Destination Unknown 23: Graceland

Day 175

Does not matter what generation your from, everyone knows who Elvis is. I’m personally not a huge fan, but I do recognize the impact he played in the music world. Today we visit Elvis at his home in Graceland.

Graceland itself has been turned into quite the tourist enterprise. A massive mall, loaded with museums, restaurants, and stores hawking Elvis paraphernalia has been constructed directly across from Graceland. Alongside the mall, sits two of Elvis’s personal jets moved to the grounds in 1984. In behind the jets there is enough parking for 2250 vehicles at $10.00 a stall for small vehicles and $15.00 for larger ones. Directly beside Graceland is the Guest House at Graceland Hotel. All these are owned by a trust set up by Lisa Marie Presley who owns 15%. Graceland and all 13 acres is owned 100% by Lisa Marie, along with all of Elvis’s personal artifacts, vehicles and clothing, minus the jets who were sold to a third party by Elvis’s dad shortly after Elvis died.

We purchased our tickets over a month ago and were being held at the will-call. Not knowing where to go, we drove to the parking entrance and asked the attendant where we were supposed to pick up our tickets. She informed us to park in behind her, and walk straight to the visitors centre through the big white gates; we couldn’t miss them. We paid our ten dollars and proceeded into the parking lot.

The parking attendant was right in saying we could not miss the gates, we walked on through towards the visitors centre located just inside the gates. When we entered the centre it was bustling with people standing in multiple lines, some lines were for new tickets sales, and will-call, while other lines were waiting for their shuttle time to be transported over to Graceland. This is where we were thankful we purchased the VIP tour. Once we picked up our tickets, we were directed to another booth where we received our VIP badges and escorted to a private room with approximately ten other VIP ticket holders to relax and watch a short documentary on Elvis as we waited for our shuttle to arrive.

After the video, we were directed to head through a second set of doors leading outside to our shuttle. Beside the shuttle there was an attendant handing out iPads and headset loaded with a virtual tour narrated by John Stamos (known for his roll of Jesse from the Tv series Full House). We boarded the shuttle and we’re driven across to Graceland while we listened to Jesse… errr John begin telling us about Graceland.

When we pulled up to Graceland our shuttle took us around back, and escorted us into a private room filled with some of Elvis’s personal possessions, including his gold plated beretta and .38 calibre handgun. Once our tour time arrived we were again escorted outbound front for a few photos and then directly inside. The balance of my story I will leave under the photos.

Visitors Centre.

Elvis purchased Graceland in 1957 for $102,500. He was only twenty-two when he bought it.

As soon as you enter the front door there is a stair case leading upstairs that was roped off. No one is allowed to tour the upstairs as this is where Elvis passed away. Out of respect, the family keeps this section of the home off limits. To the left of the stairs is the dinning room, and to the right is the front room.

Front room where he would normally entertain guests. Everything has been left as it was when he lived here.

Behind the living room was his music room. You can see his custom made white baby grand piano.

Dinning room, Elvis would sit at the far end because it had the best view of the television.

Elvis’s parents bedroom was on the main floor. In 1958 his mom passed away and his dad re-married in 1960 and moved out. Elvis’s grandmother then moved into the lower bedroom from upstairs, and the upstairs room was turned into a nursery for Lisa Marie

The kitchen just screams the 70’s. The one thing I did pick up was the homey feel the house gives off, you knew it was lived in. Todays superstars have homes with a sterilized museum look to them.

Behind the kitchen is the jungle room, nicknamed for its Hawaiian theme. This room was actually an extension Elvis had added onto the house.

This was Lisa Marie’s favourite chair growing up.

Behind the kitchen, a staircase led to two rooms in the basement. To the right, Elvis’s Had his media room. Here he had the latest sound system with all his recordings, three tv’s along the wall enabling him to watch different shows or sports games at the same time, and a bar was tucked away in the back.

Apparently Elvis loved his television and had a tv in every room of the house. When he was home he would always have them turned on around the house. The only time he did want them off is when Robert Goulet came on. Elvis disliked this actor for reasons unknown. Since remotes had not been invented yet, it was typical for Elvis to shoot the tv with a pistol when Robert came on.

Billiards room, Elvis would spend hours down here with his friends drinking and shooting pool. The entire room is done up in 350 yards of furniture fabric.

Behind the jungle room is the back door taking you to the carport and barns. The building here was the secretary’s office and shooting range.

View looking back to the mansion.

In the secretary office, Elvis had a staff of three people handling his fan mail.

Elvis’s was born in a little house located in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Elvis and his friend used this storeroom as a shooting range at times.

Backyard view towards the house.

Elvis loved horses and owned five horses, they continued to live there after he passed away. Today three rescues live on the property and are treated like royalty.

Presley family tree.

Elvis’s black leather wallet.

Elvis created a massive slot car track in one of the out buildings.

Elvis’s desk from his upstairs office.

Over time he added a pool to the property.

In the 1970s Elvis took up racketball. He liked the sport so much he built his own court onto the property.

The meditation garden.

Elvis was initially buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, next to his mother. Due to a grave robbing attempt, Elvis and his mom were moved to Graceland. Over time his father, grandmother and grandson are now resting here.

Elvis’s auto museum. He loved his toys. He owned all sorts of exotic and weird vehicles.

Museum of Icons: the Influence of Elvis Presley.

Here Icons of the music world have given something to Graceland to showcase along with comments on how Elvis affected their careers. Here is John Lennon 1969 piano which he used to compose multiple songs from. Kiss had even provided their stage costumes to the museum…. I though Elvis’s attire was gaudy… yuck.