What is memphis famous for

In , Martin Luther King Jr. The museum takes you through the inspiring and challenging journey of the civil rights movement and the significant part Martin Luther played in the struggle. It contains numerous photographs, exhibits, memorabilia, newspaper prints and three dimensional scenes of the revolutionary movement.

The Beale Street is the most visited attraction of the state of Tennessee and I can see why. The cobbled pathway is home to some of the most unique, quirky and authentic shops and restaurants of the city. Handy Park for its wide array of pop-up shops. The Peabody hotel has been an institution to the locals of Memphis as it has stood the test of time and many generations have enjoyed the fruits of this historic building.

The march of the mallards or ducks is the most quirky tradition that takes place here where a group of ducks walk in a crooked line from the elevator to the lobby fountain and simply put, this cannot be missed.

The sun studio is a historical recording studio located in downtown Memphis and was opened in the year Many legendary singers have performed here such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Ray Orbison and Carl Perkins but the most iconic singer who recorded here was a truck driver named Elvis Presley and his talent was first recognized here by the owner and assistant of the studio. The Malco summer drive-in was opened in the year and is a two-screen open air theatre where you can choose from one of the two films and watch the movie while sitting in your car.

This is operational only during the summer seasons because of the harsh weather conditions during the winter months. The Malco summer drive-in allows you to have an old-school and nostalgic experience which involves viewers tucked inside a warm blanket and munching on your favourite snacks.

The central barbeque is considered to be one of the best restaurants in Memphis city and unlike some of its contemporaries; this place is a well-known hang out space for college students and hence, has a youthful vibe. The mouth-watering dishes that you can try here include ribs, pork shoulder, potato chips, loin back ribs, smoked wings and their famous BBQ nachos that are served with pulled pork, cheddar cheese, jalapenos and topped with delicious home-made sauces.

Baseball is the quintessential all-American game which should be experienced by a first time visitor in order to have a wholesome trip. There is no better place to enjoy this sport than the 11 acre stadium facility known as the AutoZone Park. Here, you can boy hotdogs and beer from concession stands and come take your seat among 14, other spectators and the best part is you can bring your dog!

The Shelby farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States and contains a restaurant, event centres, a dog park and playgrounds. The Park also has many wooded areas that have trails lined with trees and striking sceneries where you can get some exercise or just take a casual stroll. The Shelby Farms Park also has multiple water bodies which give you the opportunity for canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding and pedal boating.

The pink palace museum contains an extensive and permanent exhibit of the natural and cultural history of the city such as the Clyde park circus, Native American pottery, fossils and exhibits relating to the history of slavery and the Civil war. There is also a 3D theatre which showcases educational films and the planetarium where you can do stargazing and learn about the outer space as well as astronomy.

Today, it houses numerous retail stores as well as a wilderness lodge named the big cypress lodge. The Botanic Garden of Memphis is massive in size as it contains 31 speciality Gardens such as the pre-historic plant trail where you will visit the stone caves, look at buried fossils and learn about the history of dinosaurs. You will have a transformational sensory experience at the fragrance garden where the power of smell will make your soul dance.

The well-known Japanese Garden is a crowd-puller because of its serene Koi ponds and you will learn about the practices regarding the preservation of plants from Japan.

The Memphis zoo is one of the largest indoor animal facilities in America as well as the oldest as it was opened in the year The zoo is home to 3, animals belonging to different species and the area is divided into various zones such as the teton trek that is home to grizzly bears, timber wolves and river otters. The Northwest Passage houses the ultimate crowd pleasers- polar bears and sea lions that even perform at an amphitheatre.

The African Veldt contains white Rhinos, giraffes, zebras and elephants. The cat country includes leopards, lions, cheetahs, Bengal Tigers, Jaguars and snow Leopards, among many others. The most famous landmark of this place is the river walk which is part of the Mississippi River museum where you can travel back in time to 10, years ago. The river walk takes you through 18 galleries that showcase the rich history of the city, the tales of adventure and a life size replica of a river boat.

There are also many river side cafes where you can stop to catch a bite and give your feet some rest. The cooper-young historic district is a culturally diverse neighbourhood of this city and it offers its visitors an array of restaurants, shops and art galleries to enjoy. Some of the best restaurants here include the pie in the sky, the soul fish cafe, Java Cabana and Cafe Casablanca. Cooper-young also has a number of shopping outlets for you to empty your wallets at such as light years vintage and flashback as well as art galleries like carved designs.

