Memphis and its residents are known for their hustle and soul, and nourishing the latter requires taking a break from the former every once in a while. If you’re facing time and/or budget constraints, going on vacation may seem unlikely at best and impossible at worst—but who says you need to leave home to kick back, have fun and shake things up? In Memphis, there are a lot of activities to choose from while you’re on a staycation. Read on for some of our top Memphis staycation tips.
Visit Graceland
Although Elvis Presley hasn’t lived in this impressive home for years, you wouldn’t know it—the stately mansion and its grounds have been preserved just the way they were when Elvis was alive. Take a guided tour of the premises to hear a brief history of the rooms and the notable items each contains, and seize this lifetime opportunity to walk on the same ground as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Even if you don’t consider yourself an Elvis fan, we bet you’ll develop a burning love for Graceland.
Explore the history of Memphis
The National Civil Rights Museum in downtown Memphis features a renowned collection of photographs, film, and artifacts that give a comprehensive history of slavery, the civil war and the civil rights movement. Don’t miss the museum’s most iconic, somber offering: the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
Of course, there’s more than one history museum in Memphis. To learn more about the music legends who have lived and worked here over the years, take your pick of the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. Don’t forget Sun Studio, which is home to a microphone used by Elvis Presley in addition to an array of other memorabilia.
Get active at Shelby Farms Park
The greenery of Shelby Farms makes this urban park the ideal place to kick back and relax, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s all there is to do here. The Go Ape treetop adventure course will have you swinging through trees, zip lining over Pine Lake and navigating a complex obstacle course—all under the watchful eye of your instructors, of course. What’s more, the paved Greenline connecting the park to Midtown Memphis is perfect for cycling, running and walking, and has been voted the best trail in Tennessee.
Enjoy your new perspective
Whether you spend your days off visiting local landmarks for the first time, exploring the history that surrounds you or communing with nature, it’s easy to have an enjoyable staycation in Memphis without breaking the bank. And while the suggestions above are a good place to start, we haven’t even scratched the surface.
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