Memphis, TN

If you want to understand the layout and scale of the city, this drone-based tour is spectacular. It features smooth aerial footage paired with excellent historical narration. It glides over the historic Front Street (known as "Cotton Row"), flies right up to the 32-story glass Memphis Pyramid, sweeps across the FedEx Forum, and covers the solemn exterior of the Lorraine Motel (the National Civil Rights Museum). It also gives you a sweeping look at legendary musical landmarks like Graceland and the Stax Museum from above before descending toward the neon lights of Beale Street. 

A first-person city guide that makes you feel like you are exploring the city alongside a friend! The host walks us right through the action: standing amidst the day-and-night energy of Beale Street, checking out the exhibits at the National Civil Rights Museum, touring the rooms inside Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion, and stopping for local staples like Gibson's Donuts and Central Barbecue. A major highlight is the clear footage of the famous daily Duck March at the historic Peabody Hotel, complete with a look at the "Duck Master" ceremony.

And because a LITTLE bit of food is "not enough" (as if we all needed more), the next video hits some more eating spots, some more of the same, but also some new stuff!

History & Local Context [03:46]: Memphis' city's name was originally chosen because it matched the ancient capital of Egypt: "established and beautiful". This ancient connection inspired the massive, iconic 1990s steel pyramid downtown, which now famously houses a massive Bass Pro Shop.

Architecture & Streetscapes [09:14]: A look at the contrasting architectural styles of the city. It captures the vibrant, neon-soaked historic storefronts along Beale Street (note the massive steel reinforcement beams holding up the vintage brick facades), before transitioning to a drive through the surrounding residential neighborhoods filled with massive, beautiful historic homes [16:56].

The Main Attractions [10:10]: The tour takes us back to the grand lobby of the historic Peabody Hotel to (once again) witness one of the most eccentric traditions in the American South: the Peabody Ducks marching down the red carpet to their penthouse elevator. They also make a stop outside Sun Studio [11:39], the legendary cradle of rock 'n' roll where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King cut their first records.

The Eating Spots [04:52]: Food is treated as cultural history here. A look at Gus's World-Famous Fried Chicken, a local staple with a 60-year family history known for its unique crisp texture and signature spicy-sweet kick. And a visit to the Bar-B-Q Shop [12:19] to try a hyper-regional culinary mashup you won't find outside of western Tennessee: Barbecue Spaghetti (spaghetti noodles tossed in a sweet, smoky pit-barbecue sauce and topped with slow-smoked pulled pork) alongside traditional dry-rub and glazed ribs -- yup even more food options!