Memphis/Peabody Hotel

[mmbrad02]

I posted several years ago about visiting Memphis (we are in Central Kentucky) and I've searched and realized the thread is completely gone.) So if anyone is still around and might remember that - I apologize if this seems duplicated. Needless to say, I gathered a lot of information (now lost) and we never took that trip, so I'm back again.

My main question at this point is - The Peabody Hotel. We stayed at the one in Orlando (which has now sold out to another brand) 10-11 years ago and it was amazing. However, that stay was for a conference my husband was attending, so it was paid for by his employer

Now I have a duck LOVING 13 year old and when she discovered such a place existed like the Peabody, she really really really wants to go. So my question is - is it worth paying the cost to stay there and soak up the atmosphere, or could one plan to attend the duck march (in and out) and that seem sufficient? I'm torn since it is a lovely place but the price tag is up there too (however I've not checked any other lodging yet, so it may be a mute point)

It's about a six hour drive for us and I'm wondering if we can leave bright and early on a Saturday morning and return on a Monday evening and at least see the highlights. The Peabody is obviously on the list, maybe Graceland (same child went through an Elvis obsession in third grade but that seems to have passed), Civil Rights Museum, Bass Pro Shops Pyramid. Open to anything else anyone suggests also!

I should also add we were looking to make this trip over Martin Luther King weekend. Or possibly at the end of her spring break, which is the first part of April.

 

[BrianL]

I posted several years ago about visiting Memphis (we are in Central Kentucky) and I've searched and realized the thread is completely gone.) So if anyone is still around and might remember that - I apologize if this seems duplicated. Needless to say, I gathered a lot of information (now lost) and we never took that trip, so I'm back again.

My main question at this point is - The Peabody Hotel. We stayed at the one in Orlando (which has now sold out to another brand) 10-11 years ago and it was amazing. However, that stay was for a conference my husband was attending, so it was paid for by his employer

Now I have a duck LOVING 13 year old and when she discovered such a place existed like the Peabody, she really really really wants to go. So my question is - is it worth paying the cost to stay there and soak up the atmosphere, or could one plan to attend the duck march (in and out) and that seem sufficient? I'm torn since it is a lovely place but the price tag is up there too (however I've not checked any other lodging yet, so it may be a mute point)

It's about a six hour drive for us and I'm wondering if we can leave bright and early on a Saturday morning and return on a Monday evening and at least see the highlights. The Peabody is obviously on the list, maybe Graceland (same child went through an Elvis obsession in third grade but that seems to have passed), Civil Rights Museum, Bass Pro Shops Pyramid. Open to anything else anyone suggests also!

I should also add we were looking to make this trip over Martin Luther King weekend. Or possibly at the end of her spring break, which is the first part of April.

Hi. I'm a local and it is very easy to go to the Peabody to watch the ducks, even if you are not staying there. It is a venerable old hotel, and quite expensive. There are several other options very close that are more reasonable in price. Either way, you can see the ducks and talk to the Duck Master - just make sure to know the schedule. I still have a beloved duck stuffed animal that my mom bought me there one time when we went down there to see them.

As for other activities, one note is the the National Civil Right Museum (which is great) will be quite busy over MLK weekend as there are certain to be special events. If you want to participate in them then great, but factor in extra time. Downtown Memphis has really frown a bit in the last few years, with lots of areas becomming nice. I work for Hilton and we have opened lots of hotels down there. If you have questions about any of them, let me know.

 

[mmbrad02]

I did truly wonder if Memphis was extra crowded on MLK weekend. Would you suggest going another weekend to avoid crowds? We want to take in the historical side of the city but do not need to be there at that particular time other than it was a 3 day weekend for our family.

 

[BrianL]

I did truly wonder if Memphis was extra crowded on MLK weekend. Would you suggest going another weekend to avoid crowds? We want to take in the historical side of the city but do not need to be there at that particular time other than it was a 3 day weekend for our family.

The city for the most part is not extra busy, but the National Civil Rights Museum will be because of special events. You'd just need to look up the schedule for it. It might only be on the actual Monday holiday. Since that was on your list of things to see, it is worth considering. That said, it might be especially poingnant to go at that time too.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Was this the thread?

https://www.disboards.com/threads/traveling-to-memphis-with-a-10-year-old.3813456/

 

[Travel60]

Be sure to eat ribs at The Rendezvous. Even if you don't like "dry" ribs, it is the #1 place to eat in Memphis.

 

[BrianL]

Be sure to eat ribs at The Rendezvous. Even if you don't like "dry" ribs, it is the #1 place to eat in Memphis.

Well, it's good, but there are better barbecue joints in the city. If you are downtown, then yeah, Vous is good, but if you wanna get off the beaten path, there are some better ones.

 

[DodgerGirl]

I remember hearing about Peabody Hotel on one of the Travel Channel shows my mother watched and I thought it looked like a cool place and the TV show showed the famous Peabody Ducks and I thought the show they did was really cute. The Peabody in Memphis did indeed have a sister property called Peabody Orlando and it featured the same thing as the Memphis Peabody with the Peabody Ducks and had a restaurant named Dux "Despite the cool name Dux did not serve duck" but it was the signature restaurant of Peabody Orlando. And Peabody Orlando had the cutest hotel shuttle named the Double-Ducker Bus. But Peabody Hotel has quite a impressive history

 

[CynBeth]

I recommend you go when you have a longer time than a weekend. We find when we take road trips it takes us double the drive time it says because we stop every few hours if not more to use the restroom and stretch our legs and take an hour for lunch. A number of years ago we did a road trip with our dog to Nashville, Memphis, Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, and Outer Banks and with all of the driving plus could only be off of work a certain amount of time we only had about a day and a half or 2 days in each city and I wish we had more time in each one. I can’t recall all we did in Memphis along with Graceland and the zoo but if you are doing all of that driving you want to be able to have a lot of time to explore.

 

[Travel60]

Well, it's good, but there are better barbecue joints in the city. If you are downtown, then yeah, Vous is good, but if you wanna get off the beaten path, there are some better ones.

Agree, Germantown Commissary is a favorite but sounds like they will be downtown.

 

[BrianL]

Agree, Germantown Commissary is a favorite but sounds like they will be downtown.

Yeah, that's pretty far. For me, if they want the best, they may have to go to a sketchy area of town. Interstate is a good one! Cozy Corner is downtown and it's a dump, but man it's good too! Those places aren't for most tourists though.

 

[RangerPooh]

Well, it's good, but there are better barbecue joints in the city. If you are downtown, then yeah, Vous is good, but if you wanna get off the beaten path, there are some better ones.

Commissary and Elwood Shack are good. Although if at the Civil Rights Museum I'd go across the street to Central over Rendezvous. Actually, I'd go straight to the cheesecake shop a block away, lol.

 

[RangerPooh]

Like Brian said, you can visit the Peabody and see the ducks without staying there. You can easily do both the ducks and Bass Pro on the same day. The CRM will take a full day, and as others have said, you might want to reconsider MLK weekend due to special event crowds. Graceland is ok, but go at opening. It's not in the best part of town. There's also the Zoo and the MOSH (aka Pink Palace) that are worth checking out. If you have a zoo membership or a science museum membership elsewhere, you might find that ours offers reciprocal discounts.