The Graceland Experience

The number one spot to visit in Memphis is, of course, Graceland – Elvis’ home. It’s so much more than his mansion, however, or even his estate. There are several exhibits, restaurants, a theater that holds live concerts, a soundstage, and an exposition center that houses exhibits unrelated to Elvis. When I was there, it had a space exhibit and dinosaur exhibit.

In 2016, Graceland even opened its own hotel near the mansion with shuttles that take guests back and forth. In short, Graceland is an experience all by itself, and you could spend an entire day or two or three exploring.

The mansion itself is actually pretty modest and small compared to Hollywood estates, but it’s fun to walk through. Only the ground floor and basement are accessible to visitors, as Elvis never entertained guests in his rooms upstairs, opting to keep them private for the family.

I especially loved the first room you see when you walk through the door – a white living room with a white grand piano and stained glass peacocks. Of course, the decor is still very 1970s. There’s also a room where his mother slept, which she designed herself in purple.

The house also contains many artifacts, including Elvis’ wedding tux and Priscilla’s wedding dress, as well as Elvis’ desk.

In other buildings on the grounds, you’ll find exhibits like Elvis’ influence on others, a museum dedicated to his career, a Growing Up Presley exhibit devoted to Lisa Marie, a Tupelo exhibit about Elvis’ birthplace, and an Elvis in the Army exhibit. There’s a smokehouse restaurant named after his father, Vernon, and a vintage-style diner named after his mother, Gladys.

You’ll find a wall lined with his gold records and a big hall with many of his costumes from his iconic jumpsuits to the black leather suit he wore in his “comeback” TV special back in 1968.

My personal favorite, though, was the building with his cars, boats, and other vehicles like dune buggies, golf carts, and motorcycles. I especially loved seeing his famous pink Cadillac, which he gave to his mom, and his bright red convertible. It’s an amazing collection. Outside, you’ll find a hangar with Elvis’ private planes, one of which is named the Lisa Marie.

Of course, no visit to Graceland is complete without visiting Elvis’ grave alongside the graves of his parents.

After spending hours at Graceland itself, I was treated to a tour of The Guest House, the 450-room hotel that allows Elvis fans to stay nearby his estate. The design of the hotel was personally overseen by Priscilla Presley, so it’s deliciously retro. But it’s also very tasteful.

Unlike the estate grounds, where even the benches have Elvis’ face on them, The Guest House doesn’t contain photos of the man. But the light fixtures in the hallways have a subtle EP design under the lights, and some of the chairs in the lobby have a curved back with a point, which is reminiscent of the collars of Elvis’ classic jumpsuits. The Vernon & Gladys suite was my favorite of the rooms I was shown.

Obviously, if you’re an Elvis fan, visiting Graceland is a no-brainer. But even if you aren’t a fan, you’ll no doubt find something to enjoy there. If nothing else, go for the cars. They’ll blow your mind! Scroll below to see more of the photos I took at Graceland and The Guest House.