5 Best Sights in Memphis, Tennessee

Graceland, the estate once owned by Elvis Presley, is 12 miles south of Downtown. A guided tour of the mansion, which Elvis bought in 1957 at age 22, as well as the adjoining automobile museum reveals the spoils of stardom. Graceland might be the only colonial suburban home on record to have a jungle room, a pink Cadillac, and close to 700,000 guests annually. Elvis is buried outside the mansion, and tours conclude with many fans leaving tokens at his gravesite. Reservations are recommended, especially in August during "Elvis Week."

South of Downtown, the motel in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 has been transformed into the National Civil Rights Museum, an outstanding facility that documents the civil rights movement through exhibits and clever audiovisual displays.

Overton Park houses the popular 70-acre Memphis Zoo, which includes a 9-acre Cat Country and Primate Canyon. In total, there are about 3,500 animals here, representing over 500 species. Don't miss giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le. The Northwest Passage features polar bears, seals, and sea lions. The zoo has some nice eateries, shops, fountains, and a farm discovery center.

Memphis begins at the Mississippi River, which is celebrated in a 52-acre river park on Mud Island. A footbridge and monorail at 125 North Front Street get you to the island, where the five-block River Walk replicates the Mississippi's every twist, turn, and sandbar from Cairo, Illinois, to New Orleans, Louisiana. The park also has pedal boat and bicycle rentals and numerous gift shops.

At the The Children's Museum of Memphis youngsters can touch, climb, and explore their way through a child-size city, and delve into the many interactive exhibitions.