There is an Avis downtown on Madison.

There isn't much good BBQ downtown, so you'd need a car to get to the real places. THere isn't any shopping downtown (unless you want to buy some $2 Elvis trinkits and touristy stuff). So you'd need a car to get to any malls or upscale shopping areas. The zoo, Graceland, Stax, Pink Palace are not downtown, you'd need a car. There are shuttles, however, that could take you to Graceland, from Sun Studios. But, Sun is also quite a long walk from downtown. Given that it will probably be cold by that time, it might be better to have a car. That would be my preference at least.

Pearlbob:

Thanks so much! This is exactly what I thought but didn't have my husband convinced. So rental car it is!

Regarding shopping-I figure I'll go on Friday while he's working. Any reccomendations? Maybe a little different than just typical mall? We live in Buckhead and I live about 2minutes from Lenox and Phipps Malls so see those frequently :) Antiques, quirky boutiques, things like that.

Thanks again.

Actually, now that you say there, you can walk to the South Main Arts District which has art galleries, antique stores, and a few little trinket shops. If you were to buy a lot though, it might be a rough walk for you back to the hotel :) You can always take the trolley for $1 however. I always forget about that area because most of the galleries and shops are a weekday, 9-5 type of thing and therefore stuff isn't open when I'm off work.

Other than that...there are many very upscale shops in east Memphis. Sort of spred out however...so I'm not quite certain what to tell you. A little strip mall thing around Poplar and Perkins. And the Oak Hall area, around Poplar and....Kirby maybe? Way out east. Also the shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown have some unique stores along with typical J Crew, Ann Taylor, etc. It's an outdoor mall in the most upscale suburb of Germantown.

To me, if you had a whole day alone and did not want to do the typical museum stuff without your husband, I think you'd be a bit bored downtown. Downtown is great for tourists, but that's because all the museums and family-oriented things are down there.

Thanks for the reccomendations.

I thought I might be a bit bored too and thought if I had a car I could go explore a bit.

I'll look into the areas you mentioned.

Thanks again!