will I melt in Memphis next week?
 

I somehow got talked into joining my husband on a business trip to memphis in a couple of days. The weather is miserable, right? Do people in the south keep the airconditioner as cold as we do in the north? Any recomendations for how to spend my time while he is working during the day? (other than Graceland) By the way, I'm not slamming the south or Memphis, but upper 90's and humid is making me less interested than I otherwise would be...

The a/c will be great. I haven't been there for a while but if you're into art you should go to the Brooks art museum. A tour of Graceland and maybe Sun studios where Elvis recorded would be interesting. The Civil Rights museum is also supposed to be very good. Do NOT miss going to the Peabody hotel and be there at 11 am or 5 pm to see the ducks march.

When I used to go on business I usually made a stop to Steinmart's, a discount clothing store but you may have one in your town.

We went to Memphis last year on our way to Tx. It will be very hot but we loved it there. Please go eat ribs at Rendevous. They are wonderful. Have a nice time.

Thanks for the replys. I'm sure I will enjoy this city... and hopefully survive the heat and humitity. :)

I think you will often find public places like restaurants and museums to be COLDER in terms of ac then you are used to in the North - I know I have found this to be the case. It has been a little cooler than normal here because of all the hurricanes in the south - lots more rain and looks like you will get the rain in Memphis but temps in the 90's...

hmmmm.... rain and 90's. Guess we won't need a steam room or sauna! LOL. Perhaps I leave Memphis with a lovely complextion. Thanks Leah.

Yes it will be hot and humid, but Southerners don't spent a ton of time outside in the summer when it's that hot!

In addition to Graceland (which is really a must-see!), you might check out the Peabody hotel and its famous ducks, Sun Studios (there's a tour), Beale Street, Rhodes College (my alma mater).

Thanks Lisette.... think I'll focus on those activities that require very little outdoor time. All of your suggestions are on my list.

Any children?
Then entire family would enjoy The Pink Palace Museum ( man who built Piggly Wiggly) on Central Ave. The Imax films are great too. A good lunch place near the Pink Palace is on Poplar Ave. Go north on the side street beside the Pink Palace to Poplar ave. Take a left (at a light) and a quick right into Chickasaw Oaks mall. Cute shops. We enjoy the carry out part of the La Patissre. Then buy a pastery to take with you for a snack. We love the fruit tarts.


Eat lunch at Brooks Art Museum @ The Brushmark.

Are you ice cream?

Just kidding.

In the south, we buy our HVAC units for their ability to cool and not their ability to heat. I use my heat rarely. I blast my AC 7 months out of the year.

Be prepared for arctic temps inside buildings and in particular restaurants. Much much colder than you are used to up north.

I know I cool my house down to 60 degrees at night when I sleep.

Keep in mind too that it probably won't be really unbearable until noon or so. If you do outdoor activities plan them for the morning. Early morning temps should be in the 70s. (But there is no escaping the humidity!)

And for what it is worth, I'm a runner and have no problem outside running before 8AM or after 4PM.

You could drive down to Oxford Mississippi and see the college town of Ole Miss. It will be air conditioned in the car the whole way!

I also highly recommend Mud Island. It has a human-scale depiction (map/sculpture?) of the course of the entire Mississippi River with water flowing through it. You walk/wade from the boundary waters to New Orleans. Very interesting and very refreshing. It is right on the riverfront and a lot of fun!

It's called a River Park!

http://www.mudisland.com/

please notice the original message was from LAST year ('05) so I'm sure ShaeC has already made this trip!

:-D

LOL! I was out of town when this post was revived... for the record, I enjoyed the Memphis mornings very much... took a shower and a nap in the afternoon, and hit the town again in the evening. I would not necessarily shy away from Memphis in the summer, but it's not the perfect time to visit.

Many great comments have been made to this post... my favorite though was the National Civil Rights Museum. It was very moving.

I did find the airconditioning inside was very cold. Others reading this post (perhaps a year from now - LOL!) should bring a light jacket or sweater.