Visited Memphis, Graceland and Beale Street.

[darwinism]

I would just like to extend a warm word of thanks and praise for the city of Memphis. My family and I were in the city a few days ago. We visited Graceland. Did they just raise the admission fee lately ? It seems high for such a short tour of the mansion. Beale Street was certainly exciting. We had dinner at Pig on the Beale. It was really nice to see the Fedex Forum and the Peabody building all come together as a downtown revival effort. I saw a lot of new residential projects going on as well with conversion of buildings into condos and lofts. I came across a few bums and panhandlers, but certainly way less than I would expect from a major city. Kudos to the job well done by the city and the people of Memphis.

[sleepy]

I would just like to extend a warm word of thanks and praise for the city of Memphis. My family and I were in the city a few days ago. We visited Graceland. Did they just raise the admission fee lately ? It seems high for such a short tour of the mansion. Beale Street was certainly exciting. We had dinner at Pig on the Beale. It was really nice to see the Fedex Forum and the Peabody building all come together as a downtown revival effort. I saw a lot of new residential projects going on as well with conversion of buildings into condos and lofts. I came across a few bums and panhandlers, but certainly way less than I would expect from a major city. Kudos to the job well done by the city and the people of Memphis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Funny thing, I was born and raised in Memphis, remember Elvis well when he was alive, yet have never been to Graceland. Nearest thing I came to that is looking at the wall around the place. It resembles the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem with all sorts of messages chalked on the bricks. lol

I think downtown Memphis has an awful lot of bums and panhandlers. I rarely encountered a beggar in New Orleans when I lived there. The city has an anti-begging law, but I guess it doesn't work well. I was there last month and couldn't walk 10 feet outside my hotel without being hit up. They weren't threatening, just sorta tired and sad-looking.

[Rural King]

Glad you liked Memphis. Its a great city. It like all cities has problems, but they are often not ones that visitors to the city will encounter. I'm glad you found the city enjoyable and took the time to post a nice thread about your visit.

[mjtinmemphis]

I think downtown Memphis has an awful lot of bums and panhandlers.  I rarely encountered a beggar in New Orleans when I lived there.  The city has an anti-begging law, but I guess it doesn't work well.  I was there last month and couldn't walk 10 feet outside my hotel without being hit up.  They weren't threatening, just sorta tired and sad-looking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a former Memphian of 3 years, I would have to say that I never found "The Homeless" population in downtown Memphis threatning.

I can recall chatting with a neighbor from suburban Germantown who was just apalled by the idea that he couldn't walk 50 feet without someone asking him for change. I thought that he was stretching the truth just a little but some people are more sensitive to those issues than others.

IMO, Memphis is a nice place to visit family during the holiday and depending upon where you live a weekend trip. The southern hospitality and the entertainment in the downtown area makes for a nice get-a-way. Best time to visit imo, is during the memphis in may festival.

As RuralKing stated the problems in a city doesn't pop out at visitors as it would residents. I personally had an extremely difficult time adjusting to the business ethics and sacriligous people with a provencial mindset.