Memphis

Along a bend in the Mississippi River, the city of Memphis rests on the bygone remnants of its blues and rock 'n' roll past, one that birthed legends like Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Johnny Cash, and instantly immortalized it as the nation's eternal music mecca. Yet, it goes beyond the mere enchantment of Graceland, Elvis' old-time mansion that still draws fervent devotees to its humid doorstep. Having suffered a slew of ups and downs, and a downward spiral contributed by economic decline, Memphis seems to be redeeming its pallid neighborhoods and revitalizing its oldish glamor - a historic city on the brink of a renaissance. Memphis is still the capital of old-world cool, with a seething musical passion that never leaves landmarks like Beale Street, and arguably, home to the nation's best barbecue. A crowd of nostalgic Victorian homes grace Memphis' curlicued streets, and its historic significance is felt in landmarks like the National Civil Rights Museum, the Cooper Young Historic District and the C.H.Nash Museum.