How to ride the rails through America's musical heartland

Ride the rails

AMTRAK’s City of New Orleans service connects the Big Easy with Chicago, travelling north through the USA’s musical heartland. Make a stop in Memphis and it makes for the perfect short break musical pilgrimage.

Click through the gallery and let us lead you through the perfect four-day, three-city itinerary for this epically tuneful American rail journey…

Breakfast at Beignets

Start your day the NOLA way, with a light and fluffy beignet. These deep-fried delights, rolled in icing sugar, were brought to Louisiana by French colonists in the 18th century and quickly became synonymous with the city.

Beignets are served with chicory coffee at cafés right across the French Quarter, but locals say you’ll find the most irresistible ones at Café Beignet. There are a number of Café Beignets dotted across the city, but the one on Royal Street (pictured), is our favourite. 

Explore the French Quarter

On Royal Street, you’re already in the heart of the city’s historic French Quarter. So simply let your curiosity lead you, past the hijinks of the bars of Bourbon Street, to the quieter corners where the wrought-iron balconies of handsome townhouses are festooned with baskets of flowers.

It’s almost impossible to get lost. Just look for the steeples of St. Louis Cathedral and make your way to bustling Jackson Square (pictured). Or take a walking tour with a company like New Orleans Historic Tours, for a deeper understanding of the history of this characterful area.

Lunch with ghosts at Muriel's

There can’t be too many restaurants in the world with a séance room, but Muriel’s, overlooking Jackson Square, is one of them. Set in a lovely French Quarter building, at Muriel’s you can feed your stomach… and your curiosity about other dimensions.

The restaurant here offers Cajun cuisine classics like seafood gumbo and turtle soup, as well as contemporary twists like pecan-crusted drum fish. The séance room, a cocktail of your choice and, maybe, an encounter with the resident ghost, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan. 

Celebrate Mardi Gras all year round

New Orleans is famous for its Mardi Gras, a colourful celebration featuring spectacular parades, vibrant costumes and deep-rooted traditions held every January and February. But if you can’t get to NOLA between Twelfth Night and Fat Tuesday, fear not. The excitement never ends at the city’s famous Mardi Gras World.

Set in a huge hangar out near the Lower Garden District, this museum/workshop houses floats and displays from the past as well as awesome behemoths under construction. Fascinating one-hour tours start every half hour. A free shuttle bus will take you to and from various points across town.

Sleep easy at the Old 77

Halfway between Union Station and the French Quarter, the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery is perfectly situated for those about to embark on an AMTRAK adventure. Situated in a converted warehouse it's spacious, classy and redolent with industrial charm.

The attached restaurant, Compère Lapin, is excellent too, with renowned chef, Nina Compton, wowing both restaurant critics and diners with her Caribbean/Creole fusion creations.

Authentic NOLA nightlife on Frenchmen Street

Before you bed down for the night, you’ll want to check out the glitzy neon lights and bars on Bourbon Street. But for a taste of real authentic New Orleans nightlife, head a few blocks further north to the area around Frenchmen Street.

This is where locals hangout, a two-block stretch in the Faubourg Marigny neighbourhood full of bustling bars and live bands most nights of the week. Check out Snug Harbour, Apple Barrel and The Blue Nile. Or Favela Chic, pictured here.

Time to check in

The City of New Orleans service departs the city’s Union Passenger terminal at 13:45 each day of the week, so you’ll have time to pop back to Café Beignet for breakfast and maybe pick up a beignet or two for the day ahead.

There’s not a lot of room for luggage on board, especially if you have booked one of the roomettes, so it makes sense to check in any larger bags. Each passenger is allowed to check two 50-pound (25kg) bags. They’ll be waiting for you next to the baggage car when you disembark.

Tickets, please

The service offers both coach and private room accommodations, with options for flexible and value fares. The spacious Bedroom Suites have an in-room sink, restroom and shower and a personal attendant. Coach seating is surprisingly roomy though, with lots of leg room and wide seats that recline almost flat.

Halfway between the two are the roomettes. These small compartments feature two comfortable seats for use during the day that transform into upper and lower beds at night.

All aboard!

Boarding at New Orleans’ Union Passenger Terminal is a civilised affair, with passengers called to board according to their destination and the class of their passage.

A courteous and professional guard ensures the whole process is smooth and hassle free. There are also electric carts to assist those with mobility issues.

