Beale Street

We started off this day in Memphis trying to go to Mud Island but of course it was closed on monday. On every trip i plan at least one place i really want to go has to be closed. So i was glad this time it was mud island, because i've been there a few times. So we just continued on down to Beale Street.



i am always excited to go down to beale street, then once we get there i remember that it isn't actually that cool. if you are into bars and night life it is probably really fun (in a touristy way) but we're not really into that. but we always make a trip anyway.


schwab's is the only remaining original business on beale street. last time we went all three floors were full of crap (you feel like some of the stuff for sale has been sitting around for 30 years) but this time it was only the first. of course they had the voodoo section that all good beale street stores must have.






i love anyone who goes out in costumes during the day.

we stopped by the Center for Southern Folklore which was really just a shop and the lady behind the counter made us really uncomfortable by saying "what can i help you buy?" the whole time we were there. so we left.


then we rode the trolley!


yes, that is a tattoo of a flaming manatee.

we ate lunch at the arcade! a great little diner i found on the road food site. another resource i love to use when i'm planning our trips. this place is the oldest restaurant in memphis that is still open. it is so cute!




this pizza was crappy/awesome. it reminded me of the pizza i would get at the cafe at the gymnastics camp i went to when i was little. mmmm, i want another piece now.


then we went to the civil rights museum.

that is the balcony that dr. martin luther king jr. was assassinated. they have made a museum behind it. it is free on monday afternoons for tennessee residents. i was glad we didn't pay because it really wasn't a great museum. almost all the exhibits were HUGE blocks of text hanging on the walls. it would take you an entire day to read everything. it just wasn't great design. after the first few rooms we just looked at the pictures and watched the videos. it could have done with some editing.


then we walked back to the car. you can park at the visitor's center right by the mississippi river for free! the sign says 2 hours only but the guard in the lot told us that is just to deter local people from using the lot. if your license plate is from another state/county you can park as long as you want. the trolley is just a dollar so it is an easy way to get around.