Lastly, you can worship at the central Christian church and the first congregational church, among a few others. The Brooks museum of art happens to be the largest and oldest museum in the state of Tennessee and within its vicinity it includes the Cafe Brooks, the Brooks museum of art, a grand terrace and the Holly Court Garden.

The museum contains 29 galleries showcasing paintings from the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and 20th century artists. It also has a research library of 5, volumes and an auditorium. The museum houses an impressive collection of English portraits by Gainsborough, Lawrence and Reynolds as well as contemporary artists such as Carroll Cloar, a Memphis native. Here, you can learn about rural music such as gospel hymns and ballads sung by workers and about the sharecroppers who moved to the city in search for jobs at cotton mills.

The Woodruff-Fontaine house is a French Victorian mansion with 3 storeys built in and is well-known for its splendid architecture and the history of the two wealthy families that lived here.

You can partake in a guided tour around the mansion and survey its many antiquities and serene furniture but the reason for the fascination behind this house lies in the paranormal activities experienced by visitors.

Some people say they can hear and see a female entity sitting on a bed in a room and she is allegedly the ghost of Mollie Woodruff and just a heads up, she also likes to roam around the house. During the war of , the strong union land and river forces captured the city of Memphis and this led to bloodshed and loss of life on a massive scale and the martyred soldiers were buried at this cemetery.

About 13, soldiers lie buried here and more than 8, of them are unidentified bodies. The number of graves increased after the USS Sultana sank in and the dead crew of the ship was buried alongside the soldiers. The Stax museum tells the story of soul music in Memphis but also the history of racial divide and eventual triumph. The museum starts with showing a film about the different artists who were part of the Stax studio during its heyday such as Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.

There are numerous listening stations where you can enjoy the melodies such as soul man, try a little tenderness, knock on wood, last night and sitting on the dock of a bay. At the end, you will learn about the heartbreaking end of the studio which involved bankruptcy and the final days.

However, you can also try other dishes here such as the BBQ nachos, Frito pie, muffuletta sandwiches, blue mushroom burger and spicy tamales. The Dixon gallery and garden is a perfect way to spend a pleasant evening as it has a fine arts gallery and a public garden within its vicinity.

The exhibits in the gallery are temporary and changing as well as a permanent collection of 2, objects including French impressionist paintings. You can either survey the variety of artistic and decorative objects housed here or you can enjoy a lovely picnic with your loved ones in the Garden. Not just downtown Memphis, but the whole of the Memphis area is a cosy home to Blues scenes. And to experience that, the ultimate club you can visit is B.

Kings Blues Club. Though there are four other outlets present in the United States, the branch in Downtown Memphis, opened in , was the first to have opened all around and also the most popular among all the outlets. Located on the famous Beale Street, the club extends up to two levels, complete with a dance floor and a talented in-house band.

The menu is mind-blowing — primarily Southern-style soul food - with their most ordered items being the barbeque and signature drinks. Farmers Market is a common occurrence everywhere, whatever kind of city that might be.

Downtown Memphis, therefore, also seems to have its own. Memphis City Farmers Market is a weekly market, non-profit in nature, as it is handled by vendors and artisans all on their own. Today, the three-block area is full of shopping, restaurants, theaters and nightclubs, many featuring live music. A: Lots of Memphis activities are great for both parents and kids. Almost all attractions keep their younger visitors in mind with information and activities geared toward them.

Other kid-friendly attractions include:. A: Memphis is known for its barbecue, especially Memphis-style dry ribs. To wash down the delicious food, visit one of the city's craft breweries, such as Wiseacre Brewing Company and Memphis Made Brewing Company. A: Memphis is hot in the summer with July temperatures at 91 degrees F.

Memphis gets some rain, higher than the U. A separate building contains a collection of his favorite cars, including his famous pink Cadillac, a purple Cadillac convertible, and the red MG he drove in Blue Hawaii. You can also see Elvis's two airplanes, where you can step aboard his lavish Convair to admire its gold-plated seatbelts and leather-covered tables.

A variety of admission options are available, including a deluxe package with accommodation at the Heartbreak Hotel across the road. Official site: www. A stroll down Beale Street, nicknamed the "Home of the Blues," is one of the first places to visit in Memphis. Louis Blues. It's also home to the famous A. Schwab dry goods store. Founded in , the store's motto is, "If you can't find it at A. Schwab, you don't need it! This central area is also home to many other fun things to do — music-related and otherwise — such as pay a visit to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame , with its exhibits of local music legends, instruments, memorabilia, and rare recordings.

