Fly Drive USA

Depart the UK on your scheduled flight to Dallas Fort Worth. Collect your rental car and transfer to historic Downtown Grapevine. Your base here for the next seven nights allows you to experience nearby Dallas, Fort Worth, Grandview and Arlington whilst having a great place to return to each evening. Live entertainment is abundant in Historic Downtown Grapevine.

This morning, why not discover the bank that the outlaws ‘Bonnie & Clyde’ robbed as well as the carillon clock tower with its interesting history? Nearby is the Vetro glassblowing workshop with studio and gallery, blacksmith, chocolate maker, and the historic Bermuda Gold jewelry store. In the evening we recommend the Texas Star Dinner Theater for a comical “whodunnit” murder mystery and dinner show. After you solve the mystery live entertainment is abundant in Historic Downtown Grapevine.  Stroll up and down Main Street enjoying various different sounds and entertainers at bars winery tasting rooms.

Today, make the short journey to Fort Worth where a wealth of attractions await. Why not start with a tour of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, the world’s only museum dedicated to honoring women of the American West. Next head to the Stockyards National Historic District, where you can explore the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and Stockyards Station – here legends are memorialized and unique Texas gifts abound.  Fort Worth herd in the world’s only twice daily cattle drive – Texas Longhorns driven by genuine Texas cowhands so don’t miss that treat. Perhaps saddle up at the bar at one of the local saloons or purchase yourself some western wear at one of the local shops before heading to dinner. If you stay here to dine, afterward you may wish to visit Billy Bob’s Texas – the largest Honky Tonk in the World!

This morning we would suggest you make another short journey, this time to the Beaumont Ranch in Grandview. Here you can experience life as a cowboy on a ranch. Activities include trail rides, zip line adventures, sporting clays & shooting, archery, roping lessons, ATV tours, and more! In the evening once you head back to Grapevine it’s time to feast on dinner at one of the town’s many BBQ joints including AJ’s on Main, Meat You Anywhere BBQ, or Bartley’s BBQ, or any of Grapevine’s local restaurants in Historic Downtown.

Today you will enjoy a day in Dallas. This is a city full of surprises. The home of the legendary Dallas Cowboys & Mavericks offers a wide variety of dining options and first-class entertainment and shopping opportunities. Whilst here, see the Sixth Floor Museum commemorating the murder of John F. Kennedy. Dallas is a city where southern hospitality and Texan influences meet. Be sure to plan a stop at Pioneer Plaza, the world’s largest bronze monument depicting a cattle drive, complete with nearly 50 longhorn steers being herded by three cowboys.

After a hearty breakfast, it is off to the home of Dallas Cowboys – Arlington, Texas. A tour of the legendary AT&T Stadium (home of Dallas Cowboys) is a must before you hop next door for lunch at Texas Live, a world-class dining, entertainment, and hospitality district adjacent to Globe Life Field. After lunch, why not enjoy a tour of Globe Life Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers. Once you’ve grabbed all your sporting memorabilia souvenirs it’s time to head back to Grapevine to freshen up ready for another evening of entertainment. You could try dinner at Daylight Golf, a unique entertainment venue with virtual golf in one of the best sports bar environments in North Texas, or try your hand at ax throwing at Corky’s Gaming Bistro.

Today is your last day in Texas and you shouldn’t leave without experiencing a Texas BBQ Breakfast Burrito at Meat You Anywhere! If you’re a soda drinker, wash it down with an original recipe Dr. Pepper, invented right here in Texas. If you enjoy retail therapy, you could visit the Grapevine Mills Mall, with over 180 shops, picking up any items that a modern-day Cowboy may need.

Today you leave Texas and cross the state line into Oklahoma. Begin your First American’s experience at the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur. This state-of-the-art complex shares the story of the Chickasaw Nation through exhibits including Spirit Forest, Removal Corridor, and the Chickasaw Village. For lunch, head over to Tishomingo to enjoy a bite to eat at Blake Shelton’s Ole Red. Famous for its country music career and “the Voice” Shelton serves up live music, hospitality, and delicious steaks and burgers. While in Tishomingo take in a couple of historic sites that also interpret Chickasaw Culture. A stop at the Chickasaw Council House Museum where you will find the Chickasaw’s original Council House as well as the largest collection of Chickasaw art, artifacts, and archival material is highly recommended.

Depart Sulphur and head west towards the Old Chisholm Trail. When you arrive in Duncan you’ll find the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. You can experience the sights and sounds of the West at this multisensory attraction that celebrates North America’s great cattle drives. Next, continue west to Oklahoma’s first resort community – Medicine Park. Why not enjoy lunch along Bath Lake and take in the quirky shops and galleries in town before continuing into the adjacent Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge? Here you will enjoy America’s first wildlife preserve and see Bison and Long Horn freely roaming the prairie. Outdoor lovers can hike, rock climb, or just simply enjoy the sights and sounds of the wildlife. Finally, travel into Lawton Fort Sill and explore the Museum of the Great Plains.

