Airport Details
Airport Full Name
Memphis International
IATA Code
MEM
Location:
The airport is situated eight miles (12km) south of
Memphis city centre.
Airport Facilities
There are numerous restaurants, bars and cafes and a variety of shops, including an Elvis gift shop. The International Travel Insurance and Business Service Center, located by Ticket Lobby B, provides a variety of services to business travellers including foreign currency and travellers cheque exchange, travel insurance and fax and photocopy services. 24-hour ATMs are located in Ticket Lobby B next to the Aviation Historical Room and American Express has an Express Cash Machine for travellers cheques located in Concourse B. Disabled facilities at the airport are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Transfers
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) public buses leave regularly for the city centre from a bus station near Terminal C, and there are also services to many out-of-town destinations. Taxis are available outside the terminal building. Car rental companies are represented at the airport; free telephones are available in the baggage claim areas to phone for a complimentary shuttle service to take passengers to the desired rental car company.
Contact
Tel: +1 901 922 8000.
Memphis Hotel Deals
Memphis Holiday Deals
Climate Details (C)
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
| Min | -1 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 |
| Max | 9 | 12 | 17 | 23 | 27 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 29 | 23 | 17 | 11 |
Travel Guides: Memphis
General Information
Few people alive today have not heard of Elvis Presley, legendary 'King of Rock 'n Roll', and most associate Memphis, largest city in Tennessee, with the iconic deceased singer. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the city each year, particularly on Elvis' birthday, to make a pilgrimage to Graceland, the mansion where Presley lived and died.
Citing its famous singing sensation as the only draw card in Memphis, however, is failing to do this go-getter city in southwest Tennessee justice. But music makes Memphis special, for sure: 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, happy to be walking in the footsteps of their heroes.
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.
Getting Around
As most residents own a car, public transport is not very reliable and the most efficient way to cover the sprawling city is by car, although traffic congestion can make it slow, even more so during rush hours. The city is simple to navigate and parking is generally easy to find. To hire a car drivers must be 21 years old, but most agencies have higher rates for under-25s; some require an International Driving Permit as well as a valid driver's license. Public transport is available, but consists of slow and infrequent buses, as well as the more useful Main Street Trolley that covers downtown in a circular route. Taxis are also available and must be booked by phone.
Activities
Pink Palace Museum, Memphis
The Pink Palace, a soubriquet bestowed on this elaborate pink marble Memphis mansion by the locals, was intended to be a luxury home for the founder of the Piggy Wiggly chain of supermarkets, Clarence Saunders, when he began building it back in the 1920s. Before the ostentatious mansion that dominates Central Avenue was completed Saunders declared bankruptcy, and the homestead ended up in the hands of the city of Memphis for use as a museum. The Pink Palace Museum is devoted to culture and natural history, it's origins preserved in the form of a replica of the first self-service grocery store in the country, Saunders' Piggly Wiggly. Visitors can also explore dioramas, exhibits and audio-visual displays that trace Memphis' development from the arrival of the Spanish explorers through the Civil War and yellow fever epidemics. Dinosaurs and fossils also feature, as does an excellent medical-history section. The museum includes a planetarium and an Imax theatre.
Opening Times:
Open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm, Sunday from
12pm to 5pm. Closed Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, New Years Day and
Thanksgiving
Admission:
Museum: $9.75 (adults), $6.25 (children 3-12); Imax: $8
(adults), $6.25 (children); Planetarium: $4.50 (adults), $4
(children). Combination tickets for Museum/Planetarium/Imax
available
Memphis Rock n' Soul Museum, Memphis
A collection of rare recordings, vintage films and musician interviews along with photographs, and interactive exhibits makes up the 'Social Crossroads' exhibition put together by the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibition fills seven galleries and covers the development of American popular music over the past century, from gospel to blues and rock, with exhibits such as costumes and guitars from performers like Elvis Presley, Ike Turner's piano and B.B. King's 'Lucille' guitar. An audio guide is available and takes visitors on a tour of the music that was the biggest influence on culture and lifestyle in the 20th century.
Opening Times:
Daily from 10am to 7pm; last tour commences at
6.15pm
Admission:
$11 (adults); $8 (children 5-17). Group discounts
available
Sun Studio, Memphis
Visitors who come to Memphis to pay homage to Elvis Presley inevitably are also keen to visit the legendary recording studio in Union Avenue where the King of rock 'n roll's career, and that of numerous other stars, began. The story is that Elvis first walked into the Sun Studio in the early 1950s to record a song as a birthday present for his mother. The rest is musical history, now enshrined in the studio that also launched the likes of Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis on the road to stardom. Visitors to the studio can hear outtakes from recording sessions, touch Elvis' first microphone, view a great deal of memorabilia and listen to anecdotes. Alongside the studio is the Sun Studio Café, a diner that retains its 1950s style and is still a favourite musician's hangout.
Opening Times:
Daily 10am to 6pm, with public tours starting every
hour on the half-hour, from 10.30am to 5.30pm
Admission:
$12 per person; children under 12 are free; children
under five are not allowed
Graceland, Memphis
Memphis' biggest attraction is the second-most visited house in the United States after the White House. The Graceland Mansion and its attendant buildings and attractions were home to the 'King of Rock 'n Roll', Elvis Presley, who died in 1977. Thousands of fans of all ages still make pilgrimages here to tour the house, grounds and visit his grave. Mansion tours are offered with audio players describing the rooms and memorabilia. Also open for viewing is the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum housing the star's renowned 1955 pink Cadillac, a collection of Elvis' personal belongings, and a re-creation of an airport terminal where the singer's two private jets are on display. As of March 2006, Graceland joins the White House, Mount Vernon and Monticello as a National Historic Landmark, the USA's highest designation for historic properties, usually accorded to the homes of American presidents. Long live the King.
