AAA Four Diamond Hotel with Acclaimed Restaurant and Sweeping River Views

The Mississippi River has provided inspiration for countless blues songs, and Memphis, Tennessee, is a veritable breeding ground for iconic blues musicians. It’s no coincidence that the two converge; downtown Memphis perches over a Mississippi River bluff on the city’s west side. From the rooftop terrace at the award-winning, AAA Four Diamond Madison Hotel, you can survey North America’s largest river as it bends around Memphis, and maybe even soak up a little inspiration of your own.

Bankers rooms have large windows that overlook the city, and one-bedroom king suites feature a separate sitting area in addition to a bedroom. Each room is outfitted with a flat-screen TV.

Honey-jalapeño-butter corn bread, rigatoni pasta with chorizo ragu, and deep fried oreo cookies and cream are signature dishes at the hotel’s award-winning eighty3 restaurant. Eighty3 serves a weekend brunch and features a happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, with discounted cocktails and bites. Visitors can also enjoy the Twilight Sky Terrace, a rooftop lounge available during the four phases of the day: dawn, day, dusk, and dark. Twilight Sky Terrace offers breathtaking views of the Memphis skyline, as well as drinks and small plates from the kitchen. Elsewhere in the jazz-themed hotel, you’ll find an indoor lap pool and a fully equipped fitness center.

Memphis, Tennessee: Blues on Beale Street and Slow-Cooked Barbecue

One of the best ways to experience Memphis is onboard the Main Street Trolley, the city’s restored public transportation system. In cars with solid-brass seats, hand-carved mahogany corbels, and antique light fixtures, you can take a 2.5-mile ride through downtown and along the Mississippi River. Notable stops along the route include the historic Pinch District and the National Civil Rights Museum.

No trip to the city is complete without trying a full plate of Memphis-style barbecue. Ribs can be served wet (brushed with tangy sauce before, during, and after cooking) or, more commonly, dry (rubbed in spices and cooked in a smoker). Memphis has embraced the national food-truck trend, so some of the city’s best cuisine can now be enjoyed on the go.

Another important aspect of Memphis is its storied music scene. Thanks to Sam Phillips’s Sun Studio and the pioneers at Stax Records, the city has played a pivotal role in nearly every genre of American music, including rock, country, soul, and the blues. B. B. King, Elvis Presley, and John Lee Hooker are some of the many musicians who got their start here, and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music chronicles the contributions of several more, including Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave. Each night, you can still hear excellent live music on Beale Street—both in the clubs and while strolling down the sidewalk.

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