Freckles 'n' Frolics: American Road Trip

So upon leaving New Orleans and a 7 hour Amtrak train ride later I arrived in Memphis, Tennessee.

Moving on from a city of Jazz this place is all about the Blues and good old fashioned Rock and Roll.

Memphis certainly has a different feel to that of New Orleans and whilst it is mostly known for its music and bbq's its a city very much affected by poverty. The area surrounding Beale Street can at times feel very surreal as you walk past closed down shops and ramshackle buildings. However the city is still full of plenty of charm and charisma.

Of course no trip to Memphis is complete with a trip to the mecca of Rock and Roll - Graceland. I really didnt know what to expect from Graceland but I have to say I was pleasantly suprised and found the audio tour around the house and grounds fascinating. It really is like taking a step back in a time machine.

From Graceland you can catch a free shuttle bus to take you to the World Famous Sun Studios. This place was my favourite tour in Memphis and the little shoebox sized studios was amazing.

Sun Studios was founded by Sam Philipps in the early 1950s and was the place that recorded the first tracks of Howling Wolf, Johnny Cash and some guy named Elvis. You may have heard of him. :)

In fact you can even stand on the spot where Elvis recorded some of his most famous tracks. There is also the most iconic photo of the 'Million Dollar Quarter' that was Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins hanging on the wall. If you love music this place is an absolute must.

A short walk from Sun is the Gibson Guitar factory. If you love guitars then this place is like Disneyland. On the tour you get a front row seat into how the factory creates these beautiful instruments right from the very first piece of wood.

Now any history lovers will know that Memphis is not just about the blues music but that this place was an integral part of the civil rights movement back in the 50's and 60's and The Lorraine Motel on Mulberry Street is the place where on April 4th 1968 Martin Luther King was shot dead. You can peer through the window of the motel room where he was staying and then take a tour around the civil rights museum just across the road. Now this place is very information heavy but its definitely a worthwhile trip to fully appreciate the scale of what happened on that day and the days of the investigation thereafter.

Finally no trip to Memphis would be complete without spending a good few boozy nights of your stay on Beale Street. This 24 hour carnival zone is lined with bar after bar all playing live Blues music throughout the day and night. You can easily lose many hours just sat in a bar with a good beer in hand listening to real life rhythm and blues. I also recommend the BBQ ribs in BB King Blues Club.

Silky O'Sullivans Irish Bar on Beale

If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Memphis I would recommend the Comfort Inn Downtown Memphis. The ritz this place certainly isn't but its clean, right by the banks of the Mississippi and has a rooftop pool with a view of the Pyramid.

Here are a few photos of my time in Memphis - Tennessee.