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Head straight to the observation car

The City of New Orleans service takes 19 hours to reach Chicago, just less than nine hours to reach Memphis. Along the way it traverses America’s musical heartland, passing through Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois.

Head to the observation car, featuring comfortable chairs and huge panoramic windows offering breathtaking views. There’s a small shop just down some stairs offering snacks. Or head to the dining car for something more substantial.

Watch the south pass by

From the iridescent bayous of the south to the vast farmlands of the north, America quite literally changes before your very eyes on this journey.

Music lovers will recognise the names of the stops along the way too, particular in Mississippi. Brookhaven, McComb and Jackson are all stops on the Mississippi Blues Trail. And Hazelhurst is the birthplace of Robert Johnson. Yazoo City produced more than its fair share of Delta musicians too.

Bed down at the Central Hotel in Memphis

The City of New Orleans service arrives in Memphis around 22:40. Luckily the best place to stay in Memphis is only a few footsteps away, the aptly titled Central Hotel.

Set in the old railway terminal, originally built in 1914, this funky boutique hotel leans heavily into the city’s music heritage with an in-house DJ, and room speakers that transmit specially curated mixes. Elements of the original station have been retained too, like Concourse Bar, pictured, set where passengers once rushed to and from platforms.

Breakfast like Elvis

With just one day in Memphis, you’re going to need your energy. So why not start your day like Elvis, with a hearty breakfast at the Arcade Restaurant? Diagonally opposite the station and Central Hotel, it's the oldest restaurant in Memphis and was a favourite haunt of Elvis Presley.

It was about that time, in 1955, that the Arcade was given a makeover. That 50s diner vibe remains to this day – right down to the classic diner menu and the pastel booth – a shrine of sorts, where Elvis used to sit (pictured).

Tour the legendary Sun Studio

Chances are Elvis was fuelling up for a recording session at Sun Studio, a short car or taxi ride away on Union Avenue. Opened by Sam Phillips in 1950, it broke artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash and is regarded by many as the birthplace of Rock and Roll.

The guided tour here is more akin to a pilgrimage. You’ll hear outtakes from famous recording sessions, see priceless memorabilia and then, finally, visit the world-famous recording studio itself. You may even get the chance to sing into the very microphone Elvis used himself.

Lunch like Priscilla

"Look good, eat good" is the motto of the Beauty Spot, a vibe-filled restaurant in Memphis’s hip Cooper-Young District. In the 60s it was a beauty parlour where Priscilla Presley dropped by for her cut and colour. Today, you can enjoy watermelon and wings under a hooded Belvedere hair dryer.

The rest of Cooper-Young has much to offer too. Many of the houses here are on the National Register of Historic Places. Goner Records is regarded as one of the best record stores in the city. And Burke’s Books is a Memphis institution.

Continue your musical education at Stax

If Sun Studio is a shrine to Rock and Roll, the Stax Museum out on East McLemore Street is a shrine to Soul. Built on the site of the original Stax Studios, it pays homage to the biggest artists on the Stax roster, from Marvin Gaye to Isaac Hayes.

In fact, the museum features an exact replica of the label’s famous Studio A, a ‘Wall of Sound’ features the covers of Stax’s most famous albums, and Isaac Hayes’s pimped out Cadillac Eldorado. Superfly!

Dive into Beale Street

Next stop, Beale Street, home of the Blues, and the place where Memphis (and its guests) go to party. Here, under the glow of the street’s iconic neon signs, you’ll find the buzziest bars, great Southern food and mind-blowing performances from Blues’ legends and newcomers alike.

Keep an eye out for Beale Street’s legendary flippers. These energetic young men and women perform breathtaking acrobatic tricks in front of thrilled crowds, a reminder that Beale Street is a living and breathing organism, not just a historic artefact.

Escape to Itta Bena

Beale Street can get a little rowdy, especially on weekends. But a soothing sanctuary is not far away. Head to Itta Bena, an ultra-chilled restaurant and bar above the B.B. King’s Blues Club and reached by a secret doorway, tucked away on South 2nd Street.

Itta Bena prides itself on its relaxed vibe, cool libations and Southern cuisine with a Delta twist. A super smooth house band sets the tone, without sacrificing the top-notch musicianship expected in this Blues-mad neighbourhood.

