Review of Elvis’s Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee

Yay! The gates of Graceland are open again! I consider Memphis my hometown. I grew up here, went to high school here then came back here again after living a few other places. And I am ashamed to say that I never visited Graceland until recently. It seemed to be a place that tourists visited, but native Memphians only went if they were hosting out of town visitors. Friends who had been in the past did not seem too impressed, so I was not motivated to go. But boy, was I missing out! Things have changed.

Thank you to David Beckwith of the Beckwith Company for the complimentary tickets in exchange for this blog post!

A few years ago Elvis Presley Enterprise completely rebuilt and enlarged the tourist area, and it is now a definite must-see if you visit Memphis. Elvis Presley is known as the King of Rock and Roll, so for many seeing Graceland is on their bucket list. Over half a million people visit Graceland each year. I wondered if it was going to be a cheesy tourist trap, but despite there being some souvenir shops it did not feel overly touristy at all.

Living in Memphis means that I’ve heard of lots of stories about Elvis from people who knew him personally. My husband’s mother went to school with Elvis and said he was always talking about how much money he would make someday. Well, his ambition sure paid off! I have always been a fan of his music, but you will appreciate it even more when you hear the back story to his songs and success.

My friend Denise told me that her dad, Ray Harris (nicknamed Ace) owned a car dealership with Elvis’s dad. Elvis loved cars and was always hanging around the car shop. So whenever my friend would come visit her dad there, Elvis would pick her up and carry her around and play with her.

She said he would always head over to the Cats Drug Store and sit in his flatbed and sing. Her dad spent time with the Presley family in the mansion some. In fact, he was the one who provided the Cadillacs for the burial service, and he was actually with Elvis’s dad, Vernon, when Elvis died. So this put to rest the rumors that Elvis had not died but was alive and well in Hawaii. It turns out that Al Strada, who looked a lot like Elvis, was actually who people were sighting.

My friend Denise sings in the church choir with me and has a beautiful voice. Back in the day she looked a lot like one of Elvis’s singers named Cathy Westmoreland. Cathy was leaving, and my friend was told she could fill in and that the “audition” was just a formality. But then Elvis died the week before she was to audition.

She describes Elvis as a “very sweet man, very kind.” She tells the story of how one time Elvis was at the car dealer and a customer, an African American lady, was walking around and around his car looking it over. He told her, “You can’t have that one, because it’s mine. But go pick out another one you like.” He bought this total stranger a car. When word got out the car dealer was flooded with people who were hoping they would run into Elvis there so he could buy them a car too!

Elvis’s Graceland is so much more than a big old house. It was the private retreat of the true King of Rock ‘n Roll. It was where his family actually grew up and spent their time together. You can explore his life and legacy by viewing his home and estate while listening to and reading about his fascinating history in the various museum experiences.

There are several different tour options available. And you are in luck, because they are back open now and it will be less crowded due to reduced capacity (25%) during their re-opening. They are doing everything they can to protect the health and safety of their guests, and you can enjoy more space on your tour now due to social distancing protocols. However, you are highly encouraged to buy your tickets in advance, since they are allowing fewer guests in at a time.  

Graceland Mansion

The area of town where Graceland is located has changed over the years and is now not considered a great part of town. Unfortunately like many large cities we have our fair share of crime. But I was pleasantly surprised at the secure gated parking lot. There is a fee for parking, but there is ample space. It is a very safe and secure attraction that you can feel confident visiting.

Your ticket will be for a specific tour time, and if you want to see everything you need to allow about 4 hours. We went in March right before the coronavirus lockdown, so it was unusually not crowded at all. I would imagine that the summer months and Elvis week would be the most crowded times.

Your tour starts with a short video that was really interesting. Then you will board a shuttle bus to go across the street to the Mansion. You are given an iPad and headphones (all cleaned) which allows you to explore the personal side of Elvis Presley with an interactive tour of the Graceland Mansion, hosted by John Stamos and featuring commentary and stories by Elvis and his daughter, Lisa Marie.

