From Wikitravel

Memphisis the largest city in the state of Tennessee. The state rests in the southern portion of the United States. Memphis, with a population totaling more than one million persons, is also the county seat for Shelby County. The city's claims to fame include "Graceland," the mansion Elvis Presley lived in during his later years. Maybe more importantly, however, Memphis is the considered by many to be the home of the "blues" form of music.

Downtown Memphis has experienced quite a rebirth and renewal in the last few years. The center of the city is clean, full of new development, and a great place to spend a day. In the past few years, the city has emerged to boast one of the largest downtown populations among US cities, so the citizens once again have a vested interest in making downtown safe, exciting, and a great place to visit and relax.

A word of caution: Memphis is extremely hot in the summertime, and the humidity of the expansive Mississippi River can make you feel even hotter! Those who have trouble tolerating high heat and humidity may wish to avoid July and August; April through early June are the best times to visit.

Contents 1 Get in 1.1 By plane 1.2 By car 1.3 By train 1.4 By bus 2 Get around 3 See 3.1 Downtown 3.2 The Edge 3.3 Midtown 3.4 Around Town 4 Do 5 Buy 5.1 Downtown 5.2 Midtown 5.3 Out East 6 Eat 6.1 Downtown 6.2 Midtown 6.2.1 East Memphis 6.2.2 Pizza 6.2.3 Variations of Quick 7 Listen 8 Drink 9 Sleep 10 Contact 10.1 Newspapers 11 Get Out

Get in

By plane

• Memphis International Airport, (MEM), [1] - Memphis is the primary FedEx distribution center, and, as the world's busiest cargo airport, the air is always full of planes making your eBay purchase a glorious reality. A few airlines do squeeze passengers into town:
  • Northwest Airlines, [2].
  • American Airlines, [3].
  • AirTrain, [4].
  • Delta, [5].
  • United, [6].
  • Continental, [7].
  • KLM, [8].
  • US Airways, [9].
  • America West, [10].

By car

• Interstate 40 is a good route into town. I-40 essentially ends in a historic neighborhood. Take I-240 to complete the journey into downtown Memphis. The outer loop is only partially complete, mostly to the Navy base.
• I-55 will take you quite close to town. Just catch I-240 and swing north to take you into downtown.
• Parking - Except for downtown, parking is usually free. If you're downtown, try the "Parking is Fun" garage. It's cheap, absolutely bizarre, and right where you want to be.

By train

• Amtrak - Service available from trains running up and down the Mississippi, as well as connections through major hubs. Great for a jaunt up to Chicago for world-class shopping or down to New Orleans for world-class drinking.

By bus

• Greyhound, 203 Union Avenue, +1 800-231-2222 - National bus service.

Get around

• Driving - Road conditions are actually very good in Memphis, although some wish the pavement was in better shape. Be wary of the drivers, however, they are known widely as some of the worst drivers in the nation.
• Public Transit - Bus service is available across the city but stick with driving if at all possible.
  • A trolley operates downtown, mostly for the benefit of tourists.

Memphis is laid out in a more or less east/west fashion. Roads primarily go east/west and north/south. The express way fortunately does not cut directly through the city.

Downtown is on the west; it sits atop the bluffs, overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. Moving east you'll come to Midtown, a happenin' place where locals and touritst go. Beyond that, you will find the suburbs of Germantown, Collierville, Cordova, and Bartlett. The area between downtown and Midtown is coming to life slowly but surely. There is a movement to turn it into an artist community. Members of this movement call the area "the Edge". However, most of the "art district" is on South Main.

