Memphis is all about authenticity and creativity from the music to the cuisine and the culture. The list of A sides is long and storied from Beale Street to Sun Studio to Stax and Elvis’ Graceland.

But dig into the spirit of the city by experiencing a few things that Memphians call “local”…

Watch ducks march through the Peabody Hotel lobby…

Visit the historic Peabody Hotel with its elegantly appointed lobby, cocktail bar and…ducks? Every morning at exactly 11 a.m., the ducks waddle from their hotel rooftop penthouse into the elevator, making their way to the lobby’s marble fountain via the red carpet and back up again at 5 p.m.

Eat some non-traditional barbecue…

Ribs and a pulled pork sandwich are on your list of things to eat in Memphis, but what about some of our more interesting barbecue dishes? We’re talking about barbecue spaghetti, barbecue pizza, barbecue nachos, deep-fried Cornish game hen and even BBQ tofu for the veggie-inclined.

Dance the night away at the most wonderful nightclub in the world…

Paula & Raiford’s Disco in downtown Memphis – known to locals simply as “Raiford’s” – is a legendary nightclub and dance hall that specialises in a unique atmosphere and unforgettable energy.

Visit a modern-day pyramid and ride an elevator to the top…

Memphis is named after an Egyptian city and this may make our giant glass Pyramid on the banks of the Mississippi make just a little more sense. Ride the nation’s tallest freestanding lift to the viewing platform for panoramic vistas of downtown Memphis and the mighty Mississippi River.

Let the Beale Street Flippers flip over you…

You can’t miss the famous Beale Street Flippers. This troupe of young men dazzles the crowd on Beale by back-flipping, front-flipping, hand-springing and performing daredevil jumps over groups of volunteers all the way down the street.

Travel back in time at a Time Warp Drive-In movie night…

Not only is the Malco Summer Drive-In Theater one of the few remaining drive-ins in the country, but it also hosts a series of movie nights featuring classic and cult films every month. Here’s how it works: show up at the theater and park your car before sundown. When it’s dark enough, the movies start and go all night long.