There is a place i believe in Tunic MS (about 2 hours drive from memphis) called 2nd or little graceland. I t is a Very Unique guy who has all different Elvis Memorobilia it is amazing.

Random Suggestion!
If you all get the chance to Come to Birmingham Alabama i could show to all some amazing places such as: The Civil rights museum, The 2nd Largest Iron Statue(Vulcan), and Free Food @ my familys Restaurant, and many more. About anything you are looking for. Call me if yall come here
Simon Ranelli
205-222-0363- Cell
256-352-2936- Home

See Memphis for next to nothing!
JFox's Guide to making the most out of your money in the Mid South


Part one: Attractions

There are many must see attractions in Memphis for the eager visitor to explore like the National Civil Rights Museum, the FABULOUS zoo (We have PANDAS!!!!), Sun Studios and Stax records just to name a few. 50 dollars a day may not get you very far on the East and West coast of the USA but here in the south, you can have a lot of fun on 50 dollars if you know how to use it.

Free/ Cheap Activities and Attractions

Gibson Guitar Factory:
There are over 4 million dollars worth of guitars on the factory floor! Gibson is a neat place to visit. See how one of America's greatest guitars are made. The very name 'Gibson' is enough to make most musicians drool. Factory tours are 10 dollars but if you guys can round up 8 people or more, you can get the group price of 8 dollars per person. On top of that, go to this address for a 50% off coupon.
http://www.memphistravel.com/coupons_att.asp
That makes admission only 4USD!!!

National Civil Rights Museum:
A wonderful monument to the struggle for racial equality and civil rights and memorial to civil rights leader Martin Luther King who was assassinated in Memphis. Go on a monday between 3-5 in the afternoon and you can get in for free.

Memphis Zoo:
Beautiful world class zoo. Now with PANDAS! The Memphis Zoo offers free admission on tuesdays from 2-5 in the afternoon for Tennessee residents so make friends with a local and use their Tennessee ID to get in for free!

Peabody Hotel and the Peabody Ducks:
It's quirky and cute and free! The Peabody is a neat place to hang out, people watch, and grab an afternoon drink. If it's chilly, perhaps it would be a good place to stop by for a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. A Memphis historic landmark.

A. Schwab's Dry Goods Store:
The only original business still on Beale. Opened in 1876, A. Schwab's is the oldest family owned and operated business in Memphis. It is a very entertaining place visit. It's like a garage sale or going through someone's attic. You never know what you'll find in there. Everything from Voodoo paraphernalia to 99 cent ties to the largest collection of hats in Memphis. It's wacky and cool and there's always something new and different. Awesome place for cheap random stuff. Last time I was in there, most everything was around 10-15 dollars or less. If you don't feel like shopping, you could always goof off and rummage through old boxes for burried treasure to play with. That's what I do!

South Main Historic District:
Lots of refurbished old memphis buildings. Many are now art galleries and antique shops. Nice place to walk around. Some places might even have Christmas decorations up by then. The area around South Main is quickly becoming one of Memphis's most trendy places to live.

Collierville Historic Town Square:
Once only connected to Memphis via a two lane unlit highway, Collierville is now a part of the Memphis metro area about a 30 minute drive from East Memphis or about 45 from Downtown. The square is a preserved piece of the small country town that it used to be half a century ago and a nice get away from the hustle and bustle of downtown and east Memphis. Lots of antique shops, an old train station, and several really good places to eat that cover every budget and taste.

Slightly more expensive but still affordable:

Stax Records:
The old Stax records is now the Museum of American Soul (AKA Soulville USA). Celebrates famous Memphis Soul (Soul is another style of music that started in Memphis) artists such as Booker T, Al Green (AKA The Rev. He still lives in Memphis), Otis Redding and more. Admission is 9USD but if you can find enough people to make 15, its 7.50USD per person.

Sun Studios:
"If Music were a religion, then Memphis would be its Jerusalem and Sun Studios it's most sacred shrine."
The birthplace of Rock and Roll, Sun studios is where legends such as Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis got their big break. A holy land for rock and roll fans and the only recording studio in America designated as a National Historic Landmark.
I THINK admission is 8 dollars but don't take my word for it. I've been getting conflicting answers. I have yet to stop by Sun even though I drove by it regularly for years (shame on me I know) so I can't tell you if it's worth the price or not. But you can get a printable online coupon good or 2 dollars off admission at this address:
http://www.memphistravel.com/coupons_att.asp

Riverboat Ride:
Take a sightseeing cruise along the banks of the mighty Mississippi river on board a classic riverboat! Can't beat the view. Its so peaceful drifting down the Mississippi on a classic riverboat. At 18 dollars its pricey and a stretch for your budget but worth it. Boats leave from the docks at 2:30 in the afternoon and arrive back around 4. Perhaps this could be a splurge activity?

This should give you more then enough options to pick from to fill your days with activities. It there's a specific type of activity you're looking for, let me know and I'll pass on more location specific information.

