Memphis travel guide

Memphis is a special city to many Americans and other nationalities who adore music and especially Elvis Presley's music as here is Graceland a destination of pilgrimage.

Memphis is where the most important musical styles of the 20th century were born (blues, rock 'n' roll, and soul music) with the help of some exceptional musicians like: the King, W. C. Handy, Otis Redding and Al Green.

Memphis is not a city that needs a lot of introduction as it is known worldwide by American music fans as the city's musical heritage is extraordinary. You won’t be surprised to hear French, German, and Japanese as you are to hear English being spoken throughout the city.

Almost everything about Memphis is related to its musical heritage, music is what defines this city. Of course Graceland- the second most-visited home in America- is the top attraction, but there are other well appreciated points like Beale Street where great names like: Handy- the father of the blues-, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and others lived. They were the forefathers of a new kind of music called blues. Just as visited is Sun Studio where in the early 1950s some young musicians recorded an entirely new music known later as rock 'n' roll.

The Gibson Guitar Plant is another hot spot where you can not only hear the sounds the instruments make but also see them manufactured and the second floor is home to "Rock 'N' Soul: Social Crossroads," that exhibits the city’s musical heritage. Let’s not forget the new Stax Museum of American Soul Music and arts academy.

There are many other museums in the city that exhibit the history of the Memphis music, but actually the whole city is like a giant museum dedicated to music, places where musicians lived and recorded their music, the streets they walked on…

Even if music predominant, you can enjoy other things that are not related to music like "Wonders: The Memphis International Cultural Series"- an international show with exhibits about Napoleon, Catherine the Great, the Ottoman Empire, and even the Titanic.

A town so visited must have special places for children and Memphis can satisfy the kids’ desire of having fun with places like: the Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium, Memphis Zoo and Aquarium, Chucalissa Archaeological Museum, Mud Island/Mississippi River Museum, and The Peabody Ducks.

Downtown Memphis measures up to the city’s reputation with places like: Memphis Central Station and Peabody Place that houses the funky Center for Southern Folklore, a IMAX 3-D Theater, a Cineplex and so on. There’s also the Pinch Historic District, packed with restaurants and bars that cater for people that go or come from events at the nearby Pyramid.

With music as the hearth of the city one need no wonder if they would find great places to have fun at night as the city has one of the liveliest club scenes in the South and that scene is centered on Beale Street that offers every kind of music your hearth desires: blues, rock, opera, ballet, or Broadway musicals. Music can be heard almost every day of the week, day and night even on the sidewalks and parks of Beale Street. Near Overton Square you will find the city's other entertainment district with popular bars, restaurants, a few clubs and several theater companies. You don’t have to go far south to find Cooper-Young district that houses a funky Elvis-theme coffeehouse, a few boutiques, and three good restaurants with very popular bars.

When you arrive in town, you may be a bit confused as it is quite spread out, so getting around can be a bit of a problem, but follow the crowds and they will lead you to the most popular sites. Getting lost is a blessing as you’ll have the chance to visit every spot.