Tips to help you plan your vacation to the great city of Memphis. Advice for a quick overnight trip or a long extended vacation, Memphis is a great destination for the entire family.
Everyone knows that Memphis is the former home of Elvis and of course that he resided at Graceland, which is now open to the public for scheduled tours. Many people also know that the town claims B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters, Carl Perkins and a host of other famous performers as former residents. But, did you also know that Memphis is home to the famous Peabody ducks? Every morning at 11 a.m. and every night at 5 p.m. the graceful Peabody ducks do their march to the "King Cotton March" in the gorgeous Peabody hotel. In the morning they march on their red carpet from their second floor hotel room into the elevator, ride the elevator down to ground level, march out of the elevator and up to the stunning indoor fountain where they will spend the day frolicking in the water. A good view of the Peabody ducks can only be had if you arrive early, otherwise you'll be crouching down to see them through other patrons' legs, but the wait is well worth the time spent. If you so choose, you can relax in the bar where the fountain is actually situated or if you have children with you, they will be in awe of the incredible luxuriousness of the Peabody hotel itself, complete with magnificent hanging crystal chandeliers and positively incredible architecture that exudes elegance. The ornate interior of the hotel can keep any busy toddler and even older children entranced for at least long enough for the march to commence. The nicest feature of this mini-show is that there is absolutely no admission charge.
Another sight that must not be missed, even more so by families with children, is Mud Island. Complete with swimming facilities, beaches, the Mississippi River Museum, and last but certainly not least, an intricately detailed miniature replica of the mighty Mississippi River itself. This version of the Mississippi River can actually be walked through barefoot by young and old alike - the children will love splashing through the water and beg to come back for more! Furthermore, if you're lucky, they will learn something in the museum while they are there. There is an admission charge, but is well worth the nominal fee - this can easily keep you, your friends, family and children busy for an entire day. Should you be a budget traveler and wish not to pay the high prices to eat inside Mud Island, there is a wonderful, yet down to earth diner directly caddy corner from the entrance. There you will find specials such as steak and eggs for under $5.00. Actually the specials are less expensive than that when I was there, but I would rather err on the high side. Plus, I found some of the friendliest service on the Mississippi at that diner.
For couples there are a few entertaining choices to end the day. One, of course, is Memphis' historic Beale Street district. Blocked off at night by the city officials, visitors and residents are free to walk about from bar to bar, club to club, and can usually catch a talented start-up band playing for donations on the corner. The rhythmic beat and soulful voices will beckon you into at least one smoky bar, where you will find an anonymous niche within the revelers.
The other choice is a romantic cruise aboard one of the gorgeous Queen Line riverboats that are also available for daytime sightseeing cruises for the early to bed crowd, with or without children. Between June and October, the party cruise on most Saturday nights comes complete with a local radio station disc jockey to liven the event. On Friday nights they have a moonlight cruise and on Wednesdays through Saturdays they have their sunset dinner cruise complete with a mouthwatering dinner that will leave you wishing you could do have dinner in that manner every single day.
Other sights to see in Memphis include the river bridge lit up at night, which is a spectacular view, much like Christmas lights. There is also the Pyramid, which is a massive sports complex that can be viewed from afar - what makes the Pyramid so unique, besides it's shape, is that the construction is all fantastically mirrored. According to their brochure, "It is 32 stories high"¦ Its base is as large as six football fields. The interior height is higher than the exterior dimension of the Astrodome or the Superdome." Speaking from experience, it's a breathtakingly incredible sight to see and is by far, one of the most unique man made structures that I've ever seen personally.
Of course, I still have not even covered the basic sights that the entire world knows of such as the incredible former home of Elvis, Graceland and Sun Studios, which claims to have launched the careers of all the above mentioned performers plus many others. However, I feel that these activities are already pretty well known and documented in many other sources. I wanted to bring out the part of Memphis that not everyone is aware of, such as: the fact that World War II's most famous airplane, the Memphis Belle, is located on Mud Island and can be viewed for the same low admission price; Memphis is home to a world class zoo and aquarium complex; one can take a nostalgic trolley ride from one end of downtown to the other and exit at any point to browse through the exclusive shops, have lunch at one of the fine restaurants or just to let the kids play in the fountains that are recessed right into a portion of the sidewalk. Should one desire a little more nightlife, a quick 10-15 minute trip across the border into Mississippi brings you Vegas style nightlife with all the casinos, including Harrah's and Bally's and Circus Circus, that one could possibly handle.
Overall, Memphis is a wonderfully diverse choice for a vacation, whether it be a mini overnight getaway for oneself or a week long family vacation as well as every combination in between. There is truly something here for everyone. Enjoy your stay in Memphis and don't forget to check out the powerful Mississippi River while you're there!
