Area Codes -- The telephone area code in Memphis is 901.
Business Hours -- Banks are generally open Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 4pm, with later hours on Friday. Office hours in Memphis are usually Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. In general, stores located in downtown Memphis are open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5:30pm. Shops in suburban Memphis malls are generally open Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm and on Sunday 1 to 5 or 6pm. Bars are allowed to stay open until 3am, but may close between 1 and 3am.
Emergencies -- For police, fire, or medical emergencies, phone tel. 911.
Gasoline (Petrol) -- At press time, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in Memphis was $2.45. Taxes are already included in the printed price. One U.S. gallon equals 3.8 liters or .85 imperial gallons.
Hospitals -- Major hospitals in the downtown/Midtown areas are Methodist Healthcare, at 1211 Union Ave. (tel. 901/516-7000), and the Regional Medical Center/Elvis Presley Trauma Center, at 877 Jefferson Ave. (tel. 901/545-7100).
Insurance -- For information on traveler's insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and medical insurance while traveling, please visit www.frommers.com/planning.
Internet Access -- Free Internet access is available in most coffee shops and many restaurants around town. Computers with Internet access are also available at public libraries and FedEx Office.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The Commercial Appeal is Memphis's daily newspaper. The arts-and-entertainment weekly is the Memphis Flyer. Out-of-town newspapers are available at Davis-Kidd Booksellers and Borders.
Police -- For police emergencies, phone tel. 911.
Smoking -- Smoking is banned in most workplaces and inside restaurants (patios are an exception), but is allowed in bars and establishments exclusively for people over 21.
Taxes -- The state sales tax is 9.25%. An additional room tax of 6.7% on top of the state sales tax brings the total hotel-room tax to a whopping 15.95%.
The United States has no value-added tax (VAT) or other indirect tax at the national level. Every state, county, and city may levy its own local tax on all purchases, including hotel and restaurant checks and airline tickets. These taxes will not appear on price tags.
Visitor Information -- The city's main visitor information center, located downtown at the base of Jefferson Street, is the Tennessee State Welcome Center, 119 N. Riverside Dr. (tel. 901/543-6757). It's open daily 24 hours but staffed only between 8am and 7pm (until 8pm in the summer months). Inside this large information center, you'll find soaring statues of both Elvis and B. B. King.
At the airport, you'll find information boards with telephone numbers for contacting hotels and numbers for other helpful services. Other visitor centers are located off I-40, just east of the Memphis city limits, and at Elvis Presley Boulevard just north of Graceland.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
