I’m in Memphis. Should I wander to Beale Street this evening, or is it just a tourist trap?
Tomorrow, I’m going to the zoo and the civil rights museum. Any other ideas? (I’m only here for two nights.)
I’m in Memphis. Should I wander to Beale Street this evening, or is it just a tourist trap?
Tomorrow, I’m going to the zoo and the civil rights museum. Any other ideas? (I’m only here for two nights.)
Last year I was at an outdoor wedding reception (in August!) in Memphis at the Decorative Metal Museum. I didn’t see much of it because it was after hours, but it seemed fairly interesting.
(I have no opinion of Beale, never having been there.)
Well, I went. Had a bite to eat and hung out for a couple of hours.
I think it’s more a tourist trap than anything else. Food and drinks were expensive, and the food was mediocre. I suppose it’s good for the music scene in Memphis to have so much employment available, but I didn’t hear any music that was new; it was all covers.
If you’re not after food or drinks, there’s nothing else.
'Course, being there on a Tuesday may have had something to do with what was on offer. I dunno, I’m glad I went there once, but I suspect once was enough.
If you haven’t been to Graceland and are interested, I suggest you do that. It’s a fun tour and worth the time/money.
I agree Beale St. is a bit of a tourist trap. But it’s more fun on the weekends and the music is generally better.
Also check out Sun Studio on Union. It’s near downtown. http://www.sunstudio.com/
What did you say when Muriel asked you if you were a Christian?
I second Graceland if for nothing else just to see how much tacky money can buy. Graceland just has to be seen to be believed. Beale Street would be fun just to say you’ve been but it is more fun on the weekend.
Beale is a lot of fun if you’re looking for a weekend or holiday bar-hopping scene, but I can’t imagine it’s very exciting during the day.
I hope you enjoy our zoo today! That’s the best part of Memphis in my opinion.
Sun Studio is interesting if you’re in to music. Ornamental Metal Museum is kind of neat. Civil Rights Museum ain’t so bad. Pink Palace is embarrassing as a museum, but like Graceland it’s fun for the 70s kitsch value.
If I’d seen this earlier I’d have told you Beale isn’t anything special unless there’s an event going on.
I think you should walk with your feet ten feet off of Beale, then ask yourself “do I really feel the way I feel?”
Beale Street is pretty lame, and the music is almost as mediocre as the food. There is good music and food in Memphis, but not there. A Schwab is pretty awesome though; weird old store on Beale, but only open during the day. The zoo is awesome. If you get this in time, Overton Park (beside the zoo) is a pretty nice place to have a picnic lunch.
I enjoyed the zoo very much.
The civil rights museum was worth visiting. It’d be awkward if it was much busier than it was today. A lot of it is printed small enough that you have to (or at least I had to be) fairly close to read it. I was really surprised to see how much they had about James Earl Ray over in the boardinghouse part of it, including fairly detailed coverage of the different results each of the investigations has produced. And the protesting lady was there today, so I didn’t miss anything.
I’d intended to go to the Pink Palace, and I had time, but I was walked out. If my hotel were closer, I would have gone back after a rest. Oh well.
If you got wheels and a taste for gambling, you’re about an hour…maybe less…from multiple casinos in Tunica.
Failing that, if you’re not using your soul and have a guitar, you could drive down to the intersection of U.S. 61 & U.S. 49 (near Clarksdale, MS) at midnight. You’ll come back sans soul, but able to rock the house…
Forget that, I’m 54. I want vision that enables me to read museum displays through people’s shoulders from 20 feet away.
Which reminds me, today the lady at the museum taking my money asked if I was 55 or older, and for the first time ever in my life I had to stop and think about it. “Am I?” I thought. “No, not yet.”
I’ll just go check myself into the nursing home now.