Tag: Memphis

“Graceland or Sun?” my friend asked. I had to ponder that one for a moment. “Sun,” I finally replied. We drove a few blocks and reached one of the most hallowed addresses of my life: 706 Union Avenue, Sun Studio. I could almost see a youthful Elvis Presley nervously hanging around outside, trying to get the courage to go in and record a ballad to give to his mother.

Memphis, the unofficial capital city of the Mississippi Delta, is widely renowned for two things: blues and barbecue. The two Memphis institutions are tightly connected—each a result of the Great Migration of the early 20th century.

Years of revitalization efforts have driven a cultural rebirth visitors will enjoy whether they’re visiting Memphis for the barbecue, the blues, or the King of Rock and Roll.

No-frills institutions that set the bar high for cheap beer and good times

The Peabody Hotel truly keeps its ducks in a row. Each morning at 11, its five resident North American mallards depart their “Royal Duck Palace” on the hotel’s rooftop and waddle to the elevator, riding it down a dozen floors until the doors open to reveal a red carpet lined with guests.

Open since 1889, Zoo Atlanta has several claims to fame—three of them being its beloved giant pandas. (This zoo is one of only three in the country that houses the vulnerable species.)

Memphis is best known for its musical pedigree, cholesterol-be-damned gastronomical specialties, and party-hearty kitsch—spangly Elvis jumpsuits, sloshing buckets of iridescent-blue booze, and Graceland’s lurid “Jungle Room.” But Memphis is much more than barbecue and Beale Street.

This Mississippi River city offers more than Elvis and top-notch ribs. You’ll also find a wealth of civil rights history, hip bars, and one of the country’s largest urban parks.

8 stylish events across the Southeast, including a collection of Elvis photography, a show by artist Hassan Hajjaj, and more.