Memphis, Tennessee – History, Nature & Blues
Memphis
The home of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll has music, barbecue, and history.
It doesn’t matter if you want to enjoy the sounds of blues music on Beale Street or the tastes of some of the best barbecues in the world. Memphis has something for everyone.
History and Southern Charm
Memphis is in southwest Tennessee. It is on the hills above the Mississippi River, which forms the border with Arkansas and, a few miles away, the state of Mississippi. The city is known as Bluff City. Along with a lot of the Mississippi Delta, the city has the real Southern beauty and friendliness, but it also has an edge to it. A Memphis classic (there are over sixty of them!) will treat you like family every time you go there. In this city that moves at its own pace, don’t miss the hidden gems like art installations, small music halls, or places to meet.
In Memphis, the blues grew, rock ‘n’ roll began, and the fight for civil rights made huge strides. At the same time, soul music developed at an amazing speed. When you walk through Graceland, Elvis Presley’s last home, or the National Civil Rights Museum, which is right where Martin Luther King was shot, you’ll feel like you’re in a live history museum. The unique landmarks and attractions that give Bluff City its character and identity today mix with historic mixed-use buildings, a waterfront that is becoming more and more popular, and diverse areas where tourists can meet locals and enjoy the nightlife (especially concerts) and many new hotels.
Adventures in nature and cities
There are lots of things to do in modern Memphis, especially if you like animals. The Peabody is a well-known five-star hotel in Memphis. There is a royal procession of ducks that spend their days relaxing near the beautiful fountain at the entrance. Every day at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., a large group of curious people meet to watch these residents walk from their fancy homes to the fountain. The downtown pub Silky O’Sullivan’s on Beale Street has great barbecue, but the goats that love beer are what make it famous. While you drink beer outside, watch the goats climb the tower that was built just for them. It’s worth checking out Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid to see its cypress swamp, a small piece of nature inside the shop where some alligators live. Then, take the biggest standalone elevator in the country to the top floor to see views of Memphis that you’ll never forget. You can explore the Mississippi River by canoe, kayak, or boat, and the Big River Crossing is the longest bridge that crosses the river. From the glass viewing deck, you can see the river and the Big River Crossing.
Nearby music
Beale Street has a lot of lighting signs and is where great musicians like WC Handy and BB King played and kept the Memphis Blues alive. It was made public by the US Congress in 1977 that Beale Street was the “Home of the Blues.” Go to Rum Boogie or BB King’s Blues Club to get a feel for this famous street. The blues, like a lot of other things that make Memphis appealing, show how the brave and sensitive people who have lived in the city have shaped its past. The Smithsonian Institution created the Memphis Rock’n’Soul Museum. Other interesting places to visit include the Sun Studio, where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash got their start, and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, which is in the old Stax label studio where big names like Booker T. and the MGs and Otis Redding recorded their hits.