Memphis is one of those iconic American cities. It houses so much by way of music culture–and a few years ago on my St. Jude or Bust trip, I had a chance to really check it out. If you ever get the chance to explore it, here are a couple of must-not-miss stops:
- Graceland. Elvis is still alive and well in Memphis. Everyday, hundreds of tourists line up to walk through Elvis’s home, known as Gracaeland. The decor alone is worth the trip. It’s a hoot. Plus, you can see the letters/posters from thousands of still-devoted fans lined along the gates. It’s craziness.
- Peabody Ducks. The Peabody hotel is famous for their daily duck show. Each day, you can watch the ducks parade around the very elegant lobby. What more can I possibly say? It’s Memphis, baby.
- Beale Street. It really doesn’t matter, Monday through Sunday Beale Street is hopping with live music and BBQ.
- Mud Island River Park. this park is free, and you can take a stroll along the Mississippi River.
- Memphis Botanic Garden. Um, hello, have we met? Of course you know I am going to include a garden on my list of suggestions.
- Memphis Zoo. This is a great stop if you have little ones. It’s certainly not the biggest zoo ever, but they do have a Panda bear, which is rad.
- Elmwood Cemetery. Okay, call me nuts, but I LOVE walking through cemeteries. Memphis has soooo much history–it represents the good, bad, and ugly in our country.
- Memphis Rock and Soul Museum. If you are a music fan, this is a must-stop museum
- Slave Haven – This is the former home of the Burlke family, turned small museum. It was one of the stops for the underground railroad, and it is worth seeing.
- Woodruff-Fontaine House. This is a mansion built in 1870 that is now open to the public as a museum. It is fully furnished and has mannequins dressed in 1870’s garb, making it a pretty cool little tour. Fair warning: there is a doll display that borderlines on creepy.
Have any of you been to Memphis? What is your favorite thing to do?
~Mavis
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Ashley says
‘A few years ago’ on your St. Jude or Bust trip? I believe that was last summer, haha. :p
Mavis Butterfield says
Was it? Ha! I think you are right. My mind is going….
Diana says
Sun Recording Studio, where the Million Dollar Quartet recorded. It’s wonderful. It was my favorite place in Memphis.
Kristina says
Oh, man, this is so totally on my bucket list. The closest I’ve come to Sun was a guitar pick a friend mailed me from there, but I swear I’ll make it out there someday.
Diana says
I hope you get to visit there soon. To me, it truly felt like a journey back in time. It is one of those rare places where they haven’t killed its spirit and vibe by turning it into a tourist trap.
Practical Parsimony says
I am from Memphis. Graceland has Elvis grave, also. One time in about 1968 or 1969 as I worked my part-time job at TG&Y, some one came in and said Elvis was on a horse in the front yard of Graceland, playing his guitar and singing Christmas Carols. I placed lots of emphasis on being a good employee, so I did not leave work.
The story of the Peabody Hotel is that the ducks live on the roof at night. Every morning, they take the elevator to the pool in the lobby and every evening, they leave the pool and take the elevator back to the roof.
There is also a museum called the Pink Palace. It was the home of the founder Piggly Wiggly (Claurance Saunders), the first market where people got their own food from the shelves. Prior to that, people brought in a list and the owner and workers got the items from the shelf and brought it to the person. My grandmother owned a little store like this. At any rate, the home is made of Pink Marble, huge and stunning. It was a museum, but may house something else now.
Chudkalissa is an Indian museum, archaeological site and is very informational. At one time, I went to the dig that was open to the public for a fee. We could see the bodies and artifacts that were about 8 feet underground. There was a baby, obviously a still birth or premature or early death. It was buried in a jug and remained there still. Some Indian group decided the graves were desecrated and shut some of the display down. As for what you can see underground right now, I don’t really know. However, I would highly recommend it. I clearly remember walking underground with dirt walls around me.
Mud Island is a recent develop in history. At the museum is a recreation of the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. People wade in this recreation of the Mississippi. Yes, they want you to walk in it.
And, then there is Sun Records where Elvis first recorded a son.
Practical Parsimony says
Chuckalissa is the correct spelling.
Jim H. says
For great Memphis BBQ, go by Memphis BBQ Company in Horn Lake. Melissa Cookston and crew have won many awards for their BBQ, and their food shows the care they put into it.
Jen Y says
Jerrys Sno cones – really, people come from all over the country just for Jerrys.
https://www.facebook.com/jerrys.cones
Janae says
Hey! You’re talking about my city! There is so much to do here especially this time of year. Date night for us usually consists of dinner downtown and walking around Beale Street. The kids love Beale Street Landing especially the movies they have been showing the past few weeks.
Still have not made it to Graceland yet.