Memphis day trip suggestions

Parent Cafe
1

<p>We are heading to Memphis for some ballgames at AutoZone Park, but will have the daytime free. We’ve been to Memphis before and done Graceland and the Zoo, though many years ago. We’d like to go to Beale Street, but don’t know if there’s anything to do there besides eat during the day. We may head over to Beale Street after the game, if we’re up for it, to listen to music, but we’ll eat during the game. Great food at AutoZone Park!</p>

<p>Anyway, I think the Polar Bear exhibit should be open now. We last went in 2006, and it wasn’t open then, so I might want to do that. Mud Island opens that weekend, and I’d like to see that, but don’t know if opening weekend will be a madhouse. We’ve never been to The Pink Palace, it was closed the day we tried to go, but don’t know if that’s worth wasting a day on.</p>

<p>We live in New Orleans, so a riverboat cruise is not of interest, we can do that at home.</p>

<p>It will just be husband and I, two out of shape 50 plus year olds, so not looking for the swinging nightlife, hiking, outdoorsy stuff. Just a relaxing day to kill time until the ballgame starts.</p>

<p>I would like to see the Peabody ducks again. I’ll need to check when they “come out”. We’ve done the tour. Also have done Sun Studios and Gibson Guitar and Rock and Soul. .</p>

<p>It’s supposed to rain all weekend, so any indoor activities you can suggest.</p>

<p>Just a quick little baseball trip before the empty nest is full again for the summer.</p>

2

<p>I assume you’ve seen the pandas at the zoo?</p>

<p>The Pink Palace is Memphis’s history, both geologically and historically…there is an IMAX theater…Hubble and Legends of Flight alternate…</p>

<p>Wild World of Wine and Beer at the Zoo
Benefiting Conservation Action Network (C.A.N.)
Friday, April 8 - 7 to 10 p.m.
This event WILL sell out. Tickets will not be sold at the event.
Please purchase your tickets in advance.
Purchase tickets here or by calling (901) 333-6553 (901) 333-6553</p>

<p>This unique event features wines and specialty beers provided by Southwestern Distributing. It will also include fare provided by Lancer Catering and King Cotton, a silent auction and live entertainment. Wild World of Wine and Beer is the largest fundraiser for the Zoo’s Conservation Action Network. When you attend this event, you help support conservation projects both here and around the world. Special Thanks to King Cotton Foods</p>

<p>Majestic Grill on 145 S. Main has a very good brunch menu with a very good deal on pitchers of Mimosas.</p>

<p>are you interested in art or not so much?</p>

<p>The Civil Rights Museum?</p>

<p>The Last Friday of the month is the Art Trolley but are you coming this weekend?</p>

3

<p>ducks come in at 11, out at 5.</p>

4

<p>DD went to school in Arkansas, and Memphis was a halfway point, so DH and I would occasionally meet her there for a weekend of fun. It looks like memphismom has done a great job of pointing out some good attractions. We have enjoyed the Memphis Zoo and The Peabody for the duck walk. We love music, food and drink, so the majority of our visits there have been spent in the Beale Street area. I know you said you would eat at the ballpark but, if you get a chance, Blues City Cafe located at the corner of Beale Street and Second Street is great (IMO). I had always heard everyone rave about Rendezvous for ribs and bbq, but we were disappointed after eating there. I am fortunate enough, though, to have a husband who grills the best bbq ribs I’ve ever eaten, and, living in the south, I’ve eaten a lot.</p>

<p>Enjoy your visit.</p>

<p>p.s. If you go to the Peabody for the duck march, stop at the bar and get a drink and then go upstairs in the balcony area where there are benches next to the rail. You can sit there and watch the march from above instead of standing below in a crowd full of people.</p>

5

<p>The Stax Museum is awfully nice and it is in the overall general area you are to visit…</p>

<p>[Stax</a> Museum of American soul music artists records exhibits merchandise in Memphis](<a href=“http://www.soulsvilleusa.com/]Stax”>http://www.soulsvilleusa.com/)</p>

<p>The Center For Southern Folklore is close by as well…</p>

<p>[Center</a> for Southern Folklore - Home](<a href=“http://www.southernfolklore.com/]Center”>http://www.southernfolklore.com/)</p>