See

Downtown

• Downtown Memphis - Buy a ticket and take the excellent trolley to get a good overview of the area.
• Beale Street, [11] - "Home of the Blues".
• Mississippi River - River tours available most days through a variety of providers. Tom Lee Park is a nice place to view the river.
• National Civil Rights Museum, [12] - Built adjacent to the motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot in 1968. Near the Amtrak station. Closed Tuesdays. $10 for adults.
• Peabody Hotel [13] - A beautiful and historic hotel; it is famous for it's ducks, who spend their days in the fountain. Legend has it that the Mississippi delta and all its lore began in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel, and the hotel is considered by many to be the "living room" of Memphis. Every day at 11AM and 5PM you can watch them march. There's no better way to spend $10 on a drink than in the company of the Peabody ducks (at least not in Memphis).
• Peabody Place Museum [14] - Just a couple of blocks towards the river from the famous hotel is one of the best kept secrets in all Tennessee. This basement museum holds the largest collection of 19th Century Chinese art, with jade, lacquer, ivory, and many other intricately carved items. Several of the items are larger than your average person. With admission at around $5, you simply can't miss this.
• National Ornamental Metal Museum [15] - Displays art jewelry, architectural pieces and sculpture. The grounds are full of permanent installations and the Museum boasts one of the best views overlooking the Mississippi. They also have a working smithy.
• Fire Museum of Memphis [16] - An interactive museum designed to teach children and adults about fire safety. Also features a realistic room to show how much damage a dropped lit cigarette can do.
• Mud Island [17] - The park is accessible by monorail, made famous by a chase scene in the movie "The Firm". The park contains a museum of the Mississippi River and a scale model of the river. Visitors are welcome to remove their shoes and wade through the replica mighty Mississippi. The "Gulf of Mexico" is a large pool in which visitors may rent paddleboats. At the tip of the park is an excellent vantage point of the city and the river. The northern end of the island is occuppied by HarborTown, a model community.
• Memphis Redbirds [18] - The Memphis Redbirds baseball team plays at AutoZone Park. They are the Triple-A affiliates of the St. Louis Cardinals.
• FedExForum [19] - FedExForum is the largest public building construction project in Memphis history. This $250 million project was delivered on time and on budget to the City of Memphis by the New Memphis Arena Public Building Authority. Managed and operated by the Memphis Grizzlies, the facility is home to both the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA and the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team. FedExForum is located at 191 Beale Street and Third Street which traveling south becomes Highway 61, the historic Blues Highway.
  • Memphis Grizzlies [20] - Top-level pro basketball.

The Edge

• Sun Studio [21] - Numerous blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly recordings were made here, including Elvis's and Johnny Cash's first recordings. Tours are available, usually given by wallet-chained and mutton-chopped local musicians.
• Sleeping Cat Studio 341 1/2 Monroe.

Midtown

• Memphis Botanic Garden [22] - The Japanese garden is worth a visit, especially if you need some time to relax (don't forget to get some food for the koi (available at the front counter)).
• Memphis Zoo [23] - Pandas and other animals galore.
• The Pink Palace [24] - Built as a mansion by Clarence Saunders, the man who brought us the first self-service grocery store (Piggly Wiggly), the Pink Palace was later taken by the tax man and subsequently turned into a museum (Saunders never actually lived in the house). It is a very eclectic place, with everything from shrunken heads to animatronic dinosaurs with a life size copy of the first Piggly Wiggly in between. Also there is an IMAX theater and a planetarium. Well worth a visit.
• Overton Park Encompasses the Memphis Zoo, Memphis College of Art (MCA), the Overton Park Golf Course, and largest stand of old growth forest in a US city.

Around Town

• Graceland [25] - Home of Elvis, "The King of Rock and Roll". Think "tacky tourist" trap but don't miss it--you might be pleasantly surprised. Take note of Elvis Week (Death Week to the locals) in early August, culminating in the candle light vigil on the anniversary of Elvis' death. It is a big deal, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. Check out the bizarre felt-pen scribblings on the fence, some hip-ironic, some of the psycho-lunatic-fan sort.

Do

• Walk to the river and touch the Mississippi's water with your fingers.
• See the daily duck march at The Peabody Hotel.
• Visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.
• Visit Sun Studio, the recording home of rock 'n' roll.

