A day in Memphis for fans of Elvis

He was always on our mind, but interest in the king of rock’n’roll has grown in recent years, thanks to films from Baz Luhrmann and Sofia Coppola.

Now, ahead of what would have been Elvis Presley’s 90th birthday in January, the city of Memphis is set to celebrate once more.

Here’s how to take care of business with a jam-packed, one-day itinerary.

9am: Breakfast fit for royalty

The Arcade Restaurant is Memphis’s oldest cafe and famous for being a favourite haunt of one Elvis Aaron Presley.

Kelcie Zepatos is the fourth generation of her family to run the Arcade.

“There was a shop across the road he liked,” she says. “Afterwards, he’d come across here to eat with friends. He always sat at this table, because he could quickly duck out the back door if a group of fans spotted him.”

Today, Elvis’s booth remains unchanged, except for the addition of a photo and a plaque. Order a fried peanut butter, bacon and banana sandwich if your stomach can handle it, or try one of the more conventional breakfast orders.

 

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10am: We’re going to Graceland

You know what? It’s nowhere near as big as you think it will be. By today’s standards, and especially from the outside, Graceland mansion is a modest home.

Inside is where Elvis’s personality shines. There’s some truly incredible 1970s design on display, including the yellow and black TV room, a pool room that looks like something from ’shroom-fuelled 1001 Nights and, of course, the famous Jungle Room.

Take it all in, then spend some time in the meditation garden before attacking The Elvis Experience. This huge complex displays his cars, life in the army and much more. It’s also where his epic stage costumes are housed and it’s worth lingering to bask in their splendour. 

Tip: Pre-book your Graceland ticket and, if your budget allows, pony up for the VIP upgrade, which moves you to the front of the line to tour the mansion.

Checking out Elvis’s jumpsuit collection at Graceland. Photo: Alex Shansky

2pm: You’re the voice

In 1953, Elvis paid $4 to record a demo of two songs at what was then Memphis Recording Studio. Owner Sam Phillips wasn’t there at the time, so his assistant Marion Keisker oversaw the session. She was intrigued by this young man – he was 18 at the time – with the unusual voice.

It took a few more sessions before Phillips recorded Elvis singing Arthur Crudup’s That’s All Right, which became an immediate hit in Memphis. The rest, as they say… 

Now, when you tour Sun Studio, there’s the chance to take a photo with the microphone Elvis used, as well as check out the rebuilt WHBQ radio station booth (removed from its original home at the Hotel Chisca) where DJ Dewey Phillips first played That’s All Right on the evening of July 8, 1954.

An Elvis Presley statue on the famous Beale Street. Photo: Vasha Hunt

4pm: Suits you, sir

One day, Bernard Lansky saw a handsome young man looking in the window of his Beale Street store. The shopkeeper invited him in to look around. It wasn’t long before that young man became famous – and one of his best customers.

Lansky Bros has moved since those days – it’s now at the Peabody Hotel – when it supplied Elvis with the pegged trousers, sports coats and tailored shirts that would become his first stage outfits.

Lansky also dressed Elvis in the white suit and blue tie he was buried in. 

6pm: The king’s favourite pie

When Emil Coletta opened his Italian restaurant in 1923, he put barbecue pizza on the menu, in an effort to make this new cuisine palatable to Memphians.

One of the customers it attracted was Elvis, who would bring his gang of friends here.

Now Coletta’s has an Elvis room filled with photos and memorabilia, but you can still order that barbecue pizza, Elvis’s favourite menu item.

7.30pm: Take it outside

Since it opened in 1936, the Overton Park Shell has played a huge part in the development of Memphis’s music credentials.

It’s also where Elvis played his first paid gig.

There are free concerts here during spring and summer, usually on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

10pm: Can’t help falling asleep

Commit to the full Elvis experience by staying at the Lauderdale Courts apartment where teenaged Elvis and his parents lived.

If you prefer hotels, the Guest House at Graceland might be a better place for you. Only 100 metres or so from the mansion, it isn’t overtly Presley-fied. Instead, the design is inspired by him.

The exaggerated corners of the tall armchairs in the lobby, for instance, are a riff on the lapels of his jumpsuits.

There are 450 rooms, including 20 suites – the Vernon and Gladys Suite recalls Elvis and Priscilla’s Palm Springs home – as well as a restaurant called Delta’s Kitchen, named after the last remaining family member who lived at the mansion, and EP Bar & Grill.

Guests can watch Elvis movies nightly at the in-house theatre, and there’s live entertainment in the lobby from Wednesday to Sunday.

 

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And if you can’t make it to Memphis?

Consider the Parkes Elvis Festival, hosted by the central New South Wales town in January each year, to coincide with Presley’s birthday.

The festival celebrates its 32nd year in 2025, held from January 8 to 12.