Brews, Blues and BBQ: A Memphis Walking Tour

Many visitors to Bluff City think of its historic woes in the 1970s and1980s during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, when the inner city was rife with riots and looting. But Memphis is on the rebound and, on this walking tour, I’ll share how the city is reclaiming its spot as the cultural hub of the Delta blues, brews, and BBQ.

This tour begins outside Central Station Memphis, a vintage trolley station in the historical South Main Arts District, where you’ll hear all about the impressive hotel that was once a train station. From there you’ll walk through the downtown area and the historical Beale Street Entertainment District, home of the Blues. Along the way, I’ll show you opulent theaters, skyscrapers, churches, and monuments including Orpheum Theatre, The Peabody Memphis hotel, Tennessee Club and the National Civil Rights Museum.

You’ll also have the opportunity to:

• Find out why you must “beware Irish diving goats” at Silky O’Sullivan’s
• Discover hidden alleys with unusual names like General Washburn’s Escape Alley and Barbaro Alley
• Detour to historical diners, dive bars and juke joints including Arcade, Earnestine & Hazel’s, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Charlie Vergos Rendezvous, and the city’s oldest tavern, The Green Beetle
• Hear about the building that’s been a church, dry goods store, pharmacy, beauty salon, jazz cafe, the city’s most infamous brothel, and is now a reputable club, Earnestine & Hazel’s
• See the Blues Hall of Fame Museum which houses robust exhibits on the history of the genre
• Take in the impressive I am a Man and African Americans from Memphis murals
• Learn about the 1866 Memphis Massacre

By the end of the tour, you’ll know the answers to questions like:

• What makes Memphis the city for BBQ?
• Why is there a giant Pyramid in Tennessee, of all places?
• When did Memphis create blues, soul, and rock n' roll?
• Where can I see a parade of ducks marching down a red carpet?
• How did the city respond to the assassination of Martin Luther King at the Lorraine Motel?

This two-hour-long tour ends with a stroll over the mysterious Mud Island bridge where you’ll find sweeping views of the mighty Mississippi River, and beyond the Tennessee Welcome Center to the city’s famous Egyptian Pyramid. So come along and discover where to find the best beats, BBQ and brews in town.