A Day In Memphis, Tennessee
I visited New Orleans in December 2017 from Toronto, Ontario. For flights – it was cheaper to fly into Memphis , Tennessee and drive to New Orleans than to fly directly to New Orleans. We also wanted to try a few BBQ Joints in Memphis .
The size of the planes from Toronto to Memphis are small . There are not many people flying between Memphis to Toronto and vice versa. So if you are uncomfortable flying – I would recommend flying to New Orleans directly.
Memphis is not very big – it is a small city. There are three things that I found to be interesting in Memphis – Its history of the blues, BBQ and Martin Luther’s Assassination Site. Memphis is also known for Graceland – Elvis’s home. I am not a fan of Elvis so this didn’t appeal to me.
History of the Blues and Beale Street in Memphis
Many travelling Blues Musicians came to Memphis to perform at Beale Street. A famous street known for its street Blues musicians and establishments. You can read more about it here . We went directly to this street from the Airport. It was 2017 Christmas evening – most of the street was empty with only a few establishments open. The entire street is lit up ! Even when the street was empty there were multiple cop cars parked all over the place. Walking down this street you get a sense for its deep history .
Memphis also home to the Blues Hall Of Fame. We dropped by the Hall of Fame. Definitely a place to visit if you have an appreciation for the Blues and want to learn more about the history of it. This is the website to the Blues Hallf of Fame.
BBQ
This requires a post of its own ! Once I write it I will link to it here 🙂 .
Martin Luther’s Assassination Site
Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in Memphis’s Lorraine Hotel. He was in Memphis to support striking sanitation workers when he was shot on the Motel’s Balcony. The hotel is now part of the National Civil Rights Museum. Definitely worth the stop if you are in Memphis.
One day is sufficient to visit the famous landmarks of Memphis and to get a taste for its food. If you are from a big city – Memphis will seem small to you. The city is filled with rich history , great food and kind people. Definitely worth a stop over once in your life time !
One thought on “A Day In Memphis, Tennessee”
Nice, You should have visited when I was living in Tennessee. Memphis Zoo is great. I also enjoyed my visit to Elvis Presley’s mansion.