Memphis, Tennessee

Things To Do/Places To See

1. Visit Beale Street

Going to Beale Street is an absolute must when you are in Memphis. Beale Street may be the most unique street in the country. People who are fond of blues music (as I am) will especially appreciate the atmosphere. The street itself is packed with bars, music shops, and maybe most importantly: places that are world renowned for their RIBS! Beale Street has the feel of a city during the 30's and 40's but has all the flair and shops you would expect in 2010. The unique mix of shops and restaraunts is part of what makes Beale Street so special. While Beale street might not be very big, it is still full of things to do. It's something you should at least experience once in your life and hopefully more. When we go back to Memphis, Beale Street will be our very first stop.

2. Go to Graceland


What trip to Memphis would be complete without swinging by the home of "the King"? Purchased after the release of Heartbreak Hotel this house was recently declared to be a national monument, putting it up with the likes of George Washington's Mount Vernon, and Mt. Rushmore. Adult Ticket prices can be as low as $30or as high as $69 depending on what tour package you choose. This is the best way to experience how arguably the most important figure in Rock-N-Roll lived his life. Graceland is a great attraction that everyone will appreciate no matter how old you are.

3. Check out Sun Studio

The Million Dollar Quartet: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins...what do they have in common? They all started their music careers at the same time right at Sun Studio in Memphis, TN. Sun Studio is a great place to visit especially if you are in to oldies music. While Sun Studio is a great place to visit, it will most likely only hold your interest if you are into the musicians that recorded there. Sun Studio combines history and entertainment in a seamless way.

4. Get a Picture with Elvis

There are Elvis impersonators all over the city of Memphis, we must have seen at least 3 or 4 of them. Every single one of these impersonators is more than happy to take a picture with you, and the picture next to this text is me and an Elvis impersonator I found on Beale Street. Getting a picture with an Elvis impersonator is a good keep sake and will give your friends and family a laugh.


Where To Stay


1. Westin Beale St.

Location! Location! Location! That's what they say in real-estate right? The Westin sure got it right with this one. Located across the street from the Fed-Ex Forum and the Gibson Guitar factory, and on Beale Street itself, the Westin is located right in the center of all the action. The rooms are great, and for the price/location ratio, it can't be beat. Look here first for your hotel room when planning on coming to Memphis. You won't be disappointed.

2. Holiday Inn Express Midtown
Another Great Memphis value is the Holiday Inn Express Midtown. It has a great outdoor pool, and the rooms are fantastic. It also houses a workout / fitness center so you can keep in shape throughout your stay. While it's location isn't as great as the Westin, it still represents a great value when looking for a place to stay. Located on the famous Union Ave. your not very far from all the attractions Memphis has to offer.

3. Days Inn Memphis at Graceland

This Days in located right by Graceland is completely Elvis themed! Even the pool is shaped like his guitar! When looking for a great value close to Graceland, this Days Inn is the place to stay. The rooms are nice, the Elvis theme is unique, and the location is great. The hotel is a 5 sunburst Days Inn, which mean it won an award for being one of the nicest Days Inn in the country. I know that people do not always have a positive impression of Days Inn as a whole, but I have stayed at numerous 5 Sunburst Days Inns, and they are great hotels! Don't forget to check this out before you make your final travel arrangements.


Places to Eat


Since both of us are HUGE fans of BBQ Ribs were going to recommend 2 of the best Rib joints in the country...

1. The Rendezvous

Bill Clinton, Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bill Cosby, Joe Walsh, Vince Gill, Mick Jagger, and Justin Timberlake are all fans of The Rendezvous, and you should be too! Regarded by many as the best tasting ribs in the country, this little restaurant located literally down a back alley in downtown Memphis, is an absolute MUST TASTE. When we went there to get ribs it was closed because it was Monday, but all our friends that have been there love it. If you are in Memphis, you would be remiss not to give the Rendezvous a try.

I think their history of awards speaks for itself:

Best Ribs Memphis Flyer
Annual "Best of Memphis" reader poll, 1997-2006
Best Barbecue Restaurant, Southern Living 
Reader Choice Awards, 2002 and 2004-2006
Pork Restaurant of the Year, National Pork Producers Council, 1994
Top 5 Best BBQ Joints in America, Esquire, July 1999
Top 5 Best Mail-order Meals, Esquire, October 2001
204 Food Finds Across the Region, 
Southern Living Favorites, Spring 2004

2. Pig on Beale

Another terrific rib place that is located right in the center of Beale St. Pig's ribs fall off the bone and taste like a dream come true. Their rub is delicious, as is their BBQ sauce. I'd recommend trying the Rendezvous on your first day in Memphis and Pig on your second to see how they compare. For those of you up in the Philly area, think of it as Memphis' version of Pats & Genos Steaks. Pig isn't short on awards either, and all of the trophies that they have won throughout the years are proudly displayed in their front window. The Pig has unbelievable tender meat that just falls off the bone, and is actually very reasonably priced. It can get extremely busy at night, so it's usually best to go sometime between 2 and 5 o'clock. Pig on Beale is really just unbelievable and a meal I will never forget.Pig truly is Pork with an Attitude!


Things We Wish We Did


1. Go on the Gibson Tour

If you're a guitar player, (like me (Mike)) you might as well consider this place heaven. This is the place where all the magic that is Gibson Guitars happens. When you walk in you are greeted by a several story high replica of B.B. King's "Lucille" guitar that towers over everything in the lobby area. The shop there is stocked with the latest production model Gibson's, and also with some very limited production pieces that until I went there, I didn't know existed. The one thing I regret is not taking the full factory tour, but we were short on time, and had to drive to Dallas Tx that day. Next time I'm in Memphis I'm going here first.

2. Go to B.B. King's
We heard from several people before we got to Memphis that B.B. King's Blues Club is awesome but, once again because of time constraints, we weren't able to make it during our stay. Checkout the schedule on their site. Every night there is a live band, and your pretty much guaranteed a great party. If your more into the live music scene as opposed to the common DJ-Club type scene this seems like it would be a great place to go. This is another place that we will be sure to visit when we return to Memphis.


~Overall Experience~


Mark
I absolutely loved Walking In Memphis. I know that was cheesy but it's my favorite song and I had to incorporate it somehow. We only stayed in Memphis for an afternoon, but it definitely kept me wanting more. I would love to go out and stay in Memphis for 2 or 3 days. The best part about Memphis was the ribs, they were absolutely unbelievable, and Memphis has something like 3 out of the top 10 ribs places in the country. Along with the food and the atmosphere, the people in Memphis were extremely nice, showing that Southern hospitality that is always talked about. The Beale Street area of Memphis is beautiful, but you really don't want to get too far off of Beale Street because there is some less than savory neighborhoods. Overall, Memphis was a great city that I plan on visiting again in the future,

Mike
Memphis is a great city. I still can't get over the ribs! Overall I would have to say that I really enjoyed myself when I was there. Being a guitarist, I thought all the blues clubs were amazing. While, in my opinion, it's not as great as San Diego, I still look forward to going back there soon.

What are you waiting for? Book your trip there now!

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