The usually mild weather in Memphis makes it a great place to visit throughout the year, but springtime has to be the best. The annual festival, ‘Memphis in May,’ is a month-long celebration bringing tourists from around the world. Each weekend in May has a special event. The Beale Street Music Festival, usually held during the first weekend, is a three-day concert event and with over sixty artists, there’s bound to be something for everyone. There is also a World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. This event has a little bit of everything, live entertainment, barbecue and even a Ms. Piggie Contest. Now, who doesn’t love grown men in tutus? All of the events are located near downtown Memphis and along the Mississippi River.
Memphis is also a perfect place to enjoy outdoor activities and this city has plenty to offer. Visiting the Memphis Zoo or taking in a minor league baseball game at Autozone Park is great way to spend a day, but why not do something you can’t do at home? For instance, take the Monorail over the Mississippi River and visit Mud Island and the River Park. Here you can rent a pedal boat, bike or kayak down the great Mississippi. The park also offers the Mississippi River Museum as well as outdoor concerts and events.
Graceland is one of those ‘must-see’ activities everyone should do once in their life. The former home of Elvis Presley is a museum and the final resting place of the king, as well as an example of unbelievable opulence from the 70’s. A tour of the home includes the lower floor of the home featuring many rooms, such as the trophy room where many of the gold records are displayed and the infamous Jungle Room. The guide will take you from the home, outside to the gardens as well as the grave of the famous singer.
Memphis has several other museums to choose from that chronicle its steep history of culture and music. Some of the best include the Children’s Museum of Memphis and the Brooks Museum of Fine Art. The Children’s Museum has activities for children of all ages. If you go, be prepared to drag the kids away. One of the best exhibits includes a small version of a Kroger grocery store. Kids get their own carts to wheel around the ‘store’ while they pick out food to checkout. There are also arts and crafts rooms, and a toddler area just for the little ones.
The Brooks Museum offers some of the best fine art collections in the state of Tennessee. The museum is housed in a beautiful building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and overlooks Overton Park. It has 29 galleries and routinely displays collections on loan from around the world.
However, one of the most interesting museums to visit has to be the National Civil Rights Museum. It is located just south of downtown inside the former Lorraine Motel, the site where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. It records the National Civil Rights Movement, as well as other human rights movements around the world. It’s definitely another ‘must-see’ during your stay in Memphis.
To learn more about the history of Memphis, you could take the Downtown Trolley or one of its many guided tours. Horse drawn carriage tours are usually lined up Downtown near Beale Street. There are also ‘Ride the Duck’ tours, which is a great way to cool off on a hot day.
Speaking of ducks, no visit to Memphis is complete without a stop at the Peabody Hotel to see the daily ‘walking of the ducks.’ This historic hotel has one of those quirky southern traditions that can’t be missed. Dating back to the 1930s, legend has a couple of duck hunters (one of which being the Peabody’s General Manager) coming back to the hotel empty-handed and a little tipsy. Trying to boost his spirits in a different way, the Manager places a live duck decoy into the hotel’s fountain in the Grand lobby. The guests loved it, so the hotel decided to keep ducks in the fountain.
Today, the ducks are housed in the "Duck Palace" on the hotel roof and every day, the Duckmaster leads them down the elevator onto a red carpet. The ducks march through crowds to the tune of John Philip Sousa's King Cotton March. In the evening, the ceremony is reversed, when the ducks retire for the evening to their palace. To see the Duck March, be sure to arrive at the Peabody Hotel before 11 and 5. This is a popular attraction, so get there early to get a good seat.
So whether you are looking for outdoor or indoor fun, Memphis has you and your family covered.
