Destination 15
Memphis, TN
The View
Our easterly drive from Eureka Springs to Memphis was filled with small towns, rolling farms and a surprising number of Confederate flags, which was somewhat ironic since we were rushing to get to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis prior to closing.
We thankfully made it there on time, and were both impressed and sobered by this engaging telling of the story of the American civil rights movement, with a focus on the non-violent organizations led by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the late John Lewis, and others, as well as the critical role of the Black church in leading us toward a more just society. The museum is located in the Lorraine Motel, where Reverend King was killed, and visitors are able to view the room where he stayed immediately prior to his untimely death on the motel's balcony.
Also Check Out
The next morning, we visited the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located on the property of the original Stax Records - the famed home of American soul artists such as Otis Redding. This museum emphasized two things which we really appreciated: the Black church and gospel music as a foundation of soul music; and the multi-racial working environment and artist pool at Stax, at a time when this rarely was the case.
We also took a quick drive past and through legendary Beale Street, but this very congested and touristy strip was less appealing to us than other areas. Instead, we enjoyed a meal and live music at Lafayette's Music Room, in the Overton Square/Midtown dining and entertainment district.
The Room
During our 5-week trip, we stayed in several Airbnb/VRBO properties that we really liked. While they are all very different and therefore hard to compare, one of the best was Charming Midtown Cottage, a backyard one-bedroom cottage with access to a lovely garden and swimming pool in the historic, regal and leafy Midtown neighborhood.
While the street was completely residential and very quiet, we were just a short drive from a variety of restaurants and shopping, and about 15 minutes from both museums we visited, as well as downtown Memphis/Beale Street. I highly recommend this property.
Great Meals in Memphis
Finally … the Southern food we had been waiting for since we left NYC a month prior. We followed the recommendations of our VRBO host, and Memphis definitely did not disappoint.
Central BBQ. We had dinner at the Midtown location of this local chain, and enjoyed large portions, quick service, and some very tasty meat and comfort sides. It was busy with young families and other locals during our weeknight visit.
Soul Fish Cafe. We had a great lunch of shrimp po'boys, homemade sides and lemonade. Our waitress was friendly, and if she had been talking or moving any faster to meet the needs of diners at this packed spot, she would have spun off into space.
