Graceland

[fabfive]

I am considering taking my husband to Graceland for his 50th birthday. Can you recommend places to stay, things to see and places to eat. We would be going in July or August. I am trying to stay away from August due to the crowds due to the death of EP. Graceland would definately be on the schedule. We are Marriott timeshare holders if that helps.

 

[teCh0010]

The two areas of town to stay in would be downtown or east Memphis. I wouldn't burn a timeshare week in Memphis; you can hit the highlights in two or three nights.

In downtown there is a Hampton Inn that has very good reviews, or if you want a very "Memphis" experience you can stay at the Peabody hotel downtown. There are other nice hotels downtown, but the Peabody is unique.

In east Memphis the Doubletree hotel does a good job and has a few restaurants within walking distance.

The area around Graceland isn't very safe, but if that is the only thing you wanted to see there is one airport hotels that would be fine. The Courtyard Memphis Airport on Nonconnah Boulevard is nice and clean, there just isn't much around there.

Things to do -
Memphis Zoo is excellent
Children’s Museum is good
National Civil Rights Museum
Stax Museum
Music on Beale St. (BB Kings, Rum Boogie, Kings Pallace, Blues City)
Gibson Guitar Factory
Mud Island (Museum and river information)
Sun Studios
Peabody Hotel Ducks and Rooftop view
Eat BBQ - Rendevouzs, Corky's, Interstate, BBQ Shop

 

[fabfive]

Thanks for the info. How is the Marriott in downtown? I think we are just going for a long weekend.

 

[happygirl]

If you like to gamble Tunica is just right down the road

 

[teCh0010]

Thanks for the info. How is the Marriott in downtown? I think we are just going for a long weekend.

I haven't ever stayed there. It is on the north side of downtown, about 10 blocks from the restaurants and bars in the tourist area around Beale St. It's walkable and safe during the day, I might cab it from Beale to the hotel at 3am though.

The downtown area of Memphis is one of the safest areas of the city proper, but the majority of the police presence is concentrated in the tourist zone in the south part of downtown.

There is a trolley that runs down Main St. (Marriot is between Main and 2nd) that will make it easy to get around downtown during the day. The Trolley will take you to Beale St., the South Main Arts Dist., and the National Civil Rights Museum. From the Beale St. stop the majority of the restaurants and bars are accessible. It also has a riverside loop that will take you on a pretty scenic ride along the Mississippi river.

Between your hotel and Beale there are some restaurants, but most are much closer to Beale around Union Ave. One of my favorite restaurants, Flight, is on the trolley line near Union.

You will need a car to get to Graceland and other attractions outside of the core downtown area.

 

[paysensmom]

Just be sure your camera battery is charged!!! We went a few years ago and had a terrible experience. We were passing through and decided spur of the moment to go. We paid the big bucks to get on the bus ride across the street to tour the house and everything. Midway through the house tour, my camera dies. So, I take my two young children, get on the bus, go back to their ridiculously priced gift shop to buy a disposable camera. Get back on the bus, ride over and I went up to the house. They told me if I wanted to take the tour again that I would have to pay again. I told them what happened and they didn't care. So I said okay. We walked to the back to look at the other buildings that we didnt see yet. This "security" woman followed us and would NOT LET US GO INTO ANY BUILDING unless we pay for the tour again. She Actually followed us as we tried to at least look at some of the outside stuff. I will never go back and I was very disappointed that we didn't get to see anything but the house.

 

[araes2102]

I went to Memphis for work last year. It was a very quick overnight trip and in that time I went to Graceland (expensive but a must if you are at all an Elvis fan), ate at Gus's Fried Chicken (best fried chicken I have ever had!), walked along the Mississippi and I second the Mud Island tip, went to TO Fuller State Park (very beautiful and a cheap little excursion), and explored Beale Street (I went during the day but would have loved to see it at night).

 

[teffy]

If you like to gamble Tunica is just right down the road.

That's what I did for my first 'grown up' vacation. We went to Tunica and on the way back home stopped at Graceland for the day, it was pretty cool.

 

[teCh0010]

I forgot to mention that in July and August Memphis can be hot. It has the potential to be "we are keeping a running death toll from the heat" hot. In Aug. 2010 we had days where temps were 106 with a heat index of 130, and around 13 people died from the heat.

