Whether because of the music, the history or the proverbial hospitality of the South: Anyone who sets out to Memphis in the state of Tennessee and the neighboring state of Mississippi will experience famous attractions in an unadulterated southern state atmosphere: with paddle steamers, moss-covered oaks and cotton fields to the horizon. Some of the most beautiful routes in the United States’ deep south run through Memphis.
Blues and Rock’n’Roll were born and raised in the port city of Memphis on the Ol ‘Man River, the soul set colorful accents. The Rock’n’Soul Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music at the Smithsonian Institution or the legendary Sun Studio , where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and U2 recorded their early records, are must-sees. And of course Elvis’ Villa Graceland , one of the most visited private homes in the USA!
The ensemble of unique attractions in Memphis also includes the pyramid , landmarks of the city, America’s blues mile Beale Street – as well as the museum of the civil rights movement of the USA, the National Civil Rights Museum.
A river cruise on the Mississippi on board a paddle steamer of the Memphis Queen Line is particularly recommended . After cruising the Mississippi, the nightlife can be enjoyed on Beale Street.
With Beale Street, Memphis has the blues mile in the USA. One blues club follows the other, each of which allows entry for a few dollars. Once a year, not only this street itself but also a large meadow on the Mississippi becomes the focus of the blues. For Beale Street Music Festival , one of four weekends in May, it attracts thousands to the city – to the music that Elvis Presley already has inspired, as the “King” there in his much-visited today Villa Graceland resided.
The famous Graceland mansion in Memphis is located in the Whitehaven parish about nine miles from downtown. The most famous house in rock and roll history can be discovered in different ways. The fans immerse themselves in the life of Elvis, which he always kept very closed to the public during his lifetime. Elvis moved into the Memphis, Tennessee property in 1957 and was found dead on August 16, 1977. His grave is also in Graceland. Stax Museum of American Soul Music
In 1957, Jim Stewart and his sister Estelle Axton opened the legendary Stax Records recording studio : initially as “Satellite Records” in an old warehouse in Brunswick, before moving to Memphis as early as 1960: under the new name of Stax. In the metropolis on the Mississippi, legends of soul then recorded, from Rufus and Carla Thomas to Otis Redding with his “Sittin ‘On The Dock Of The Bay”, often with the studio band Booker T. & The MG’s. At the original location in Memphis is the Stax Museum of American Soul Music , a must for every fan of soul and American music history in general. The soul of Stax sparked the second musical world revolution in Memphis, a good ten years after the rock ‘n’ roll of the young Elvis.
Accommodation
River Inn of Harbor Town
Luxurious and yet very cozy hotel directly on the Mississippi River: The secrets of success of the River Inn of Harbor Town are not only the 28 chic rooms or the two great restaurants (Paulette’s and Tug’s) but also the breathtaking view of the Mississippi and the DeSoto Bridge from the roof terrace out.
Elvis style accommodation
A dream for all fans of the King: In the immediate vicinity of Elvis Presley’s former home Graceland in Memphis, there is an Elvis-style resort hotel. Inspired by Elvis’ unique home, the luxury hotel complex The Guest House at Graceland subtly but unmistakably picks up on the style of the Graceland Mansion.
Southern-style furniture and themed suites at this hotel take on the character of Graceland. The rooms and suites offer the most modern comfort and classic elegance at the same time. In the 430 hotel rooms there are allusions to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, in another 20 suites you can recognize rooms from the mansion. Priscilla Presley was heavily involved in the design.
The complex also includes a 464-seat concert hall, a large outdoor pool and four restaurants. Delta’s Kitchen cultivates the traditional cuisine of the Memphis region, which is famous for barbecues, for example. EP Bar & Grill, with the initials of the “King” in its name and kept casual, brings modernized southern cuisine to the table.