Opening Times:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm
(March to October); daily 10am to 4pm (November). From December to
February, the mansion is open daily except Tuesday 10am to 4pm;
Plaza attractions open daily
Admission:
Mansion tour: $31 (adults), $14 (children 7-12); other
concessions available. Various combination tickets are also
available
Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis
Stax Records was not only the most successful soul music studio in history - recording the likes of Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and The Staple Singers - but also a cultural phenomenon, that furthered the ends of social integration at a time when segregation was still a grim reality in the USA. Although Stax Records was forced into involuntary bankruptcy at the end of 1975, its legacy lives on, in the form of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Located at the original site of Stax Records, the museum pays tribute to all of the artists who recorded there, with a rare and astonishing collection of more than two thousand interactive exhibits, films, artefacts, items of memorabilia, and galleries.
Opening Times:
(April to October) Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm,
Sunday 10am to 1pm; (November to March) Tuesday to Saturday 10am to
5pm, Sunday 10am to 1pm. Closed on Mondays
Admission:
$12 (adults); $11 (seniors 62+); $9 (children
9-12)
Memphis Botanic Garden, Memphis
The Memphis Botanic Gardens are a sensory delight through which to stroll at any time of year. The 96-acre site at Audubon Park, in the east of the city comprises 22 formal gardens each focussing on a theme or species, ranging from a tranquil Japanese garden to the magnificent Municipal Rose Garden, an organic vegetable garden and a tropical conservatory. Highlights are the Ketchum Memorial Iris Garden, at its best in April and May, and a Sensory Garden designed to be enjoyed by the disabled.
Opening Times:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm (3
April to October); Monday to Saturday 9am to 4.30pm, Sunday 11am to
4.30pm (November to 2 April)
Admission:
$5 (adults), $3 (children 3-12)
Mud Island River Park, Memphis
Mud Island in the Mississippi River offers a fascinating insight into the famous river with a series of fun and informative attractions. The island emerged in the river in 1900 and was turned into a 52-acre park. Main attractions on the island are the Mississippi River Museum, an amphitheatre where touring acts perform during summer, a huge swimming pool and a display of the Memphis Belle, a famous B-17 bomber from World War II. The highlight of a visit to Mud Island, however, is the unique and fascinating River Walk, a scaled down replica of the lower Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois to New Orleans in Louisiana. The River walk is five blocks long and represents a journey of 1,000 miles (1,609km).
Getting There:
Monorail from Front Street
Opening Times:
Daily 10am to 5pm (9 April to 27 May, 6 September to
31 October); 10am to 6pm (28 May to 4 September). Closed on
Mondays. Last admission is one hour before closing
Admission:
$10 (adults), $7 (children 5-12), includes museum
admission, roundtrip monorail ride and (optional) guided river walk
tour. General park admission is free
Events
Elvis Week
Memphis boasts the most famous and most visited tourist attraction in the United States, Graceland, former home of rock 'n roll legend, Elvis Presley. Each year on the anniversary of Presley's death hundreds of thousands of avid fans flock to Graceland for a week of scheduled events, most of them having become traditional like the Candlelight Vigil, a 1950s style dance party, and a fun run in aid of charity. Live music and singing is provided all week.
Date:
10-16 August 2011
Venue:
Graceland mansion, Elvis Presley Boulevard
Carnival Memphis
A charitable tradition since 1931, Carnival Memphis strives each year to raise as much as possible in support of causes for underprivileged children. The Carnival is filled with a round of social events, including luncheons and balls presided over by the annually elected Carnival King and Queen, and a three-mile (5km) children's fun run.
Date:
Events held throughout the year
Venue:
Various
Memphis in May
May is the month with the most celebrations in Memphis, when the city celebrates with a clutch of festivals designed not only to highlight the indigenous charms of Tennessee but also as a cultural exchange exercise, honouring a different 'guest' country each year. Kicking off the merry month is the Beale Street Music Festival, billed as 'one outrageous party' taking place over three days, with four stages on 13 hectares (33 acres) alongside the mighty Mississippi. This is followed up by the Desti-Nations International Festival featuring activities, displays and cultural exhibitions relating to the chosen guest country. The other two main events of Memphis in May are the World Championship Barbecue Contest and the Great Southern Food Festival combined with the Sunset Symphony concert on the riverbank. For more information, call (901) 525 4611.
Date:
Various events annually in May
Venue:
Various
Beale Street Zydeco Festival
Not only is the famous Beale Street in Memphis the home of Blues and rock 'n roll, but it is also a centre for devotees of Zydeco music - accordion-driven Cajun sounds. On two days each year top zydeco artists converge on the local clubs and pubs, and offer street performances and jam sessions.
Date:
23-24 February 2011
Venue:
Various in Beale Street
Pink Palace Crafts Fair
A great outing for avid shoppers, the annual craft fair in aid of Memphis' Pink Palace Museum attracts tens of thousands of visitors. The event includes a juried show and the sale of works by about 300 artists, live music and ethnic food. For more information, call (901) 320 6408.
Date:
6-11 October 2011
Venue:
Audubon Park
Venue:
10am to 6pm (Thursday to Saturday); 10am to 5pm
(Sunday)
