Elvis Presley Graceland Mansion in Pictures
When I touched down in the land of the Delta Blues aka Memphis, Tennessee, the thing I was most excited about was visiting Graceland- the place where Elvis Presley lived and ultimately died on August 16, 1977.Â
I wouldnât describe myself as a really hardcore Elvis Fan, but I am a fan. I have a few Elvis CDs and Iâm fascinated by his life and career. He is definitely up there with one of the most famous people of all time and itâs incredible to think about what an iconic figure he became. This year is the 35th anniversary of his death, and people still flock to his home every day to pay tribute to the man known as simply âThe Kingâ.
The Elvis Presley graceland mansion is now open to the public, and is one of the most visited private homes in America. On my first day in Memphis I went on a Rock ânâ Roll pilgrimage to Sun Studios, where Elvis recorded his records, followed by Graceland, which is about 9 miles from Downtown Memphis.
I bought a ticket for the Graceland Platinum Tour, which costs $36 USD and takes around 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I think itâs worth paying the extra 4 bucks to do the Platinum Tour as opposed to the Mansion Tour, as it also includes a self-guided tour of Elvisâs custom airplanes, the Automobile Museum, and several exhibits. You can read more about Graceland ticket pricing here. Iâll be writing more about Elvisâs airplanes and car collection in a later post.
When youâve purchased your ticket at the entrance to the Visitorâs Center, you are given a group number. Thereâs an area where you all line up for the buses to Elvisâs Mansion, and you are called in your group numbers. Thankfully thereâs a loudspeaker system, so I went to have a look around the souvenir shops and grab a snack while I waited. Once your group number is called you line up and have your photo taken in front of a screen, then you are given headsets for your audio tour before boarding the shuttle bus to the Graceland Mansion.
The white-columned mansion is kept exactly how it was left, and it was so strange to walk through the place where Elvis lived and spent time with his friends and family. It was like being transported back in time to the 60s and 70s, and it provided me with an incredible insight into Elvisâs lifestyle. The rock ânâ roll legend had his quirks, which is evident in the various rooms you see inside the Mansion, such as the room with 3 televisions. However I also learned he was quite a family man- he didnât drink alcohol because he didnât like the taste of it, and his parents and family members lived in the house with him.
The audio tour guides you through the living room, his parentâs bedroom, dining room, TV room, billiards room and the famous Jungle Room. It then takes you outside to see other parts of the estate, including Lisa Marie Presleyâs swing set, his father Vernon Preselyâs office, the horse paddock and Elvisâs racquetball building. You walk through the Trophy Room that houses an incredible collection of records, jumpsuits and memorabilia, and see the piano where Elvis played his very last song on the day he died.
The tour of Elvis Presleyâs Graceland Mansion ends with a visit to the Meditation Garden where Elvis and members of his family have been laid to rest. It sounds an odd thing to say, but Elvisâs grave is the most beautiful grave I have ever seen. It was a fascinating and emotional tour, and one that Iâll never forget.
A simple description of Elvisâs Graceland Mansion wouldnât do it justice, so here are the pictures I took of all the rooms you see on the Mansion Tour, from start to finish:
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