Memphis a good getaway option
If you’re still looking for a summer getaway, consider Memphis.
Located five hours from Springfield, Memphis has so much to offer — from world-famous barbecue to great beer, amazing museums, Southern charm and plenty of attractions.
It is considered the birthplace of rock 'n' roll and the official “home of the blues.” In 1977, Congress designated the west end of Beale Street — a stretch from the Mississippi River to Fourth Street — to be “home of the blues.”
Beale Street is a major tourist attraction and a historic street that reminds me of a milder version of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. By day, it’s family friendly — not so much by night. If you want trinkets, foot-long cocktails, food, blues and people watching, you will find it all here.
History lovers will relish Memphis, as it is ripe with history, from music to the civil rights movement to Beale Street itself. Entrepreneur Robertson Topp created what was then Beale Avenue in 1841.
After the Civil War, African-American musicians would stop and perform on Beale Street, leaving their mark on its music scene.
Beale Street helped make the city’s first African-American millionaire. After a yellow fever outbreak in 1878 decimated the city, the recovery period was an opportunity for Robert Church, who bought land around Beale Street. Memphis forfeited its charter in 1879, and he purchased the first bond to restore the city charter.
As Memphis rebounded, Church became the South’s first black millionaire. A philanthropist, Church bought a tract of land on Beale Street and transformed it into a park for African-Americans with an auditorium (while there isn’t much of a park today, there is a monument of Church).
Beale Street has attracted everyone from entrepreneurs to unsavory characters like Machine Gun Kelly. Today, it’s one of the city’s most popular attractions and worth a visit.
Most of the time, I stay downtown because it’s close to so many attractions and restaurants. One of my favorite hotels is the historic Peabody Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it’s expensive. If you walk across the street, you can book a night at the Holiday Inn and usually save yourself some money. It’s worth comparing the rates at these two hotels because sometimes they are comparable. These hotels are a few blocks from Beale Street and many attractions.
If you want less expensive hotels, stay in West Memphis, just across the river. West Memphis is actually part of Arkansas and features less expensive hotels.
FOOD
Memphis is known for its barbecue, and few places garner more attention than Rendezvous, an alley restaurant famous for its dry rub ribs (it’s near the Peabody). I love the history of this restaurant; many servers and cooks have worked here for decades. The ribs are wonderful, but so are the potato salad, pulled pork nachos and pulled pork. There is often a wait, so eat in off-hours or plan to be patient.
While you wait, sample a Memphis beer. Like many cities, Memphis has a burgeoning craft beer scene. I am partial to Ghost River and High Cotton Brewing Co. Ghost River Brewing takes its name from a section of West Tennessee’s Wolf River, called the Ghost River. The river contains undisturbed forest, wildlife habitat and a portion of proceeds from each barrel sold goes back to Wolf River conservation efforts. The beer is good, too. High Cotton also boasts a great and diverse beer selection. It has a tap room at 598 Monroe Ave., and brewery tours at 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
For a wonderful culinary experience, try Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar, which takes the “flight” concept to a new level. Along with enjoying a wine flight, you can sample a salad flight or seafood flight where you get to sample three salads or three seafood dishes. Located downtown, this is a wonderful restaurant serving up seafood, wine and small plates. It’s not inexpensive, but not outrageous either. I adore sampling a variety of dishes and wines, so this is the perfect spot for me. The restaurant is a 2015 Wine Spectator award winner.
My favorite spot to eat on Beale Street is definitely Blues City Café, where you’ll find a variety of Southern classics like fried catfish, gumbo, fried platters and ribs. It’s meant to resemble a juke joint and boasts concrete floors and a tin roof. There is live music there every night, too.
Another wonderful Beale Street spot for live music is B.B. King’s Blues Club, which also serves food. I’ve never eaten there but love to listen to the music at this club.
In general, I recommend getting away from Beale Street to eat because it’s so touristy, but if you happen to dine there, the Pig on Beale has a great pulled pork sandwich and smoked chicken. It’s sort of a dive but very affordable for families.
