Anyone been to Graceland in Memphis?

[runandbehappy50]

I want to go

I love Elvis and feel I should do some travelling now kids are older and I'm not so young/realising'one day' needs to be sooner rather than later

I have been but it was many years ago ! I think maybe around 1994 ! I can't remember very much about it to be honest. I'm not an Elvis fan it was just one of those things you had to do whilst touring round the US after working on a summer camp.

I've been and it was really interesting. If you're already a fan you'll probably love it. I went in kinda liking him and came out a fan!

I went last year.

It was fabulous, we stayed at the Graceland Hotel next door, the hotel is amazing, the food isn't... very disappointing for America!
On the day of the Graceland tour, I booked the last slot of the day and hired a private (official) guide - she was fab, told us so much.
We also went to the official site over the road where all the cars, planes and memorabilia are located.

We also went to Memphis to Beale Street, that was good fun too.

Definitely recommend, worth every penny.

Yes. It was very interesting. We went in 1990 and saw his auntie sitting out in the sun. She still lived there at the time. It must have felt weird for her having all those visitors gawping at her.

I'm a fan. So will undoubtably love it

And there seems like so much more to do in Memphis

Seeing his Aunt must have been surreal. I'm not sure where we will stay. Somewhere cheap and cheerful.

Planning on running the Memphis half marathon whilst I'm there,DD thinks I'm mad, but when in Rome and all that!
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Loved Memphis. Graceland is amazing and very moving. Sun Studios is another must do and the Duck March at the Peabody Hotel is worth a look.

Memphis itself has some REALLY rough neighbourhoods I recommend doing your research before booking somewhere cheap and cheerful. It also gets mega booked up so if you're going for the marathon the nice places will book up early.

We stayed at a cheap and cheerful Days Inn and nearly didn't come out alive!

Gracelands is definitely worth a trip but it's smaller than you think so the PP's idea of a private guide might help you get the most out of it as a fan.

I went back in the 80s when I was in the area for work. I didn’t see his auntie but I was told she lived there. It was much smaller than I expected, but it was a great place to visit - even though I wasn’t a huge fan.

I’ve been a couple of times...about 20 years ago now. I hope you love it too

I've been, stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel on lonely street. Hotel was fab and OTT withElvis theme. Graceland was great but smaller than I imagined. Wrote my name on the wall outside. Went to Beale st and Sun Studios. Visited Tupelo too. Fab holiday

I went a couple of years ago and loved it despite not being an Elvis fan particularly. If you do go to Memphis, as well as all the things mentioned above, do not miss the Civil Rights Museum. It's excellent. Agree with pp who said be careful what area you stay in. Read reviews carefully!

Ooh is it s bit rough? We're looking at a travel lodge type place lol!

Might have to upgrade

To be honest, downtown was rough, so don't stay there. Where we stayed was fine though and I'm
Sure where the hotels are won't be the rough areas

We went last year and loved it. Like others, we weren't big Elvis fans but enjoyed it and certainly was interested to learn more about him. We stayed at the Graceland Hotel which was very nice. One restaurant tip: Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant. They will come to your hotel free of charge and pick you up in a pink Cadillac and return you to your hotel (while it's free your driver will appreciate a tip). We went to visit the little shop at the restaurant and the lady working there is one of Elvis's old girlfriends! She was very friendly and had lots of little stories to share.

I also second somebody's suggestion of visiting the National Civil Rights Museum. The day we were there Jesse Jackson was filming in the hotel room where Martin Luther King was shot so we weren't able to see it.

Beale Street in Memphis is worth visiting as well. It comes alive after dark. Have a great time!

Marlowes is def on the list! Thankyou!

What's the flight/jet lag like? I've not ventured further than Europe so no idea

This is maybe outing - I went about 9 years ago and it's quite frankly the weirdest place I've ever been!

It was relatively quiet, not many folk about. But - I don't even know how to describe it - it was just weird. All the staff watched us as we wandered around, there was no talking between the staff or the other visitors. There was the odd person clearly very upset by the tour. I didn't so much feel it was respectful silence as freaky and creepy?
I'm too young really to have been an Elvis fan but was certainly keen to go as I figured it would be an experience.
The souvenirs in the gift shop were horrific
I wouldn't ever go back but am glad I went!

Loved Graceland. Really interesting trip and very moving, but then I love Elvis's music. Didn't like Memphis that much but then we had just arrived from Nashville which is amazing and only about a 3 hour drive away.

Memphis is ROUGH and segregated. You do really need to know where you are and I certainly wouldn't pick a cheap hotel. The Peabody is a good choice. The duck parade is good fun. Beale Street is perfectly fine but don't stray too far off it.