Buy

Downtown

• Peabody Place - Shopping Mall adjacent to the Peabody Hotel. Includes indoor psychedelic miniature golf and train themed movie theater.
• A. Schwab - Dry goods store on Beale St. whose motto is "If we don't have it, you don't need it." It's the place for souvenirs.

Midtown

• Midtown Artist Market [26] - A local artists' cooperative. Has been named Best of Memphis by readers of the Memphis Flyer at one time or another.
• Sip Coffee Shop - A Fair-Trade coffee shop. Has been named Best of Memphis by readers of the Memphis Flyer at one time or another.
• Wizard's - A fine gift shop with "smoking supplies" (wink-wink, nudge-nudge).
• Midtown Books [27] - An excellent selection of used books. Has been named Best of Memphis by readers of the Memphis Flyer at one time or another.
• Overton Square [28] - A small shopping/entertainment district on Madison Avenue, near Cooper.
• Burke's Books - Small indie bookshop on Poplar Avenue, near Belvedere. John Grisham usually does his signings here when he's in town.
• Scott's Cosmic Closet - A cool modern and art deco boutique with funky furniture and home accessories.

Out East

• Wolfchase Galleria - A mall.
• Collierville Town Center - Catch Poplar Ave. south to the town of Collierville and browse the interesting shops on the square. Very pretty in the holiday season. Small and quaint, this square boasts a setting and some shops that aren't found elsewhere in Memphis. A steam engine and a few private railcars are open to the public.

Eat

Memphis is one of the cheapest places in the USA to live, and that includes going out to eat. You could literally eat out every night of the week and not exhaust the city's restaurant menu. There's lots of inexpensive, yet tasty, food all over Memphis. The local BBQ is well-known.

Downtown

• Automatic Slims - Adjacent to the Peabody Hotel on 2nd Street. Kind of trendy, but nice wait staff and good food.
• Blues City Cafe, Beale and 2nd Street - Good ribs. The garlic pan seared shrimp is tasty, also. Prices from $6-$18. Jean Pauls Last Call is a small bar attached to Blues City. It attracts server staff crowd after hours.
• Flying Saucer, One 2nd Street - 90 beers on tap and ~120 in the bottle. Good pub grub. Servers wear nice short skirts.
• Texas De Brazil, adjacent to the Peabody Hotel - Everything you expect in a Brazilian steakhouse. Expect $40-50 per person for supper, but it's worth it. Lunch is the most economical time. Formal attire, a dress shirt and slacks at the least, is strongly recommended.
• The Rendezvous - Excels at Memphis-style BBQ in a no-frills environment. Go early--this in-the-basement establishment has quite a following and a long wait is expected nearly every night. Pricey given the decor (and the fact that you're eating BBQ). Expect $15-20 per person.
• The Arcade - Classic old diner. Traditional diner food with the addition of pizza and hummus sandwiches. It's across the street from the train station at 540 South Main Street. Featured in several movies, including "Mystery Train".
• Bluff City Coffee - Try their signature cup "The Real Cappuccino". In South Main's Art District.
• Harry's Detour - 106 G.E. Patterson. An eclectic menue of delicious main courses, soups, salads and desserts served in an intimate setting. Private room and patio. Lunch Tues - Sat 11:30 am - 2 pm, Dinner Weds-Sat 5:30 - 10 pm.
• Westy's - Bar/grill on Main at north end of downtown. Known for fried pickles, tamales, a wide selection of wild rice dishes and a popular fudge pie. Expect $7-$12 pp, open late.
• Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - No restaurant guide to downtown would be complete without mentioning Gus's and the food is excellent. You can purchase 40 oz. beers and eat fried chicken. Enough said..
• Encore Restaurant and Bar - Provencal-style bistro owned/operated by award-winning Master Chef José Gutierrez (former Head Chef at the Peabody Hotel's Chez Phillippe).

