Observaton Lounge car with club car seatng with sofas and overstuffed chairs, fresh flowers and an atentve staff. There is an open bar and lunch is served en route.

   

   

   

 Departure Dates:

• October 28 - November 2
• December 2 - 7

 Per Person Rates:

• $1,195.00 per person (double occupancy)
• $1,375.00 per person (single occupancy)