vanblah

No matter what you do you have to go to Graceland. I know it sounds tacky and all ... and I myself resisted for the first 5 years that I lived here. Then, my band started playing there (when they had live music) and I began to understand. I can't put it into words really.

Downtown:

Beale street is cool if you like commercial blues. If you want to see some real blues musicians go over to Wild Bill's on Vollentine (in Midtown). You may feel a little out of place, but it's pretty amazing and doesn't really even get started until 2AM.

Have breakfast at the Arcade (featured most prominently in the movie Mystery Train) downtown in the South Main district.

Also, check out Ernestine and Hazel's and have a Soul Burger (late at night). E&H's is an old whorehouse and if you go there you'll see it still pretty much looks like a whorehouse (WHOREhouse not WAREhouse). It is right across from the train station (now all condos).

If you like really, really good food go to McEwen's on Monroe. If you want soul food go to Alecinia's (sp?). For lunch go to The Little Tea Shop and order the Lacy special with Turnip Greens.

If you like beer go to the Flying Saucer (it's a chain though, so not really "Memphis").

There are a TON of art galleries and boutique shops downtown.

On your way to midtown on Marshall/Madison is Sun Studios. It's kind of a let down really, but really cool if you like that era.

Midtown:

Go to The Young Ave. Deli for NOT-blues local music and have a beer. This is the hipster area. Cooper-Young.

Overton Square is NOT what it used to be. There's still a few places, but nothing like its heyday. Bosco's? Pretty good beer and pizza but that's all. The Square is being torn down.

If you like seedy bars: Murphy's and the Buccaneer are OK.

If you can make it go to the Stax museum. It's pretty amazing to see where R&B really came from. It's not the original building; that was torn down a while back.

Further East:

If you are "out East" then have fun looking at all the houses that look the same.