Immediately, the energy in Memphis felt different. Still southern and with all the drawls that come with it, but very genuine and welcoming.
As per the usual, the boys let off some steam in the new digs and made sure that every duplo found a home on the carpet.
We drove by Graceland but did not think it would be the best choice for kids. You can kind of see it…just google it for better pictures 🙂
We missed the raved about Memphis Zoo due to the weather but roamed the town with Adam.
We found the firefighters museum which was awesome. A little girl was having her birthday party there and gave the boys fire hats and goodies bags. They drove a simulated firetruck, fought a fire and together came up with a plan “get out, go to Andy’s house to wait for mommy and daddy and call 911” Gavin can repeat it to you, Jake nods.
We had some delicious wraps at Wrapzody. We rode the trolley, for $1! We then headed down the infamous Beale St.
There was a drum line playing in the streets that we jammed too. We high tailed it to the Peabody with only a minute to spare and barely saw a tail feather of the ducks. A nice hotel employee gave the kids bath time ducks which were a huge hit and worth it.
We made our way to the river front and rode the Monorail to Mud Island. There was a steamboat museum and a history of Memphis music but the kids didn’t have any interest in that.
Outside on the island there is a scaled down replica of the Southern Mississippi. It was almost the whole length of the island.
The kids waded in it and learned about the current by floating their shoes upstream. They also saw two barges, one going against and one going with the current in the Mississippi.
It was cinco De mayo and we did attempt to go to a Mexican restaurant and party with guacamole and margaritas until reality set in with hungry kids and long lines….so we settled for taco bell.
Adam and I both loved Memphis. The people were joyous and jovial. Very welcoming, proud and happy.
The city was manageable with life and color on every block. It felt safe and kid friendly.
Keep exploring
Plan for roughly half the driving you think you can do. Kids need movement breaks every 1.5 to 2 hours. The best stops are not the ones on the itinerary but the ones you find by pulling over. Pack snacks that avoid crumbs. And accept that the trip will go differently than planned and that is usually better.
Audiobooks and podcasts for kids work better than screens for longer stretches. Window games. Music everyone can agree on. Letting older kids navigate. And giving them meaningful jobs rather than just asking them to sit quietly for hours.
A car trash bag. A cooler for drinks and snacks. A first aid kit. One bag per person that lives accessible in the car. Entertainment that works without wifi. A physical map as backup. And less than you think you need of everything else.
Four to five hours of actual driving is comfortable for most families with young children. More than that and the last hour tends to make everyone miserable. Factor in stops and add at least 50 percent to driving times.
The national parks are extraordinary and widely underused by families. Zoos in major cities. Interactive children’s museums. Sea World, Legoland, and similar theme parks for dedicated days. And the unexpected stops that were not planned that end up being everyone’s favorite memory.
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Looks like all had a grand time.