Schmap Memphis The Elvis Tour

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Memphis - The Elvis Tour
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To do the full Elvis Tour, you would have to travel south to Mississippi to see the King's birthplace in Tupelo; however, most of his adult life was spent in Memphis. The place to start is Graceland, of course. Situated a few miles south of downtown, Graceland is actually a complex of buildings. First, buy your tour tickets in the Visitors Center, where you can also shop for souvenirs. The mansion itself is where you'll find the famous Jungle Room, with its shag carpeting and fake waterfall. At the end of the tour, you will come to the Meditation Garden, site of Elvis' grave. In separate buildings (and with separate tickets), you can see Elvis' airplanes, view a collection of his favorite cars and motorcycles, and see his personal possessions and home movies in the Sincerely, Elvis museum. Right up the road is Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel, where you can stay if one night of Elvis immersion isn't enough for you.

No consideration of Elvis' life would be complete without a visit to Sun Studio. This still-functioning studio was started by Sam Phillips in 1950 in order to record the local sounds of blues musicians such as B.B. King and W.C. Handy. When Phillips spotted Elvis performing, he recognized the potential for spreading the popularity of black music to a broader audience.

Circle back to Beale Street for dinner at Elvis Presley's Memphis restaurant, where fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches are on the menu. The building, at Beale and Second, formerly housed Lansky's clothing store, where Elvis bought the suit he wore on the Ed Sullivan show.

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Downtown

Memphis
United States

Downtown Memphis grew from the warehouses that stored cotton and other goods shipped up and down the Mississippi River. For much of Memphis' history, this meant that the riverfront was just a place for commerce. Now, when you take a ride on the paddlewheel boats that run regular tours from the Memphis harbor, you can spot joggers on the Riverfront Walk, visitors on Mud Island and elegant homes along the bluffs (including Cybill Shepard's--look for the round window). Visitors can take a beautifully restored trolley car up Main Street and stop at the Pyramid arena, grab a bite and a brew in one of the Pinch Historic District pubs, loop back to the south to see the Orpheum Theatre and continue on down to the Civil Rights Museum, located in the old Lorraine Motel, site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel

Heart-shaped pool and themed suites 3677 Elvis Presley Boulevard
(Across from Graceland off I-55)
Memphis, TN 38116
United States
+1 901 332 1000 / +1 901 777 0606
http://www.epheartbreakhotel.com/ The Elvis Presley Corporation took over a Wilson World Hotel in 1998 and renovated it to create one of the most unusual and fun places to stay in the country. The lobby is furnished in retro, 1950s-style furniture in bright colors and animal prints. The gold, harlequin patterned walls form a backdrop for photos of Elvis, while the Jungle Room cocktail lounge is decorated in gold lame and sequins. Even the pool is heart-shaped to evoke images from the song "Heartbreak Hotel." Guestrooms are a similar mix of kitsch and glamour; each contains a kitchenette with microwave oven. This place is a must for anyone who loved "The King."

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Graceland

The house that Elvis built 3754 Elvis Presley Boulevard
(South of Winchester)
Memphis, TN 38116
United States
+1 901 322 3322/ +1 800 238 2000
http://www.elvis-presley.com This is it—the second most visited house in the United States—preserved exactly as when Elvis Presley lived here, complete with the Jungle Room and shag carpeting. Elvis' grave is also here and can be viewed free from 6a-7:30a. Additionally, you can tour the auto museum, see the Lisa Marie and Jetstar airplanes, and view the Sincerely Elvis exhibit. On August 16, the anniversary of Elvis' death, a candlelight vigil draws fans worldwide. Mansion tour: USD22 adults, USD19.80 seniors over 62, USD7 children 7-12; free for children under 6. Varying prices for the other attractions.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Sun Studio

Where Elvis got his start 706 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
United States
+1 901 521 0664 / +1 901 441 6249
http://www.sunstudio.com/ Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King: they all recorded here at Sun Studio. Founded by Sam Phillips in 1950, this studio became the heart of the Memphis sound. It is still a functioning studio, and modern musicians still record here to try to acquire a little of the magic. Take a tour and see exhibits relating to the artists who recorded here, including Carl Perkins, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and, of course, Elvis. Many visitors to Memphis cite this tour as the highlight of their stay.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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