The mansion is not enourmous by today’s standards, but you will not be disappointed. As outlined on their website, the tour of Graceland Mansion includes the living room, his parents’ bedroom, the kitchen, TV room, pool room, the famous Jungle Room, his father’s office, the newly-enhanced Trophy Building, the Racquetball Building – newly-restored to how it looked in 1977, and Meditation Garden. Elvis purchased his home when he was only 22, and every item in the home is an original from when Elvis lived there.

One of my favorite rooms to see was the famous “Jungle Room” mentioned in Marc Cohn’s song “Walking in Memphis.” The room started out as a practical joke. Elvis bought all the strange furniture to annoy his dad. But then he decided to keep it, because the room has character. There is even green shag carpeting on the ceiling! That is one part of the 70’s I do not miss. They put shag carpet absolutely everywhere.

The rest of the 14 acre estate is interesting as well. You see his dad’s office, the swimming pool, the horses, and what is called Meditation Garden where the family graves lie. It is all really an emotional journey through Elvis’s life, and when you get to his grave it makes you pause and think.

Elvis Presley’s Memphis

Across the street from the mansion (the side the ticket office is on) lies what is called Elvis Presley’s Memphis. This state-of-the-art entertainment and exhibit complex is over 200,000-square-feet in size and allows you to chronologically follow Elvis’s life and music.

You will be surrounded by all sorts of things Elvis loved and experience the sights and sounds of the city that inspired him. Elvis’s roots are in Memphis, and it is interesting to learn about the city that influenced his life and career. There is no official tour for this part, so you can spread out and tour at your own pace however you want.

Below are some of the exhibits you will encounter:

Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum

Here you will find hundreds of artifacts and incredible photos from significant events in Elvis’s life, as you tour the extensive Graceland Archives. Included in this exhibit is his amazing collection of gold and platinum records, his spectacularly dazzling jumpsuits with his signature Elvis flare, and other clothing, memorabilia from his movies, and more! This museum is the world’s largest and most comprehensive Elvis museum in the world. There was so much to see from practically all aspects of his life. Elvis truly started a music and pop culture revolution.

A video on their website shows a lady putting on white gloves to pick up one of Elvis’s jeweled belts. Made of real gold and silver and covered in jewels, it weighs 20 pounds! She also introduces us to an enormous 16 carat diamond ring with the initials TCB (Taking Care of Business). And there is always his famous tiger suit. So flamboyant and extravagant. No one knew how to take care of business like Elvis did!

Presley Motors Automobile Museum

If you love cars, make sure you include this exhibit on your ticket. It is amazing! Elvis loved cars, and in this exhibit you can walk around and see some of Elvis’ favorite automobiles, including his iconic Pink Cadillac, 1973 Stutz Blackhawk, 1956 Cadillac Eldorado, 1975 Dino Ferrari, Mercedes Benz limousine, Rolls Royce sedans and more. I had no idea he was so into cars!

Elvis Discovery Exhibits

There are several huge buildings with themed discovery showcase spaces that give you a peak into several important parts of Elvis’s life and what influenced him as a person and a performer.

Elvis Discovery Exhibits include:

• Presley Cycles Exhibit
• X’s & O’s: Elvis and His Love of Football – New!
• Icons: The Influence of Elvis Presley Exhibit
• Elvis’ Tupelo Exhibit
• Hollywood Backlot
• Private Presley Exhibit
• Archives Experience
• Lisa Marie: Growing Up Presley Exhibit

X’s & O’s: Elvis and His Love of Football – NEW

Who’s ready for some football? Elvis loved football! Whenever he had the chance he was either out playing a game of touch football or watching a game on TV. This exhibit inside the Haberdashery celebrates Elvis’s favorite sport and has several items that are on display for the first time ever at Graceland. You get to see some of his handwritten plays, sports equipment, pictures, and more.