Next post will cover the only thing more famous then music in Memphis... the food!!!!

Goto to the hotel where Martin Luther King was shot, and dont miss the zoo!

Oh and while you're in Tennessee you should definately check out Fall Creek Falls state park - its absolutely beautiful.

penny, the hotel is next to where the Museum is now. It's part of the exhibit

Yeah, the zoo is a must. The architecture is amazing. They've rebuilt the zoo one exhibit at a time since I was a little girl. I've seen it change in leaps and bounds.

Check out the statues in front of the egyptian gates! My family is the only one to have their name on TWO statues out front.

It's the gorilla and the gator closest to the gate on the right side. Fun to climb on!

While in Memphis the group should do a H.A.L.O jump ( a skydive from 28,000 feet)only 45 min. from Memphis at West Tenn Skydiving. The company HALOJUMPERS.COM is the only one in the UNITED STATES that will take passangers on Tandem skydive from 28 to 30 thousand feet. You can visit the web site to see who has made their first jump from that high.

I found this place when i was going through tennessee a few years ago.. it seems like a really cool place if you love food and good blues music. hope it helps.
Historic Downtown Memphis, Beale St.
A historic area of downtown Memphis, TN, Beale Street is lined with restaurants, clubs, and shops. Including the famous B.B. King's Blues Club, where people from all over the country come to hear the very best in blues. For nearly as long as Memphis has been around, Beale Street has been a place where people have gathered for food and music. Every year, Memphis In May puts on the Beale Street Music Festival; a three day music concert event right next to Beale Street, to celebrate the music. Memphis is a one of a kind city for blues music, from W.C. Handy to B.B. King. Downtown Memphis is your night time destination. Whether you are out for dinner and a movie, or shopping, or even looking for a place to hang out a while, Beale Street is your place. There are so many different things to see and do you will have to come back just to get to everything. Music clubs, bars, and a short distance away, Peabody Place. Peabody Place is downtown's premeire shopping destination. Tower Records, Dan McGuiness, and several other great places to shop, eat, and have fun.

Beale Street is Memphis's main entertainment district. Beale is to Memphis as Burbon Street is to New Orleans. There's something going on there every night year round

As a local, my honest advice is to get the obvious stuff out of the way first. (Things like Beale Street, Graceland, Sun Studios, and Corky's.) Beale and Graceland are two things Memphis is most known for, but they're very touristy. Beale ain't cheap, either. If you're looking for a true local experience, don't focus on them. Do them -- because as outsiders, I guess it's almost an obligation -- and get on to more interesting things. I've already made my suggestions.

I guess I'm a bit sick of travel shows featuring only the same things about this town. It's always Graceland or Beale or bar-b-que. You'd think we have nothing else.

It's like visiting Minneapolis/St. Paul and only featuring the Mall of America. It's neat, but it's not the true face of the area. Too bad you guys can't visit Minneapolis on this trip. I lived there for four years in college, and it's a great, great city. Hell, you guys are missing out on the entire midwest! 'Tis a shame.

Edit: Please do let me know if you want to hang out. I have some friends with wheels. My e-mail: didimarsh@gmail.com

Since they were commenting on how big everything was in america send them to the biggest home in america which i happen to live 10 miles from which is the Biltmore estate (in Asheville, NC)which you might have seen as the Rich house in richie rich. Let me just give u some facts real quick, America's largest home boasts 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, an indoor pool, bowling alley, priceless art and antiques. And the floor plan covers a total of 4 acres itself alone, has its own winery and Many gardens not to mention it is 100years old. Just thought this would be an interesting place for them to go since i have been there many times and find it quite interesting.

Okay. One more little suggestion. If you don't mind leaving the city, Meeman Shelby Forest is a good place to visit. It's around 20 miles outside Memphis city limits, so it's a short drive. You'll probably be here in time to see some beautiful fall colors. You can fish and camp and bike, but you could always just go up there for a few hours on a sunny day and hike a while. It's really nice. I used to visit there a lot when I was a kid. Sadly, I haven't been in years.

I posted quite a bit about this in the DC thread. While the TJs are in Memphis the weekend of Nov. 17-19 there is a Pow Wow happening in Millington, TN i saw it is about a 20min drive. I think it would be MORE than worth it for the TJs to experience something so wonderful!! ask me and i will give as much information as i can. I have emailed the American Indian Association of Millington and I will post any and all information they share with me. If anyone in the Memphis area can help, tha twould be wonderful as i live in DC but have worked for a tribe in michigan....
http://www.americanindianassoc.com/

thank God these guys are going to the south..there is nothing like it. they should take a roadtrip through the countryside in Tennessee and find the real hillbillies. i dont know if non-americans realize that hardcore rednecks really exist :P let's see some of those cross-eyed, inbred, banjo-plucking hill people *"dueling banjos" plays in background*