Memphis Facts

Bordered on the south by the state of Mississippi and on the west by the river of the same name, the City on the Bluffs has long been spreading eastward, taking in more and more of Shelby County. Hot and humid in July and August, Memphis delightfully enjoys a mild climate the rest of the year.

Downtown

Downtown Memphis grew from the warehouses that stored cotton and other goods shipped up and down the Mississippi River. For much of Memphis' history, this meant that the riverfront was solely a place for commerce. Today, however, some things have changed. Now, when you take a ride on the paddlewheel boats that run regular tours from the Memphis harbor, you're likely to spot joggers on the Riverfront...

...is constantly evolving and changing pace. It is the city of Graceland, Elvis Presley's over-the-top mansion, but it's also the birthplace of blues, rock 'n' roll and soul. Here, W. C. Handy put the first written blues music down on paper, Elvis made his first recording at Sun Studios, and Otis Redding and Al Green expressed the music in their souls, vividly documented at the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum. Slip on your blue suede shoes and hit the laid-back streets.

Things to Do

Elvis Presley sites are a must-see in Memphis, and if a home is a man's castle, Graceland was The King's. Glimpse the graceful charm of pre-Civil War society at the Hunt-Phelan mansion, and ponder the slave trade at...