The information below was provided by former long-time Memphis resident Dr. Michael J. Albers.
Downtown Basics
You won’t find a grocery store or a Wal-Mart in or near downtown, but there are a couple of convenience stores within a few blocks of the hotel.
Downtown is mainly a business district. The city is fairly spread out, but there’s a decent bus system. But, you may run into some “colorful” people on the buses. Below are some notable attractions.
Touristy Things
Civil Rights Museum—Where Martin Luther King was shot. It’s within walking distance of the Peabody.
Graceland—Elvis. What more is there to say? You’ll need a car to get there.
Peabody Ducks—At The Peabody Memphis hotel. Twice a day they go from their rooftop home to the lobby fountain, and then back again. There’s usually a big crowd, a red carpet, and an honorary Duck Master. Have your camera handy.
Memphis Zoo—A nice zoo with Giant Pandas (yes, the black & white teddy bears from China). You can easily get there by bus.
Memphis BBQs
Memphis has great BBQ that’s normally made with ribs or pulled pork. The ribs are either wet with sauce, or dry with a spiced rub-on. True Memphis rib lovers usually prefer the dry ribs. As in most other cities, the good BBQ joints are dives. Any BBQ joint that looks upscale is not to be trusted!
Blues City Café—Best ribs in town. It’s on Beale Street, only a couple of blocks from The Peabody. They also have late-night music.
Bar-B-Q Shop—The half & half plate is notable. The halves are pulled pork and spaghetti, which is a Memphis thang (so is “thang”). You’ll need a car to get there.
Central BBQ—Another great place, but another drive.
Rendezvous—Rather over-rated, but close to the hotel. You get to it by walking down the alley, past the dumpster, and though the door—seriously.
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Other Food Downtown
Blue Plate—Serves a great breakfast and provides biscuits and gravy with every order. It’s a few blocks away, but well worth the walk.
Cheesecake Corner—The cheesecake is beyond belief, and it’s also only a few blocks away. The building and block both look questionable, but you can go inside the building. Really.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken—This place was written up in GQ. They serve—you guessed it—fried chicken, with some side dishes.
Little Tea Shop—Only open weekdays for lunch.
Erika’s German Restaurant—Recommended. Classic German food and a cozy atmosphere.
This is not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good place to start.
Other Downtown Stuff
Architecture—Downtown Memphis has several early 20th century buildings. They’re empty, but attractive to look at. It’s considered too expensive to upgrade them into modern buildings, but no one wants to tear them down.
The Grizzlies— The Memphis Grizzlies NBA team arena and the Grizzlies Store are both in downtown Memphis. They play a home game against the Celtics on Saturday night. If you’re interested in cheap tickets, the website has details on $5 tickets (yes, nosebleed behind the basket, but tickets nonetheless).
Beale Street— Reminiscent of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, but without the red light district aspects. You’ll find food, music, and lots of beer. It’s a block from the hotel, so be careful you don’t stay out too late partying and miss the next day’s sessions. The street is clean and well maintained. You can stroll down it and buy beer out of bar windows. Both the Blues City Cafe and Rum Boogie Café (mentioned earlier) live here. To get there from the Peabody, start at 149 Union Ave going toward Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous. Turn right on S. Fourth Street, and then right on Beale Street.
Peabody Place—A shopping center attached to the hotel.
Flying Saucer—A beer place very close to the hotel with a huge selection. You won’t be able to drink one of everything (or you shouldn’t, anyway).
South Main—This is an arts & restaurant district that the city is trying to revitalize. The buildings look old, because they are. You can walk or ride the trolley to get there.Cheesecake Corner lives here.
North Pinch District—Is at the north end of the trolley line, and has some bars and restaurants. It’s also home to The Pyramid Arena, which is a sight to behold, but the building itself might be closed.