Up early so we can get to Graceland in lots of time. We have booked VIP tour tickets and our tour is set for 9AM, which is when it opens. We are the 4th car in the parking lot. Yep lots of time. We head over to the ticket centre to pick up our tickets and get things going.

Once we have our tickets, we get photographed on a Green Screen, (and later superimposed as if we were standing in front of the gates at Graceland) – and yes we bought the photo. We boarded the shuttle to take us across the street to Graceland proper. We arrive and there is one group ahead of us so we wait for them to go into the house.

Once our group goes in, Barry and I hang way to the back and let everyone get ahead of us. There is no one behind us, so we have the rooms to our selves. We are amazed that we can poke around as much as we want and not have another soul near us. By the time we are done the last room – the Jungle Room – and go outside, the next group is catching up with us. The timing for seeing the house was excellent. (Good luck, not good planning!)

The grounds around the house are beautiful, 4 horses, 3 of them rescue horses, a few out buildings, some small trailer that were used for guest housing in the past, the racket ball court, the pool and the meditation garden.

Once we were finished with Graceland we took the shuttle back across the street and started to look at the various exhibits they have set up there. There is a whole building set up with his cars, motorcycles and other toys, a history of his rise to stardom in the 50’s, Elvis today, in commercials and cover songs. And of course the two Airplanes. Further down the road was a small exhibit on the 68 Comeback TV Special – and of course many many gift shops. Lots to see, read and listen too. We were on the grounds 7 hours, for someone who many not be quite so fanatical, you still should give your self a good 5 hours if you want to see all the exhibits. (and have lunch).

After leaving Graceland we headed for Sun Studios. We figured, were here, we might as well see the birth place of Rock and Roll. I’m really glad we did. The tour is not long – 45 min or so, but excellent. The tour guide made it come alive, you could almost close your eyes and see the various artists – Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, J0hnny Cash, Carl Perkins and more contemporary artists like U2, Def Leppard, Bonnie Raitt, and Ringo Starr.

It was quite an eye opener to some of my favourite music.

Great day, this is why we came to Memphis.