Inside Graceland – An Elvis Experience In Memphis

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Elvis is still the King in Memphis. Let’s start there. The hometown hero of Tennessee’s second most populous city is as relevant today as the early 1950s when his career began. Fan or not, you’ll want to step inside Graceland while you’re in town. After all, the former home of Elvis Presley is a sight that must be seen to be believed.

Graceland has to be one of the top attractions for music fans. If you’re planning on working on your United States bucket list, Graceland definitely needs to be added.

As the self-proclaimed Birthplace of Rock & Roll, Memphis is to this genre of music as Nashville is to country music. And although we can’t say Elvis started Rock & Roll, he definitely took it to new heights. His fascination with all types of music as well as a tenacity for learning it eventually paid off. And the rest is music history.

Disclosure: My visit to Graceland was gifted for the purposes of review, however ALL opinions shared in this post are my own.

Elvis Presley In Memphis

Elvis is everywhere in this musical city. The 1950s might have been more than a couple of generations ago, but when it comes to Elvis in Memphis, it’s like we’re still there.

You might want to spend some of your time here exploring some of the best Elvis Presley locations in Memphis. While they are all great places to visit as a fan, there is none more special than Graceland.

Rarely will you see someone’s house more revered than Graceland. I’ll leave it to you if you want to start your Elvis journey here or leave it for the finale of your trip. But whether you’re an Elvis fan or not, this is a must visit place, and you’ll soon see why.

Visiting Graceland – What You Should Know

Given that Graceland is a hugely popular attraction, ticket prices aren’t too cheap. Starting prices are around $50 USD for adults, although check what you’re booking as some don’t include a tour of the mansion.

I had tickets for the standard Elvis Experience Tour which included access to the museum, the planes and the mansion tour. There are also VIP tour packages that can include behind the scenes extras or other perks. Perfect for any major Elvis fan.

You can purchase tickets on the day in-person at Graceland, or buy online in advance. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance. You’ll avoid disappointment during busy periods such as weekends or holidays.

TOP TIP: Even though tickets are non-refundable, you can change the date up to the day before your visit and reschedule.

Graceland is open 9am to 4pm daily and you should plan to spend at least 2 hours there. Anything less is not enough time as transportation through the estate is needed to get to the mansion.

Getting to Graceland from Memphis

Graceland is outside of downtown Memphis and therefore the easiest and most efficient way to reach it is by driving. There’s a large parking lot where you can park for an additional fee of $10. The drive is about 15 minutes from downtown Memphis.

If you don’t have a car with you there are a few other options.

• Public transportation – There’s a bus stop almost near the front gates of Graceland but it will likely require a bus change if leaving from downtown. The journey also takes about an hour.
• Take a taxi or ride share – The drive will be about 15 minutes from downtown but the cost will be about $25 USD or more each way.
• Book a private tour with pickup arrangements – A sightseeing tour around Memphis including VIP access to visit inside Graceland is a more expensive but more personalized option

What is there to do inside Graceland

A visit to Graceland is so much more than just seeing Elvis’ house. Although that’s a very special part of it. At the complex there are other great things to do.

Tour the exhibits – Ever wanted to know about Elvis’ life before he was famous? Or about his time in the military? There are some informative displays complete with pictures and interactive experiences

See the museums – The jumpsuits, the cars and the platinum records are all on display here at Graceland. Memorabilia will lead you on a journey of Elvis’ career – and all the wheels he spent his fortune on. Yes, there’s even a pink Cadillac. And a purple one. And every other car you can imagine.

Step inside his private planes – A short walk from the visitor center are both of Elvis’ airplanes. Sitting on the tarmac of their very own airport. The Lisa Marie is next level luxury. Don’t miss the private bedroom, huge conference table and plush seating.

Eat like the King – Fried peanut butter & banana sandwiches anyone? Don’t knock it ’til you try it. Glady’ Diner is a classic 50s style diner complete with booth seating and a fast food menu that will have your arteries begging for mercy. Perhaps you’ll luck out and be able to sit in the custom Cadillac booth.

Inside Graceland – The Elvis Experience

As if all the other fun activities aren’t enough, we haven’t even talked about the house yet. That’s right, you can go inside Graceland mansion, Elvis’ home from 1957 until his death in 1977.

Decorated as it was in 1977, the house is absolutely incredible. Garish in places – Elvis had, let’s say a “unique” style. But the opulence itself is just as impressive as the house.

To get to the mansion you need to get a bus as the mansion sits on the opposite side of the busy road from the visitor center. On the short ride over you’ll be handed an i-pad and headphones for the audio/visual tour.

TOP TIP: Bring your own headphones if you wish but the headphones are cleaned between uses. You’ll hear a familiar voice on the tour – it’s narrated by John Stamos, himself a huge Elvis fan.

