Elvis Presley’s Graceland: What to Know Before You Go

“Whatever I will become will be what God has chosen for me.” – Elvis Presley

Our friends were visiting from Las Vegas and wanted to make the trip to Memphis to see Elvis Presley’s Graceland. At the time, neither my husband nor I really knew much about Elvis aside from the surface level details, but once we did our homework we were eager to make the trip to the estate dedicated to the life of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Looking back on our visit, our trip to Graceland was one we will honestly never forget. It left a lasting impression on us, and gave us a deeper appreciation for one of America’s most revolutionary culture icons. Behind the flashy costumes and rock star persona, Elvis was a kind, generous and humorous man who had a deep faith in God, and loved his family, community and country. It’s no mystery why the entire world fell in love with him, and luckily Graceland has done a fantastic job carrying on his legacy for all generations to experience and enjoy.

Purchased by Elvis as a gift to his parents in 1957, Graceland was the cherished home to the Presley family for decades. With constant hustle and bustle, the mansion was always filled with music, life, and a labyrinth of different themed rooms. Graceland was the ultimate retreat to Elvis, complete with horse stables, a racquetball court, pool, meditation garden, and plenty of places for peace and musical inspiration. Open to the public as a museum five years after his death in 1977, his 13.8-acre estate has become a mecca for fans around the world, which welcomes over 600,000 visitors each year.

Graceland is about a three-hour drive from Nashville. If you’re in the area and/or are considering visiting in the future, I absolutely recommend you make the trip, because it is well worth it! Here are a few tips for you to make the very most of your visit.

Study Up Before You Visit

If you don’t know much about Elvis Presley’s life story, do yourself a huge favor and research beforehand, because there is a lot of depth to his story. To be perfectly honest, when we first booked our tickets to Graceland my husband and I knew nothing about Elvis past the #1 hits, over-the-top jumpsuits and sideburns. Knowing we would be going in a few weeks (and being big history buffs) we decided to watch the Elvis movie with Tom Hanks to get a better sense for this American icon. By the end of the movie I was completely bawling, and had a newfound appreciation for the man that inspired such a musical and cultural revolution in the U.S. and around the world.

If you take a little time to study up before your visit, either by reading a biography or watching a documentary, I guarantee you it’ll make the trip that much more impactful! After returning home, we watched the documentary “Elvis: The Searcher” (which I highly recommend!), and “Elvis & Me” is next on my list to read.

Be Prepared to Spend at Least Four Hours at Graceland

Initially I had my doubts when I heard that you could spend almost an entire day at Graceland, but after our visit, I can confidently say this is 100% accurate. We arrived at 12:30pm for our 1pm tour, and didn’t leave until about 4:30pm. We could have easily spent at least another hour there reading up on every artifact, but wanted to hit Beale street before our long drive home to Nashville. Luckily, I’ll be back with my Dad in a few weeks for round two! Bottom line, be prepared to spend at least four hours at Graceland to fully soak in all the history and exhibits.  

Book Your Tickets in Advance

While ticket prices range from $28 – $215, if you want to visit the Graceland mansion (which is a must) the lowest ticket price is $80. While on the pricier side, the cost is absolutely worth the amount of time you’ll spend on the 220-acre grounds! We were recommended by a friend to book the Elvis Entourage VIP tour, which includes front-of-the-line passes to the Graceland mansion, an introductory video in the VIP lounge surrounded by some of Elvis’ personal possessions, an audio tour, photos in front of the estate, and entrance into all attractions. While it wasn’t super crowded on the Monday we were there, I would definitely do the VIP tour again—especially in the dead heat of the summer, when it might get unbearable to wait in lines outdoors. If at all possible, buy your tickets in advance, as certain tiers have a tendency to sell out!

The Graceland Mansion Tour

Stepping inside the front doors of Elvis Presley’s iconic home is like stepping into a lavish 1970’s time capsule. While the second story isn’t open to the public (out of respect for the family because this is where Elvis died on August 16, 1977), the amount of rooms on tour — both inside the house and around the grounds — won’t leave you feeling short-changed. The guided audio tour directs you through the famous home, and explains the intricate details and history of each room. Our favorite rooms were the living room, media room and renowned Jungle Room. In total, we spent 1.5 hours walking around the Graceland estate, which ended at Elvis’ Meditation garden, where he and his family members are laid to rest in a touching tribute.

The Endless Elvis Exhibits

After the Graceland mansion tour, you’re taken back by shuttle to the main campus with an endless amount of exhibits and memorabilia. His extensive car collection is on display at the Presley Motors Auto Museum which includes his pink Cadillac, one of the most famous cars in the world. The Elvis Music Career exhibit takes you through his journey to become the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, complete with his wall of platinum and gold records and a show-stopping display of all of the iconic jumpsuits the world came to know and love. Other exhibits included his time serving the U.S. in the army, an exhibit about Lisa Marie, and a walkthrough of two of his private planes. Each exhibit is concluded with a gift shop, so you will definitely be able to find a souvenir that every Elvis fan will like – from clothes to housewares and everything in between!

On-Site Restaurants

Driving there, we were a tad nervous we wouldn’t have time to eat, because we were cutting it close to our tour time. Luckily, there were multiple restaurants on site, including Gladys’ diner (named after Elvis’ mother, with fun 50’s inspired décor) and Vernon’s smokehouse, a BBQ restaurant named after his father. I recommend eating before the tour so you can enjoy every exhibit without worrying about when you’ll eat next!

Make the Trip to Beale Street

We couldn’t leave Memphis without visiting Beale Street, a historic melting pot of gospel, blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll, and a place that inspired Elvis Presley’s musical style. While we didn’t have a ton of time to spend there, we ordered ribs at BB King’s Blues Club (which were fantastic), listened to a blues band and popped into a few shops. It was a great way to end our day trip to Memphis, and something I recommend experiencing during your trek to Graceland to get an all-encompassing feel for Elvis time in his hometown.

After our trip Graceland, I gained a much deeper appreciation of the man that the entire world came to love. I am honestly still blown away by how much I loved it and by how much it has impacted me. The past few weeks I have watched just about every Elvis movie, interview and documentary I could get my hands on, and I can’t wait to get back to Graceland. We were so glad we had the opportunity to learn more about him and his mark on American history, and I’m confident you’ll feel the same way!