Memphis isn't so much a place as it is a feeling, a sound, a taste. It's the muggy warmth of a southern summer evening. It's the slow moan of a blues song or the eternal sounds of Elvis. It's the taste of barbecue, cornbread, and black-eye peas.

To come to Memphis is to achieve these feelings. Certainly, almost everyone who goes there goes to Graceland, the much-toured home of the King of Rock and Roll. They also tour Sun Studios, where he cut his first records, or down the road to Tupelo, Mississippi, where he was born.

But Memphis is more than Elvis. Take a walk down historic Beale Street and take in some live blues. Go to one of 100 barbecue joints and pitch in on an age-old argument: Which is best? Take a steamboat ride on the Mississippi River, or go to nearby casinos in Tunica, Mississippi. Baseball fans should not, under any circumstances, miss seeing the Memphis Redbirds (AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) play at AutoZone Park. AutoZone Park is considered one of the finest minor league baseball stadiums in the United States, and is a "must see" during the season.

For two or three days, Memphis can offer the most worldly of visitors a taste of the South. Beyond that, if you're still there, then you'll know you've got that old Memphis feeling.

For an insider's view of Midtown Memphis, try reading these personal accounts (both positive and negative) by bloggers who live in Memphis:
http://www.cherrybloss.org/2005/05/ok-explain-memphis-to-me-in-2000-words.html
http://halfbakered.blogspot.com/2005/05/life-in-memphis-you-read-about-it-in.html