topic Re: Graceland visit suggestions in Community Chat

Graceland visit suggestions

bonnielu — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 13:36:43 GMT

After seeing the movie Elvis. I would like to visit Graceland. Any advice. Direct flights? Hotels? Tours. I noticed that none of the Washington DC- Baltimore airports have direct flights or I should say... I would have to change planes. Not likely to want to do this with all the horror stories I have been reading about airports. I don't want to drive. We on in northern maryland, 60 miles from Baltmore and 60 miles from DC.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Love to Run — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:02:47 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
After seeing the movie Elvis. I would like to visit Graceland. Any advice. Direct flights? Hotels? Tours. I noticed that none of the Washington DC- Baltimore airports have direct flights or I should say... I would have to change planes. Not likely to want to do this with all the horror stories I have been reading about airports. I don't want to drive. We on in northern maryland, 60 miles from Baltmore and 60 miles from DC.

@bonnielu American has regular nonstop flights from Reagan National (DCA) into and out of Memphis. My husband and I dated long distance between DC and Memphis before getting married. I lived in Memphis for 26 years and never visited Graceland.

The blocks just north and south of the property are nice, they built a new hotel on site and there's a museum across the street. The surrounding area doesn't offer much in the way of shopping or dining. I would stay downtown or in midtown if I was planning to do anything more than visit Graceland. Enjoy your visit.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

RollTide2008 — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:17:05 GMT

I lived in Memphis for 15 years and visited Graceland 27 times. I would stay downtown or out east. The Peabody duck March and the zoo are popular attractions. The Civil Right museum and Mud Island are great too.

It’s fun to visit Graceland in December when it’s decorated for Christmas.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

drizzellla — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 15:21:46 GMT

I have never been to Graceland. The closest I got was driving by it.

Looked up Graceland tours and found this -

Know Before You Go

What: Graceland tours
When: Graceland is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. (depending on the day of the week and time of year). It closes or has abbreviated hours on holidays. The last mansion tour begins at 4 or 5 p.m., depending on the day and time of year.
Cost: There are four tour options that range in price and access. Tickets for Elvis Presley's Memphis (mansion tour not included) start at $47 for adults and $26 for children ages 5 to 10. Tours of both the complex and the mansion start at $75. Meanwhile, the Ultimate VIP Tour (which includes the mansion and Elvis Presley's Memphis) is led by a guide and starts at $190 per person; children 2 and younger tour for free.
Must-know tip: Visit the mansion after 2 p.m. to enjoy fewer crowds and shorter wait times, as this is the slowest time of day. Check Graceland's website for exact opening times; there are certain days and holidays where hours vary.
Check Website for information

Have no idea about traveling to Graceland and not driving. Maybe there is a bus tour.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Desert Lily — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 17:13:20 GMT

Around the year 2000 I was on a business trip, and my boss had us go to Graceland. I probably still have the sweatshirt I bought there LOL, but I remember the home as being rather dark inside. I was a Buyer for a large number of hotels at that time, and we were traveling via a company plane. About 30 miles from Graceland was Tunica, Mississippi where we had a meeting at one of the casinos. (that was a fun job!) Anyway @bonnielu if you visit Graceland and want more to do in the area, you might want to look up Tunica.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Shelbelle — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 19:40:22 GMT

Bonnie, I just want to say as a fellow Marylander, we visited Graceland in 1997, and I have been on many tours before but Graceland is my fave. And I was never an Elvis fan. But the tour is wonderful from the house which is as is from when he died, to the basement memorabilia to the airplane and to seeing the family graves in the back yard, enjoy!! We drove there, also went to Nashville and Atlanta and Myrtle Beach. . It was very crowded when we were there because it was the 20th anniv of his death.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

chickenbutt — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 19:49:56 GMT

I went there when I visited my father and his wife, after they had moved to Alabama.

Consequently, I don't have info on flying there and hotels, etc, just for that, as we drove there from their house.

