Keith wrote:
>>>With 4 days in Nashville and 4 in Memphis, which attractions are not
to be missed?
Memphis in May is a downtown month-long festival, on the weekends, so
make reservations early. The first weekend is a blues/rock music
festival; third weekend is a huge barbecue contest Memorial Day weekend
is a symphony concert with fireworks. (Second weekend is cleanup from
the music fest.) All three are crowded and held in Tom Lee Park
downtown on the river.
Hotels as you describe would include the Peabody (marching ducks), the
Madison, the Radisson, and the downtown Hampton Inn. All are within 3
or 4 blocks of each other downtown. There are several good restaurants
downtown, including the restaurant at the Madison; Lolo's, and McEwen's,
on Madison; Automatic Slim's, and Encore, near the Peabody; Chez
Phillipe is the fine dining restaurant, in the Peabody. Out at Overton
Square are La Tourelle, and Paulette's. Further down Cooper in
Cooper-Young neighborhood are Tsunami, Bluefish, and others. In
Nashville, Opryland Hotel would be OK but is suburban and distant from
everything. The Hermitage hotel, and the higher-end chains, are all
downtown.
In Memphis, there is of course Graceland. I'd prefer Memphis Zoo over
Nashville; Memphis has pandas. Neither has a large aquarium, but
Chattanooga has one, which may help depending on where you're coming
from. The AAA baseball team in Memphis plays in a very well regarded
small stadium across from the Peabody. Go down to Tom Lee Park or over
to Mud Island or Harbortown, depending on which weekend you're there,
for a walk along the river at sunset. (Leave at dark.) Mark Twain said
that the finest view of the river is from what is now basically the
south end of Riverside Drive in Memphis (right above Tom Lee; depending
on when you go, it may be cluttered with barbecuers).
Beale Street is touristy at night but that's where the blues are. The
Dixon Gallery and Gardens, and the Botanical Garden, are both fine,
including the latter's Japanese garden. They are across the street from
each other. (Cheekwood in Nashville is good as well.) For theater,
check the schedules for the Orpheum, Playhouse on the Square, and
Theatre Memphis. In Nashville, it's the Tennessee Performing Arts
Center, or maybe a travelling show at Opryland. Check into the Belcourt
(movie) theater also. Side trips from Memphis include Shiloh
Battlefield, between Nashville and Memphis; Clarksdale, Miss. (blues
history; a modernized shot-gun-house motel is at Cleveland); and Oxford,
Miss. (Faulkner; great university campus; excellent bookstore on the
square.) Memphis museums include the Civil Rights Museum (Lorraine
Motel, M.L. King), the Rock and Roll Smithsonian Museum downtown, and
the Stax Museum (soul and R&B history). The Country Music Hall of Fame
in Nashville is on Music Row or thereabouts.
The plantations are at Nashville. I also recommend The Hermitage
(Andrew Jackson) or Belle Meade. In Nashville, Vanderbilt is a
beautiful campus for walking if that interests you. Centennial Park and
the Parthenon are across the street. I also second Percy Warner Park,
or actually Belle Meade Boulevard from Harding Road all the way into
Percy Warner. Drive straight in and up the hill, and there is a
somewhat scenic overlook at the top. On the Frist Museum, check the
schedule; it hosts travelling shows; other times not much is there.
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