Keys to the City

Facts & Fundamentals

Despite being the youngest of Tennessee's most populous cities, Memphis is the largest, as well as the second largest city in the Southeast with a growing population of 680,000. Including the surrounding suburbs, metropolitan Memphis is home to over 1.2 million people.

Top employers in Memphis include FedEx, the city school system, Baptist Memorial Hospital, International Paper, Lebonheaur Children's Medical Center, and AutoZone, Inc.

Memphis charges a 9% sales tax.

Weather

Memphis is characterized by an ever-changing climate where a fierce thunderstorm can transform into a serene sunset in a matter of hours. The summers are generally hot and humid thanks to moist air blowing off the Gulf of Mexico. Thunderstorms and strong winds are frequent during the summer months yet rarely last for more than an hour. Winter temperatures are relatively mild but can drop below freezing and snow is not uncommon. The spring and autumn months are the most unpredictable with temperatures often varying 20 degrees or more between days. May through October are the most popular months for travelers, although the autumn leaves after the first frost, usually in November, make a beautiful backdrop for the city.

Holidays & Business Hours

On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:

Coming & Going

If arriving by plane, Memphis' premier airport, Memphis International, is located 11 miles south of downtown off of Interstate 240. This five-terminal airport handles more cargo than any other airport in the world.

A taxi ride downtown takes 30-60 minutes depending on traffic and costs $35-$40. Depending on your destination, some hotels offer complimentary shuttles to and from the airport. A direct telephone call station board is located in baggage claim. The predominant means of transportation in Memphis is automobile, so car rental may be the most convenient option. A station of free telephones is located in the baggage claim to call local rental services, all of which provide courtesy shuttles to and from their facilities.

For the budget traveler, a cheaper alternative is the public bus service. The Memphis Area Transit Authority runs hourly from Terminal C for a fare of $1.45. However, passengers have to change buses en route downtown. Call for the most recent bus schedule at 901-274-6282.

An AMTRAK route runs from Chicago through Memphis to New Orleans. Tickets from either Chicago or New Orleans average approximately $90. Also, Greyhound runs to and from Memphis and countless cities across the country.

Making Your Way

Thanks to the well-marked streets and readily available cheap parking (at about $6 a day), navigating the city in a car is relatively hassle free. Car rentals in Memphis start around $30 per day. However, beware of the traffic. The streets around downtown are often congested resulting in long delays.

If you don't want to rent a car, there are other alternatives. The Memphis Area Transit Authority runs buses throughout the downtown and surrounding areas. Bus stops are marked by easy-to-spot white and green signs. Another inexpensive, yet unique and entertaining way to get around town is aboard the Main Street Trolley. Restored antique trolley cars follow a loop around the city that passes many of Memphis' most popular landmarks including the Pyramid, Beale Street, Central Station and the Mississippi River bluffs, all for only $0.50 or $2.50 for an all-day pass.

Taxis are also available throughout the city. All major credit cards are accepted and drivers run 24 hours/7 days a week.

News & Views

To keep abreast of local happenings, you may want to peruse a city newspaper. The most popular traditional newspaper is the Commercial Appeal, a typical seven-morning paper. For any business news, including local business events, pick up a Memphis Business Journal. The Memphis Flyer is an alternative newsweekly full of entertainment news, local nightlife, music and general news editorials. The best option for a general city or dining guide is Memphis Magazine, a monthly dining and entertainment publication.

Quirks & Curiosities

Memphis is famous for its pure water supply. Unbeknownst to its residents until the 1880s, the city is built atop a natural aquifer, known today as the "Memphis Sand Aquifer". Tapped in 1887, it has provided metropolitan Memphis with clean water for 120 years yet it has only descended 125 feet; a testament to the sheer volume of water that exists hidden beneath the city.

Along with the new sewage system, the aquifer is even given credit for saving the city from, perhaps, the most devastating trial in its history. In the early 1870s, Memphis was struck with a yellow fever epidemic. More than 5000 people died from the disease and another 25,000 fled the city. With no knowledge of the disease's relation to mosquitoes and the water supply, public health officials were powerless to stop it. Fortunately, in the late 1880s, a new sewage system was built and the aquifer was discovered. Soon after, the disease was eradicated and city began rebuilding. To this day, Memphis is home to the world's largest artesian water well system and depends on that system for its survival.

Getting Your Bearings

When you're not familiar with a city, you feel completely adrift. That's exactly what local visitors' centers hope to ward off. They've compiled a vast collection of resources to help you better understand a particular city, and they're more than eager to share their time, hints, and literature. In Memphis, the Convention and Visitor's Bureau operates the Tennessee State Welcome Center as well as the Memphis Visitor Information Center. Their locations and contact information are as follows:

Tennessee State Welcome Center
119 N Riverside Dr
Memphis, TN 38103
888-633-9099
or
901-543-5333
www.memphistravel.com
Daily 9am-5pm

Memphis Visitor Information Center
340 Beale St
Memphis, TN 38103
901-543-5333
Daily 9am-5pm

Necessities - Post Offices

It's usually not too difficult to spot a drop box when you're out and about, but if you need to conduct more serious postal business, it's not always that easy. In the heart of Memphis, several locations are convenient to travelers and residents. They include:

Frayser
3057 Baskin St
Memphis, TN 38127
901-357-6497
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm

Highland Heights
680 National St
Memphis, TN 38122
901-323-0493
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm

Hollywood
1283 Tunica St
Memphis, TN 38108
901-726-5274
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm

Memphis
555 S 3rd St Lbby
Memphis, TN 38101
901-521-2559
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm

Common Courtesies

Although tipping is generally a personal matter, there are some guidelines that prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. It is also common now for some restaurants to charge an automatic gratuity of 18% for groups. You should be aware of this possibility before providing an additional tip. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.

Often, a dollar tip covers many situations. Bartenders are customarily given $1 per cocktail, hotel maids are provided $1 for each day of a stay, bellhops get about $1 per bag, and a coat-check clerk typically receives $1 as well. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-$10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).