Memphis, Tennessee 72-Hour Vacation

Famous Beale Street

When it comes to American music, few cities can boast as much as Memphis can. From Elvis to the blues to jazz, the city has produced some of the greatest American contributions to world music. A look at the city's most famous street tells the story. Beale Street was home to W. C. Handy, served as the birthplace for the blues and inspired Elvis's unique sound.

But plenty of other American history played out on Beale Street and its environs. In fact, Memphis is a city unlike any other given how nearly every nook and cranny is reminiscent of American history. Ulysses S. Grant stationed his headquarters on Beale Street during the Civil War (at the Phelan Home, which now houses an elegant restaurant). The 1920s brought some of the country's hottest nightclubs and vaudeville theaters, not to mention a very popular red-light district and an escalating crime rate. Before and during the Civil Rights Movement, Beale served as the city center's African American commerce and culture. Memphis was at the crux of the American Civil Rights Movement, as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in this city helped to galvanize the movement. Not to be overlooked is the nation's largest river, the Mighty Mississippi, a big reason why Memphis was settled and is still an intriguing presence.

With so much history behind it, Memphis deserves your undivided attention, and we are here to help you make the most of your stay.

The Main Street Trolley

For sightseeing, we suggest you take advantage of the Main Street Trolley, which clangs along Main Street, up Madison Avenue, or along the riverfront. Buy a three-day trolley pass from the driver. By combining the trolley with some tour shuttles and taxis, you won't need to rent a car if, say, Graceland and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music will be your only excursions from Downtown Memphis. Keep in mind that it's usually necessary to call a cab, since taxi stands are scarce and you can't depend on being able to hail a taxi on the street. (A rental car is recommended if you are exploring extensively beyond Downtown.) One of your first stops should be the Tennessee State Welcome Center, which has loads of brochures as well as savvy staffers who can answer any question.

When it comes to accommodations, downtown is your best bet, as it is convenient to most attractions and many clubs and restaurants. The hottest new hotel is The Westin Memphis Beale Street, which features a Starbucks in the lobby and Beale Street just outside the door. Another downtown option is the Madison Hotel, a plush boutique hotel with jazzy décor. Memphis' famous grand hotel is The Peabody Memphis, which, in its current location, dates to 1925, when it replaced the original, smaller Peabody built in 1869. Long a social center of the city, it is best known for its resident ducks, which from their rooftop domicile march to the lobby fountain for an afternoon of swimming, entertaining the throngs who come to view their activity. This campy daily ceremony attracts a crowd, as, under the watchful eye of their attendant, the ducks exit their elevator and parade down a red carpet to the fountain at 11 a.m., and at 5 p.m. re-waddle back to their rooftop home.

DAY 1

For your first day's morning nourishment, consider an elegant breakfast at Capriccio Grill Italian Steakhouse, the main dining establishment in The Peabody Memphis Hotel. Exploring the city's African American culture and history is a good way to begin your Memphis sightseeing. Take the trolley on your own or check with Heritage Tours for a more structured itinerary. Start with the National Civil Rights Museum, where you can get oriented by viewing a brief film that provides background for the documentary exhibitions about the Civil Rights Movement of the '50s and '60s. The museum is housed in the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of the campaign that brought about civil rights reform, was assassinated in 1968. Continue by exploring historic Beale Street, between Main and Fourth streets, the heart of the African American community at the turn of the 20th century and now home to numerous nightclubs, shops and restaurants. While on Beale Street, visit the tiny W. C. Handy Home and Museum, former residence of the man who penned "The Memphis Blues" and became known as the "Father of the Blues." Don't miss A. Schwab, a general store that has been doing business since 1876. Browse for everything from inexpensive souvenirs to fine china, not to mention voodoo cures for life's problems.

The Peabody's famous ducks

You can lunch on Beale Street, perhaps at the Beale Street Café, or walk north on Second Street for more choices, including Flying Fish for fried catfish, or a block farther to Main Street, where you'll find more restaurants as well as The Center for Southern Folklore, nestled inside the Pembroke Square building. The café here serves a light lunch; even if you don't dine here, be sure to check out the folk art, crafts and photography exhibitions. Be sure to ask if there are evening programs with live music during your stay. If you're craving Memphis barbecue, a short cab ride takes you to Neely's Bar-B-Que, featured on Food Network's "Down Home with the Neely's." In the afternoon you can venture off the beaten path to Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum, a home said to have been a way station for runaway slaves. You can also explore Downtown's many other attractions and shopping opportunities. The Belz Museum of Asian and Judiac Art boasts a collection of more than 400 Chinese artifacts, with exquisite and rare pieces that include intricately carved ivory and jade, among them a magnificent dragon ship. You can also take the trolley to the South Main Historic Arts District, where you'll find galleries, shops and The Arcade, a vintage diner you may recognize from movies such as "Mystery Train and "21 Grams." Or splurge and take high tea at Chez Philippe, the Versailles-like restaurant at The Peabody Memphis Hotel.

This grand hotel is also a pleasant place to conclude your day. Arrive around 4 p.m. and order a drink in The Lobby Bar. The drinks are pricey, but they get you a front-row seat to the five o'clock "march," as the resident ducks leave their fountain and reprise the red carpet trip to the elevator and retire to their rooftop home. You might also ask if you can catch a sunset over the Mississippi from the roof; check out the ducks' accommodations while you're up there.

For dinner, downtown options range from perennially hip Automatic Slim's Tonga Club to newcomer Itta Bena, hidden just above B. B. King's Blues Club. Many visitors head for The Rendezvous, one of the city's liveliest and most popular purveyors of Memphis barbecue.

To cap the evening, stroll along Beale Street, where live blues and jazz are sure to lure you into one of the clubs. Good bets: Rum Boogie Café, King's Palace Café or B.B. King's.

Continue to Day 2

* Images courtesy Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. Peabody ducks from The Peabody Memphis Hotel.

(Updated: 04/26/08 SG)