Photograph by Brian Anderson
For most of my life as an Arkansan, my weekend visits to the Bluff City were a threeway stop — Beale Street, Graceland, and the Memphis Zoo, with little time for exploration in between. Fifth-generation Memphians shaking your heads, have no fear. Since I became a Memphis resident, these historic stops have set a foundation for new favorites beyond the beaten path, with a long list of more to see and do. For a city with more history and soul than could be found in two thousand weekends, this guide is only the beginning, but it’s a great start. Here’s your on-line Memphis “hot list.”
ATTRACTIONS
Beale Street: Downtown, 526-0115, bealestreet.com
Children’s Museum of Memphis: 2525 Central Ave., 458-2678, cmom.com
Chucalissa Museum: 1987 Indian Village Dr., 785-3160, memphis.edu/chucalissa
Cooper-Young District: Midtown, 276-7222, cooperyoung.com
Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange: 65 Union Ave., 531-7826, memphiscottonmuseum.org
Davies Manor Plantation House: 3570 Davieshire Drive, 386-0715, daviesmanorplantation.org
Fire Museum of Memphis: 118 Adams Ave., 636-5650, firemuseum.com
Gibson Beale Street Showcase: 145 Lt. George Lee Ave., 544-7998, gibson.com
Golf & Games Family Park: 5484 Summer Ave., 386-2992, golfandgamesmemphis.com
Graceland: 3734 Elvis Presley Blvd., 800-238-2010, elvis.com/graceland
Lichterman Nature Center: 5992 Quince Rd., 767-7322, memphismuseums.org/lichterman-overview
Memphis Botanic Garden: 750 Cherry, 636-4100, memphisbotanicgarden.com
Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum: 191 Beale St., 205-2533, memphisrocknsoul.org
Memphis Zoo: 2000 Prentiss Pl., 333-6500, memphiszoo.org
Mud Island River Park: 125 N. Front St., 800-507-6507, mudisland.com
Museum of Biblical History: 140 E. Mulberry, Collierville, 854-9578, biblical-museum.org
National Civil Rights Museum: 450 Mulberry St., 521-9699, civilrightsmuseum.org
Pink Palace Museum & Sharpe Planetarium: 3050 Central Ave., 320-6320, memphismuseums.org
The Peabody: 149 Union Ave., 529-4000, peabodymemphis.com
Shelby Farms Park: 500 N. Pine Lake Dr., 767-7275 (PARK), shelbyfarmspark.org
STAX Museum of American Soul Music: 926 E. McLemore, 942-7685, staxmuseum.com
Sun Studio: 706 Union Ave., 521-0664, sunstudio.com
W.C. Handy House Museum: 352 Beale St., 527-3427
Woodruff-Fontaine House: 680 Adams Ave., 526-1469, woodruff-fontaine.com
AUTHORIZATION
Birth & Death Certificate: Memphis & Shelby County Health Department, Vital Records Office, 814 Jefferson Ave., Rm. 101-103, 222-9013
Building Permits & Inspection: Shelby County Office of Planning & Development, 6465 Mullins Station Rd., 576-7197. Register of Deeds, 1075 Mullins Station Rd., 222-8100, register.shelby.tn.us
Hunting & Fishing License: Tennessee Wildlife Division, 800-372-3928, tn.gov/twra
Marriage License: Both parties must appear for issuance of the license. Birth certificates are required. Downtown Office: 150 Washington Ave., Second Fl.; East Branch Office: 1075 Mullins Station Rd., West Wing; Millington City Hall: 4836 Navy Rd. Cost: $97.50
Memphis Area Legal Services: 11th floor, Falls Bldg., 22 N. Front St., 523-8822
Memphis Bar Association: 145 Court Ave., 527-3573
Passport: Main Post Office, 555 S. Third St., 521-2575, us-passport-service-guide.com/memphis-passport.html
Property Tax: City Treasury Office, 125 N. Main St., 636-6306
Property Value: Assessor Office locations, Downtown: 150 Washington Ave., Suite 401; East: 1075 Mullins Station Rd., 222-7001
Voter Information: Shelby County Election Commission, 222-1200, shelbyvote.com
HELP
Abused Women’s Crisis Hotline: 725-4277, memphisywca.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: 454-1414 (24-hr. hotline), memphis-aa.org
Animal Services: 2350 Appling City Cove, 636-7297
Better Business Bureau: 3693 Tyndale, 759-1300, memphis.bbb.org
Memphis Crisis Center Child Abuse Hotline: 247-7477
Community Services Information: 211 (hotline)
Crime Stoppers: 528-CASH (2274), crimestopmem.org
Fire Services: 636-1400Greater Memphis Chamber: 543-3500
Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County: 937-3900, memphishumane.org
Memphis/Shelby County Public Library & Information Center: 415-2700, memphislibrary.org
Poison Emergency: 800-222-1222
Suicide & Crisis Hotline: 274-7477
Time & Temperature: 526-5261
Veterans Services: 222-4237
PROMOTIONS/TOURISM
City of Memphis: 636-6000
Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau: 47 Union Ave., 543-5300, memphistravel.com
Memphis & Shelby County Film/TV Commission: 50 Peabody Place, Suite 250, 527-8300, filmmemphis.org
Memphis City Beautiful: 664 Adams Ave., 522-1135, memphiscitybeautiful.org
Memphis Area Association of Governments: 8289 Cordova Rd., Suite 103, 729-2871, maagov.org
PUBLIC SAFETY
Emergency: 911Police Non-Emergency: 545-2677 (COPS)
Fire Non-Emergency: 458-8281
Shelby County Sheriff Non-Emergency: 379-7625
Shelby County Fire Non-Emergency: 379-7070
TRANSIT
Bus & Trolley:Memphis Area Transit Authority, 274-MATA (6282), matatransit.com
Memphis International Airport: 922-8000, mscaa.com
Train Station:Central Station, 545 S. Main St., 526-0052, amtrak.com
UTILITIES & RECYCLING
Residential Telephone: BellSouth, 385-4966, att.com
Cable: Comcast, 259-2225, comcast.com
Memphis Light, Gas, & Water Division: 245 S. Main St., 544-6549 (MLGW), mlgw.com
Public Works Division/Solid Waste Management: 125 N. Main St., 636-5742
VEHICLE COMPLIANCE
Drivers License Service Centers: 6340 Summer Ave., 543-7920; 3200 E. Shelby Dr., 367-3639; 220 U.S. 51 (Covington), 475-2517; 5019 West Union Rd. (Millington), 872-0800
Registration & Renewal: County Clerk’s Office, 150 Washington Ave., 222-3000, shelbycountytn.gov
Traffic Fines:City Court Clerk’s Office, Traffic Violations Bureau, 201 Poplar Ave., LL-80, 636-3400, epayments.memphistn.gov