<p>The Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum (The Burkle Estate) is very educational and scads of folks do not know of it at all…</p>

<p>[Burkle</a> Estate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkle_Estate]Burkle”>Burkle Estate - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>And last but not least…</p>

<p>You can go over to where I live in Bartlett, TN. It is a really nice city :)</p>

<p>[Bartlett</a>, TN - Official Website](<a href=“http://www.cityofbartlett.org/]Bartlett”>http://www.cityofbartlett.org/)</p>

6

<p>^^^Oh, we’re definitely eating at Blues City Cafe. We love it! We get our Rendezvous fix at the Ballpark, where they serve Rendezvous barbecue nachos. Yum!</p>

<p>We’ll be at the games Friday and Saturday night, yes, this weekend, so can’t make the zoo event. Would have loved to do that.</p>

<p>Anything we can do along the trolley line during the day?</p>

<p>We’ll catch the ducks in the morning, then have a few hours to kill before the game. If the weather permits, we might just walk around Beale Street, sit by the river, then head over to the ballpark.</p>

<p>Is there any place we can hear music on Beale Street during the day, or does the entertainment not start until nighttime?</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions.</p>

<p>Keep them coming!</p>

7

<p>the Commercial Appeal has its Entertainment section pull-out every Friday</p>

<p>here are the current listings for Sat…more will be posted on Friday I am sure</p>

<p>[Things</a> to do: GoMemphis.com: Local Memphis, Tennessee things to do, movies, music, dining, nightlife, entertainment and tourist activities.](<a href=“http://www.gomemphis.com/events/?event_date=04/09/2011]Things”>Nexstar Digital | We Deliver What Matters Most)</p>

8

<p>^^^How far is Overton Square from downtown? I see there’s a crawfish festival on Saturday. I’ll bet there’s some good music and food going on down there!</p>

9

<p>I enjoyed Mudd Island on a business trip many years ago.</p>

<p>By happy coincidence I had a work assignment that allowed me to be at the Peabody when the ducks came down and again when they went back up.</p>

10

<p>Our visit to the National Civil Rights Museum is one of the most moving experiences I’ve ever had.</p>

11

<p>Overton Square is a 15-20 minute drive from downtown–I assume you’ll have a car?</p>

<p>The polar bear exhibit is definitely open at the zoo if you’re interested. There’s also an even newer exhibit, Teton Trek, which features grizzly bears and wolves. The zoo is beautiful at this time of year!</p>

<p>If you’re interested in art, there are some good museums in the area–the Brooks (next to the zoo), the Dixon. Also the Botanical Gardens, but I’d avoid that if you have any kind of allergies, as the pollen’s quite bad right now.</p>

<p>Have fun planning your day!</p>

12

<p>Montegut. At Overton square you’ll be in Rhodes College country. Enjoy the mudbugs. Usually Madison and Cooper. </p>

<p>Overton Square Crawfish Festival </p>

<p>April 9</p>

<p>Noon-6 p.m.</p>

<p>Corner of Madison and Cooper</p>

13

<p>If you are interested in art at all, don’t mix the Dixon Gallery on Park Avenue in Midtown. The museum is in an elegant home originally owned by the Dixons, who had no children, and were convinced by Abe Plough to donate the house, the incredibly beautiful grounds, and their extensive art collection to the City of Memphis. The collection originally consisted of primarily American Impressionists, but I understand it is greatly expanded. Check out the website for current exhibitions, but the permanent collection, as well as the house in which it is located, is a real treat.</p>

<p>Also, if you would like to drive by my old high school, I’ll be glad to give you directions! :)</p>

14

<p>I had asked about your interest in art - the Dixon has planted a tremondous amount of daffodils and tulips this year - last weeknd the tulips were mostly up but there were still some to bloom - I think it’s 100,000 bulbs…plus after planitng them the bulb co… gave them an annual 20,000…free…the staff said . um. thanks. really . you shouldn’t have…anyway,its lovely!</p>

