The First Church of the Elvis Impersonator and the Rock 'n' Soul Museum… the action in Beale Street Historic District and the Cooper-Young Entertainment District… the musical monuments at Graceland and the B.B. King Museum… the resident ducks at the Peabody Hotel—Memphis is a city with major personality. Its attractions are its own, and so are its most famous characters. Where other cities might advertise a water park, Memphis has Mud Island River Park. Its history is remembered at the Center for Southern Folklore, the Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange, Martyrs Park, and The National Civil Rights Museum. Riverboat rides on the Mississippi have been a signature attraction since the 1800s.

Memphis' food and its music are chock-full of soul. For the former, that means dry-rubbed, slow-smoked "Memphis-style" barbecue. For the latter, it means Delta blues, Gibson guitars, and rock-and-roll from the earliest days.