Attractions
Memphis - Ride The Ducks
See Memphis by land and water aboard one amazing vehicle, an amphibious D.U.K.W. Ducks are vehicles that were designed for use during WWII to transport troops and supplies from ship to shore. The history, humor, and heroes of the town can be discovered through the entertaining and informative narration on board Ride The Ducks, which cruise the streets of downtown as well as the waterways of the Mississippi. The unique sightseeing attraction offers a fun and fascinating expedition of downtown Memphis.
Location: Third Street and Union Avenue, downtown Memphis
Telephone: (901) 521 3825, or toll-free 1877 88 78225
E-mail: info@memphisducks.com
Web site: www.memphisducks.com
Opening times: Daily tours depart frequently from April to November
Admission: $17.95 (adults), $10.95 (children 3-12)
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Memphis - Graceland
Memphis' biggest attraction is the second-most visited house in the United States after the White House. The Graceland Mansion and its attendant buildings and attractions were home to the 'King of Rock 'n Roll', Elvis Presley, who died in 1977. Thousands of fans of all ages still make pilgrimages here to tour the house, grounds and visit his grave. Mansion tours are offered with audio players describing the rooms and memorabilia. Also open for viewing is the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum housing the star's renowned 1955 pink Cadillac, a collection of Elvis' personal belongings, and a re-creation of an airport terminal where the singer's two private jets are on display. As of March 2006, Graceland joins the White House, Mount Vernon and Monticello as a National Historic Landmark, the USA's highest designation for historic properties, usually accorded to the homes of American presidents. Long live the King.
Location: Elvis Presley Boulevard
Ticking: Reservations office: (800) 238 2000
E-mail: glsales@elvis.com
Website: www.elvis.com
Opening time: Open daily. Ticket office open Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 5pm, and Sunday 9.30am to 4pm (From November to February hours are daily 9.30am to 4pm). The mansion tour is closed on Tuesdays (November to February). All operations are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas
Admission: Mansion tour: $22 (adults), $19.80 (seniors and students), $7 (children 7-12)
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Memphis - Sun Studio
Visitors who come to Memphis to pay homage to Elvis Presley inevitably are also keen to visit the legendary recording studio in Union Avenue where the King of rock 'n roll's career, and that of numerous other stars, began. The story is that Elvis first walked into the Sun Studio in the early 1950s to record a song as a birthday present for his mother. The rest is musical history, now enshrined in the studio that also launched the likes of Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis on the road to stardom. Visitors to the studio can hear outtakes from recording sessions, touch Elvis' first microphone, view a great deal of memorabilia and listen to anecdotes. Alongside the studio is the Sun Studio Café, a diner that retains its 1950s style and is still a favorite musician's hangout.
Location: Union Avenue
Telephone: (901) 521 0664
E-mail: info@sunstudio.com
Website: www.sunstudio.com
Opening time: Daily 10am to 6pm, with public tours starting every hour on the half-hour, beginning at 10.30am
Admission: Guided performance tour: $9.50 per person; children under twelve free; children under three not allowed. No reservations necessary
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Memphis - Memphis Rock ‘n Soul Museum
A collection of rare recordings, vintage films and musician interviews along with photographs, and interactive exhibits makes up the "Social Crossroads" exhibition put together by the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibition fills seven galleries and covers the development of American popular music over the past century, from gospel to blues and rock, with exhibits such as costumes and guitars from performers like Elvis Presley, Ike Turner's piano and B.B. King's 'Lucille' guitar. An audio guide is available and takes visitors on a tour of the music that was the biggest influence on culture and lifestyle in the 20th century.
Location: FedExForum Plaza, one block south of Beale Street
Telephone: (901) 205 2533
E-mail: info@memphisrocknsoul.org
Web site: www.memphisrocknsoul.org
Opening time: Daily 10am and 7pm; tours are one hour
Admission: (adults); $6 (children 5-17) Group discounts available
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Memphis - Pink Palace Museum
The Pink Palace, a soubriquet bestowed on this elaborate pink marble Memphis mansion by the locals, was intended to be a luxury home for the founder of the Piggy Wiggly chain of supermarkets, Clarence Saunders, when he began building it back in the 1920s. Before the ostentatious mansion that dominates Central Avenue was completed Saunders declared bankruptcy, and the homestead ended up in the hands of the city of Memphis for use as a museum. The Pink Palace Museum is devoted to culture and natural history, it's origins preserved in the form of a replica of the first self-service grocery store in the country, Saunders' Piggly Wiggly. Visitors can also explore dioramas, exhibits and audio-visual displays that trace Memphis' development from the arrival of the Spanish explorers through the Civil War and yellow fever epidemics. Dinosaurs and fossils also feature, as does an excellent medical-history section. The museum includes a planetarium and an Imax theater.
Location: Central Avenue
Telephone: (901) 320 6320
E-mail: more_info@memphismuseums.org
Web site: www.memphismuseums.org
Opening time: Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am until 5pm, and Sunday from 12pm until 5pm. Closed Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, New Years Day and Thanksgiving
Admission: Museum: $8.25 (adults), $5.75 (children); Imax: $8 (adults), $6.25 (children); Planetarium: $4.50 (adults), $4 (children). Combination tickets for Museum/Planetarium/Imax available
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Memphis - Mud Island River Park
Mud Island in the Mississippi River offers a fascinating insight into the famous river with a series of fun and informative attractions. The island emerged in the river in 1900 and was turned into a 52-acre park. Main attractions on the island are the Mississippi River Museum, an amphitheater where touring acts perform during summer, a huge swimming pool and a display of the Memphis Belle, a famous B-17 bomber from World War II. The highlight of a visit to Mud Island, however, is the unique and fascinating River Walk, a scaled down replica of the lower Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois to New Orleans in Louisiana. The River walk is five blocks long and represents a journey of 1,000 miles.
Location: 125 North Front Street
Telephone: (800) 507 6507 or (901) 576 7241
Web site: www.mudisland.com
Transport: Monorail from Front Street
Opening time: April 8 to May 26; Sept. 5 to Oct. 31 10am-5pm; May 27 to Sept 4 10am-6pm. Closed Mondays. Last admission is one hour before closing
Admission: $8 (adults), $5 (children 5-12), includes museum admission, roundtrip monorail ride and guided river walk tour. General park admission is free
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Memphis - Memphis Botanic Garden
The Memphis Botanic Gardens are a sensory delight through which to stroll at any time of year. The 96-acre site at Audobon Park, in the east of the city comprises 22 formal gardens each focussing on a theme or species, ranging from a tranquil Japanese garden to the magnificent Municipal Rose Garden, an organic vegetable garden and a tropical conservatory. Highlights are the Ketchum Memorial Iris Garden, at its best in April and May, and a Sensory Garden designed to be enjoyed by the disabled.
Location: 750 Cherry Road
Telephone: (901) 685 1566
Web site: www.memphisbotanicgarden.com
Opening time: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm (April to October); Monday to Saturday 9am to 4.30pm, Sunday 11am to 4.30pm (November to March)
Admission: $5 (adults), $3 (children 3-12)