15

<p>35 ya,
the first thing I did was to look for a catfish restuarant. I like catfish.
The 2nd thing, was of course, The King.</p>

16

<p>Since we never have been to Mud Island, I think we’re going to do that. But isolated showers predicted for all weekend, so is that an outdoors thing?</p>

<p>If rain, we just might take in these art museums. I would love to see those tulips, though. How beautiful they must be.</p>

<p>Wish we had more time. We do hope to one day live there. Husband is upset because I prepaid the baseball tickets, as it’s likely they’ll cancel and we’ll be out the money. But if so, maybe we can hit the clubs on Beale Street.</p>

17

<p>BB King museum is 2 hour drive due south</p>

<p>[The</a> B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center](<a href=“http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/]The”>http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/)</p>

18

<p>Just returned from our Memphis trip and wanted to give an update.</p>

<p>We arrived in Memphis on Friday afternoon, picked up our baseball tickets, then parked in Lee’s Landing garage and walked to Blues City Cafe for a late lunch. Got tamales for appetizers, and a plate of ribs. OMG, wonderful!</p>

<p>Went to the hotel I had picked for our stay and husband felt it was too far from the baseball stadium. I went to the closer hotel, where I had cancelled my reservation, and was able to get a room for one night only. Took it, and lived out the suitcase. Walked to the ballpark for the game. Still too full for food at the ballpark, so just watched a great game. Live music in the pavillion outside the ball field was fantastic, both before and after the game.</p>

<p>After the game, walked to Rendezvous to get the barbecue nachos I missed at the ballpark, while husband got the pulled pork sandwich they’re famous for. We had already had ribs during the day and had ribs at Rendezvous on a previous visit, so no problem. </p>

<p>Wonderful horsedrawn carriages around the city, would love to do that one day.</p>

<p>Next morning, still no cancellation at the hotel, so we moved to the hotel I had kept the reservation for, which was further from the ballpark, but closer to Mud Island, our destination for Saturday.</p>

<p>Mud Island was fantastic! I cannot say enough good things about it. Being from New Orleans and loving everything about the Mississippi River, I was so thrilled with it. The weather was gorgeous. There was live music playing in the park all day. Kids were playing in the mini Mississippi. Views were amazing. Museum very well done, loved the Riverboat model and Civil War weaponry and artifacts.</p>

<p>Took a cab to the ballpark at the end of the day and a cab back to the hotel. Just had ballpark food before the game, and being so exhausted from the full day, hit the sack early.</p>

<p>Next day, drove to Bartlett for Mass at husband’s old stomping grounds. The city still as nice as he remembers it. We are still hoping to relocate there. After driving around, working up an appetite, we went to Neely’s on Mount Moriah Road. This is the Neely’s from the Food Network. Got the dry rub ribs. Wow, the best ever! Neighborhood was sketchy, but a good ole mom and pop place, which is a sure fire hit for great food. Could hardly believe our eyes at the bill. Less than 30 dollars for the two of us! A half rack of ribs with two sides, all the tea you want to drink, plus the sock it to me cake!</p>

<p>Oh, and sweet tea. Had this at both the Rendezvous and Neely’s. Even better the sweet tea we get in Alabama.</p>

<p>We are seriously considering cancelling our Washington trip and making another trip to Memphis before summer school starts so we can share take our son to Mud River and take him to the music clubs, now that he’s a little older. </p>

<p>BTW, he’s 19. Will he be able to get into Beale STreet clubs to listen to music?</p>

<p>Another note, this is our first time in Downtown Memphis for hotel stays. Very nice. We did not get a chance to ride the trolley, but something we definitely want to do. Beautiful historic buildings, reminiscent of New Orleans, but without the blight. </p>

<p>Highly recommend a visit to Memphis, for young and old, if you get the chance.</p>

19

<p>glad your visit went well!</p>

20

<p>

</p>

<p>I live in Bartlett now and it is totally worth it. </p>

<p>It is nice and yet not terribly far away from most anything at all in the county as a whole. </p>

<p>On a nerdy note, their library is rather small but really nice and comfy. It has a good vibe to it or something. </p>

<p>Glad you enjoyed your stay in my great home state of Tennessee.</p>