Elvis Angels ~ 3 Days In Memphis

So I’ve teased about my forthcoming blog post covering my recent trip to Memphis, Tennessee and FINALLY here it is!  As I’ve previously mentioned, the Memphis tourism office invited myself, Shauna & SheShe on a fab 3 day trip to experience their fine city … and fine it is! If you’ve never been, I suggest that you bookmark this post for reference because seeing as we worked with the tourism office, we essentially visited/experienced the absolute must-sees that the city has to offer.  Our trip was jam packed and I have so much to cover ~ so let’s get started! 

We each arrived on a Friday night just in time to connect with the Memphis team AND to enjoy a delicious meal at Bounty on Broad located in the Arts District of Memphis. It’s innovative farm-to-table dinner option (and the best EVER brussel sprouts!) were exactly what we needed and, even though we were exhausted from traveling, we somehow were able to pull together sassy outfits. 

Our first night, we stayed in the Governor’s Suite at Big Cypress Lodge, located in the Bass Pro Pyramid. – A giant cypress swamp environment with ponds, alligator pools and duck aviaries!

Big Cypress Lodge is a grand, full-service 104-room hotel with tree-house cabins, banquet rooms and spa – there’s also a 13-lane bowling alley that offers a chance to bowl “in the ocean” amid under-water scenery. Our cabin overlooked the second largest Bass Pro Shop in the country that offers the largest assortment of waterfowl and related hunting equipment ever assembled with a Beretta specialty shop that offer customers premium grade firearms and custom fittings.

Now, I know it might seem odd to have your hotel room/cabin somehow attached to a Bass Pro Shop — but it’s a local FAVORITE and was really quite fun! 

This was the dining/living room area of the Governors Suite we were staying in and rumor had it that Kid Rock had just stayed in this suite.

After a great nights sleep at Big Cypress Lodge and excellent staff service, we started our first real day in Memphis with breakfast at Sunrise. An eclectic diner specializing in classic breakfast favorites (biscuits the size of your head!) and house prepared artisan meats. On Saturdays you can enjoy live music, as well as the Bloody Mary of your choice for their Bloody Mary bar.  *Tip: Get there early as the line winds around the building. 

After breakfast,  we quickly took a spin around a few city blocks on motor bikes and scooters.  I’m actually not really riding this motor bike, as they make me quite nervous, but I was all about the scooters. 

We then headed to the legendary, Sun Studio, known worldwide as “The Birthplace of Rock’n’Roll”. This is where many musical legends, such as B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis were first discovered!  

It is here where you will stand in the very same spot that Elvis first recorded. You’ll hear inside stories of B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf and Ike Turner, see priceless memorabilia from musical legends, listen to outtakes from recording sessions and feel the energy of the music that was created here.

Our tour guide was Crockett Hall and it turns out that all Sun Studio tour guides are actually local musicians. Sun Studios was a blast and such a HUGE part of Memphis’ history and culture that, through music, has put Memphis on the map. Fun Tidbit: Below we are “singing” into the very microphone that Elvis first did. 

By now, we’re already feelin’ the Memphis love! 

Essentially across the street from Sun Studios is the newly opened Edge Motor Museum. Each automobile in the museum is selected based on its historical and cultural significance. Guests are educated about the cars themselves, as well as about what was happening in the world at the time when they were made. My husband was jelly that I was there. 

All this Memphis fun had us working up an appetite and one should never come to visit without enjoying a meal at Rendezvous.  For over 70 years, the Vergos family has been serving up their signature dry rub ribs in a basement restaurant located in a downtown alley street. Many argue that the BBQ at Rendezvous is the best in the COUNTRY!  Fun Fact: Many of Rendezvous’ waiters have been working there for over 30 years!

After lunch we took a 90-minute,sightseeing cruise down the Mighty Mississippi with a guide that provided historical commentary. He was really witty and you will learn quite a bit! Totally worth doing this on a visit to Memphis – learn more here. 

After the cruise we had a little bit of downtime back at Big Cypress Lodge before we changed for the night and headed UP! You see, back at the Lodge is The Lookout, a restaurant, bar and massive aquarium situated at the apex of the Pyramid, 300 feet above the Mississippi River.  It’s a fabulous place to enjoy a delicous meal and/or drink with amazing views of the Mississippi River and Memphis city skyline. 

Even MORE amazing is that you ride the world’s tallest freestanding elevator (28 stories) to get there!

Hard to believe that we were actually hungry, but we were,  so we stopped by Felicia Suzanne’s for an inventive New South dinner.  Felicia Suzanne also came over to say Hello and to talk about our outfits … pretty sure she’s also a fashionista. 

OK ~ by now it’s already 10:00 pm and waaaayyy past my night-night time , not to mention that we are only on day ONE of our time here in Memphis,  but we had one more stop to make and that was BEALE STREET. Beale Street is one of America’s most iconic streets filled with the best live music! It has even been named by Congress as The Home of The Blues. We mainly hung out at B.B. King’s Blues Club (where we busted some serious moves on the dance floor)  as the Beale Street crowd that night was full of University of Memphis Tiger Football fans because ESPN’s College GameDay was filmed there earlier in the morning. 

Beale Street is an ABSOLUTE MUST DO!

So seeing as we stayed out quite late the night before, we slept in a bit and then checked out of the Big Cypress Lodge.  Day 2 then started with Brunch at Lafayette’s in Midtown.  Brunch is served at Lafayette’s on Saturdays and Sundays between 10-3 and is considered to be a key stop on the showcase circuit for up-and-coming touring artists. Fun Fact:  Lafayette’s played a significant role in launching the careers of such music superstars as Billy Joel, KISS and Barry Manilow, just to name a few.