Today you will travel to the small town of Elgin to immerse your senses at Sia (Must make prior arrangements at least a week in advance). Here you will learn about the amazing role certain birds, especially Eagles, play in First Americans’ culture. See the birds up close and personal as you are taken through the spiritual world of these amazing creatures. Now it is time to head to the capital of Oklahoma –  Oklahoma City; your base for the next two nights. For those who love water, head over to RiverSport Adventures. Here you can spend the afternoon kayaking on the river, zip-lining from the above-the-ground ropes course, trying your hand at the artificial white water rapids, or enjoying the forced water surfing. Not so adventurous? Then jump on the light rail and visit the Oklahoma City Museum of Art – home of the most comprehensive collection of glass by artist Dale Chihuly. Wrap up your day with an evening in Bricktown – Oklahoma’s largest entertainment district. Take a tour of the canal in a water taxi before dinner and a few beverages at one of the favorite spots.

You could start your morning with breakfast at Oklahoma’s oldest continuously run restaurant – Cattlemen’s – located in the Historic Stockyards City. After your hearty start take a walk around this area and see working cowboys going about their daily lives, shop at a custom boot or hat maker, and visit the catwalks and auction arena where all the action really happens. If shopping isn’t your thing then why not plan a visit to the National Cowboy and Western Museum.  In the afternoon drive to Arcadia, Oklahoma (just a short 20-minute drive up Route 66). Visit the Round Barn and then make a stop at POPS where you can sample your choice of over 700 options of soda pop. We recommend that whilst in the area you enjoy dinner at The Chicken Shack (live music on weekends) before driving through Edmond  displaying many pieces of public art, and making your way back to Oklahoma City.

This morning you will depart Oklahoma City and head to Standing Bear Park, Museum, and Education Center in Ponca City for your first stop of today’s adventure. Listen to the story of Chief Standing Bear and what would lead up to the first civil rights trial heard by the US Supreme Court. Before lunch, we also recommend a visit to the Marland Mansion, known as “Palace on the Prairie”. This Italian-inspired villa shares the story of wealth that the 1920s celebrated in the state. For a special lunch treat, visit The Mercantile in Pawhuska. This establishment will surely bring your taste buds to the comfort foods Oklahoma is known for. A visit to WOOLAROC, a museum & nature reserve, rounds off the day before arriving in Tulsa which will be your home for the next two nights.

Tulsa is a young vibrant city– and was established by oil money and oil barons. Tulsa is the birthplace of the Tulsa Sound. Visit the Woody Guthrie Center, Guthrie is a folk singer known for “This Land Is Your Land”. The new Bob Dylan Center houses the entire collection of Dylan archives – an influential songwriter who was the first musician to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. In the Pearl District, you will find the Tulsa music district including the Church Studios by Leon Russel. Tulsa is considered to be the birthplace of Historic Route 66, so don’t miss all the photo ops around town – Golden Driller, Praying Hands, Buck Atom Space Cowboy, East Meets West symbolic intersection and the centennial plaza. Mother Road Market is a great place for lunch or dinner, though there are many great restaurants to be found all throughout Tulsa. The Greenwood Rising District tells the story of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street and the horrific Tulsa Race Riots. If you still have time available, The Gathering Place is a 28-acre park! We suggest you spend the evening in Cheery Street; one of the most lively parts of Tulsa.

Today is all about ‘a little bit of Oklahoma’s Route 66’. You first stop should be at the Will Rogers Memorial and Museum in Claremore. Laugh at the many famous quotes from this satirist that are still valid today. It is then on to Miami, (pronounced Miama) to see the Coleman Theatre and the only 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer organ located in its original home. The next stop on this route is Tahlequah, the Capitol of the Cherokee Nation. Learn about the tribal traditions of the Cherokee. Stop by the Cherokee National History Museum, Cherokee National Prison Museum, and National Supreme Court Museum. Before leaving Tahlequah, try a slice at Sam and Ella’s Chicken House (known for magnificent pizza). In the evening you will make the short drive to Muskogee where you will stay overnight.

Today is your final day in Oklahoma. While in Muskogee, consider lunch at Back in Time Diner before spending the day in the beauty of Robbers Cave State Park, the former hideout of the bandit’s Belle Starr and Jesse James. Explore on a hike, by horseback, bike, or canoe. Here, too, you can try rock climbing/rappelling, swimming, fishing, wildlife watching, and disc golf. After, your scenic drive continues through tiny Checotah – home of Carrie Underwood – and on to Durant, headquarters of the Choctaw Nation. You could visit the brand new Choctaw Cultural Center. This facility features tribal traditions including a recreated village that will bring you back to Mississippi, the Choctaw’s original homelands. Enjoy the artifacts and original artwork that are unique to this nation. The evening is at your leisure however we recommend a walk to downtown Durant for an experience on one of Oklahoma’s Main Streets.

