Dubbed the “King of Rock ‘n Roll” Elvis Presley changed the music industry. In 1957 Elvis had his first gold record with “Heartbreak Hotel” and with it lots of money. At just 22 Elvis purchased Graceland, a home for himself, his parents, grandmother, and eventually his wife and daughter. The stunning mansion was built in 1939 by Dr. Thomas Moore and his wife, Ruth Brown Moore, who named it Graceland after Ruth’s aunt, Grace.

Today Graceland is more than just the mansion Elvis once called home, it is a sprawling complex with exhibits showcasing Elvis’ life, including his stage costumes, cars, airplanes, and more. The exhibits and the airplanes are self-guided, with our visit to the house under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable tour guide. We opted for the Archives Ultimate VIP tour, and I am so glad we did, but more on the specifics of that tour later!

I particularly loved this pink and white Willys Jeep, as I am a sucker for pink and white stripes! Elvis purchased it in 1960, and it was mainly used by Graceland security. For me the biggest highlight of the exhibits was seeing so many of Elvis’ stage costumes. From the “$10,000” suit by Nudie Cohn, (which actually cost $2,500, but Colonel Tom Parker loved a gimmick) to the iconic pieces from the ’68 special to the room of jumpsuits. And yes, I said room.

While Elvis’ black leather and the white suit worn for “If I Can Dream” are iconic in their own right, the black velvet is equally so, as it is what Elvis wore when he met President Nixon in 1970.

Elvis was a man of many hobbies, in fact I learned a lot while at Graceland. At one time he even had a large slot car track at Graceland. One hobby that Elvis took very seriously was karate. He also loved the comfort of the gi. Inspired by the gi, he requested tunic ensembles to perform in, which morphed into the now iconic jumpsuits that have become synomous with 70s, Las Vegas era Elvis. Elvis played the International for years, a contract that was infamously written on a tablecloth, and after selling out 52 shows in a row he had an amazing belt made.

Elvis loved cars and motorcycles, all of which are on display, along with some of the golf carts and even a go-kart that could be found zipping around Graceland by Elvis or his “Memphis Mafia” at any time. As Elvis’ wealth increased, he added planes to his collection, the most well known being the Lisa Marie, named for his daughter, which visitors can explore.

As mentioned, we chose the Archives Ultimate VIP tour, which came with a lot of perks! With our guide and group, we entered a room with selected items from the archive, including the badge Elvis received from President Nixon in 1970, and I got to hold his iconic TCB ring! After, we were ushered into an archive storage room, where we met with one of the six archivists on staff. We learned about the process of archiving, got ask questions, and see how items are stored and cataloged. Sadly, no photos were allowed in that room.

After our time at the archive, it was time to enter Graceland. You can tell Elvis truly loved this home, making it extravagant, but cozy, and filling it with all of the creature comforts he wanted, from an intercom system, to multiple TVs, to a staircase directly to the kitchen to avoid the foyer.

The living room features a custom couch and coffee table, along with stunning stained glass peacocks that guard the music room that were added in 1974. Opposite is a grand dining room filled with wedding china, and was the heart of the home during the holidays. Also on the first floor is Vernon and Gladys’ bedroom, kept very much how it was when Gladys was still alive. I especially love the poodle wallpaper in the bathroom.

While Graceland was his private retreat, Elvis loved having people around, and would entertain in several rooms, including a pool room, which is swathed in 350-400 yards of fabric that took three people ten days to complete, and the iconic “Jungle Room” that originally was a patio. During Elvis’ time, it was simply the “den” but it’s easy to see why it got that nickname. His equally iconic TV room features a bar, mural that channels the TCB logo, and three TVs.

Outside the main house is an outbuilding that served as Vernon’s office, where he managed Elvis’ affairs. Vernon also loved to cure meats, and used a small brick building as a smokehouse, but Elvis also used it as a firing range. Despite the plethora of “Fat Elvis” jokes people love to make, Elvis was an active man, up until the day he died. He built a racquetball court with a workout space, and lounge with a piano. As Graceland had originally been a farm, a barn was already on site, and Elvis chose to keep horses and rode around the property. Today Graceland keeps the spirit alive and is still home to horses.

Now you might be wondering, “What about upstairs?” When Priscilla decided to open Graceland to the public, she chose to keep the upstairs private. But the space had four bedrooms, and three bathrooms. Elvis made one bedroom his closet, and another his office. When he married Pricilla, she received her own bathroom, and when the couple welcomed Lisa Marie, she received a bedroom and her own bathroom.

In 1965 Elvis added the Mediation Garden near his pool. While intended to be a place to relax, it would become his final resting place. When Gladys died, she was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, and when Elvis passed, he was interred there as well. But when men attempted to steal Elvis’ body, Vernon sought special permission to move both Gladys and Elvis to Graceland, he cited that the security required to keep watch over Elvis’ final resting place would be too costly for the cemetery, and Graceland already had security on staff. Later, the culprits confessed they were paid (possibly by Vernon) and that it was all a ploy to make getting permission to have Elvis laid to rest at Graceland easier. Eventually Vernon, Elvis’ grandmother, Minnie Mae, and Elvis’ only daughter, Lisa Marie, and her son, Benjamin, were also interred at the Meditation Garden.

There are more exhibits I did not include in this post, because it was getting really long! But during our visit we also walked through the set from the CMT series Sun Records, an exhibit dedicated to Lisa Marie, including baby furniture and more contemporary clothing, an exhibit showcasing Elvis’ time in the military, and an exhibit showcasing Elvis’ influence on others, including clothing worn by everyone from Dolly Parton to KISS!

Overall we spent roughly six hours at Graceland, including our tour and shopping where I spent a lot. I honestly could have spent both more time and money at Graceland, and if you’re a diehard Elvis fan, I would recommend spending the whole day there. Thankfully there are three restaurants on site to keep you fed during your visit. We ate at Vernon’s Smoke House, but Gladys’ diner does serve up the iconic peanut butter and banana sandwich that Elvis loved so much. I also do recommend the Archive Ultimate VIP tour if you consider yourself a massive Elvis fan. I felt it was well worth the money!

I want to give a special shout out to my favorite pizza place, Two Saucy Broads, in Fullerton, who have an Elvis shrine at their restaurant. I saw an employee wearing this tee and asked if I could buy one for my trip! If you find yourself in Orange County, stop buy for a tasty slice and garlic knots!

Learn more about the life of Elvis at Graceland  at 3717 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee. Pick your tour online via their website!