Experience Graceland

With the possible exception of the White House, there is no residence in the United States more famous (or more of a tourist attraction) than Graceland, the outskirts-of-Memphis mansion that Elvis Presley and members of his family called home for the last 20 years of his life.

So, when my wife and I decided to drive, rather than fly, to St. Louis for a business trip, Graceland was immediately bestowed with “must-go” status as we mapped out our itinerary. And unlike so many landmarks that disappoint, Graceland proved to be exactly what we expected: A fascinating, over-the-top memorial to its immortal master.

Upon arrival at the sprawling, 120-acre property located at 3764 Elvis Presley Blvd. (about seven miles south of downtown Memphis) visitors are not greeted by the stately Southern-style brick-and-white-columned home, but a huge parking lot that resembles one you might find at an amusement park. You quickly realize it is appropriate because looming in front of you is a complex that is part of a an indoor/outdoor compound that has “theme park” written all over it.

This is Elvis Presley’s Memphis, which encompasses more than 200,000 square feet and boasts several exhibits including one that surveys his career and another that houses his car collection that, in aggregate, is valued between $5 and $10 million.

After purchasing tickets (admission ranges from $44 for the basic—and limited—self-guided tour to $196 for the “Ultimate VIP Tour”) the first stop is a small theater at which is screened a seven-minute film filled with such familiar images as his “Ed Sullivan Show” appearances and clips from his stint in the U.S. Army.

Then comes a short walk to the house itself, and that’s where the fun begins.

Guests on self-guided tours (which is what we did) are provided iPads and headphones that offer detailed narration as each room in on the two lower floors are visited (the upper floor is not open to the public). The information gleaned from the audio greatly enhances the experience. For instance guests learn that what was Elvis’ parents’ surprisingly small bedroom is located just steps away from the home’s front door.

The tour—which lasts about an hour—covers multiple rooms, all of which are preserved exactly as they were on Aug. 16, 1977, the day Presley died at age 42. Among the stops on the route are the kitchen (where “The King” staged middle-of-the-night snack attacks), the “White Room,” whose monochromatic decor extends to the vintage television and grand piano and of course, the infamous “Jungle Room” (so named for its African motif), where Elvis and his “Memphis Mafia” would spend a good deal of their down time when they weren’t making movies or on tour.

It’s no secret that Presley’s taste in home decoration was hardly the stuff of Architectural Digest spreads. But the garish colors and shag carpeting offer a captivating look at interior design of a very specific era (the 1970s).