Local Adventures

Sometimes, a very pleasant time can be spent without even leaving town. Presenting our annual Staycation Guide.

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We travel for all kinds of reasons, from work to family, pleasure to pilgrimage. But the journeys that we remember most vividly are the ones that change us in some way — whether by shifting our perspective on something we thought we knew, or by making the foreign more familiar, or even by reintroducing us to the home where we return at the end of the road. In this section, we offer ideas for local adventures — experiences that might just reposition your mindset, no highways or runways required. From a journey through a green oasis in the midst of the city to a treasure hunt for public art, from a river voyage to a horseback exploration, Memphis offers a wealth of ways to depart the everyday without ever leaving town. Read on for our suggestions, and let us know which adventure you choose.

Riders Up!

Shelby Farms is a delight on land, on air, and, it turns out, especially on horseback. There’s a 60-acre section of this magnificent park where you won’t see a jogger, a biker, or a paddle-boarder. You’ll likely encounter deer — late in the afternoon, many deer — but this is a sanctuary of sorts, one for our equine friends. And thanks to Shelby Farms Stables (owned and managed by Eric Beene), you can make new friends on a trail ride.

I recently hopped aboard Jameson — an 18-year-old red roan gelding — for a two-and-half-mile stroll, among the softest, most gentle hours I can remember. I’m married to a woman who grew up with horses, and I raised a pair of daughters who earned their share of riding ribbons, but I remain a novice in the saddle. Jameson treated me like Clint Eastwood near the end of the movie: partners on a path.

There are more than 40 horses at Shelby Farms Stables, so none are ridden weary. A team of more than 20 volunteers love these animals as much as you love your dog or cat, and they serve as trail leaders for groups as large as 16 (minimum age to ride: 7) or private rides, like the one my wife and I enjoyed. It’s precisely the venture for a new rider, someone a little nervous the first time above such a strong and potentially fast creature. According to our guide, the craziest behavior a trail horse might display is an unscripted pause to nibble on some tasty grass.

It’s hard to truly escape the city. But if we’re establishing “staycation” as a nearby getaway, you’d be challenged to find a better companion for some country time than I found in Jameson. Heels down, keep your hands on the reins. And let a horse make your day.

To book a ride, visit rideshelbyfarms.com. — Frank Murtaugh

Follow the Sun(set)

Research shows that watching a sunset can be a good stress reliever. Gazing at that golden orb as it slowly falls beyond the horizon helps you relax and be present in the moment. Think of each sunset as an opportunity for a mini-staycation, a way to escape the travails of the work-a-day world, even if just for 30 minutes or so. 

Sunsets produce primarily a red-and-orange color spectrum, and that’s because molecules in the air scatter shorter color wavelengths, such as blues and purples, removing them from our line of vision. As the sun gets further away, the light gets warmer. It might help to think of the atmosphere as a filter, like the one on your phone camera — nature’s Juno. And clouds also help. The most brilliant orange-and-scarlet sunsets often take place in the presence of higher cirrus or altocumulus clouds. 

So now that you know all the scientific stuff about sunsets, where are the best places to catch one in Memphis? The obvious number-one spot is downtown, along the Mighty Mississippi. There’s all that flat delta land across the river in Arkansas, with nothing to block the show. Some folks prefer the benches along the Bluff Walk; others like to sit in Tom Lee Park, close enough to feel and hear the Mississippi as it rolls on by. Another option, if you like a cocktail or dinner with your sunset, is to take in the view from the upper deck of the Bass Pro Pyramid. It’s pretty hard to beat. 

If you’re on the east side of town, a great spot to watch the sun go down is on the eastern shore of Hyde Lake, just off the aptly named Great View Drive in Shelby Farms Park. 

And if you’re still needing a little motivation, research also shows that watching that red-and-orange light show helps regulate your circadian rhythm, also known as your body’s internal clock, which leads to a more restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep. So remember: Sunsets are not just beautiful; they’re good for you. — Bruce VanWyngarden

A Celestial Soiree

If the charm of a staycation is to see familiar surroundings in a new light, there’s one illuminating angle that people often forget: simply looking up. For over 70 years, that’s been the specialty of the Memphis Astronomical Society (MAS). Indeed, taking a few hours to appreciate the night sky’s splendor may be the ultimate great escape. High-end telescopes being rather astronomical investments, the easiest way to escape into outer space is with the dedicated volunteers of the MAS — and their equipment.

