Tennessee is famous for the Grand Old Opry, Music Row, Beale Street Blues, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Country Music Hall of Fame and Graceland. We have made this stop for Graceland. Tony loves Elvis, who doesn't? Graceland is the second most visited private home, in the States, after the White House. Crazy.

Elvis sang to us at breakfast, in the Lobby and during the hop, skip and jump over to Graceland. The Tour includes the Mansion which truly is just a large home with several small additions and tours of the Elvis Presley Memphis Entertainment Complex built in 2017... across the street that houses Elvis’ airplanes, automobiles, motorcycles, golf carts, boats and yes a snowmobile. There are exhibits: Elvis in the Army, Fashion, Tupelo (his birth home), the Hollywood Backlot with all of his movie information and a great replica of Sun Studio where Elvis made his first recording. Three and a half hours later we were done, the whole experience was excellent and very well organized.

The Colonial Revival mansion was home to Elvis for twenty years (1957-1977). Built in 1939 by the Moore’s who named it Graceland after a family member, Elvis bought it for $102,500. He quickly remodeled, redecorated and added a racquetball court, a pink Alabama fieldstone wall and wrought iron gates shaped like giant guitars.The house grew from 10,266 square feet to 17,522 square feet during his lifetime. He bought at 22 and died at 42.

The rooms are a bit tacky and decorating is over the top. In some areas fabric covers walls and ceilings and carpet covers walls and ceilings in others.There are televisions everywhere. It was great fun walking through the house and out buildings on the 14 acre estate. Elvis’ home movies were constantly running and you could see the joy he had living there. The Trophy room or building tells the personal story of Elvis and his family. His family tree, did you know he had a twin brother, still born, five minutes before his birth? Elvis and Priscilla’s wedding attire, Lisa’s nursery, childhood toys, mementos, all kinds of personal items were interesting to see, normal family stuff.

It was not too busy, every age group, many dressed in Elvis attire or jeans and cowboy boots. There is a lot of big hair down here and large earrings. Felt like I was in a 70’s time warp. True Elvis groupies, age 70 plus would dance to the music as they walked along the grounds. At the graveside, others were truly moved. An interesting day.

I must say that we discussed, is Elvis going to go away when the groupie generation, the guys and gals that were there, died? Never, that answer was proved to us more times than I could count. Young kids were grooving in the lobby with their parents at the hotel tonight, some dressed in full "costume" knowing all the words to the songs, I loved it.

Carrie and Rob, bring Art and Norma, this is awesome. I know a great place to stay...The Guest House at Graceland...it truly is just at the end of "Lonely Street" and Nashville is just a short distance away. Y'all come, so much fun! Tomorrow we move on, we have enjoyed the Elvis experience immensely, the live entertainment at the hotel every night and the food, the friendly people and the weather. The food has been awesome, the music more so. Loved this!