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Memphis’ most famous attraction, Graceland, is gaudy and garish. And that’s the whole point © Jon Hicks / Getty Images
Laid-back, eccentric Memphis is a city built by music, where the streets can often feel like a throwback to another era.
Whether you’re strolling the brick-lined byways of downtown or sliding into a booth at a Midtown dive bar, there’s often a whiff of the past lingering in the alleyways and between the stage curtains here. In Memphis, it’s still easy to imagine a young BB King carrying his guitar along Beale Street or a teenage Elvis Presley deploying the lessons he learned there to thrill a crowd at the Overton Park Shell. Little imagination is needed to envision Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes strolling beneath the studio signs at Stax Records, or to walk in the footsteps of Johnny Cash at Sun Studio.
Memphis has kept its music history alive. And while the city’s most popular tourist attraction, Graceland, can be seen as a kitschy shrine to the late King of Rock ’n’ Roll, other corners of this soulful, Southern city invite travelers to cut a rug and help its sounds continue to thrive.
Here are the best ways to get to know Memphis.
Once home to one of the only sets of pandas in a zoo in the United States, the Memphis Zoo is now better known for its unique replica of a national park lodge and its large collection of animals. Built in 1906, it has seen plenty of renovations over the past couple of decades, resulting in unique modern exhibits that are almost as interesting as the animals that they house. Besides Teton Trek, designed to resemble the Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park, there’s also a replica of an African fishing village in the Primate Canyon and a 500-seat theater for viewing the sea lion show. If you’re visiting Memphis with kids, make sure to visit the farmhouse and take a ride on the train.
Perhaps the most unique thing to see in Memphis, as well as arguably one of the most famous, is the Memphis Pyramid. This giant, glass-covered pyramid was once known as the Great American Pyramid and later as the Pyramid Arena. Today, the odd structure, perched right on the Mississippi Riverfront and towering over the downtown area, is actually a Bass Pro Shop. Take a step inside, and you’ll be transported to a southern swamp land, complete with a giant marsh in the middle filled with fish.
Like many cities in the Midwest, Memphis owes its existence to the Mississippi River. If you really want to see this unique city from a new angle, a cruise on a riverboat is a great place to start. There are several different types of sightseeing tours to choose from, including options with or without a meal.
The history of the Peabody Hotel, one of the oldest in Memphis, dates back to the 1860s. You’ll need to open up your wallet to book a night at this hotel. However, one of the best free activities to enjoy in the city is located right in their lobby. Each day, the Peabody Ducks, a small flock of ducks that live at the hotel, walk a red carpet to the hotel’s fountain, where they lounge for the day before returning to their private quarters.
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