The gatherings hosted by the MAS, like the one planned for May 4th at Village Creek State Park in Arkansas, make that possible. “We try to get about nine or ten telescope operators at our star parties,” says MAS president Jeremy Veldman. “At least three low-power, three medium-power, and three high-power telescopes, including small refractors, larger Dobsonian reflectors [for observing faint objects like nebulae and galaxies], and Schmidt Cassegrains, which are hybrid telescopes with a folded mirror. And then we have a small robotic telescope called Stellina, which displays the object on a television screen with information on that object — how far away it is, if it’s a planet, a nebula, a globular cluster, an open cluster, or whatever.”

Using a screen allows many people to view the same object at once, unlike optical telescopes that require attendees to take turns at the eyepiece. That can take some patience, with anywhere between 40 200 people attending a typical star party. But, says Veldman, there’s nothing quite like viewing through a lens, with galactic light from two million (or more) light years away being focused directly on you. “A star party is a good way to look at photons that have traveled millions of years to be obliterated on your eyeball,” he says. “It’d be very rude for you not to show up for them.” Visit memphisastro.org for more information. — Alex Greene

Paddle the Wolf River

Gliding slowly on still water beneath the towering cypress tress of the Ghost River, you may feel you’ve slipped backwards in time to a primordial world. It’s hard to believe you’re just a short drive from the bustle of Memphis.

“I’ve always loved the water,” says Jim Gafford, Director of Outreach for the Wolf River Conservancy (WRC). “The water is a natural element to everybody. It supports you, it relaxes you, it has a calming effect on you. There’s always an advantage in getting away from the city. That’s the whole purpose of a vacation.”

Kayaking and canoeing have been human activities for thousands of years. In the last few decades, the sport has exploded in popularity in the United States. “The technology has allowed the equipment to become more affordable,” Gafford says.

Taking a canoe out on the Mississippi River is a challenge for experienced oarsmen. But here, we fortunately have access to a much more gentle paddling experience: The Wolf River, which winds through Southwest Tennessee to the Big Muddy. Not all of the Wolf is navigable, says Gafford. “The Upper Wolf starts at Baker’s Pond in Tippah County, Mississippi. If you’re going to do that and go all the way down to the Mississippi River, which is about 100 miles west, then you’ll end up walking for the first 20 miles. It’s just a stream, a little trickle through there.”

But the little trickle grows to a wide, lazy river that expands and contracts along its course, winding through forests, swamps, and ponds. It’s enough to keep would-be explorers busy for years. On the first Saturday of every month, Gafford and his colleagues at the WRC lead a paddle expedition down different sections of the river. “We generally have anywhere from four to five, maybe even 10 guides,” he says. “Every one of them likes interfacing with the public, teaching them how to paddle safely, and also teaching them about the Conservancy.”

Gafford’s guides, who are all certified by the WRC, can handle all levels of experience, from novice to expert. Gafford says your first time on the Wolf will be a revelation. “The comment I get the most from somebody who lives in Memphis is, ‘I’ve always wanted to paddle the Wolf River, just have never done it.’ They don’t understand why they haven’t done it before, and frankly, neither do I!”

You can find more information about the first Saturday Wolf River expeditions on the Wolf River Conservancy’s website, wolfriver.org. — Chris McCoy

Memphis’ Public Art

When you walk into one of Memphis’ many galleries or art museums, you probably quiet yourself, finding yourself entranced as you ponder the various works before you. You came here for the art, and you’re going to look at it — really look at it, in quiet contemplation. These are places that require some level of focus (or, at least, pretend attention). It’s not every day that you get to encounter such fine art, you might say to yourself. But the thing is, in Memphis, we pass great works of art every day, thanks to the murals and sculptures that populate our public spaces.

