Memphis

We enjoyed 5 days with an almost four year old in Memphis.  It was awesome.  I have always wanted to visit Memphis, not sure why.  They other good things about this trip - we went with friends and their almost three year old daughter.  It was great to catch up and see them and they love to eat more than we do - so we knew we were going to get some good meals in.  Finally, we have been so busy with so much going on that we hardly had time to plan.  So, we pulled together a few plans but for the most part winged it.  Sometimes winging it works out well and here it certainly did.

General awesomeness of the city

People are really nice here, like really nice.  And, they genuinely want your children to have a good time.  No matter where we went people were smiling and checking in with my son, and in a good way - not in a creepy way.  Families are welcome, encouraged to have fun - it seems as though the place was built for kids - with all of the delicious food options, the many museums and zoos - even the Music had our little's toe tapping the entire time.  I am proud that my guy went here, and now he will know who Elvis is his entire life. 

Tips

You must rent a car, be prepared for a walk to the rental car place too when you land in the city - but parents can split up - one with bags and the line and the other with kids looking at the awesome fountains in the airport while waiting for your car.  Everywhere in Memphis seems to be 15-20 minutes apart.  Cars are imperative if you want to see most of the sites, and parking is readily available at most of the sites as well (usually for free).  We found that sometimes you drive through areas which are not the nicest, so having purpose in your destination, and being prepared with a phone GPS is a must. 

Food

There is no shortage of good food in Memphis. Of course there is barbecue, there is also catfish, fried chicken, some amazing breakfast places - lots of sausage and biscuits and donuts, and lots of really good things to drink.  Taking the kids to the go-to restaurants here is easy, because all of the go to places are casual joints.  Order alacarte from sides in a BBQ joint no problem.  Screaming child in the burger place? Whatever.  Wiggly child, stop in for some amazing fresh baked donuts - no need to stay too long.  The whole family will eat well and feel like they are Tony Bourdain in Memphis.  Even the fancy places, like the Peabody Hotel, inherently caters to children- so it's 4pm and you are tossing back one of their signature Jack Daniels drinks while your child is 20 feet away running around their lobby fountain? No worries, raise your glass and toast to the parents next to you.  

General food for thought- Memphis restaurants generally did not have milk, chocolate milk or apple juice as options. Get used to drinking water, kids.  I'll have another beer. 

We ate at some of the best places to go to in the city:

Central BBQ - two locations in the city, we ate at one near Central Ave twice.  The chips here are a must do and they were one of the only places we visited the entire time that offered Mac and cheese, a must for our guy.  The ribs were to die for, be sure to know the sides you want when you order as it seems like everything came with two sides.  Paper towels at the table, they call your number when it is ready, only a few beers on tap.  Lots of locals, we knew we were in the right spot!

The Arcade Restaurant - the oldest operating restaurant in the city, in the heart of downtown and once frequented by Elvis also happens to be featured in many films.  Stop here and soak in the atmosphere - 50s diner, and not in a cheesy way either - and eat up some delicious breakfast.  The kids fruit salad was fresh and not slimy.  The parents gorged on southern comfort breakfast food which has made the world over of lists from the travel channel to food TV.  As I am a sucker, I went for the biscuits and gravy with grits, but next time I am going to see what those sweet potato pancakes are all about.  Happy about the chocolate milk here!

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - when you need a break from red meat - how about take a bite out of the white? We made our way to this place, one of a few in the city, in a massive rain storm. We were welcomed with fried green tomatoes, fried pickles and we got the family style chicken dinner which would have fed and army, or us party of four plus two kids.  The service was awesome here and you could tell we were the only tourists in the place.  The locals agree, this is the place to go for the right fried chicken.  Be careful though, that spice on the chicken is intense, so you may want to grab something else for your little one - or ensure they keep cooling off with some bites of beans and cole slaw in between.

The Peabody - we visited the restaurant here for brunch.  It was an epic feast fit for any little king or queen, all the usual fixins and more and our waiter seemed to really like me as he continued to fill up my mimosa glass.  The bar in the Peabody lobby was a treat for our visit and see more info on the ducks in things to do below.  They had a huge menu of signature drinks that over the five days I managed to enjoy most - our favorites were the volunteer (their version of a sidecar) and the signature drink on the Jack Daniels menu which had peach and sour cherries.  Ask for nuts, and you will want to avoid the place between 10:15-11am or between 4-5pm if you are just going for a drink and do not care about ducks.  Don't worry though, at 11:01 or 5:01 it is all set!

Blues City Cafe- on Beale Street "with the prices to match," this place surprisingly had the best ribs! Surprising because we kept hearing to go elsewhere, but let us tell you that the dry rub ones here were tender and delicious. Also surprising on the menu, the tamales, a must try.  Get the big beer here and you will die laughing, 32 ounces. Right on the corner of Beale Street, so you will be starting your trip down Blues lane correctly. Lots of kids here so no worries at all on noise, we were sad to miss the skillet apple pie, but who has the room?

Rendezvous- supposedly the best dry rub ribs, we started with the lamb ribs which had us feeling great and frankly the 1/2 rack left us feeling dry.  But the brisket was a huge plus, as was the Greek salad on the menu - a nod to the owner's heritage.  Enjoy a pitcher of beer - golden ale from Ghost River is a crowd pleaser. To get there, go down the scary alley way, yep.  Then walk into a basement.  But bring some money for the juke box and have a good time.