What I AM glad we did was to take the tour that had you seeing everything. At least back when I went, they had different packages that allowed you to tour just different bits. We did the whole thing.

It was kind of like touring Hearst Castle. I did that many years before and was also glad I did a complete tour so as to see everything instead of just parts of it. (I couldn't remember that name and had to look it up. d'oh!)

What was the oddest thing for me was that the mansion is really not all that large. Many of the rooms seemed pretty small. But it was very cool to see everything.

To the right, if you are looking at the front of the house, are the graves. I remember always thinking that Elvis' middle name was spelled Aron, but on the grave it is spelled 'Aaron'. Oddly, that's one weird thing I recall.

I took so many pictures I was in pain and that was before I got decrepit. I'm glad, though. I should dig them up. Would be fun to revisit them.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Shelbelle — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 20:46:21 GMT

It is only the first floor and the basement that is open for tours, the upstairs is sealed off to guests. Lots of shag green carpet!!

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Greeneyedlady21 — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 22:43:54 GMT

I have been there , my Mom loved Elvis and she always wanted to go there. Now I am so happy that she did. Graceland is beautiful and we loved all the rooms and exhibits.

We stayed at a Homewood Suites not far from downtown Memphis, don't know if it's still there but it was nice. We went to Graceland, the Memphis Zoo (good zoo and they had two pandas when we visited), the Civil Rights Museum (a must see, it includes the Lorraine hotel where Dr. King was killed), Sun Studios (another must see), and the Gibson guitar factory. Memphis is full of history and the people there were so nice.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

qbetzforreal — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 00:20:08 GMT

@bonnielu- If you belong to AAA, check with them. A travel agent may be able to find you a non-stop flight.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

bonnielu — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 01:17:47 GMT

You all are so amazing. Thanks so much for your helpful advice. I am going to look into an American Airline flight although I am not a fan of Reagan. And I will look for packages and perhaps contact one of the suggested hotels. I also will find time to visit the other museums. All on my bucket list.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

drizzellla — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 03:38:07 GMT

Not sure how much time you will have in Memphis. Or how you will be getting around. But I would like to add that we went to Beale Street. Had to have BBQ ribs. And they did not disappoint.

Lots of shops to check out. There are many excellent restaurants. And lots of bands playing.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

beach-mom — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 04:31:20 GMT

I want to visit too now! I have a friend who went years ago. Like a lot of you, she said she was surprised how small it was when they pulled up, and how dark it was inside.

Does anyone know why the second floor is closed off? Do they have a full-time caretaker who lives there?

@bonnielu - Frontier flies from BWI to Memphis. We use them a lot. Their prices are good IF you can find days good for you.

Have fun!

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Greeneyedlady21 — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 09:49:22 GMT

@bonnielu I Googled the Homewood Suites, from the reviews it has really gone downhill. That's a shame, it was nice when we were there.

Re: Graceland visit suggestions

Deb665 — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 15:42:11 GMT

I live an hour and a half from Memphis, so every time someone visits they want to go to Graceland. The last time I was there I almost got kicked out for laughing! There was a group of older ladies who were convinced Elvis was upstairs on the 2nd floor watching everyone come through. At the time there was a mirror at the top of the stairs that they believed was a two way mirror that he could watch through. I couldn't help it, I laughed so hard that I drew attention to myself.

My friends and I followed this group thru the mansion out to the grave area. Again, they were convinced that he was still alive and watching. The big clue to that was the incorrect spelling of his middle name. It was a sign! The group behind us was crying -sobbing might be a better word - and I once again started laughing out loud! Think Mary Tyler Moore who started laughing at a funeral. Totally inappropriate but she couldn't stop.

My Memphis tip would be to go eat ribs at the Rendezvous! Just a short walk from Beale St or The Peabody Hotel. At the Peabody, you just might get to see the ducks march through!