Think about it: On any given weekend, if you shop around the Broad Avenue Arts District, you’ll see numerous murals adorning the exteriors of the local businesses. Do you just walk past them? Do you know who painted them? Did you know they were created as part of Paint Memphis, the largest collaborative mural festival in Tennessee?

You have probably driven past Joe’s Wines & Liquors on Poplar, and noticed the Roto-Sphere “Sputnik” sign, one of fewer than 250 produced in the 1960s, only four of which are still operational. Have you ever considered it a work of art? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s worth more than a drive-by.

Have you gone down to the reimagined Tom Lee Park yet? Have you seen Theaster Gates’ A Monument to Listening, a sculptural response to David Alan Clark’s Tom Lee Memorial? Have you sat on the thrones? Have you come eye-to-eye with Tom Lee? That’s one of the best aspects of public art — the barrier of access is broken down. You can touch (respectfully), you can get close, take pictures, and go back again and again.

So, this summer, take a few minutes on your walk to observe that sculpture in the park that your dog tries to run towards anyway. Go around the corner and get a closer look at that mural, then look up the artist on Instagram and find their artist statement. Take a day, even, and plan out a drive around the city using the UrbanArt Commission’s interactive map of public installations at uacmem.org. Take your time. The art is going to be there for a long time, but don’t take it for granted.

To get started, check out a map of public art on the UrbanArt Commission’s website. — Abigail Morici

Explore the V&E Greenline

Last month, I had never walked the V&E Greenline. Now, in the past week, I’ve walked it at least six times.

I’ve walked it alone, with my roommate, with my roommate’s one-eyed pug, with my college best friend, and others. Before, when my classmates or professors (I am a Rhodes College student interning with Memphis Magazine) would mention the Greenline, I would nod my head, acting like I knew where and what it was. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’ve lived at Crosstown Concourse for almost a year and just recently learned that the trail feeds out right there. With 1.7 miles of paved path to explore, I have had the time to completely clear my head of anxieties whether they involve work, school, or graduation. Instead, I can focus on literally nothing and just enjoy the ability to walk outside on a sunny day.

Passing the Idlewild Garden, which local residents tend to every Saturday morning, and ending my walk at Crosstown, I was overwhelmed by the support and commitment to preservation. Even during my walk on the trail, I made a point to smile and nod at the families, couples, and solo walkers, feeling like I was a part of something. The Greenline demonstrates the joy and passion of community without which no city stands a chance.

Whether you go to play on the monkey bars, admire the blue, blobby “Big Kids” statues, or just walk or bike through the trees, the Greenline is the perfect green escape for people of all ages. Admittedly, I misjudged Memphis before attending Rhodes; hidden treasures, like the V&E Greenline, truly embody the heart of the city. — Abby Wingfield

Hoop with a View

Let’s play a quick game of Family Feud. Provide a one-word description of Memphis, Tennessee. River would certainly be in the top three (and might be number one). Another answer that would earn you points: basketball. Thanks to the dramatic transformation of Tom Lee Park, Memphians can now get their fill of both … in the same location.

No fewer than four regulation baskets now hang above courts near the north end of Tom Lee Park, a full court under a canopy (dedicated to Tyre Nichols), and a pair of half-courts, one reserved for kids 12 and under, the other for teens. For a city that breathes with our Grizzlies (and Tigers, and countless high school programs) year-round, the courts are somewhat of an active symbol. Sink your first three-pointer with a barge in the background, and you’re closer to being a full-blooded Memphian than you were before you took the shot.

On a recent visit, a large family (with four children) managed to get one of the full-court hoops. But they played no more than 15 minutes, on their way to other outdoor fun in the 30-acre park. I strolled to the free-throw line, told myself the game was tied with only two seconds left on the clock, dribbled three times (never two, never four), and buried the foul shot. We driveway players now have a setting appropriate for all those trophy-winning bank shots.

Something else to love about basketball below the bluffs? The next Penny Hardaway may be playing on one of those half-courts. And to emphasize, if you can factor in a river breeze when lining up a three-pointer, there’s no gym in any city, anywhere that will intimidate. Yes, basketball is, officially, an indoor sport. But you can fall in love with the game outside. Swish. — Frank Murtaugh