Memphis Tourism

The most popular tourist site is the Graceland mansion. This was the home of Rock and Roll entertainer Elvis Presley. Tours of the mansion and its grounds are conducted daily. Many sightseers autograph the bricks in the Memory Wall surrounding the entry to the grounds and return year after year to add new tributes to Elvis. Inside the mansion, visitors tour selected rooms and are treated to views of Elvis' den and trophy room, among other areas. A tour of the grounds includes a visit to the gravesites of Elvis, his parents and other family members. Annually the "Candlelight Vigil" is held at Graceland, honoring the memory of Elvis on the date of his death.

In the mall across the street from the mansion, Elvis memoribilia and souvenirs are sold in the many theme shops. Nearby are exhibits where airplanes and vintage cars that belonged to "The King" are displayed.

Beale Street is another very popular tourist spot in Memphis. Beale is filled with various nightclubs and bars featuring live entertainers performing in clubs such as B B King's and Rum Boogie Cafe. These clubs are entertaining stops for those interested in jazz and blues. A landmark of the Memphis scene, Sun Recording Studios is also an attraction for travelers interested in the evolution on Rock and Roll and other "Memphis Music".

Memphis has a variety of hotels but the most historically appealing and best known is the Peabody Hotel. The Peabody offers delicious food in an upscale and sophisticated setting. A feature that no Peabody guest wants to miss is the daily red-carpet walk of the delightful Peabody Ducks. Twice each day a red carpet is rolled out and these mallard ducks parade from their home on the hotel roof through the lobby.

Memphis also has several interesting historical sites. The Dixon Gallery and Gardens is a historical home museum with period art furnishings and art galleries. The formal gardens are beautifully landscaped.

The Pyramid Arena, an imposing structure sitting on the banks of the Mississippi River is home to many sporting and entertainment events featuring major league and college basketball along with big-name entertainer concerts.

There is also a lot for families traveling to Memphis to see and do. The Memphis Zoo, Children's Museum, Mud Island park, Libertyland Amusement Park are all great places to visit with children. One of Memphis' newest attractions is the Autozone Park, home of the Triple A baseball team, the Memphis Redbirds.

Although casino gambling is illegal in Tennessee, Memphis is a 30-minute drive from Tunica, Mississippi. Tunica has nine major casinos in operation there. A 15-minute drive across the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge to West Memphis, Arkansas is the Southland Greyhound Park for those who enjoy dog racing.

Finally, a visit to Memphis would not be complete without sampling some of Memphis internationally famous ribs from the Rendezvous Restaurant. Memphis is also host to the annual Barbecue Cooking Contest that draws entrants from all over the globe.