We then strolled around the Midtown area shopping at local shops like Crazy Beautiful and 17 Berkshire. 

Next we changed clothes for some afternoon activities starting with a bike ride through Shelby Farms. At Shelby Farms you can rent bikes, paddle boards and canoes, go ziplining, do a treetop ropes course, horseback ride and more!  This was such an amazing space to spend time with family and friends and I was surprised to learn that Shelby Farms is actually 5 times the size of Central Park in New York City. OH ~ and it also has a thriving herd of buffalo!

Off to our next adventure ~ Stax.

Stax Museum is located in Memphis’ Soulsville neighborhood. Stax is home to artists such as: Otis Redding, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Isaac Hayes, Rufus and Carla Thomas, The Staple Singers and so many more. We had so much fun there and, once again, broke out our dance moves. 

After a quick coffee/tea break, we stopped by the Blues Hall of Fame to visit with this statue of Little Milton and checked out the latest arrivals at the cute boutique, Stock n Belle. 

We then quickly checked into our new hotel and changed as we were running late for our dinner. 

Dinner was at Rizzo’s, located in the South Main Arts area, where Chef Michael Patrick made us a private dinner. We started with his specialy Lobster “Pronto Pups”, I then had a yummy vegetarian dinner and we all shared a blueberry white chocolate bread pudding for  dessert. Chef Patrick’s food described as “Reimagined Southern cuisine”  … I just call it delish. 

I must talk about the our hotel, although we only stayed there for one night (We stayed just one night at 3 different hotels, but only really layed our heads down at this one.)  the Central Station Hotel had just opened a few weeks before our stay and is nicely located in the heart of the South Main Arts District. It has been an active train station for over 100 years and remains as one today with daily stops from the City of New Orleans.

The hotel was totally, super cool and this fab speaker wall is made of Egglestonworks Loudspeakers, a Memphis-made brand.  I was sad to check out of it but we had places to go. 

Day 3 (aka “our last day”) started with a very memorable tour of the National Civil Rights Museum. When it comes to civil rights, it’s important not only to learn about historical milestones but also to interpret them in a way that can be applied to today’s challenges ~ that is exactly what the Civil Rights Museum has accomplished.  Through multi-sensory and historical artifacts & structures, events and speakers the museum offers visitors a full immersion experience … it’s also a Smithsonian affiliate.

All I can say is that we were all very moved, I, personally, learned far more about civil rights than I ever have before, and we truly wished we had had more time to spend there. 

We quickly made it over to the historic Peabody Hotel …

… just in time for the famous twice daily Peabody Duck March. In1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help with delivering the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became the Peabody Duckmaster, serving in that capacity for 50 years.

 We did get to meet the new Duck Master and Shauna was actually an “honorary” Duck Master …. a job she took VERY seriously!

Off then to Lansky Bros., located inside the Peabody Hotel and Clothier to the King ~ Elvis.  Lansky’s is where I purchased this jacket below. 

After Lanky’s we enjoyed lunch at the Beauty Shop, formerly Priscilla Presley’s curl-and-dye spot. Located in the Cooper-Young neighborhood of Midtown, this 50s-style beauty shop/restaurant had excellent food and probably the best corn fritters I’ve ever had in my life.  

It was also the perfect place for us to change into our fun tulle skirts and indulge in a milk shake. 

It was now time to check into our last hotel and this was the hotel I had been waiting the entire trip for … the Guest House at Graceland, the Official Elvis Presley Hotel.

The Guest House at Graceland is just steps away from one of the music world’s most important and beloved landmarks; Graceland. When you stay there, you’ll enjoy all the luxurious amenities that would make Elvis proud and the  “make-yourself-at-home” warmth that Elvis always showed his guests.

We stayed in Deluxe Guest Rooms, which were HUGE, and each room had a Simmons Beautyrest bed with 300 thread-count linens, 50-inch high definition flat-screen TV, mini refrigerator, Keurig coffee brewing system and awesome showers!

This lovely lady below, Anna, treated us to a private tour of the room Pricilla stays in when she visits and she gave us each a “swag bag” of Guest House goodies! She also secured a special treat to be delivered to our rooms that consisted of a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, banana chips, fresh bananas and Nutella. THAAANNKKKS, Anna.  Now my pants no longer fit.  xo   

Last stop of the day ~ GRACELAND.  No trip to Memphis would really be a trip to Memphis if you didn’t visit Graceland. 

When you visit Graceland there is simply so much to do and see. You explore Elvis Presley’s home, his Graceland Mansion, his life, his roots, his career, his influences, his cars, his jumpsuit collection, his awards … his PLANE … all like never before.  You could spend DAYS there and I suspect that many of his adoring fans have done so.  Interesting fact:  Did you know that Elvis had a twin brother who died at birth? His name was Jesse.

You learn that, and more, when you visit Graceland.

We wrapped up our Graceland experience with a wonderful dinner at Acre, which combines the elements of modern fine dining with the comfort of sharing a meal in the home of a good friend. Talk about a fantastic way to wrap up a FANTASTIC girlfriend trip!! We now officially refer to ourselves as #ElvisAngels. 

And, Oh My Gosh … there’s so much more to still do in Memphis!  I highly, HIGHLY recommend visiting this fine city.  Do yourself a favor and  learn more about it by visiting their tourism site here.  Seriously ~ it’s so good. 

*** Thank you  SO MUCH to Memphis Travel for hosting us and sponsoring this ah-MAZING trip! This was an experience that I will never forget.