| |
In Pictures: Memphis in the Condé Nast spotlight for 2023
By Tom Adkinson
December 15, 2022
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – East Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains and Middle Tennessee’s Nashville get plenty of attention from travel publications, and West Tennessee’s Memphis is jumping into the spotlight. It is on two Condé Nast Traveler lists to the top 23 places to visit in 2023. One list is domestic, and the other is worldwide. Memphis and California’s central coast are the only U.S. destinations on the international list. Condé Nast editors and writers compiled the lists, so they are subjective rather than scientific – but they’re still fun. In the case of Memphis, the journalists applauded a $60 million upgrade of Tom Lee Park along the Mississippi River, the return of the month-long Memphis in May International Festival, new hotels and the city’s culinary scene.
Always connected – Memphis and the Mississippi
Condé Nast journalists were abundantly aware of the bond between Memphis and the mighty Mississippi. One of the points they bragged on was a $60 million enhancement of the riverfront Tom Lee Park. This image is from the Big River Crossing, a pedestrian bridge from Memphis to Arkansas. Image by Tom Adkinson
|
A restaurant scene that Elvis enjoyed
While Condé Nast was excited about the trendy aspects of the food scene in Memphis, visitors also gravitate to landmarks such as the Arcade Restaurant. Elvis Presley enjoyed the down-home food at the establishment that opened in 1919 and is the oldest restaurant in the city. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Image by Tom Adkinson
|
There’s always time for barbecue here
The return of the month-long Memphis in May International Festival and the smoky goodness of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest were two events that helped put Memphis on a list of 23 places to see in the world in 2023. It’s almost obligatory to have a rack of ribs, such as these at Central Barbecue, while in Memphis. Image by Tom Adkinson
|
Rocking on Beale Street
Condé Nast recognized the importance of the Beale Street Music Festival (May 5-7, 2023, in Tom Lee Park) to the cultural vitality of Memphis. Of course, Beale Street itself rocks with music throughout the year. Image by Tom Adkinson
|
Museums tell the stories of Memphis
Museums such as the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum are plentiful in Memphis and help visitors understand the history and vibrancy of the city. Others include the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the National Civil Rights Museum, the Brooks Museum of Art and, of course, Elvis Presley’s Graceland. Image by Tom Adkinson |
Quiet time in nature
For all of the music, attractions and restaurants that make Memphis hop, there also are places of refuge. Perhaps most impressive is Shelby Farms Park, one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. At 4,500 acres, it is five times the size of Central Park in New York City. It even has its own buffalo herd. Image by Tom Adkinson |
Trip-planning resources: CondeNast2023US, CondeNast2023International, and MemphisTravel.com
(Travel writer Tom Adkinson’s book, 100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die, is available on Amazon.com.)
|