This morning you will leave Durant, Oklahoma, and cross state borders to Shreveport, Louisiana which will be your base for the next two nights. On arrival, why not stop for a spot of lunch at the Silver Star Smokehouse. In the afternoon we recommend a guided tour of the RW Norton Art Gallery, Shreveport’s largest museum that houses thousands of American and European sculptures, paintings, artifacts, and decorative arts spanning four centuries. The museum sits on 40 beautifully landscaped gardens and trails. The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure with many fine dining restaurants and premium craft cocktail bars at your disposal, where you can relax in comfortable surroundings.

Start your morning in swampy bayou country on the beautiful Caddo Lake. It is located on the border of Louisiana and Texas, just a short drive away from Shreveport and Bossier City. You may choose to take a tour of Morrell Dairy Farm, a family farm and creamery located 20 minutes from Shreveport.  They raise Jersey dairy cows and process their milk into delicious milk, chocolate milk, and butter. After lunch get up close and personal with sharks, rays, jellyfish, and a host of other cool creatures in one of our many touch tanks at the Shreveport Aquarium.  Sticking to the animal theme, why not take a behind-the-scenes tour of Chimp Haven, a retirement sanctuary for chimpanzees that were once used in biomedical research, as pets, or kept in zoos. This evening, enjoy Bossier City’s East Bank District & Plaza, the only open container district in Louisiana outside of New Orleans. In the half-mile entertainment district, visitors can find restaurants, an antique shop, a brewery, an axe-throwing bar, and more.

After your final breakfast in Shreveport, you will take to the open road to Alexandria in central Louisiana. You could mark your arrival with a bit of retail therapy at specialty boutiques along Jackson Street – including Southern Chic, Terra Home, Addie’s Boutique and The Wild Hare. In the afternoon why not take a stroll through history at Kent Plantation House, a pristine Creole plantation home from the early 1800s. Guides in period attire will share its history as they take you through the original home, outdoor kitchen, milk house, blacksmith shop and sugar mill. In the evening discover a new favourite menu at one of the local downtown restaurants:  Embers, The Levee, The Bentley Room, or The Diamond Grill to name a few. Enjoy a nightcap at Finnegan’s Wake, home to 150 types of Scotch and one of the very few Whiskey Sommeliers in the Country.

Your second day in Alexandria needs to start the best way possible, so why not enjoy breakfast at Sentry Drug & Grill. Find your seat at the counter or pick a red booth in the front window and order up an old-fashioned diner-style breakfast. After breakfast, step into a World War II-era barracks and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Louisiana Maneuvers, a two-year exercise designed to shift the Army’s strategic planning, modernize its resources/equipment and provide hands-on training for 500,000 soldiers. In the afternoon if you want to stetch you legs, how about a hike through Kisatchie National Forest? Two of the most popular trails to consider: The Wild Azalea Trail and the Backbone Trail. For your final meal in Alexandria, we highly recommend a meal at the Tunk’s Cypress Inn on beautiful Lake Kincaid. Enjoy lake views, seafood specials, and southern favorites with live music in the downstairs Oyster Bar most nights.

Today you will make the journey to your final destination – New Orleans. You will spend the next three nights in this wonderful city to cap off what has been an epic adventure. On your way drive the seven mile stretch of highway through the village of Forest Hill and discover the unexpected “Plant Capital of the South”. Family-owned nurseries in the 1940s laid the foundation for this homegrown multi-million dollar industry which provides plants across the United States. Treat yourself to lunch at Lea’s Café in Lecompte. Famous for their ham sandwiches, daily specials, and extensive homemade pie selection, Lea’s has been a special spot since 1928. As you head south to New Orleans, take in a few more of central Louisiana’s historical sites including Loyd Hall Plantation and Trinity Episcopal Church. The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

As your hotel boasts a wonderful location, today we suggest you set out on foot for a walking tour from picturesque Jackson Square to bustling Bourbon Street. En route, discover the cool sounds of jazz as you meander through Canal Street, the waterfront, and the Warehouse District. Discover the French Quarter from venerable Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, and Bourbon Street. You could savour local culinary delights including beignets and etouffee as you stroll. 

You could begin the day with a flightseeing tour of New Orleans for views of the French Quarter, Mississippi River, canals, and wetlands. In the city that many consider the birthplace of jazz and the hometown of prominent jazz greats from Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Sidney Bechet to Wynton Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr., you’ll want to check out the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter, where the focus is on jazz as an art form. No trip to New Orleans is complete without a stop on Bourbon Street for live music and cocktails – but don’t forget to venture a little further to Frenchmen Street where the locals go!  Remember there is no last call so take advantage of a few extra hours to enjoy the entertainment and atmosphere. 

Today you make your way to New Orleans Airport to return your rental car and check-in for your flight back to the UK.