Spotlight for Memphis, TN
As the largest city in Tennessee, Memphis is a great city that is situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. It has approximately 600 thousand residents and possesses the southern charm that truly make it a city worth visiting.
Whether you're in town for a short time or just getting to know the city a bit better, there are definitely some sites that should not be missed along the way.
Home to Elvis Presley, Memphis boasts a popular tourist attraction called Graceland, which is a museum of "the King's" former residence. His former mansion is located on a street named after him, 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard, and is just twelve short miles from downtown Memphis. Next to the White House, it is the most-visited residence in the entire country, with over 600 thousand visitors each year. While there, one can tour his home, his grave (as he was buried there after his death in 1977), and even his automobiles and airplanes. It is Memphis' primary "claims-to-fame" and continues to drive a huge portion of the city's tourism industry to date.
The Memphis Redbirds are a AAA minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League that are closely associated with the St. Louis Cardinals. The team calls AutoZone Park home, which is one of the most state of the art ball fields in the nation. Furthermore, the team is the only professional sports franchise that is recognized as a charity by the IRS, as they have donated millions of dollars on behalf of their self-named charity, Memphis Redbirds Baseball Foundation. As such, visitors that attend a fantastic baseball game at AutoZone Park are not only experiencing an integral part of Memphis and its culture, but also giving back to the community in a major way.
One of Memphis' most interesting and unconventional attractions is called The Peabody Ducks. Each morning at 11:00 AM, a group of five mallard ducks march into the fountain of the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis to the sounds of John Philip Sousa's King Cotton March. They stay in the fountain all day, and in much the same way, the ducks march out at 5:00 PM to the same song. Visitors are intrigued by this charade, and rightfully so, as it is unlike any other activity around.
In addition to these attractions, Memphis has many other options that are sure to satisfy any type of traveler. The variety of sites and the culture embedded into this city make it one of Tennessee's most well-loved and popular travel destinations.
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