There are so many causes to go to Memphis! Admittedly, the highest of thoughts for me was the barbecue and different Southern delicacies, however this gem has a lot extra to supply.
I used to be pleasantly shocked to seek out out that Memphis has a deep historical past associated to the Civil Rights Movement and Blues music. All of those are centered within the downtown space, in order that made planning a visit straightforward. If you’ve got a weekend, it is possible for you to to hit all of the historic spots and pattern Southern meals too in Downtown Memphis.
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1. Listen to Blues music
Immerse your self within the music scene and the birthplace of Blues on Beale Street. Anchoring the road is B.B. King’s Blues Club which frequently has a line. Music will be heard tumbling out from all of the venues lining the road.
Scattered across the metropolis are different websites which can be necessary to the historical past of Blues, like Sun Studio, the Soul Museum, and Blues Hall.
Memphis can be the place the Mississippi Blues Trail begins and snakes its method to Mississippi. Along its stops are well-known American Soul music venues, museums, and eating places Blues legends as soon as frequented.
2. Take a deep dive into historical past and see the connection of Memphis to the Civil Rights Movement
It was actually attention-grabbing to go to the National Civil Rights Museum on the Lorraine Motel. The web site is the place Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
The museum has a set circuit that begins on the floor ground and contains reveals, a brief movie, and plenty of historical past concerning the Black expertise in America. It takes about one to 2 hours to see all the pieces and ends at MLK’s room which has been preserved.
Adjacent to the Lorraine Motel is one other constructing, the boarding home the place the shooter was staying and fired the shot that killed MLK. On show are artifacts and theories on why James Earl Ray dedicated the crime.
I received a refresher on American historical past and the Civil Rights Movement throughout my go to, and it is among the finest issues I did in Memphis.
The cause why Martin Luther King visited Memphis was to indicate assist for the sanitation staff that have been on strike. The plaza is exterior the Clayborn Temple, the place the employees gathered with their I AM A MAN indicators and marched to City Hall.
Today, I AM MAN Plaza has a timeline of the strike and contains particulars of MLK’s assist and eventual assassination, in addition to how the strike ended with the employees getting extra advantages.
In the middle of the plaza is a placing monument that declares I AM A MAN.
3. Try some good, old school Southern delicacies
Admittedly, I journey to attempt native cuisines and Memphis didn’t disappoint!
Central BBQ
Across the road from the Lorraine Motel is Central BBQ, probably the greatest Memphis barbecue eating places! What I actually appreciated is their completely different sorts of barbecue sauces – gentle, sizzling, candy warmth, mustard, and vinegar. It introduced the smoked meats to a unique stage. The meals is reasonably priced with humongous servings too.
Arcade Diner
One of the oldest eating places in Memphis is the Arcade restaurant. It is a traditional diner on South Main Street that has been serving locals and vacationers since 1919. It even has a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich that’s stated to be Elvis Presley’s favourite.
The Arcade is a well-liked film web site too. Jerry Lee Lewis’ biopic Great Balls of Fire, Walk the Line, The Firm, and The Client are simply among the motion pictures filmed there.
Gus’ Fried Chicken
What’s a cease within the South with out some fried hen? Luckily, one other Memphis establishment, Gus’ Fried Chicken, can be downtown. Aside from the tremendous juicy and well-spiced hen, you can even attempt different Southern specialties like fried inexperienced tomatoes, fried okra, and chess pie.
4. Start your journey on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail
The Old Dominick Distillery just lately opened within the metropolis, they usually supply excursions and tastings. The liquor maker has an attention-grabbing historical past that features their whiskey recipe misplaced due to the enterprise closing throughout The Prohibition Era and located by likelihood just lately by the household. They even have vodka, gin, and souvenirs on the market of their present store.
It is a part of the Tenessee Whiskey Trail, a gaggle of craft distillers and big-name manufacturers, like Jack Daniels and George Dickel, which can be a part of the path that crisscrosses the state. At every cease, you may get a passport stamped and a poker chip as a memento. When you replenish the passport, you’ll obtain a particular Tennessee Whiskey Trail Poker set.
Fun reality: for a whiskey to be known as “Tenessee Whiskey,” it must be distilled in Tennessee, filtered by way of maple charcoal, and aged in charred oak barrels.
5. Walk round Downtown Memphis
The downtown space is surprisingly walkable. And in case you like strolling, it is possible for you to to get a greater really feel of the town. Of course, no journey is full with out seeing the mighty Mississippi River. You can begin on the Memphis Pyramid, which at present homes a Bass Pro Shop. There is an elevator that you would be able to journey to see the Memphis skyline. It can be the best way to go to the restaurant on the pyramid tip and have dinner or joyful hour.
Then enterprise south alongside Main Street to think about the bustling thoroughfare that was full of retailers and companies that shipped their items on the Mississippi.
The Memphis Cotton Museum is a small however informative web site that explains the significance of cotton to the area. Their show of cotton costs is so attention-grabbing and well-preserved.
The Peabody Hotel is legendary for its brunches, so if you’d like (or want!) a lux meal, then get able to eat your coronary heart out. It can be iconic due to its Mallard geese that stroll by way of the lodge foyer every single day at 11 am and 5 pm.
Markers of the Blues path and different historic info will be discovered all through the downtown space, which makes the stroll entertaining and academic. Plus, there’s a ton of road artwork to see and snap footage of.
There are loads of kid-friendly actions in Downtown Memphis too:
- Memphis Zoo
- Memphis Botanic Garden
- Pink Palace Museum aka The Memphis Museum of Science & History
- Memphis Brooks Museum
Other locations to encourage your journey lust in Tennessee
If you need to enterprise out of downtown, there are different cute neighborhoods and much more eating places to attempt! Over by the airport is Elvis Presley’s Graceland. Where for a dear ticket, guests can stroll by way of the house and property to take a peak into the King of Rock n’ Roll’s life.
In case you’ve got time for an prolonged keep or street journey, listed here are different issues to do round Tenessee:
Nashville is about 4 hours away by automotive, and if you’re a rustic music fan, Lower Broadway or Honky Tonk Highway is a must-visit.
While you’re in Nashville, attempt some sizzling hen from Hattie B’s. The hen is battered, fried, and coated in a spicy sauce. How spicy, it relies on what you may deal with! I additionally suggest the pimento mac n’ cheese, it’s so good!
The Great Smokey Mountains has all types of mountain climbing trails for individuals who need to see the unbelievable vistas to hard-core hikers. The nationwide park is nearer Knoxville, about an hour away by automotive.
The Tennessee Whiskey Trail continues out east into the state, with a lot of the distilleries centered round Nashville and Knoxville. You ought to undoubtedly make plans to go to the Jack Daniels Distillery, which is an hour away from Nashville.
Are you able to journey to Memphis?
These are simply among the 5 issues to do in downtown Memphis and the remainder of Tennessee. Obviously, this isn’t intensive to any extent! Where have you ever been in Memphis that you just liked visiting?
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