I think the title did most of the talking…
I will have an afternoon and most of the following day to mess around in Memphis.
I don’t like Elvis.
What is there to do/see while I’m there?
I have boringly said this before on these Boards, but the National Civil Rights Museum, built around the former Lorraine Motel, is an absolute eye-opener.
Well, it depends on what you like to do, but here’s a short list:
*Beale Street
*Sun Records
*Pink Palace Museum
*(And on preview I see the Civil Rights Museum has been mentioned)
*Rock And Soul Museum
Oh, and going out for some BBQ. 
Beyond that, I think I and the other Memphis dopers will need a bit more info: is transportation going to be an issue, do you prefer sightseeing to shopping, etc.
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We enjoyed the Memphis Zoo.
There are three things I take out-of-towners to do when they come visit; you can easily accomplish all of them in an afternoon and a day.
(1) Sun Studio. (That Web site kinda sucks, unfortunately.) This is where Elvis, Johnny Cash, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and a gazillion others first stepped in front of a microphone. If there’s any one spot on earth that can legitimately claim to be “the birthplace of rock and roll,” it’s the recording studio at 706 Union Avenue. If you like rock music of any kind, you will come out of this place feeling like a Muslim who’s just made the Hajj.
(2) The Mississippi River. From Sun, go west on Union until you get downtown (a mile or two, max). Park anywhere and walk a block or two further west, and you’ll see the River. Go down to Tom Lee Park (the big grassy area along the riverbank) and just walk along the water for a while. Think about Mark Twain, and Langston Hughes, and what it must have been like for Hernando DeSoto to come through here with a bunch of men and horses and ask himself, “How the fuck are we going to get across that?” (The big double-arched bridge you’ll see is the Hernando DeSoto Bridge, but everyone just calls it “the new bridge.” It was built in the early 70s.)
(3) The Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison Avenue. There’s considerable heated debate among the locals over this, but for my money, this is the best barbecue in Memphis. Which makes it the best in the world. Don’t go for the ribs; get the pork shoulder sandwich on Texas Toast (garlic bread), and be sure to specify that you want the meat “pulled.” Warning: They’ll put cole slaw directly on the sandwich unless you specifically ask them not to. I’ve found that I like it that way, as their slaw is light and kind of vivacious, and it makes a nice counterpoint to the smoky, tender meat. If you like sweet tea (it’s an acquired taste), drink about three big glasses with your meal. You will walk out of there a changed man.
If none of this sounds good, there are a million other fun things to do here; this is a great city.
Oh, and don’t go to Beale Street unless you want to see a manufactured corporate daydream just like every other “walking-mall entertainment district” in the country.
One more thing: There’s a little cafe attached to the side of Sun Studio. DO NOT EAT THERE.
I second that. Remember also the Sultana. Her boilers exploded near Memphis in 1865. More people perished than on the Titanic.
Second the Beale Street rec.
And don’t be afraid of Graceland. You don’t have to be an Elvis fan. It’s just a fascinating example of what happens when “bad taste” meets “too much money.”
You don’t have to like Elvis to enjoy a tour of Graceland. It’s Americana, not music.
What are you interested in? There are some really cool cemeteries here too.
On your way out, stop by my apartment and get your free kitten!
Keep your voice down about the kitten. I don’t want to drive to Memphis tomorrow.
Wow. Memphisians are so hospitable! With each visit, everyone gets some free pussie!
What?
You’ll most likely be walking down Beale St. at some point–stop in at Schwab’s Dry Goods Store. A very funky grab-bag of a store.
And here’s another vote for Graceland. I’m not an Elvis fan either, but I loved the place.
don’t miss:
the rock and soul museum
soulsville usa (the stax records museum)
and ribs at the rendezvous
Thanks for all of the suggestions…
Regarding to-do’s, transportation should not be a problem, as I will be using my car. My reason for being in Memphis will be a concert on Beale St, so I will definitely have a little time there. As for seeing the Mississippi River… I live next to it! I’m in Natchez, MS, the oldest city on the MS river!
The Rock and Soul museum sounds good, and I would love to go to the Gibson maunfacturing place in Memphis, but I read on Memphis’s site that groups of ten or more are needed, but I’ll probably end up joining some other people there.
Thanks again for all of the suggestions and keep 'em coming!
If you have kids, or even if you don’t, the Peabody Hotel has these ducks that live in the penthouse on top of the hotel. Every morning at 9 am, they come down the elevator, a red carpet is rolled out and the ducks march out to the fountain in the lobby. They swim around in the fountain all day and then at 5:00 pm, the red carpet is rolled out again and they march back to the elevator to go back up to the penthouse.
We bought our kids last year (the Hurricane Ivan evacuation) and got there around 4:30 and watched the lobby fill up with people. It’s a big event, every day.
If you like ribs, you must eat at the Rendezvous.
I second the zoo. It’s very well laid out so you don’t have to walk 50 miles between each exhibit to see the animals. When I was there I took some pictures of an orangutan who had apparently learned to grin whenever he saw a camera pointed his way. And the meercats were so cute my head almost exploded.
Go to Graceland.
Charlie Vergos’ Rendevous does not typically have the best BBQ in Memphis, but it is by far the most enjoyable and essential “Memphis Barbecue” experience.
–Cliffy
Eat some ribs. Rest. East some more ribs. Have some pulled pork & cole slaw. Eat some more ribs.
Try sweet tea if you’ve never had it before. Then go to the dentist.
Then eat more ribs.
Yes, I tried to eat my way through Memphis. It was fun. I also saw some sights.
My personal favorite place for ribs was Corky’s. I’ll agree with Cliffy that Rendezvous is worth a visit as an interesting and enjoyable experience, but theirs were not my favorite ribs.