Celebrate Easter in Memphis

Since we never had the chance to visit Memphis, we decided to plan a trip there for a few days over Easter.

We picked up our rental car at the airport and headed straight to our hotel, the Westin Memphis Beale Street. The property is conveniently located on Beale Street, right across from the FedEx arena. just opposite the FedEx arena. After parking the car and checking in, we began exploring the city.

We took a taxi to the Memphis Cotton Museum where we had a very interesting visit. The museum offers a self-guided tour that lasts about forty-five minutes. After that, we caught another taxi to Sun Studio, the iconic recording studio. The entrance fee is $20 per person, but it's definitely worth it. You can't purchase tickets online in advance, so you need to go there and wait for the next available guided tour. The tour is highly entertaining and full of historical insights. Our guide was a musician who had just returned from a European tour with his band. Sun Studio is renowned worldwide as "The Birthplace of Rock’n’roll" and is where musical legends like B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis were discovered.

Before dinner, we made a brief stop at the Peabody, as it was the opening day of their summer rooftop parties. We were not impressed. There is an admission fee, the drinks are overpriced, and the band wasn't very good. We left earlier than planned and walked a short distance to Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous, one of the city's most renowned BBQ restaurants. We ordered their famous ribs along with a couple of side dishes. It was excellent. These are definitely not your ordinary ribs. You can identify the tastes of paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. On the way back to our hotel we stopped at the legendary B.B. King's Blues Club and listened to a very good band. It's a great place to end your evening.

The following morning, we resumed our tour of the city on foot and enjoyed lunch at Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken. Even though Gus's has locations beyond Memphis, it's definitely worth visiting while you're here. We savored their renowned Southern spicy fried chicken accompanied by their homemade sides.

We returned to the hotel to pick-up our rental car for our next stop: a tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland. We had scheduled a tour for 2:00 pm. The tickets are quite pricey, costing $84 per person for a self-guided tour of the mansion. This price also includes access to the EPM Entertainment Complex and Elvis' Custom Jets. It was definitely worth it.

The complex now offers more than just a tour of the mansion, which is relatively small by today's standards. You reach the mansion via a shuttle bus and explore it independently at your own pace. The entire first floor is open for viewing. However, the second floor, which includes Elvis's bedroom, is reserved for family members only. Just outside the house is the Meditation Garden, where Elvis is buried alongside his daughter, parents, grandmother, and grandson. There is also a memorial gravestone for his stillborn twin brother.

Once you return to the main entrance via the shuttle, you can explore numerous large hangar-style rooms filled with memorabilia, in addition to the Presley Motors Automobile Museum, the Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, and the Elvis Discovery Exhibits. There are also extensive tribute sections honoring Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley. At the conclusion of the tour, you have the opportunity to see two of Elvis' private jets. We spent several hours at Graceland and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had tickets for the NBA play-in game that evening between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks. Before the game, we decided to grab a quick meal at the King's Palace Café, which is reputed for its classic New Orleans-style cuisine. Unfortunately, our experience was terrible. The staff lacked experience, and the food was some of the worst Cajun cuisine we've ever had. We left without finishing our meals and headed to the Blues City Café, where we enjoyed excellent ribs (once again) just before the basketball game. We had a great time at the FedEx arena and enjoyed the game. The Grizzlies won, ending the Mavericks' season. It was fantastic to see the local team win.

The following day, we began our visit at the National Civil Rights Museum located at the Lorraine Motel. This complex showcase exhibits that detail the history of the civil rights movement in the United States from the 17th century to today. The museum is centered around the former Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Additionally, two other buildings and their surrounding property, also related to King's assassination, have been included in the museum complex. The museum educates the public about the Civil Rights Movement and its impact on global human rights movements. It's an excellent museum that takes just under two hours to explore.

Afterwards, we drove to the Memphis Zoo, situated just 15 minutes away. We always enjoy visiting zoos during our travels. This zoo houses over 3,500 animals across more than 500 species. On our return to the hotel, we stopped at the Bass Pro Shop at the Pyramid, a well-known Memphis landmark. It ranks among the largest pyramids globally, standing at 321 feet tall, surpassing the height of the Statue of Liberty. Originally a sports arena where the Grizzlies played, it was transformed into a Bass Pro Shops mega-store, complete with a hotel, restaurants, and various attractions. It’s truly a destination.

During our stay we also visited the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. Both museums were interesting, but if you only have time to visit one music venue downtown, I recommend the Sun Studio.

We add dinner at Huey Burger, a great burger spot that has been a part of Memphis since 1970. We had very good burgers at the bar.

Our final day in Memphis was Easter Sunday. We returned to the Peabody Hotel, but this time to witness the renowned Peabody Duck March. The ducks make their way to the lobby every day at 11:00 am and return to their rooftop home at the hotel by 5:00 pm. It's a highly entertaining event that shouldn't be missed. We enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Majestic Grille, an elegant restaurant just a short distance from the Peabody. The venue was formerly a theater.

We really enjoyed our time in Memphis. There's plenty to explore, and it's an excellent destination for those who love comfort food. It's ideal for a weekend escape. Beale Street can get crowded, but it wasn't too hectic during our visit.