Head back to the world’s coolest waiting room

It’s evening time in Memphis and your train to Chicago isn’t due until 22:40. You could take in a band or two on Beale Street. Or check out Earnestine & Hazel’s, a quintessential dive bar, directly across the road from the station.

You could, of course, join your luggage back at the Central Hotel. The waiting area here (pictured) is sumptuous and comfortable, with a clear view of the platforms. And most nights of the week, there's a DJ playing in the Concourse Bar, just downstairs.

Overnight to Chicago in comfort

With the City of New Orleans service leaving Memphis after 10pm and arriving in Chicago around 09:15 the next morning, much of the next leg of your journey is spent in darkness. So why not treat yourself to one of AMTRAK’s small, but perfectly formed, roomettes?

These compact, private sleeping compartments offer a more secluded and comfortable travel experience than coach seating. They feature two seats that convert into two berths, a large window and access to a restroom and shower in the same carriage. You’re guaranteed to arrive in Chicago with a spring in your step.

A grand arrival in Chicago

Chicago’s stunning Union Station is a destination in itself. The Great Hall (pictured) is vast and epic and a fitting reflection of the city’s history as a major railway hub. It opened in May 1925 after 10 years of construction and cost $75 million. That’s $1 billion (£745m) in today’s money.

It’s also a favourite with filmmakers. You might remember the famous scene in The Untouchables where a baby carriage bounces down the hall’s famous travertine staircase during a shootout between Eliot Ness and Al Capone’s men.

Awesome architecture

Union Station is but one of the architectural wonders that line the rivers and canals in central Chicago. Each of the city’s epochs are represented by breathtaking buildings, from the Tribune Tower, built in the 1920s, to St Regis, a twisty 101-storey glass tower, only completed in 2020.

The best way to experience these architectural wonders is from the water, on one of the architectural-themed tours that leaves from the docks near Michigan Avenue. Knowledgeable guides tell the incredible tales behind these towering beauties as you float by in their distinctive shadows.

Lunch at Mr Beef

Even before The Bear became one of the biggest TV shows on the planet, the Italian sandwich shop it was based on, Mr. Beef, was already a Chicago institution. Locals have been feasting on the enormous hot Italian beef sandwiches, loaded with sweet peppers and spicy giardiniera, since 1979.

Now this unassuming establishment in River North is firmly on the tourist trail. Bear-themed tours bring coachloads of fans to pay homage and influencers pose outside for their feeds. Do what the locals do and visit early afternoon, when the fans of the show have been and gone.

Catch a game at Wrigley Field

Chicago’s Wrigley Field is one of the most iconic ballparks in America. It has been home to the Chicago Cubs for over a century and in 2020 was designated a National Historic Landmark.

It continues to be the living, breathing embodiment of Chicago and its people – its hand-turned scoreboard, its ivy-covered outfield wall, it’s red marque. If it's game day, this is where you need to be for the crack of the bat, the strains of Take Me Out To The Ball Game and the Chicago dogs, laden with onions, relish and dill. But never ketchup.

Dinner and a show at the House of Blues

The Blues came to Chicago during the Great Migration in 1916, when millions of African Americans left the rural Southern United States for the Northeast, Midwest and West, bringing their music with them. The city quickly developed its own sound – amplified, powerful and urban – and in the process became a Blues powerhouse.

It’s a tradition that continues to this day, with clubs scattered across the city. The House of Blues in Marina City, just north of the Chicago River, is a great place to start, with shows most nights and tasty Southern food available in the voodoo-inspired restaurant.

Hit the heights at Skydeck

Finish your evening in Chicago 110 storeys above the city at the famous Skydeck, a viewing platform of sorts in the Willis Tower. Originally known as the Sears Tower, it features glass boxes that brave visitors can step out onto, with nothing but a glass floor between them and Wacker Drive, 1,353 feet (412m) below.

Known as ‘Ledges,’ the boxes are made up of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit. Taking the step into one is both terrifying and exhilarating and undoubtedly the highlight of any visit to Chicago.

Getting there

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is served by daily direct flights from Europe and major centres across the US. You can book your passage on the City of New Orleans directly on the AMTRAK website. Or use a specialist tailored tour company like America As You Like It to organise the whole trip for you.

Peter Moore rode the rails in June 2025 as a guest of Explore Louisiana and Tennessee Tourism.

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