About Town: Memphis

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This week, the PGA TOUR heads to Memphis, Tenn., for the Stanford St. Jude Championship, and PGATOUR.COM has a week of music and barbecue in store for you. Two of everyone's favorite things, right? By Sunday, you -- and whoever wins -- will be walking in Memphis with your feet 10 feet off of Beale...

SOMEWHERE TO SNOOZE

Blissful Beale Street: The host course for this event -- TPC Southwind -- is east of the city of Memphis, but you're going to want to be in the thick of the birthplace of rock and roll. This means about a 30-minute drive to the course, but is that any worse than your morning commute? I didn't think so. The four-star Memphis Westin Beale Street is a convenient and cost-friendly option for classy lodgings in the heart of Memphis. You'll be walking distance from downtown restaurants and live music, and rates start at just $199 a night.

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The Peabody Memphis.

HOT HOTELS

Westin Beale Street
The Peabody
Crowne Plaza Memphis

HUNGRY?

Leonard's
Neely's BBQ
Blues City Cafe
Rum Boogie Cafe

Other options:
• The four-star Peabody Memphis also is located downtown and around 30 minutes from the tournament. The cool thing about the Peabody? Its roof-top parties. Every Thursday from 6-10 p.m., the hotel hosts live music, dancing, cocktails and more with stunning views of the Mississippi River from April to July. It's $5 at the door. As for staying in the hotel, rates start at $220 a night.
• Make like Phil Mickelson and stay at the three-and-a-half-star Crowne Plaza Memphis. Who knows? Maybe you'll even stumble across a meeting for people who look like Lefty... Also 30 minutes from the course, rates start at $159 a night.

SOMETHING TO SNACK ON

• Leonard's Pit Barbecue: Memphis is one of the four holy regions of BBQ in the good ole U.S. of A. (Quick question: What are the other three?) So while you're here, don't even try to get away with not eating some. Like I said before, this week is all about the music and the meat, and Leonard's is one of the best places in the city of blues to at your fill of the latter. Most items on the menu can be your choice -- dry-rubbed or slopped in sauce. So go on and plan on ordering some of that slow-smoked goodness.
• Neely's Barbeque: If you are a Food Network junkie, then you'll not only know that the aforementioned Leonard's is a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives hotspot, you'll also know that Neely's Barbeque is the pride and joy of Food Network stars Pat and Gina Neely of Down Home with the Neelys. Authentic Memphis-style BBQ is served up right here, and how can you know what's good if you don't sample more than one place?
• Blues City Café: Right here, you'll find a fusion of music and meat -- exactly what we're going for this week. But if you need a break from ribs and pork in general, then you can also grab a steak or some seafood here. There's live music every night, so pull up a chair and enjoy the show.
• Rum Boogie Café: This restaurant's motto is "eat, drink, boogie, repeat" -- how can you not want to check it out? With a menu that mixes Cajun flavors with barbecue and a rum list to make you think you're in the Caribbean instead of the South, you'll be repeating your boogie pretty quickly.

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Elvis' records and outfits on display at Graceland.

GET BUSY

Graceland
Beale Street
Sun Studio
Rock N' Soul Museum

SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT

This week is almost too easy when it comes to making your travel plans. Tons of hotels, even more great restaurants, plenty of bars and concert halls to enjoy the live music and a long list of things to do when you're not at the course. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Graceland: Predictable? Yes. Skippable? No. There is only one Elvis Presley, and there is only one home of Elvis Presley. Even if you're not an Elvis fan, this is something you have to see. And perhaps, if you're in the mood, you can recreate a This is Spinal Tap-esque tribute to the King (not to be confused with Arnie of course) at his graveside.
• Beale Street: Memphis is the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock n' roll, and you can experience it all on the city's main -- and most famous -- drag, Beale Street. The strip's heyday was in the 20s, but it has somewhat recently undergone a revival after falling to its knees with the kinds of problems that are sung about in the blues...
• Sun Studio: If you haven't had enough Memphis music yet, then the next stop on your blues city tour should be Sun Studio. The legendary building where greats like Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded their hits is still standing and open for tours to the public. There's even a shuttle service from Graceland directly to it. Enjoy.
• Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum: OK, last stop on the music tour. You've got the home of the King, the street where it all started, the building that once resonated with the blues and now, wrap it all up in one and find out all about the heart and soul of this city. "The beat starts here..."

STICKING AROUND?

If you're not exhausted from all the barbecue, music and golf and have a few days either side of the tournament, consider one of these fun, drivable trips.
• Nashville: Memphis isn't the only music city in the state of Tennessee; Nashville represents the other end of the American music spectrum and is well worth the trip. Once you've had your fill of the blues, cheer yourself up with some good old-fashioned yeehaw.
• Natchez Trace Trail: The Natchez Trail is what is left of the 500-mile footpath that leads from Natchez, Miss., to Nashville along lands that once belonged to the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian tribes. Now, there are four 65-mile trails that make up the National Park trail -- each worthy of exploring.