Family Vacations: Graceland

At Graceland, Elvis Presley's Memphis home, costumes, cars, film clips,and memorabilia celebrate the King of Rock and Roll.

The 24-karat-gold-plated seat belt on The King's jet airplane bed is one of the quirky highlights at Graceland, Elvis Presley's Memphis home for 20 years until his death in 1977. Most kids don't know very much about Elvis, but after touring his home and his two private jets, they definitely come to appreciate his over-the-top sense of grandeur. The Graceland Mansion is the biggest attraction in Memphis and the most-visited house in the United States besides the White House.

The house tour is great fun for kids, who love to see the flashy stage costumes and the gold records. The Automobile Museum includes a 1955 pink Cadillac and a 1956 purple Cadillac convertible, as well as motorcycles and other vehicles.

Accompanying this collection are Elvis's home movies and a compilation of car-scene clips from his films, all shown in a mock drive-in-theater setting. A visit to the ice-cream parlor on the grounds is a great way to break up the tour.

Graceland Information

Address: 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN

Phone: 901/332-3322, 800/238-2000

Hours of Operation: Mar. - Oct., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Nov., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mon. - Sun.; Dec. - Feb., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mon., Wed., and Sun.

Admission: $30 adults; $17 kids

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Sutherland is a widely acknowledged authority on family travel and has published several books on the topic, including Best Family Ski Vacations In North America and Tropical Family Vacations.