Any rock and roll fan visiting the Memphis area should not pass up an opportunity to visit the national shrine that is Graceland – Home and final resting place of Elvis Presley. Purchased in 1957, Elvis expanded the ‘farmhouse’ type property to over 17,000 square feet and a total of 23 rooms. His last recordings were done in what was termed ‘The Jungle Room’ living area of Graceland. Today the main property looks very much like it did in the 60s, with several of the additions holding movie memorabilia, clothes, and a trophy room with numerous gold records. His racquetball court now holds many of the famous jump suits the singer wore in his later years. Just behind the pool, in an area built by Elvis for meditation and solitude prior to his death, Elvis, his father, mother, and grandmother are buried. Across the street, there are a few other ‘museums’ with cars, toys, and two of the King’s airplanes to tour. Graceland is about 15 minutes south of downtown, very near the airport.

SAS Score: 3

Another “Island”,   actually a peninsula, I wandered onto sits along the shores of the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tennessee. Mud Island Park hosts a museum, lots of open space, an Amphitheater for summer concerts, pedal boats, and a large scale model of the lower Mississippi River. The 1.3 million gallon water filled model shows the locations of cities and other rivers that flow into the mighty Miss and empties into an acre sized Gulf of Mexico. During the summer you’ll also find lots of people ‘wading the river’. Access to the park is provided by ferry, car, footbridge, or for something different – a monorail. SAS Score: 3

On a side note: The first time I visited Mud Island, the B-17F that flew 25 successful missions in World War Two and took its namesake from the city, the Memphis Belle, was parked under a large canopy on the north end of the island. It has since been moved and is currently being renovated for display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, OH.