Midtown

• Young Ave. Deli - Good place for bar food and/or rock shows. Try the fried dill pickles. Located in the Cooper-Young district of Midtown. One of the biggest beer selections in town.
• Pho Saigon - Super yummy Vietnamese soup less than $10 for a bowl as big as your head.
• Molly's La Casita - Very good Mexican food priced around $10 per entree.
• Pho Hoa Binh, Madison Avenue - Hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese. $5-$10. Great tofu and wheat gluten dishes, so don't miss it if you're vegetarian.
• Saigon Le, Cleveland Avenue - Another awesome Vietnamese restaurant. $5-$10.
• Indochina, Cleveland Avenue - Another excellent Vietnamese restaurant. Famous for their homemade egg rolls. $5-$10.
• Brother Junipers, U of M area - Open for breakfast and lunch. Great omelettes. Free-Trade Coffee. Strange hours. $5-$10. Associated with the Juniper Bakery, all proceeds going to drug rehab.
• Bosco's, Overton Square - The only locally brewed beer in Memphis (also a national award winner). Great pizza, entrees, etc. Excellent jazz brunch on Sundays. $10-$20.
• Zinnie's East, On Madison near Belvedere intersection - Excellent and inexpensive food. If you want a local treat try the "Zinnie Loney," a truly large bologna sandwich for cheap. $6-15.
• Huey's - A Memphis landmark, the original Huey's offers one of the best burgers in town. $6-12.
• Dino's, On Mclean near North Parkway intersection - Serves reliable versions of basic "American-style Italian food", being open for breakfast, lunch (offering sandwiches and plate lunches) and dinner six days a week. $6-20.
• 61 on Teur, On Madison Avenue near Overton Square - Eclectic and strange mix of food. Don't let the appearance fool you upon entering. During the summer, you can dine outdoors. Try the spanikopita as a side. $10-20 per person.
• Corky's famous barbeque - One of the best barbeque places in Memphis. 3 or 4 locations within the city; locals strongly recommend it. Must visit; $6-$20 per person. You can purchase their barbeque sauce too. Excellent ribs!!!!!!

East Memphis

• Belmont Grill, at Poplar and Mendenhall - Hole-in-the-wall bar and restaurant that serves great food. Try the shish kebobs. $10-$20.
• Germantown Commissary, On Germantown Pkwy between Poplar and Poplar Pike (technically in Germantown) - Some of the best ribs Memphis has to offer. $10-$20.
• Ellen's Soul Food and Bar-B-Q, 601 S. Parkway E. - Expect to hear the menu when you arrive to get down at this old-school soul food dream, though a hand-written paper copy is also available. Fried everything is their specialty, including okra, cornbread, chicken, and catfish that's worth a trip to Memphis by itself. The service is so good that the management will set you straight if you try to eat neck bones with a knife and fork. Entrees $7-9, including two side orders.

Pizza

• Exline's - A Memphis chain serving up some big ol' round pizzas cut into square pieces. The toppings are huge (as in large bits). The cheese on the cheese fries is nacho and it comes from a can; super fantastic. ~$10.
• Camy's [29] - Want to just hang out in your hotel? Call Camy's for the best pizza delivery in town.
• Pie In The Sky, Cooper/Young - Close to California-style, in a faux 50's ice cream shop atmosphere. Sounds confusing, but the food is good. $10-$15.
• Memphis Pizza Cafe, One location in Overton Square, one out on Park Ave., and a couple in the 'burbs - Tasty Pizza (BBQ chicken is good). Cold beer. All you really need. $10-$15.
• Garibaldi's, U of M area (back behind the YMCA) - Great 70's atmosphere, great 70's style pizza. $5-$10.

Variations of Quick

Memphis has a tradition of hiding its best food at the back of convenience stores. For instance:

• Kwik Check, Madison Ave. near Overton Square - Best deli sandwiches in Memphis. Try the "Cheesy Muff" (vegetarian muffeletta) or "My Bleeding Heart" (spicy spicy hummus pita). . $5-10.
• Kwik Shop, Central Ave. and East Parkway - Big huge burgers. Super nice steak fries. Gyros are excellent. They have veggie burgers just as big as the meat ones, but they only have one grill. $4-$6.

