Home of the late King, and his final resting place, his beautiful home of Graceland gives an insight into how the man lived when not on stage. From the beautiful entrance to the famous Jungle Room, Graceland is everything you imagine it to be.
Tours of Graceland start across the road from the grounds themselves. Here you will find everything Elvis from the tacky to the collectible. From record stores to museums housing Elvis memorabilia such as his collection of cars, and the Lisa Marie, his private jet, there’s bound to be something that will tempt you into parting with your dollars. One of the simplest mementos is to send a postcard home from the Graceland post office, this will have a Graceland postmark on it and so becomes an instant souvenir. Your ticket into Graceland doesn’t usually include admittance to the other Elvis museums so if you want to see “everything” be prepared to pay for it.
One Graceland attraction that’s free to tourists is the sight of those famous musically decorated gates. Which Elvis fan can forget the fans that lined up hoping to get a glimpse of what was happening on the days immediately following his death? As the bus that takes you across to the house approaches, the gates open and you are admitted into this once very private estate.
Apart from the main house, there’s also an exhibition of Elvis’s stage clothes and other personal items, including his wall of “Records”, and the grounds behind the house where Elvis is laid to rest. Even today, many years after his death, there are fresh floral tributes regularly sent to the estate by various Elvis fan clubs and associations and which are put on display.
Graceland is a home where a King once ruled, but even though his body may have long since past, his presence amidst the contrasting beauty and garishness is still felt today. If you’re an Elvis fan, this is one place you must see if you’re in the Memphis area!