Lisa Marie: Growing Up Presley

I really enjoyed this exhibit, which is located inside the Haberdashery. It is all about Lisa Marie Presley. There are personal items from her childhood including her record player, roller skates and clothing, and some interesting things from her musical career. The exhibit looks at Lisa as a daughter and mother as well as her charity work and career. It gives visitors a glimpse into how she continues to carry on her dad’s legacy at Graceland. I found it very interesting.

Hollywood Backlot

This is where you can see a film set. They have actual sets used in the CMT show “Sun Records.” I found this interesting, because I have a friend who got a part singing in that show which was all about the “Million Dollar Quartet.” The sets include the WHBQ set and the Sun Studio set, and you can also watch scenes from the show that were filmed in these sets. I grew up listening to DJ Rick Dees on WHBQ radio every morning before school.

Presley Cycles

In addition to cars, Elvis had lots of motorcycles. In this exhibit they have his motorcycles and even his John Deere tractor on display! And for the first time on display at Graceland you can see Elvis’s ski boats.

Icons: The Influence of Elvis Presley

This exhibit was awesome! Elvis was a true music pioneer whose influence paved the way for many of today’s artists and celebrities. This exhibit has items from 25 artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John and Dolly Parton. It was like a huge music museum from all your favorite artists. I was not aware this new exhibit existed, so it was fun for me to explore. There are so many music artists who were influenced by the music of Elvis!

Elvis’s Tupelo Exhibit

Tupelo, Mississippi, not too far from Memphis, is known as the birthplace of Elvis. This exhibit has some interesting childhood photos and rare artifacts from Elvis’s early days. You can see the Presley family’s clothing, personal photos and receipts from their early days in Tupelo.

Private Presley: Elvis in the Army

Elvis served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960. In this exhibit, visitors can learn more about Elvis’ service to his country as you walk through his induction and time spent in the service. I was especially interested in his time spent in Germany, because I lived and worked in Germany for four years running a youth program for U.S. children whose parents were stationed there in the Army. Some special artifacts displayed include Elvis’ Army fatigues, dress uniforms, army foot locker, suitcases and more.

There is also an artifacts section where you can see all sort of things from Elvis’s past.

Elvis’s Custom Jets

A short walk away, and you can climb aboard Elvis’ customized jet, named after his daughter Lisa Marie, that features a living room, conference room, sitting room, and private bedroom, as well as gold-plated seat belts, suede chairs, leather covered tables, 24-karat gold-flecked sinks and more. All on an airplane!

You can also look inside Elvis’ smaller Lockheed Jet Star, customized by Elvis with a yellow and green interior. He loved those 70’s colors, didn’t he?

So have I convinced you to visit? With all of the new exhibits it really is much more than a house now. Whether you are a casual Elvis fan or fanatic or neither I encourage you to spend a day at Graceland the next time you are in Memphis.

Note: It is currently best to buy advance tickets.

From their website:

“Due to reduced tour capacities, guests are strongly encouraged to purchase tour tickets in advance to ensure they receive their preferred tour time. In addition, purchasing in advance allows you to skip the ticketing lines and proceed directly to your tour at your assigned tour time.”

Maybe you want to check out Elvis Week August 8 -16, 2020 which has lots of special activities for Elvis fans. Book early though! Christmas at Graceland is November 19, 2020 – January 8, 2021. This is another time there are extra special events planned. And of course there is always January 7-10, 2020. This will be a big Elvis Birthday Celebration.

BUY TICKETS

Where to Stay

The Guest House at Graceland

The Guest House at Graceland is very close to the property and has 450 rooms, two restaurants, spaces for meetings and special events and a 464-seat theater for live performances and movies. I have not stayed there before, but I did tour the lobby and eat at one of the restaurants. It was very nice. There are many decorative touches that are obviously uniquely Elvis.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Wherever you stay or whenever you come to Graceland, make sure to come back to this post and leave a comment below. Please share this post with others, and I just want to say, “Thank you. Thank you very much!”