Frommer's Favorite Experiences

Rockin' the Night on Beale Street. This is where the blues took shape and gained its first national following. Beale Street is, as it used to be, home to numerous nightclubs where music fans can hear everything from blues to zydeco. Sure it's touristy, but there's an amazing amount of music being played along these 2 blocks.

Lounging in the Lobby of The Peabody. The Peabody Memphis, 149 Union Ave. (tel. 800/PEABODY or 901/529-4000), is one of the most elegant hotels in the South, and anyone can indulge in that elegance for the price of a drink in the lobby bar. Of course, you'll also be sharing the lobby with the famous Peabody ducks.

Standing at the Sun Studio Microphone That Elvis Used for His First Recordings. It's worth the tour admission price just to handle the microphone in this famed recording studio at 706 Union Ave. (tel. 901/521-0664). It launched the career of Elvis Presley and created a sound that would come to be called rock 'n' roll.

Scouring the Record Bins at Shangri-La. Your local Tower Records may have a small rockabilly section, but here at Shangri-La Records, 1916 Madison Ave. (tel. 901/274-1916), in the town that invented the sound, you can get your hands on a copy of Warren Smith's original version of "Ubangi Stomp" or any number of rare discs and hard-to-find reissues. Be it Bessie Smith, William Burroughs, or The Band, it can be found among the bins, 78s, LPs and CDs.

Rollin' on the Mississippi River. For many people, paddle-wheelers are the most immediately recognizable symbol of the Mississippi, and no visit to Memphis, or any other city on Ole Man River, is complete without a cruise on the Big Muddy.

Attending an Outdoor Concert on Mud Island. Summer sunsets over the Mississippi are best appreciated when watching a famous performer put on a show at the Mud Island Amphitheater, 125 N. Front St. (tel. 800/507-6507 or 901/576-7241). Rock, pop, and country music are the mainstays here.

Browsing at A. Schwab Dry Goods Store. Even if you hate shopping, you may enjoy the A. Schwab Dry Goods Store, 163 Beale St. (tel. 901/523-9782), which opened in 1876 and has changed little since then. Battered wooden floors and tables covered with an unimaginable array of stuff make this more of a museum than a store. However, everything is for sale, and you'll find some of the offerings absolutely fascinating.

Cheering the Redbirds at AutoZone Park. An AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Redbirds (tel. 901/721-6000) are the pride of Memphis, playing in an old-fashioned but brand-new ballpark that has been hailed as one of the best in the nation. At the entry gates, look for the giant statue of the ballplayer known as Nostalgia Man.

Chomping on Dry Ribs at The Rendezvous. It's dark, it's noisy, and the waiters are intentionally surly, but oh, those barbecued ribs! Those served at Rendezvous, 52 S. Second St. (tel. 901/523-2746), are what Memphis calls dry ribs, which means they're rubbed with dry spices prior to cooking; you can add "wet" sauce after they come to the table.

Remembering Rev. Martin Luther King from the Balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Mournful gospel hymns play softly in the background as visitors approach the place where the civil rights leader was assassinated in 1968. This is the conclusion of a visit to the inspiring National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry St. (tel. 901/521-9699), built on the site of this once-segregated motel.

Shopping for the Tackiest Elvis Souvenir in the World. The hip-swinging Elvis clock has become all too familiar, so why not try some stick-on Elvis sideburns, an Elvis temporary tattoo, an Elvis Christmas ornament, Elvis playing cards, an Elvis nightlight, or a little plastic tray displaying a photo of Elvis with President Richard Nixon.