Millington / Memphis, Tennessee

"Memphis dry-rub ribs. The definitive version."

Memphis BBQ is a world unto itself — dry-rubbed ribs, pulled pork, and sausage with a mustard and tomato-based sauce on the side. Central BBQ is the consistent top pick among locals and the military community.

"Memphis' finest restaurant in a legendary hotel."

The Peabody Hotel is a Memphis institution (famous for its trained ducks that march through the lobby twice daily) and Chez Philippe is its flagship restaurant — elegant French-influenced Southern cuisine.

"The local secret. Cash only, open until sold out."

Payne's is the Memphis BBQ that locals take their most discerning out-of-town guests to — cash only, minimal hours, open until they're sold out. The chopped pork sandwich on white bread with mustard slaw is foundational.

"Built where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Essential American history."

The National Civil Rights Museum is one of the most important museums in the United States — built at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was killed in 1968. It covers the full arc of the Civil Rights Movement with exceptional depth and emotional honesty.

"Where Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Isaac Hayes recorded."

The original Stax Records building is now a museum covering one of the most important record labels in American music history — Otis Redding, the Staple Singers, and Isaac Hayes all recorded here. The Isaac Hayes exhibit alone is worth the trip.

"The mighty Mississippi, right at your feet."

Tom Lee Park and the Big River Crossing (pedestrian bridge) give you the Mississippi River at its full width and power. The Big River Crossing is the longest pedestrian bridge over the Mississippi — the view from the middle is staggering.

"Old-growth hardwood forest and Mississippi bottomland. 20 minutes north."

Shelby Forest is one of the largest state parks in Tennessee — old-growth bottomland hardwood forest with hiking trails and lake access. The mature tupelo and cypress are stunning in fall.

"Flatwater kayaking in bottomland forest."

The sloughs and oxbow lakes in Meeman-Shelby Forest offer excellent flatwater kayaking in a subtropical bottomland forest. Blue herons, wood ducks, and the occasional barred owl make this a quality paddling experience.

"The birthplace of the blues. Every night is live music."

Beale Street is a tourist district built on genuine history — W.C. Handy composed "Memphis Blues" here, and the street has hosted live music continuously since the 1860s. Go on a weeknight to hear real blues without the weekend crush.

"Elvis Presley's home. The second most-visited house in America."

Graceland is exactly what you expect and more — the shag carpet, the Jungle Room, the trophy building, and the meditation garden where Elvis is buried. If you're there for any length of time, you have to go.

"One of the finest zoos in the South. Giant panda exhibit."

The Memphis Zoo is consistently ranked among the top zoos in the country — the Giant Panda exhibit, the Egypt exhibit, and the overall quality of animal care make it excellent for families.