Inside Graceland mansion

The bus stops outside and you can take a photo as you walk up through the front door. From that point on, every twist and turn is a sensory overload. To the right as you enter is the living room. A sea of white and blue, I would say this is the most elegant of all the rooms you’ll see.

TOP TIP: Look closely at the peacock stained glass doors through the living room – beyond you’ll see the Grand Piano Elvis would play.

Down the equally white and blue hallway is the bedroom of Elvis’ parents. The purple makes it look very regal, but my personal favorite touch is the poodle wallpaper you can just see in the bathroom. Across from the living room is the dining room where the family still sometimes enjoy a meal when they are in town.

Main floor of Graceland mansion

Moving on from the rooms just off the entrance you will come to the kitchen. Between the patterned carpet and the dark wood stained cupboard doors, it’s a little dark in here. But the ultimate 60s/70s style kitchen.

From the kitchen the tour takes you past possible the most incredibly unbelievable room in the whole house in my opinion. Nicknamed the Jungle Room it’s not hard to see why. Both floor and ceiling are covered in green shag carpet and Tiki-esque furnishings are everywhere. This room is a LOT to digest.

The lower floor of Graceland mansion

Taking a bit of a trippy walk down to the basement is like walking through the hall of mirrors. I had to watch my step as the mirror on the ceiling was putting me off where I was walking.

In the basement however there are two rooms. The first was my favorite – the TV room. So called because there are televisions EVERYWHERE. See if you can count how many TVs are in this room! Between the TVs, the mirrors and the private bar complete with yellow leather bar stools, this would be the ultimate room for movie night.

Across the hall is the billiard room with pool table dead center and the most psychedelic print on every surface of the room. The couch, walls and ceiling are made of the same print material. Even the lamps that provide light to a dark basement are elaborately colorful.

The exterior rooms of Graceland

Outside you’ll briefly pass through the large car port getting a good view of the rear of Graceland. Take a peek into Vernon’s office where Elvis’ dad worked on his son’s finances.

The trophy room is bigger than it sounds. It’s filled with all kinds of personal effects, furniture, artwork and genealogical history of the Presley family. Top Tip: Make sure to spend time admiring the many pieces of art sent to Elvis from fans – paintings and pictures of he and his family.

The last room outside of the Graceland mansion is the racquetball court. A gym anyone would be happy to have in their home, it has changing rooms and a sauna. Like having a spa day without having to leave home.

The grounds of the Graceland mansion

Unlike inside Graceland, which to me often felt a little dark – most in part to the darker colors used in decoration – the grounds are beautiful and bright.

By today’s standards I think the Graceland mansion is not as colossal as most celebrity homes. It actually has a lovely family feel despite the sometimes questionable furnishings. The pool, fenced in on the back patio is also modest, but lovely.

Opposite the pool is the memorial garden. Here lies Elvis Presley himself alongside his parents and grandmother. Fans still come here on the tour to pay respects, and the grave is still adorned with tributes.

As well as cars, Elvis also had horses for getting around. You can still see the stables and the horses who now call Graceland home.

Learn about Elvis inside Graceland

While looking around houses may be many people’s favorite pastime, none are probably as exciting as Elvis’ house. To keep people moving, and to help guide your around inside Graceland and its grounds, the iPad-led tour is a great idea.

I never used to enjoy audio tours, but now I actually find them very helpful. Using an iPad, while a little clunky to carry around sometimes, lets you know you’re looking at the right thing. Plus you get to control it as you move from room to room.

The audio tour is available in nine languages, as well as having English captions for the hearing impaired. I’m not sure John Stamos will be narrating all nine languages though, I’m afraid.

What if I’m not an Elvis fan?

If anything, a visit to Graceland made me more of an Elvis fan. If you’re not, it doesn’t matter, it’s still a really fun and unique experience. Sure, some of the music and movies related exhibits might not hit as much as if you’d adored Elvis for years. But there really is enough to keep anyone entertained for a couple of hours.

Whether you love old cars, peeking around other people’s houses, or are a popular culture fan, Graceland is one-of-a-kind. Elvis was a big deal at the height of his fame, and even a lot of other big deal performers thought so. You’ll see reference to some of them on the tour and throughout the museums too.

With the release of the new Elvis movie, I can see that the King will be making a comeback in the next year or two. It’s fun to be able to watch the movie and recognize parts of the house, or read about particular events in the museum.

If you’re not an Elvis fan, I really believe you’ll still appreciate the experience – maybe you Can’t Help Falling In Love with the King after all. And if you are an Elvis fan, you’ll be All Shook Up seeing inside Graceland.

When visiting Memphis Tennessee it’s difficult to escape Elvis. So you might as well just go with the flow and enjoy the ride.

If you’ve enjoyed this tour inside Graceland leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Which of the rooms or places in Graceland do you like the most?