Listen

Soul, R&B, and rock 'n' roll have deep roots in Memphis, and destinations abound for good music today.

• Beale Street in downtown Memphis makes sense as a first destination. A dozen clubs pipe their music onto the street, and each night a single wristband buys entrance to them all.
• Hi-Tone Cafe [30] - Featured musical acts could be anybody, from reggae to country-western acts--all of them party bands, to be sure. Make sure you show up ready to move a little, drink a little and even eat little.
• Wild Bill's Lounge sits unassumingly in a strip mall three miles northeast of Beale Street, where, as if out of an old movie, the boisterous Memphis Soul Survivors, led by the boisterous Miss Nicki, play to a boisterous crowd. Night hours on F Sa Su. As they pay the $10 cover, patrons are greeted at the door by Wild Bill himself.

Drink

• Wine is sold in dedicated, licensed liquor stores in Memphis. Most grocery stores may have an "independent" liquor store conveniently next to the grocery store. Apparently this regulation discourages alcohol use by forcing you to walk a few extra feet to buy your booze. High alcohol content beers are sold in liquor stores. Traditional brands such as Budweiser are sold in grocery and convenient store only. Liquor stores are open from ~8AM usually 10AM-11PM, M-Sa. (Beer can be sold before noon on Su in restaurants.)
• Joe's Liquor Speaking of booze, if you need packaged goods and you're in midtown, head to Joe's (Poplar and Belvedere) as much to see Sputnik (the vintage, spinning, twisting and working neon star) as for the beverages. Go at dusk for maximum effect.
• Great Wine And Spirits is out east. Probably has one of more extensive wine stocks in Memphis liquor stores.
• Bosco's, Overton Square - Brew pub and food. Featured on many "Best Of" lists.
• Newby's, Highland Street (called the Highland Strip, near The University of Memphis) - "Playboy" magazine rated Newby's the "Best place to party like a Rock Star!"
• "The High Point", Madison Avenue - Swing dancing, the best live bands and any libation you crave.
• The House of Blues produces some of the best live music in the country and has a full bar to complement the audiophilic fare offered there.
• Bluff City Coffee 505 S. Main - The latest addition to the Art District of Downtown Memphis. Specializing in Italian style espresso based coffee. The coffee shop features comfort and conference style seating for meetings, free wireless internet, and print/copy/scan/fax capabilities to keep you productive throughout your day. Make sure to bring your laptop and stay a while. This coffee shop also feature a collection of Don Newman's vintage black and white photographs from the 30's, 40's, and 50's.

Sleep

• Peabody Hotel, downtown near Beale Street - Historic. Don't miss the ducks! This is definitely pricey, but is "the place" to stay in Memphis and tourists come to the hotel in throngs just to gawk at the lobby, and... the ducks.
• Holiday Inn - Not very flash, but Memphis is its home.
• Wyndham Garden Hotel, 300 N 2nd St, +1 901 525-1800, fax +1 901 524-1859 [31] - Relax in the warm, Southern spirit of Tennessee at the Wyndham Garden Hotel-Memphis. Just minutes from Cook Convention Center and the Pyramid Arena's sporting events, concerts and shows.
• Hampton Inn - Beale Street, 175 Peabody Place, +1 901 260-4000, fax +1 901 260-4012 [32] - This is right ON Beale Street - as opposed to the Holiday Inn and the Peabody which are a few blocks away. The room prices are average but beware - it IS noisy. If you want to party then this is the place but for a quiter get-away stay a few blocks away.

Contact

Newspapers

• The Commercial Appeal [33] - A daily newspaper.
• Memphis Flyer [34] - An alternative newspaper.

Get Out

• Tunica.
• Nashville.
• Arkansas.
• Oxford (Mississippi).

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!