ATTRACTIONS
If you have young children, particularly toddlers, then you must see the “March of the Ducks” at the Peabody Hotel. This free event takes places twice daily at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. (and it starts on time). The Peabody is a gorgeous historic downtown hotel and in the lobby there is a water fountain with ducks that float in the pool. Each day at 5 p.m., a man clad in red — who my toddler named ‘The Red Man’ — comes downstairs, rolls out a red carpet for the ducks, makes a speech and taps his cane and the ducks waddle down the stairs onto the red carpet and march onto the elevator. This is a wildly popular spectacle which only lasts a few minutes. At 11 a.m., the ducks march from the elevator to the fountain. If you want a good spot, be there at least 30 minutes in advance. Children are allowed to sit — without parents — around the red carpet so they can get a better look. Another option is to head to the balcony upstairs and watch. I have been there an hour in advance and sat in the lobby sipping drinks so that I could get a good spot (but drinks are expensive). After watching the ducks, walk around the hotel, as it is truly beautiful.
Mud Island River Park is another good family attraction as it boasts a Riverwalk, pedal boats, the Mississippi River Museum and more. The museum has 5,000 artifacts that showcase 10,000 years of history in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. The exhibits detail early Native American inhabitants to modern day transportation and includes two full-size boat replicas which you can board and explore. There are also pedal boats available to rent for $5 for 30 minutes, which is a great choice for families. You’ll also get a great view of the Memphis skyline from here. There’s also an amphitheater with summer concerts. It’s a diverse park.
The National Civil Rights Museum is a must for anyone who is even remotely interested in American history. Allow at least two hours to meander through this incredible museum that traces African American’s struggle for civil rights and highlights some of the heroes in that fight. The museum is housed in the Lorraine Motel, which is where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. You learn about his last moments before his death and peek into the room where he ordered coffee before stepping out on his balcony, which is where he was slain. If you’re in Memphis, you should not leave without visiting this powerful museum. It’s incredible.
For a lighter, fun experience, visit Sun Studio, which is where Elvis recorded his first record and and which has been dubbed the birthplace of rock 'n’ roll. Many big names cut records at this studio including Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. This is one of my favorite music-oriented tours — it lasts 45-60 minutes — because you get a lot of behind-the-scenes information. Guided tours are given at the bottom half of every hour from 10:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. There is a free shuttle to and from Graceland and the Rock N’ Soul Museum. I highly recommend taking the shuttle if you plan to visit the other locations because parking and driving can be a hassle and Graceland is about 15 minutes away.
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is another good spot for music lovers. It pays tribute to the many artists who recorded at the original site of Stax Records, but also other American soul legends. The museum features interactive exhibits, films and galleries, and 2,000 artifacts including Tina Turner’s clothing and a Cadillac belonging to Isaac Hayes.
If you plan to visit multiple music attractions, then save yourself money and get the Memphis Music Attraction Discount Pass for about $81. With this pass, you will get admission to Graceland, Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Rock ‘n' Soul Museum. For more information: http://www.viator.com/tours/Memphis/Memphis-Music-Attraction-Discount-Pass/d783-2674MUSIC?aid=vcps
Finally, there’s Graceland. Graceland is a cultural experience and interesting if you like Elvis Presley. This is a tour of his “mansion,” which is not much of a mansion by today’s standards. It’s fair to say this music legend had some tacky taste when it came to decorating. I enjoyed Graceland, but there are downsides: there’s almost always a line, it’s crowded inside and more expensive than other museums in Memphis. On a positive note, you get an audio tour and they do a good job of keeping the crowds moving. The upstairs is closed off, so you don’t get to explore the entire home, but you do learn a lot about “the King.” Personally, a trip to Memphis would not be complete without a stop at Graceland, but if you’re limited on time or funds, I’d visit Sun Studio and The Civil Rights Museum instead of Graceland.
I could go on and on, as I love this city. It’s only a five-hour drive, so plan a weekend or a weeklong getaway this summer if you’ve never been.
Useful websites
Learn more about planning your trip to Memphis at: http://www.memphistravel.com/
For Beale Street: http://www.bealestreet.com/
West Memphis: http://www.westmemphis.org/
Links to attractions listed in this story: