Tennessee Discount Hotels - Memphis Travel Guide

Art Museum of the University of Memphis
Located on the campus of the University of Memphis, this museum features a permanent collection of Egyptian antiquities. Also featured is the Neil Nokes West African Art Collection. The main gallery displays a variety of exhibits throughout the year. Visitors wishing to discover which exhibit is currently being featured should call ahead.

Beale Street Historic District
For any visitor to Memphis with even a casual interest in music, specifically the Blues, a visit to the Beale Street Historic District is a must. Whether your interest is purely for entertainment purposes or if you want to immerse yourself in the history of Blues in the South, you will find plenty to do here. Music history buffs may want to explore the rich heritage of Beale Street, where W.C. Handy, B.B. King, Albert King, and Bobby "Blue" Bland all have left their mark. Visitors can spend time viewing the street's "Walk of Fame", strolling through historic Church Park, or taking a peek at the statue dedicated to W.C. Handy. The district also features a variety of shops and boutiques, where visitors can browse for memorabilia and souvenirs. If all of that activity leaves you hungry, never fear. The District also features numerous restaurants treating patrons to a wide variety of food. Those who truly seek to find the heart and soul of the District can find it later in the evening, when the musical spirit of the area shows it is still alive and well. Various nightclubs and frequent outdoor concerts feature music ranging from Rock 'n Roll, Jazz, or R&B to the ever present favorite: Blues. Needless to say, there is entertainment here for every kind of palate, musical or otherwise.

Graceland
With a nickname like "The King", you know Elvis Presley had to do things in style. Here at Elvis' southern mansion you can take a tour and see the lifestyle that the King lived. Tour the mansion itself, board his custom jet, the "Lisa Marie", and see the King's 1955 pink Cadillac in the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum. Visitors can see the collection of Elvis' gold records, which just so happens to be the largest private collection in the world. Memorabilia from the King's performing days are also on display, including jewelry and costumes. Graceland also offers extensive shopping and fabulous restaurants. The combination of food, fun, and history promises to make a visit to Graceland a uniquely entertaining experience.

Libertyland
Looking for entertainment that's a little on the lighter side? Here's an attraction that is suitable for the whole family. Roller coaster enthusiasts can take a ride on the Kamikaze, the Revolution, or the Zippin Pippin. If you're not quite that daring, maybe the Sea Dragon, the Double Water Slide, or the Log Flume is your speed. For the younger kids in the crowd, perhaps a carousel might be in order. Whichever way you take your thrills, more than twenty exciting rides are guaranteed to make a day at Libertyland fun for the whole family.

Memphis Botanic Garden
Featuring almost one hundred acres of beautiful outdoor greenery, the Memphis Botanic Garden includes such highlights as the Herb, Rose, Daylily, Sculpture, Azalea, and Perennial Gardens, as well as the Japanese Garden of Tranquility. Also located here is the Goldsmith Civic Garden Center, featuring a porcelain collection, art exhibits, and horticultural shows. More detailed information on the myriad of greenery within the gardens can be found within the horticultural library.

Memphis Music Hall of Fame
If a visit to the Beale Street Historic District doesn't satisfy your craving for musical history, drop into one of the best-developed museums devoted solely to music history. You will find displays and artifacts from over a century of Memphis Music. Extensive exhibits on blues, rock 'n roll, R&B, and soul are on display.

The Memphis Zoo
There are more species of animals here than even Tarzan could handle. Housing over four hundred species and almost three thousand animals, a trip to this century old zoo is not exactly a walk in the park. Visitors can expect to see exotic and endangered animals, as well as exhibits such as Cat Country, Primate Canyon, Madagascar, and the Dragon's Lair. Visitors will also find a wide variety of concessions and children's rides, as well as a gift shop featuring replicas of the zoo residents that might be a bit safer to take home than the real thing. Most folks don't realize that they are most likely familiar with this zoo's most famous former resident: Volney, otherwise known as the MGM lion.

 Memphis Queen Riverboats
Take a sightseeing cruise on the Mississippi River the way it used to be done: via paddle wheeler. Trips include hour-long sightseeing tours or daylong tours. If you want something different, take a dinner cruise and see the sights and sample some delightful Southern cuisine at the same time. On weekends, the entertainment doubles, with moonlight cruises accompanied by live local bands.

Mud Island
This 52-acre park includes Mississippi River Museum, a 5,000 seat amphitheater, and Tennessee's largest swimming pool. The River Walk area is a scaled model of the Mississippi from its upper reaches all the way to the Mississippi Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors reach the park via monorail, leaving plenty of energy for browsing through the many shops or sampling the offerings of the various restaurants.

National Civil Rights Museum
Once the Lorraine Motel, the National Civil Rights Museum is located at the site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. The Museum is the first museum of its type, dedicated solely to the American Civil Rights Movement. Various interactive exhibits and displays trace the history of the civil rights movement and its leaders and proponents, including Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself.

The Pyramid
Standing 32 stories tall, this pyramid has the distinction of being the third largest pyramid in the world. Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, the base of the pyramid would cover six football fields. This amazing structure contains a sports and entertainment complex. Visitors can take a daily tour, partake of catered lunches, or arrange for private parties.

Celebration Station
Located just off I-40, this may be Memphis' number one entertainment center for family fun. With miniature golf, bumper boats, and over a hundred of the latest arcade games, there is no limit to the fun available for the whole family.

Union Planter's IMAX Theater
Located within the Memphis Pink Palace Museum & Planetarium, the Union Planter's Imax Theater is a facility all in itself. Featuring entertaining and educational movies that change every few months, the giant screens will serve as windows to entirely new worlds.

Memphis Pink Palace Museum & Planetarium
Originally built in 1923 for Clarence Saunders, founder of the Piggly Wiggly chain of grocery stores, the museum was reopened in 1996. The museum features exhibits on both cultural and natural history, a 165-seat planetarium featuring astronomy programs and laser light shows, and the Union Planters Imax Theater. Some of the permanent exhibits include the hand-carved Clyde Park Miniature Circus, dinosaur fossils, and a mineral collection. Visitors can view an array of Civil War memorabilia and artifacts, a museum on medical history, and a replica of the original Piggly Wiggly. Other exhibits change periodically throughout the year, as do the astronomy programs. Each August, visitors can view the special laser light show dedicated to Elvis.

Memphis Main Street Trolley
For a small fee, visitors can enjoy a nostalgic ride aboard the Memphis Main Street Trolley. Serving as transportation to such downtown attractions as Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, The Pyramid, and the Orpheum Theatre, these beautiful antique trolleys will let you ride the streets of Memphis in style.

Memphis Belle Pavilion
Perhaps the most famous WWII airplane, the Memphis Belle was the first U.S. bomber to complete 25 missions against Nazi targets without suffering a casualty. Its fame has led it to be the subject of a 1943 documentary, as well as a more recent feature film sharing its name. Restored to perfect condition, the Belle can be found within a pavilion on Mud Island.

W.C. Handy House Museum
It is quite fitting that the home of the "Father of the Blues", W.C. Handy, is on famous Beale Street. This well preserved small wood-frame house features displays of memorabilia and artifacts from the life and career of Handy. The humble turn of the century dwelling in which he lived and began his career serves to accentuate his successes in later years. Visitors can view the home or take a guided tour that includes other portions of historic Beale Street.

Overton Square Entertainment District
Located directly in the heart of Memphis and encompassing almost two full city blocks, this entertainment center features live music comedy shows as well as dancing and theater opportunities. Visitors to the area can find a variety of restaurants and nightclubs, as well as a variety of unique boutiques.