FAMILY FUN
Children's Museum of Memphis
Set up like a miniature city, with a bank, fire station, grocery store, and skyscraper. Newer exhibits include Going Places, which showcases an airplane cockpit and flight simulator, and Art Smart Gallery with its visual and performing arts. 2525 Central, 320-3170
The Fire Museum of Memphis
Features simulated fires, a teaching room of interactive exhibits, and a play area with full-sized trucks and a sliding pole. 118 Adams, 320-5650
Memphis Motorsports Park
Hosts 215 events a year, including the national NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; boasts a dirt track and road course. 5500 Taylor Forge, 358-7223
Memphis Zoo
Celebrating its 100th birthday and the opening of Northwest Passage -- home to polar bears, bald eagles and more -- the Zoo also includes Cat Country, Primate Canyon, Dragon's Lair, Animals of the Night, and CHINA, home to two giant pandas. 2000 Prentiss Place (Overton Park), 276-9453
Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center
Anchored by the historic Peabody Hotel, this is a one-stop shop for movies, music, shopping, and dining, including Isaac Hayes Restaurant and Nightclub, Texas de Brazil, Jillian's, and Dan McGuinness Irish Pub. 150 Peabody Place, 261-PLAY
Ride the Ducks International
Amphibious vehicles cruise downtown, while boat captains provide lively commentary about Mud Island, Beale Street, and other local sites. Now departing from Third and Beale, 521-DUCK
MEMPHIS MUSIC
Beale Street
World-renowned thoroughfare, home to Pat O'Brien's, Hard Rock Cafe, B.B. King's Blues Club, and other bars offering live music nightly. Also features A. Schwab's, a century-old dry-goods store; W.C. Handy's home; and gift and novelty shops.
Graceland Mansion
Elvis Presley's home from 1957 until his death. Tours cover the house, racquetball building, Elvis' vintage car collection, huge assortment of trophies and gold records, the Lisa Marie jet, and much more. 3734 Elvis Presley, 332-3322
Memphis Rock 'N' Soul Museum
Presents a history of Memphis music using rare film footage, old photos, vintage jukeboxes, stage costumes, and a customized tour of various musical eras. 191 Beale, Plaza at FedEx Forum, 205-2533
Soulsville USA and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music
A 17,000-square-foot soul-music museum on the site of the former Stax Records, where stars such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and Wilson Pickett got their start. Showcases some 2,000 artifacts, including Hayes' 1972 Cadillac El Dorado. 926 E. McLemore, 942-SOUL
Sun Studio
Elvis rocked the world in 1954 at the studio founded by Sam Phillips. Displayed at Sun are memorabilia of Presley and other music legends, such as Carl Perkins, B.B. King, and Jerry Lee Lewis. 706 Union, 521-0664
MUSEUMS OF CULTURE AND HISTORY
Memphis Pink Palace Museum
Built as home to Piggly Wiggly founder Clarence Saunders, the pink stone mansion is now a regional museum of local history, culture, medicine, music, and natural science; also houses a state-of-the-art planetarium and an IMAX theater. 3050 Central, 320-6320
National Civil Rights Museum
Illustrates key moments in civil rights history, such as the March on Washington and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Also includes the boarding house from which James Earl Ray allegedly shot King in 1968 and features an exhibit of previously classified documents and evidence. 450 Mulberry, 521-9699
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Lichterman Nature Center
Visitors can take a boardwalk tour around the lake and explore nature trails lined with native plants and trees. Among the center's highlights are the backyard wildlife center, a native plant greenhouse, and an amphitheater. 5992 Quince, 767-7322
Memphis Botanic Garden
Water lilies bloom in the Sensory Garden, one of many attractions at this suburban oasis. At the center is the Japanese Garden of Tranquility with its lake and arching red bridge. The Botanic Garden hosts summer concerts featuring such entertainers as Sugarland, Toni Braxton, and Bonnie Raitt. 750 Cherry, 685-1566
The Mississippi River
Major events are held on the river each year, including the Memphis in May Sunset Symphony. Winding above the Father of Waters is the Bluffwalk, a pedestrian walkway with panoramic views. Regular riverboat cruises are offered by the Memphis Queen Line.
Shelby Farms
Visitors can rent pavilions and paddleboats; fish in lakes stocked with catfish, crappie, bream, and bass; or simply enjoy walking, jogging, or biking. Also within the 4,500-acre park is Ducks Unlimited's international headquarters, which boasts a scenic waterfowl propagation lake. 7161 Mullins Station, 382-2249
GAMING
Southland Greyhound Park
The world's largest greyhound racing facility, with "instant racing" machines and simulcast competition of greyhounds and thoroughbreds. 1550 Ingram, West Memphis, AR, 735-3670
Tunica Casinos
The gambling center of the Mid-South, located just 30 miles from Memphis down Highway 61, Tunica County is home to several glitzy casinos, which boast hotels, restaurants, gift shops, dance pavilions, and big-name entertainment.
ONLY IN MEMPHIS
The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange
Relates the story of the cotton industry and its influence on a city that remains the epicenter of worldwide cotton trading. Tour begins on the "members only" trading floor and shows cotton's impact on everything from music to high society. 65 Union, 531-7826
The Elvis Suite at Lauderdale Courts
Home to Elvis Presley and his parents from 1949 to early 1953, now part of a new housing development known as Uptown Memphis. Decorated with period furniture and family photos. Available for overnight rental. Uptown, 521-8219
Mud Island River Park
Special features are the River Walk, a five-block-long scale model of the Mississippi from Cairo, Illinois, to the Gulf of Mexico, and the 18-gallery River Museum, which showcases artifacts of life on the Mississippi. 125 N. Front, 576-7241
Woodruff-Fontaine House
Built in the 1870s with stunning architectural details, this French Victorian mansion displays period textiles, furnishings, and Victorian clothing. 680 Adams, 526-1469
