Things to Do in Memphis?

[Jennasis]

Anyone familiar with Memphis? My sister will be going there for some sort of business trip shortly and is looking for ideas for any attractions/shops/restaurants that she should really try to fit in. I hear they've got great BBQ. Any suggestions where the best stuff is? I am not even sure what the dates are of her trip (weekend/weekday), just trying to help her gather info! Thanks!

 

[GarrettJD]

Anyone familiar with Memphis? My sister will be going there for some sort of business trip shortly and is looking for ideas for any attractions/shops/restaurants that she should really try to fit in. I hear they've got great BBQ. Any suggestions where the best stuff is? I am not even sure what the dates are of her trip (weekend/weekday), just trying to help her gather info! Thanks!

Yep, pretty familiar. I've lived in Memphis for the past 22 years.

The most commonly visited attractions in the area are Graceland and Sun Studio. I've been in Memphis for a long time, but I've actually NEVER been to Graceland. (Could you imagine living in Orlando or L.A. and NEVER going to WDW or Disneyland? )However, most people enjoy it. The Sun Studio is nice: it's where many early stars got their start, including Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Downtown Memphis is actually pretty nice now-- at least, a lot nicer than it used to be. Some parts are unsafe, but the major business areas are pretty safe. At night, Beale Street is a really great place to go, with some good clubs and restaurants. The party atmosphere there really gets going if it's a weekend, or it's the night of a big Memphis Tigers (#4 in the country now ) or Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) game at nearby FedEx Forum. The shops, restaurants, and movie theater at nearby Peabody Place are pretty nice, as is the famous Peabody Hotel itself, where every morning the Peabody ducks (yes, real mallard ducks) march into the fountain in the lobby. The Peabody Orlando does this, too. In fact all of the Peabody Orlando ducks are "trained" at the Memphis Peabody first.

The Memphis Zoo is first rate, plus we have one of the few zoos in the country with pandas. The panda exhibit is very well themed-- almost up to the level of Disney, but not quite. Actually, the Memphis Zoo is one of the better zoos in the country. Also, if you're looking for an educational experience, the National Civil Rights Museum downtown is a great experience.

As far as BBQ goes, ask 10 Memphians what their favorite BBQ joint is, and you're likely to get 10 different responses. However, the general consensus is that the best ribs are at The Rendezvous, which is downtown, and the best pork sandwich (plus really really great ribs) is at Corky's which has a couple of locations, the original being on Poplar in East Memphis. I personally prefer Corky's.

If she's looking for a nice mall/shopping area the best one is Wolfchase Galleria. It's pretty far from downtown, on the northeast suburban area, but it's the best gathering of shops in the city. Another nice shopping area is Oak Court Mall, which is more centrally located but smaller.

Whew! Hope that wan't too much! If you want anything more specific, ask or PM me!

 

[horseshowmom]

GarrettJD did a great job of telling you about Memphis (I definitely agree with the two BBQ options - both are great).

The only thing I can think of to add would be the Gibson Guitar factory tour and Peabody Place downtown.

 

[DisneyRoys]

Another Memphian here.

GarrettJD has pretty much covered everything so I just thought I would share my favorite BBQ places. I think the best place for BBQ is The BBQ Shop on Madison. Its not a very big place but it is one that the locals love. Their BBQ sauce is to die for. My other favorite places are Interstate BBQ and Neely's BBQ. They are run by the same extended family so you can't go wrong with either one. I have tried The Rendezvous and personally did not like it. It really seems more of a tourist place. Corkys is good but you will usually have a long wait.

If she would like to try some southern cooking I would suggest The Cottage Restaurant or Barksdale Restaurant. Barksdale serves breakfast all day as well as other southern favorites. Oh and don't miss Gus' Fried Chicken downtown. Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, and Issac Hayes are known to dine there often. It was voted by GQ magazine (several years ago) as one of the top 10 places to eat in the USA. I agree with that!! YUM!!

Some other local attractions are:
The Pink Palace Museum- has an IMAX, history about Memphis, birds and critters native to our area, and right now the touring exhibit has to with magic. Pretty cool place.

The Dixon Gallery and the Brooks Museum are both art museums.

I'll be glad to help with any questions.

 

[chell]

Oh and don't miss Gus' Fried Chicken downtown. Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, and Issac Hayes are known to dine there often. It was voted by GQ magazine (several years ago) as one of the top 10 places to eat in the USA. I agree with that!! YUM!!

I couldn't remember the name of that restaurant and was just doing a search to see if I could find it. I've heard it is awesome!

 

[MerryPoppins]

I'm particular about my BBQ sauce. I know the flavor is different in different parts of the country. Do the places you named have sweet sauce or spicy or offer a variety? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[mamajoan]

Great thread.. I was just talking to my dh about making a wkd get away trip to Memphis.

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[GarrettJD]

Hello DisneyRoys!

I agree with you about The BBQ Shop... I forgot about that, and just named the popular tourist places .... my GF used to work for a bank that had their account with them ,and the owner brought them free food all the time... I was jealous.

As far as Memphis BBQ goes, most of the sauces tend to be sweet, That's the style. The Memphis style of pork ribs, though, is called "dry ribs", which use no sauce whatsoever-- instead, they are rubbed with a mixture of spices and seasonings, then slow cooked. If done properly, they're not "dry" at all, and the meat is flavorful and juicy. Of course, if you don't want dry ribs, you can get wet ribs at most places, too.

I forgot about the museums-- I agree about the Pink Palace being worth a trip. Someone else mentioned the Gibson guitar factory-- I haven't made it there yet, but I've heard it's nice.

Oh, and I forgot the home cooking restaurants, too! I love the breakfast at the Barksdale. My favorite was the Buntyn, but it's gone now.

..mmmm...Gus's Fried Chicken........

GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!