Places to go

There is so much to see and do, even with getting to 2-3 destinations a day, we still missed a ton! We decided not to go to the Civil Rights Museum as those visiting might not appreciate our rambunctious kiddos - plus it would be way over their heads and hard for us to learn too. I hear the exhibit is amazing and powerful, so it is on the list for next time.  Sadly, we also do not know anything about the Sun City museum as they did not welcome our littles!  But many, many more places welcomed our little guys and were great to visit, check them out:

Memphis Zoo- As my husband said over and over again - probably the best Zoo we have ever been to.  I am not sure what the feed their animals, but all were active and excited to see us!  Giraffes a few feet away, Pandas sliding down slides, snakes with their heads straight up and actually slithering around.  The kids could not get enough, and neither could we.  It is always awesome to start out your adventure with your littles at the Zoo - because it is something they can relate to and it will make them feel comfortable in the whole traveling thing as well.  And, just for you nay-sayers out there - not all zoos are the same.  Maybe it is me, because I am a Museum person and all - but I love to visit the different places, compare them and learn from them.  This place was certainly an A+, and side tip, on the border of a great park, which we did not have time to see because we were off to the Crawfish Festival!

Pink Palace Museum - Quirky "Cabinet of Curiosities" - learn a ton about the history of Memphis by just what is in this collection.  There is an IMAX here and all that other stuff too - but we just had fun looking at all of the collections - from skeletons, to shrunken heads and an awesome handmade replica of a circus - dr.'s implements, paintings and stuffed animals (the real kid) - lots to see and explore.  Be careful of the dinosaur, it roars!

Mud Island - Quite possible the most awesome exhibit I have ever seen is right here on Mud Island.  Take the tram over, and walk back (or vice versa) so you can get both experiences on the way to this unique place in Memphis.  The island was brilliantly designed to attract tourists and entertain locals.  There is an outdoor amphitheater which made me want to come back for a concert, walking trails and an awesome Museum that teaches you all about the Mississippi.  Enjoy the views of Arkansas and Mississippi while standing on Tennessee soil, and then walk the entire length of the Mississippi River, in exhibit form.  This INCREDIBLE exhibit is a replica, down to the depth and including the bends, currents, and cities of the entire length of the Mississippi.  Luckily, James had his duck from The Peabody and so we put him in at the top and walked the whole length of the River down to New Orleans.  Quite an awesome experience.  We just wish they had a place that served a beer - maybe on the weekends?

Stax Museum - I love music museums, and this one was pretty neat.  The intro video is a must and a great way to get you oriented to the different stax sound and understanding of how important Stax was to the music industry, and to Memphis.  Although not as interactive as the Country Music Museum in Nashville, it was a nice exhibit complete with awesome 1970's car.  James got a little antsy but genuinely enjoyed listening to the Music.  We had a larger understanding of this music and era, bought some CDs and enjoyed them in our van the remainder of the trip (and at home too!).

Graceland - Who goes to Memphis and not to Graceland?  Not us!  I was thinking of skipping it, but I am glad I went.  This place is still privately owned people, by Lisa Marie - and who knows how long it will last.  Not to be a nay-sayer, but in an age where museum attendance is declining, and it is expensive to keep them running - I am not sure who her crowd will be when those who truly remember Elvis get too old to walk through the doors. So, go if you can because it is truly awesome.  I hardly know much about Elvis myself, and I continue to be in the dark - because when you get to Graceland they outfit you with an iPad and headphones and send you off on a guided tour with John Stamos as your leader.  Awesome?  Yes!  If you can actually listen to it.  In order to occupy him I let my 4 year old get the set, which means I guess he now knows everything.  They wouldn't give me another, so I let him be fascinated with the words of John Stamos while I was fascinated with Elvis's home.  It is a PERFECT time capsule.  The house is much smaller than you would think, and it smells and looks like your grandparents home.  Trust me.  It is eerie.  Walking down to the basement I had flashbacks of Hicksville, NY.  Scary!  It can get boring for the kiddos - but it is a neat thing to show them how people lived.  Then, take them to the Car Museum and the planes on the property too.  A plane with a big bed in it blew James' mind. Then he was hungry again for lunch.

Beale Street - A visit to Memphis is not complete without a walk down Beale Street.  It is a quick walk, and your senses will be assaulted!  Don't walk down the middle of the street - this is reserved for the acrobats that flip their way down the entire length over and over again for your tips.  This had the kids fascinated.  There are ample places to listen to music, and to get a fish bowl or enormous drink.  During the day, there are even some great shops.  Obviously, the later the less friendly the crowds and music are for the kiddos, but it was 9pm and we weren't the only ones with littles there.  We could have started our own tip jar with our kids bouncing to the music in the streets.  We didn't bring them into the bars though - the dads had a night to do that on their own. Next time, when they are older!

The Peabody Ducks - A must for littles, and littles at heart.  You should get to the Peabody Hotel at 10:15 am (in time to get a good seat for the 11am ceremony arrival of the ducks) or 4:15pm (in time for the 5:00pm departure) to see the Ducks.  The Ducks are huge, and this is the fanciest hotel in the middle of the city.  For nearly 100 years ducks have been swimming in the hotel's gorgeous center lobby, and now to attract tourists and people to buy $16 martinis, the Ducks are ceremoniously led to their fountain at 11am each day, and back in the elevator up to their homes at 5pm at night.  Come early to secure your seat in the lobby - they will not let you stand around for this show.  The Duckmaster will tell you the entire history behind this strange and awesome ritual and you will get to see the little guys waddle their way in and out of the fountain.  The drinks are great (see above) and the historic hotel is something not to miss.  They also have some good non-alcoholic awesome drinks for those who want to avoid the whisky.  While in the hotel, shop at Lansky (Elvis' favorite) and get yourself some duck things in their gift shop too.  Make your way up to the terrace at the top of the building and you can see awesome views of Memphis, and where the ducks live at night.  

Hopefully you will get to visit Memphis sometime soon, and see it through the eyes of a little too.  It is a great and friendly city, and I hope some day I will get back there!