Be sure to check the historic Orpheum Theatre for performances and shows during your Memphis visit. Built in , it's well worth popping in for a look at its well-preserved interior and original Wurlitzer organ. Beal Street is also lined with numerous casual restaurants, many of them serving Southern-inspired food.

The studio itself is still used by recording artists, with more recent recordings being made by John Mellencamp and Chris Isaak. It's a fascinating look into the recording process, and a free shuttle service is available from Graceland and the Rock 'n' Soul Museum. A great way to maximise your enjoyment of this top-rated Memphis attraction is to join a popular guided tour that includes Sun Studio admission.

These fun minute tours include admission, a professional tour guide, free parking, and a discount voucher for use in the on-site souvenir shop. The Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum was created by the Smithsonian to highlight musical pioneers from the s through to the s.

There are seven fun galleries to explore, each with a digital audio tour including songs. Other exhibits include costumes, more than 30 instruments, and other music-related items, including the costumes worn by the early stars.

Featured galleries deal with the early years of music in Memphis, Sun Records, soul music, rural music, and culture, as well as disco. Another Memphis music attraction worth a visit is the famous Gibson Guitar Factory , which offers a fascinating look at the making of these fine instruments. The building is now occupied by the National Civil Rights Museum, which traces the history of civil rights movements in the US.

Its centerpiece is the hotel room and balcony on which King was killed, now marked by a white wreath. This thought-provoking museum includes a number of excellent interactive displays, as well as artifacts from the Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka case and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Mississippi River Park and Museum. Mud Island — also known as Festival Island — houses the Riverwalk, a three-quarter-mile-long model showing the course of the Mississippi all the way from Cairo, Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico.

At the scaled-down gulf, visitors can hop aboard a pedal boat and relax on the water while enjoying views of the Memphis skyline. The model is part of the Mississippi River Museum , the central attraction of this family park, with its excellent galleries and a reproduction of an steamboat.

Other highlights include the Hall of River Music and a collection of native artifacts. The island is also home to Mississippi River Park, with its many walking and bike trails, pedal boat rentals, plus a 5,seat amphitheater with numerous summer concerts. The best way to get to Mud Island is via the city's suspended monorails. Memphis Zoo. Established in , The Memphis Zoo, home to more than 3, animals representing species, is one of only four zoos in the country to house giant pandas.

Other popular inhabitants include polar bears, sea lions, black bears, bald eagles, and ravens in a naturalistic environment called the Northwest Passage, while Cat Country is home to both predators and prey, including lions, tigers, cheetahs, and antelopes.

Other habitats have family favorites such as elephants, giraffes, penguins, several species of primates including the adorable bonobo, and even a farm animal exhibit. Concessions, rides, gift shops, and a discovery center are also available. Guided tours and fun behind-the-scenes encounters are also available. The museum features "everything soul," including detailed exhibits relating to the stars, the music, and its history, as well as artifacts such as instruments and costumes.

Other highlights are a century-old Mississippi Delta church used to display soul's roots in gospel music, and the Soul Train TV show dance floor. Statue at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. The building itself is something of a work of art and includes an interesting cylindrical design in the extension added in the s.

Spread across its 29 galleries is an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures, including works representing the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as Impressionist paintings and American prints. Highlights include works by the likes of Gainsborough and Renoir. Decorative arts, including fine examples of textiles and furniture, are also on display. The grounds are also pleasant and include a large terrace area and garden. Another interesting museum to check out it is the Metal Museum , which features fascinating examples of metalwork by leading American metalsmiths.

The Children's Museum of Memphis CMOM is a godsend for traveling parents and features numerous things to do, including hands-on displays to keep young ones entertained. Highlights include a fun cityscape with kid-sized businesses, including an auto mechanic shop and dentist office, as well as an interactive model of Times Square and a giant Light-Bright wall. Kids can also sit in a flight simulator and a real airplane cockpit, explore the Mississippi River, climb through the arteries of a giant heart, and ride a bicycle on Mars.

Other highlights include a ride on the Dentzel Grand Carousel, a big-top circus experience, painting and sculpting in the art studio, and fun special events.