Hydrate and plan some activites with AC.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We went years ago for my Elvis loving husband! He LOVED it, me, I love my husband so I went but told him not again. We stayed at the Graceland hotel there on site, think it was Heartbreak or something like that. It was fine, sorta like a value at WDW with Elvis themes. We could walk to the the exhibits and to Graceland. We also went into Memphis and did a boat cruise and ate at a couple pretty good local places. We did Nashville after Memphis too.

 

[phorsenuf]

I'm not an Elvis fan at all so I never had any desire to go to Graceland. We went to visit my MIL last fall and since she lives right outside of Memphis and my son is an Elvis fan we surprised him by going to Graceland.
Well let me tell you I was wowed! There were a couple rooms I went into that I actually got the chills and a little teary. It's a amazing place and now I tell everyone they have to go to Graceland.

 

[tinatark]

Graceland is awesome! We stayed at the Memphis Marriott. It was just okay. It is on the trolley line, so that made it easy to go over to Beale Street.

I loved, loved, loved Graceland - the home is beautiful, the outfits on display are outstanding, and and honestly, when the group I was near walked out to the area where he is buried, a hush fell over the group.

When we go back, we will probably stay in the suburbs - Germantown, etc. and just drive to the mansion for the day.

 

[5forDis]

My sister and I took my mother for a Surprise 60th. We started our trip staying in some overpriced (and dirty) suite at the Heartbreak Hotel. We stayed one night & then switched to the Peabody.

Skip the Heartbreak Hotel near Graceland. It is disgusting.

The downtown area is a lot of fun. I would stay at the Hampton Inn (near the Peabody) or The Peabody. We had the best BBQ at The Rendezvous and I would love to go back there.

The Civil Rights Museum was really good.

We did a tour with a man named Tad (I can't remember his business name) but he took us around Memphis in a pink cadillac with Elvis music & gave us a great history lesson on the city & Elvis.

I am not a huge Elvis fan, but really enjoyed the Graceland tour.

Have fun!

 

[fabfive]

The tour with "Ted" sounds great. If you think of the name please let me know. Also, we go through Nashville on our way to Memphis. What would you suggest in Nashville? FYI, we like a little bit of country music but not the biggest fans.

 

[iheartpeterpan]

There's so much to do in Nashville, even if you aren't a country music fan. If you like music you can just walk along 2nd Ave and Broadway, there are a lot of bars with great live music, not all of it country. There is a lot of civil war history in and around Nashville and if that's your thing, there are quite a few battlefields to visit. The Hermitage is the home of Andrew Jackson, that's neat to tour. Spend time at the Opryland Hotel - that is just an amazing place. The Frist museum is downtown also on Broadway. You can go to the Parthenon at Centennial Park, it has a gigantic status of Athena and some art - this was in the Percy Jackson movie. Cheekwood botanical gardens are great. We have a pretty decent zoo. There's a great walking tour of downtown.

 

[fabfive]

It looks like we are going August 9-10 then hitting Nashville 11th returning home on the 12th. Where to stay in Nashville? Things to do in Nashville? Resturants in Nashville?

 

[MichiganKris]

Here's the information on Tad's Pink Cadillac Tour:

American Dream Safari

Owner: Tad Pierson

Address: P.O. Box 3129, Memphis, TN 38173

Phone: (901) 527-8870

Online: american dreamsafari.com

 

[fabfive]

Thanks for the info on Tad. I will check it out.

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

I have lived in Memphis (or the outskirts) my entire 40 years of life. I can NOT imagine anybody wanting to come here to vacation. The crime rate is out the roof ! July and August are 100+ degree days not including the humidity which is usually about 90%. I have never had the desire to go to Graceland. It is NOT in a good part of town and its not anywhere near what your would consider a mansion (by todays standards at least). With that being said there are some cool things to see downtown. Beale Street is not what it once was either but might be nice to spend a couple of hours visiting. To me Nashville would be more appealing. Dont mean to sound negative ...people travel from around the world to visit Graceland again and again so it must be worth it to some. Enjoy your vacation !!

 

[fabfive]

Thanks for the honesty Sydcolemom. This is not a trip for me but my musician husband who likes Elvis and has never seen Graceland. I know that the timing is during the hottest part of the summer but his busy season picks up at the end of August and doesn't stop until mid-November. I myself prefer the beach......LOL As for Nashville, if you had only one day what would you do?