Working in the travel industry, sometimes you are lucky enough to be sent on a familiarisation trip, which we call a “famil”. Depending on the operator, a famil is generally a tour or experience which industry professionals can earn or win. This allows us to experience first-hand the things that clients are booking with us, so that we can better match the customer with their ideal tour and tell them exactly what they can expect on their holiday.

At the start of April I set off on Cosmos’ Rhythms of the Road tour with a group of around thirty other agents. This itinerary is Cosmos’ most popular USA itinerary (and their second-most-popular in the world), so it was a great opportunity to see exactly what my clients could expect on such a trip.

I’m going to go over our included hotels and sightseeing so you can see just how much Cosmos packs into their tours, and if you haven’t been on a group tour before, this will give you a good idea of how it all works! I’ll also share some of my own experiences so that if you’re looking at this exact itinerary you’ll already have my tips and tricks at the ready.

Chicago, Illinois & St Louis, Missouri

I flew into Chicago and very easily caught a taxi to the first hotel of the trip, the Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile. I arrived at our welcome dinner a little late due to missing a connecting flight through San Francisco (which was very easily handled with United Airlines), but this was not a problem – our hotel reception knew where the group would be, and I joined them as soon as I was able. This was Day 1 of the tour – arrival into Chicago anytime, and a welcome dinner with the group in the evening.

The next morning we set off on a city tour of Chicago, including a visit to the shore of Lake Michigan; the beginning point of historic Route 66; “The Bean” at Millennium Park; and Navy Pier. We had the afternoon at leisure, so I did some shopping and took up one of our guide’s lunch suggestions – a deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s, which did not disappoint!

Left: The Bean at Millennium Park
Right: “The Malnati” personal-size pizza

I quickly found that the Courtyard by Marriott was in a fantastic position for a short stay in Chicago. Situated on Magnificent Mile, you’re steps away from excellent shopping, and walking distance to Millennium Park and the Chicago Riverwalk. Breakfast was not included in our stay at the Courtyard, but only a block and a half from the hotel was Beatrix (Streeterville), which became my breakfast spot both mornings in Chicago. They offered delicious meals at great prices, and had fast service despite having few tables free.

On Day 3 of our tour we left Chicago for St Louis. Our group decided on Blueberry Hill for lunch – a restaurant and live music venue that has been a St Louis hotspot since 1972. This was quite the experience as the restaurant is also a museum for pop culture memorabilia of decades past, and displays hundreds of photos of owner Joe Edwards with celebrities he’s met or welcomed to Blueberry Hill itself. We had the pleasure of meeting him and getting our own photo after our meals!

We finished our St Louis sightseeing with a visit to the top of the Gateway Arch, the tallest monument in the USA at 630 feet high.

Left: A few from our group with Blueberry Hill owner Joe Edwards
Right: The Gateway Arch

Nashville, Tennessee

The next morning we continued the journey to Nashville, stopping for lunch in Paducah, Kentucky. We found that the Silent Brigade Distillery and the local thrift store were hidden gems, and worthy of long visits!

Our Nashville hotel – The Inn at Opryland – was located just minutes from the Grand Ole Opry and around a kilometer from Opry Mills Mall. It’s a 20 minute drive from the doorstep to Broadway, and the hotel runs a shuttle between reception and Downtown until well into the evening.

We had quite the to-do list in Nashville! On our full day we ticked off RCA Studio B, Centennial Park, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (I highly recommend picking up an audio guide!) before our included Grand Ole Opry show that evening. Admittedly, country isn’t my go-to music genre, but I had a really great time and added a new artist to my Spotify rotation (check out Abbey Cone’s debut album ‘Greener’).

Left: The Grand Ole Opry stage from floor seats
Right: The Grand Ole Opry

Memphis, Tennessee

We kicked off our full day in Memphis at Graceland: The Home of Elvis Presley. I knew the basics of what to expect – the mansion, the costumes, the cars – but I was left in absolute awe. Not only was the mansion a fascinating window into the life of the Presleys, but the contents of the museum were incredibly comprehensive. I learned even more about Elvis and Graceland than I had expected to (I highly recommend the audio guide here, too – narrated by John Stamos, no less).

My personal highlight was Elvis’ Convair 880 private jet, the ‘Lisa Marie’. It features a conference room, a living room, a lounge room, and a private bedroom. The chairs are suede, the tables are covered with leather, and the seat belt buckles are gold-plated!

Left: The Graceland Mansion
Right: Graceland’s living room

Left: Elvis’ 1958 Convair 880 private jet
Right: One of the couches on the Lisa Marie – green suede seats and gold-plated seatbelt buckles

En route to New Orleans on Day 8 we visited the BB King Museum in Indianola, Mississippi. This was a short stop, but one of my own trip highlights. Having spent an evening listening to blues at BB King’s Blues Club in Memphis, it was great to learn about the musical legend BB King was, his upbringing, and the development of the blues genre. This is a stop I would recommend to anybody travelling nearby!

New Orleans, Louisiana

Our final hotel was the Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter, which is only one block from both Canal St and Bourbon St, putting us in the ideal place for just about everything. While food and drink venues were abundant on almost every street, I found my favourite shopping on Royal St. I spent hours wandering around art galleries, through gift and clothing stores, and listening to jazz buskers on the corners. 

On our last full day we went on a city tour, including St Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, a stop for some beignets and a visit to one of New Orleans’ infamous above-ground cemeteries. In the afternoon many in the group went on one (or two!) of Cosmos’ optional activities, but I spent my time wandering the French Quarter and trying as much food as I could. I highly recommend the muffuletta sandwich at The Market Cafe, and Adolfo’s on Frenchmen St served up some delicious Creole-Italian food for dinner. This left us in the perfect spot to grab a drink and enjoy some jazz music to close out our trip.

1: St Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square
2: Frenchmen St, French Quarter
3: St Louis Cemetery No. 3

I want to finish with a few words about our guide Hillary and our driver Jonathan. As well as having a great deal of experience in their roles, they always went the extra mile to make our trip unforgettable. Hillary had a plethora of local knowledge and would frequently help us out with local terms and shorthand, lunch and dinner recommendations, and even gifted us bead necklaces in New Orleans so we would fit right in. Not only did Jonathan get us from A to B quickly and safely, he also has a voice that could melt butter, and his daily “Good mornin’, good mornin’, good mornin’” will stay with me forever.

I had an absolute blast on this tour – I could’ve made this article very long with all the stories I have and things I learned. I found that every city and small town we visited had incredibly friendly people, hearty food, and no end of things to see and do. We had a great balance of included activities and free time, and we made the most of every single moment. My only regret is leaving!

Take this as your sign to book that holiday you’ve been daydreaming about! Have a look at the deals Cosmos are running right now if you need some more inspiration, or get in touch with me if you already know where you want to go!

Happy travels!