I will be traveling through Memphis the first week
of July. I can only stay one day. Any must see's
besides Graceland would be appreciated. We love
good food and would love to hear about favorite
restaurants. Thank you.

There are so many things to do in Memphis! Here are just a few of the highlights. The Peabody Hotel dowtown has a "duck parade" twice daily. In the morning they march out to the fountain and at night they march back. This is a major production and a must see in Memphis. You can get info anyplace in town on the times. Also, while your downtown, Beal Street is another must see. Lots to see, eat and drink. Many jazz bars, the police museum, awsome southern cooking, and artists on the street. You can spend one hour or a whole day and night on Beal Street!

Memphis is a music town. It's the birthplace of rock and roll and the first major launching point of the blues. If your'e a major music fan, go to the Sun recording studio and take the tour. It's a bit pricey, but I recommend seeing it once. I'd rather go there than Graceland any day of the week. If you don't know, Sun studio is where Elvis was discovered and subsequently recorded for the first time by Sam Phillips. Many other prominent artists also recorded there for the first time and many pop artists go there to record just for the historical aspect.

One day in Memphis? If nothing else, spend the evening on Beale street. It's a smaller-but-much-cleaner version of Bourbon St. in New Orleans. Bourbon St. is a toilet, Beale St. in Memphis is a treat.

Beale is lined with wall-to-wall blues and jazz clubs and good restaurants. The crown jewell is B.B. Kings. Good food and always good bands. Yes, it's a tourist spot, but the locals go there too.

Best food near Beale is RENDEZVOUS
52 S 2ND ST (901) 523-2746.

It's an easy walk from Beale and the entrance can be misleading.

Here's a Memphis newspaper link that also has other Memphis related links: http://www.gomemphis.com/

Hope this helps!

Feel free to email with other questions.

Bo

you could take a Greyline tour they are listed in the local phone book or the visitor center on the river could tell you the # it's a 3 hr. tour of the city see the peabody ducks, drive past graceland , sun studio, the pyrmid, the hotel lorriane where Dr. king was killed,and other sites. we went on the early tour which ended on beale st. about noon for lunch. our touur guide donna was very friendly and answered all our questions with local insight. plus they will pick you up at your hotel.

If you are traveling with children, The Memphis Zoo is a wonderful site to see. They have spent the last several years renovating all of the exhibits. It also has a tram ride for those that are unable to walk long distances.
You also can't come to Mphs without a trip to the Rendezvous.

Just got back from a trip that included Memphis. Graceland is definitely worth seeing. If you want, you can make tour reservations in advance which saves you from waiting on two lines. Skip the 3 hour Grayline tour, by the time they picked up all the tourists at the various hotels and pick up places, we wasted over an hour. Don't miss Beale Street, if you go at night, they close off part of the street from traffic. Elvis Presley Memphis restaurant on Beale Street was enjoyable. We had been told to go to the Rendezvous for ribs but didn't have time. Our hightlight, however, was traveling south, about 40 minutes to Tunica, Mississippi. If you like gambling, this is the place to go...it was like Vegas if you went to vegas when it first began..in the middle of nowhere are about 8 or 9 of your well known hotels and casinos ...from the Grand Casino, Bally's, Fitzgeralds, etc. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me. Have fun