Southbound soul
Visit Memphis, Tennessee
Known to many as the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll and home of the blues, Memphis’ musical roots are still a key part of its present. There is always live music bumping on Beale Street, even on weekdays. While you’re there, stopping by the Blues City Café for the “Best Meal on Beale”—a ridiculously indulgent serving of a half rack of ribs and piece of fried catfish, served with baked beans, coleslaw, Texas toast, and fries—is an absolute must. It’s the best way to experience all of Memphis’ fantastic cuisine in a single serving.
Apart from the very living history that is Beale Street and the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum there, Memphis’ past is one of slavery, resistance, and Civil Rights. The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, is well worth the visit and helps illustrate Memphis’ role in the Civil Rights Movement.
I would be remiss not to mention what you certainly won’t miss from the air—the Memphis Pyramid. Formerly a sports arena, it now hosts a Bass Pro Shops megastore, which includes a hotel, restaurants, live animals, an aquarium, bowling alley, and the tallest freestanding elevator in the U.S., all while being an active Bass Pro store that is built atop water meant to replicate the nearby marshes. It’s a peculiarity a magazine cannot do any justice—you have to go see it to believe it. 
Getting there
Memphis has no shortage of options for GA pilots. General Dewitt Spain Airport (M01) is closest to downtown Memphis, even closer than Memphis International Airport (MEM), which is also located close to downtown. DeWitt Spain offers just less than 3,800 feet of runway and a single instrument approach and is best suited for pilots coming in from the north and northwest. Olive Branch/Taylor Field (OLV) is a towered airport that offers a longer runway and more instrument approaches, albeit a little farther outside of downtown Memphis, but also boasts a bustling GA community that makes it worth the visit. It’s conveniently located for pilots coming from the south and east. Memphis International Airport is also an option for pilots willing and able to pay the price, both literal and metaphorical, associated with flying into a major airport. All transient pilots should mind not only the Class Bravo shelf, but also the common presence of large jets often operated by FedEx out of Memphis International.
aopa.org/airports
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