Elvis's Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee

Touring Graceland - Elvis's Home in Memphis, Tennessee

7/25/2024

Graceland is the famous home of Elvis Presley. Now it’s been turned into a museum showcasing his mansion, airplanes, and famous worn-on-stage jumpsuits. Graceland is located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee and is a sight to be seen – even if you aren’t the biggest Elvis fan, like me.

I visited Graceland as part of a media tour of the city of Memphis. Find more things to do around Memphis and the entire state of Tennessee on my Tennessee travel page, here!

The entirety of Graceland has expanded beyond his mansion into an almost amusement park like complex. The entrance to the grounds feels like a walk down Main Street USA in Disneyworld. Part of that is because there are gift shops everywhere you turn and loud Elvis music being pumped through speakers every few feet.

The house itself requires a bus ride to get to from the main ticketing area. The tour starts with a quick video about Elvis’s legacy and some of the memorabilia you can see in the museums before they snap your picture (if you want a keepsake) and pile you onto a bus for a short five-minute drive across the road.

Graceland is no mansion by today’s standards, but back in the 1950s you can tell this place was revered like a castle. It features top of the line China in the dining room, at the time cutting edge appliances in the kitchen, stunning stained glass in the all-white living room, along with chandeliers galore.

The famous "jungle room" seems like a dingy old man cave, but you can tell the room was beloved by Elvis and his family. The intricate imported wood carved lamps, couches, and tables probably cost a fortune back in the day.

The most surprising part of the house to me was the basement. There is one room just full of built in televisions with a bright yellow sunk in couch to watch all the shows your heart could desire – which back then was probably only a handful compared to today’s thousands of cable channels. Then next to that room is the tapestry room, complete with floor to ceiling pleated cotton fabric and a billiard table. Both rooms truly highlight his taste, money, and lavishness brought back from his time in Las Vegas.

The house also features a barn for Lisa Marie’s ponies, a separate home office and recording space, and an area that has now been turned into a showcase of the houses floor plans and original receipts for purchases of all the furniture and craftsmanship put into the home. It’s remarkable to see how much materials have changed in price since he built the place!

The backyard, as I was not expecting, is also his gravesite. Along with his parents, his daughter, and his grandson. It was a somber sight to see after just walking around the place he cherished and had some many lively experiences in for so many years before his untimely death.

When you are done with the tour of the house there are three museums left to see back on the other side of the road. A bust will take you back over to the main entrance area where you can walk through the Presley Motors Automobile Museum, Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, and Elvis Movie Exhibit. All are included in the price of the upgraded entrance ticket.

Each of the museums are filled with things related to the different chapters of his life. His many cars used both personally and on movie sets are on display. Along with his war memorabilia from his time spent serving our country in the Army.

Other movie set pieces, posters, and costumes are shown alongside large projector screens playing clips from the many movies Elvis was in during his career on the golden screen.

Then, his gold records, flyers, stage worn shoes, and of course his famous jumpsuits are all on display in the music part of his career. There is also a cool showcase of other famous celebrities’ outfits that were inspired by Elvis in different performances.

Outside of these museums sit his two planes, The Lisa Marie and The Hound Dog II. These are interesting almost time-capsule like experiences, full of shag carpeting, dark suede furniture, and outdated technology.

Here are some tips you need to know before planning your own visit:

Give yourself plenty of time.

There is a lot to see in Graceland, give yourself at least a half a day, if not longer, to really take every detail in. Don’t worry about lunch, there are resturants on sight you can refuel at and then continue your tour. I would recommend at least two hours for house, one hour each for the other museums, and one hour split between the cars and airplanes.

Book your visit ahead of time.

Graceland is a popular destination; people travel from all over the world to see where Elvis lived. Make sure to secure your tour time for your group before you arrive. Booking online reserves your spot on the bus to go over to the mansion. As stated earlier, give yourself plenty of time to view everything so book a tour time early in the morning to avoid crowds and to give yourself as long as possible to walk around the entire grounds.
Tickets start at $82 to tour all of the Graceland mansion, museums, and airplanes and go up to over $250 for VIP access and personally guided tours. Get your tickets at www.graceland.com

Go on a weekday.

Again, Graceland is a very popular place. To avoid too much crowding try to visit on a weekday and start early in the morning. Most tour groups and families come on the weekends. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the slowest days, try to visit mid week to have as much space as possible. You will want it inside the house especially, because the hallways are narrow and the reading signs are little.

The entire experience is surreal to think about how such a celebrity like Elvis Preseley lived and used these items that are now on display behind glass cases. How things that were so impressive back there seem so miniscule to today’s celebrity class elites. It’s funny how things change with the passing of time, yet still seem so important because of who they belonged to. Elvis was a man unlike any other before him, and his legacy still lives on strong today.

I highly recommend a visit no matter how big of a fan you are, just to marvel in the extravagance.