Travel to Memphis

Travel to Memphis

Set high on the eastern bank of the mighty Mississippi River, Memphis is in the southwestern corner of Tennessee. Few people alive today have not heard of Elvis Presley, the legendary King of Rock n Roll, and most associate the city with the iconic deceased singer. A natural crossroads between New Orleans, St Louis and Chicago, Memphis became an important trading centre in the mid-19th century, and the main shipping port for cotton grown in the Mississippi Delta. Today, Memphis is an intriguing mix of old and new, with shabby warehouses and serene Victorian villas jostling for space with modern skyscrapers and gleaming shopping malls.

Transportation to Memphis

Memphis is accessible by air from all over the world via Memphis Intercontinental Airport, and the city is just 14kms southeast of the airport by bus, taxis and rental car. A nationwide network of freeways and railways gets you to the city by road and train from Canada and Mexico.

What to see

Music makes Memphis special: not only rock n roll, but also the fact that the city spawned the modern musical forms of blues and soul as well. Music fans from all over the world stroll down legendary Beale Street in the downtown area every day.

Aside from touring Graceland there are several other music-related attractions to grab the attention, and a whole lot of other things to see and do in Memphis. The nightlife is world-renowned; the cuisine, particularly barbecue, irresistible; and there are fascinating museums, great gardens, Mississippi river boats, amusement parks, and some quirky cultural and natural sights to explore.

Daytrips

For a half-day trip, visit the Chucalissa Museum, an atmospheric reconstruction of a 15th century Native American village built on the site of an ancient settlement. For a longer trip, Tupelo, approximately 160kms southeast of Memphis, is a place of pilgrimage for Elvis Presley fans to visit where Elvis was born and lived until his early teens.

Activities and leisure

Beale Street - Home of the Blues - features lively bars, clubs, restaurants and souvenir shops. Closed to traffic on weekend evenings, the area teems with a mix of all types. Here you can visit Elvis Presleys restaurant, with its souvenirs and videos of Memphis favorite son. Visit BB Kings Blues Club and the Hard Rock Caf for music, food and dancing. More of Memphis fabulous musical heritage can be soaked up at the original Sun Studio, just a short distance from Beale Street. This studio, made famous by Elvis Presley and BB King, still records major musical acts.

Safety issues

The laid-back atmosphere of the city, as characterised by the local saying: its cooler in the shade, has often concealed a rougher edge. Although crime in Memphis has risen in recent years, it has been mostly gang-related with very little to do with visiting tourists. As in any city, there is always a small number of undesirable elements that look upon visitors as easy prey, and a greater tendency for tourists to get lost, sick or injured in a less than familiar environment. So taking out travel insurance cover in the event of lost and stolen property, an illness or accident is strongly advised.