Elvis experience leaving me All Shook Up!
 

So, I've finally persuaded my boyfriend to take me to Memphis so I can visit Graceland, Tupelo & everywhere else Elvis related. I have had this planned in my head for years (although any hints, tips & advice appreciated) but he's taking me on one condition - that we do something for him. This is where I need help. We fly into Memphis from the UK & I'm hoping to have 5 days there (if I can have longer that'd be amazing - we have 2 weeks altogether) & I need help planning an amazing road trip from Memphis to Atlanta to make sure he has a great time too. He would love the Great Smoky Mountains so I think I'd like to include them but I'm open to all suggestions. Thank you in advance!

What kind of things might interest him?

Why five days in Memphis? What's there for four days other than Graceland? It's not that nice of a city to spend nearly 1/2 the trip on.

Why not go to New Orleans then working towards Atlanta?

When are you going?

And what do you two like other than your own Elvis fetish?

We really enjoyed Graceland and it was well worth the several hours we spent there. But I agree with BigRuss that Memphis isn't that nice of a city to spend 5 days there. Nashville is a short drive from Memphis and, to me, is a much nicer town with a lot more to see and do.

If either of you have any interest in blues music, Clarksdale, Mississippi is not far from Memphis and certainly worth a visit. There's a good blues musrum there and Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Club is a good place to hear live music or just stop by for a drink and a look see.

We've been to all the areas you mention, and will offer a few ideas which we hope will prove helpful.

If we understand correctly, you're flying into Memphis and returning from Atlanta. Is that correct?

If you look under our screen name, we do have a report on Memphis, the title being "Musical Interludes" It includes our time in Memphis, as well as a stop in Nashville.

With your time and interests, we'd probably spend three nights in Memphis. To appreciate Elvis, Graceland is a "must". We'd suggest a tour which is readily available from the hotels. Also, the original "Sun Studio", where Elvis first recorded, is interesting. Music-filled Beale Street is fun with places like BBKing's Club. For a totally different experience, visit the historical and well-preserved Peabody Hotel which has a storied ritual of the parade of the so-called "Peabody Ducks"
(Check guidebooks for times and history.)

Again, considering your time and interests, we would skip Tupelo and head toward Nashville. It's a fun town. There is the impressive Country Music Hall of Fame which has a section featuring Elvis. In addition, we thought a highlight was paying extra and taking a tour of "Studio B" where Elvis did a lot of recording. This is a small group tour and very informative. Main Street in Nashville is fun at night, filled with all kinds of music and food. Again, three nights in Nashville would seem about right.

There's another side to experience in Nashville if you drive directly out Main Street toward Vanderbilt University. Directly across the street from the main campus is a life-size replica of the Parthenon in Greece.

From Nashville, head east over I 40 and travel to and through the Smoky Mountain National Park. With some good maps, you can plan a route through the park, heading south toward Highlands, North Carolina. It's situated in an area with multiple waterfalls; a nice mountain town; good place to overnight. From there you can return to Atlanta.

It would be great to spend a few nights in the mountain area. Although we love the mountains, we try to avoid the touristy towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee as well as Cherokee in North Carolina. If you are interested, we can suggest a lovely inn around the mountains of Gatlinburg, but not in the city.

Hope these ideas are of help. We'll be interested in what you decide.

We really enjoyed Knoxville TN. It would be on your way to the Smoky Mountains from Memphis. Downtown Knoxville around Market Square is walkable with lots of shops and restaurants, just a nice vibe. Also enjoyed walking around the warehouse district and university area. Knoxville is a very nice place to stretch your legs on the long drive and get good food before you drive into the tourist towns near the park.

Agree with the other posters about Memphis, spend less time there, instead add a day or so in Nashville; music city. The Parthenon in Nashville is cool, and there's a good pancake place nearby.

BigRuss & bettyk thank you for the heads up about Memphis. As Elvis loved it so much I thought it would be an amazing city. I imagined it to be like Boston or Chigago but with a Southern vibe. I also heard that it is possible to stay overnight in the Lauderdale apartments where Elvis once lived so incorporated that in the time spent in Memphis. On your advice, I think I'll cut the time down to 3 days.

Jayne 1973 - I love the idea of Clarksdale & will definitely include a visit there. Thank you :-).

tomarkot - wow! That is brilliant advice and help. Will most definitely take a look at your report on Memphis. Apart from the Elvis bits we don't really want the main tourist areas so for the mountains that sounds perfect. Nashville is now included on our trip. It sounds totally up our street. Thank you loads.

like_2travel - the pancake place has sold the entire trip to my boyfriend :-).

Again, thank you so much everyone for all this great advice. It's so good to know to not waste time in Memphis & experience different places.
We are not going until July 2017 but the flights are released soon & it gives us plenty of time to plan. We love to travel and our interests are music of all kinds, food, outdoor sports and theatre. When we travel we prefer to experience the 'real' authentic parts rather than the tourist areas. We once drove from San Fransico to LA and we loved that but didn't like Vegas as much. I love America & want to visit & experience as much as I can but felt Vegas could have been Ibiza or Blackpool (with sun).