Tempt your senses with a trip to Memphis. Besides being home to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s mansion, Memphis has enough tastes, smells, sights, and sounds for any traveler. From old-fashioned-backyard barbecues to toe-tapping rhythm and blues music, it’s hard not to book flights to Memphis for a long weekend or a week-long getaway.
Spend a day in Memphis touring The King’s mansion in Graceland before dining on black-eyed peas and cornbread at one of the city’s local diners. Take a steamboat ride on the Muddy Mississippi River or watch a minor league baseball game at AutoZone Park. Whether you’re channeling Elvis with some old time rock-n-roll or need a little Southern cooking to soothe your soul, a cheap flight to Memphis is a worthwhile visit for any traveler.
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Memphis has four distinct seasons with cold winters and hot summers. Spring and autumn can be varied and unpredictable and severe weather, like thunderstorms and strong winds, are possible during these transitory seasons. Summers are very humid thanks to moisture encroaching from the Gulf of Mexico, even though the temperature rarely reaches great heights. This makes it feel hotter than it is. Winters, by contrast, can be very cold with temperatures below freezing occurring fairly often. Memphis averages 5.7 inches of snow a year. There is plenty of rain to keep the region green, most falling in thunderstorms, but this does not mean there are not plenty of sunny days.
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Peak Season:
May is festival month in Memphis and when most people travel to Memphis. The weather is warm and breezy, the mood is festive and music wafts through the air. Due to school vacations, summer is the busiest travel time in Memphis but it's also when the temperatures are sweltering and humidity is high. If you travel to Memphis during the summer months, pack light and bring your patience -- the city is hot and packed with tourists.
OffSeason:
Fall and winter months are generally unpredictable as it pertains to weather. Heavy rains can hit at any time and while it might not snow, the temperatures can get very cold. If you don't mind packing a jacket and taking a risk, Memphis flights are cheaper and hotel rates are usually discounted during the winter months.
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The most efficient way to cover the sprawling city is by car, although traffic congestion can make it slow, even more so during rush hours. The city is simple to navigate and parking is generally easy to find.
To rent a car drivers must be 21 years old, but most agencies have higher rates for under-25s; some require an International Driving Permit as well as a valid driver's license.
Public transport is available, but consists of slow and infrequent buses, as well as the more useful Main Street Trolley that covers downtown in a circular route.
Taxis are also available and must be booked by phone.
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- Book a trip along the river on the Memphis Queen Line, which operates several paddle-wheelers from March through November. You can take a sightseeing cruise, sunset dinner cruise or party cruise. For the festive traveler, hop on the sunset dinner cruise and enjoy some live Dixieland and big-band music.
- Don't miss a walk down Beale Street while you're in Memphis. Beale Street is where W. C. Handy brought the blues to life when he penned "Memphis Blues" to paper. Today, Beale Street is Memphis' main entertainment district.
- If you travel to Memphis in May, make sure you stop over at the World Championship Barbecue-Cooking Contest.
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