Meet The Memphis Guide To The Guides (What? I'll Explain...)

Meet The Memphis Guide To The Guides (What? I'll Explain...)

I decided to finally compile the dozens and dozens of guides that have been published on I Love Memphis over the years - everything from mac 'n' cheese to patios to free things to do.

There's also a URL that's easy to remember - ilovememphisblog.com/guides.

Which ones are your favorites? Which ones are most helpful?

HERE IT IS, A GUIDE TO THE GUIDES:

Weekly/Monthly

1. 5 Things To Do This Weekend
Often imitated, but never duplicated – this weekly post blasts onto the Internet every Friday morning with the five BEST things going on that weekend. Then everyone said they wanted more than five, so a few years ago I started putting an additional list of 30-70 more ideas for your Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When to find it: Every Friday morning.

2. Listen Up! Memphis
Every month, we put together a list of 10-15 live concerts that you shouldn’t miss. It might be an international rock star at FedExForum, or it might be a local band at a coffee shop. Think of it as a cross-section or small sampling of what’s going on in Memphis, music-wise, for that month. When to find it: Last Wednesday of the month

3. Ways To Give Back
Volunteer Odyssey is a Memphis organization that specializes in match-making. They’re not sending you on dates, though, they’re pairing you up with a local nonprofit that needs a helping hand. They pick out ten volunteer ideas every month, and we publish the list complete with easy sign up info. When to find it: Last Tuesday of the month

Food & Drink 

4. Ultimate Guide to Cheap Drinking + Happy Hours In Memphis
This monster guide includes dozens of local restaurants and bars that offer budget-friendly drinking options.  The guide is separated into sections: daily happy hours, wine specials, martini specials, and pint nights.

5. Drink Specials Listed by Day of the Week
Need a little more structure to your Memphis happy hour guide? This list is organized by day of the week, so you can enjoy your Hump Day Happy Hour or Thirsty Thursday for less.

6. 100+ Places With Patios In Memphis
Drinking outside is a Memphis religion, basically. This guide is a big list with more than 100 local places with patios, separated by neighborhood. It also notes if the patio is dog-friendly.

7. The Guide To Eating Cheap In Memphis
Low on cash? These places offer specials or are inherently inexpensive, but have great food. The guide is organized by neighborhood.

8. Gluten Free Restaurants In Memphis
There are plenty of places that either offer or specialize in gluten free foods around town. This post provides you with a handy list and some info on each spot.

9. Vegetarian Restaurants In Memphis
Sure, we might count mac ‘n’ cheese as a ” veggie” (read: side item) sometimes but there are plenty of Memphis restaurants that either specialize in or offer exclusively meat-free meals. There are some vegan options in there, too.

10. Where To Find Memphis Food Trucks
There’s nothing like being handed a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, pile of spicy tacos, or hot juicy burger from the window of a retro-fitted truck. This guide includes a list of places you might find food trucks around town, plus tips on how to stalk your faves.

11. Beer Lovers Guide To Memphis
This handy list has sections for local beer specials, a list of all the breweries (plus hours, addresses, and recommendations), and other tips for craft beer drinkers.

12. Wine Lovers Guide To Memphis
Follow your wine-soaked heart to this blog post, which features wine specials, places with great wine lists, and annual events that appeal to the wannabe sommelier aka me.

13. Places To Carb Load
This is mostly for the St. Jude Marathon (held annually on the first Saturday in December) but you can also use it anytime, because carbs are delicious and pasta is a gift from the heavens.

14. Places To Get Tacos
This list of tacos (from restaurants, shacks, stands, and trucks) proves that when it comes to tacos – of all styles – Memphis has you covered.

15. Places To Get A Margarita in Memphis
Sometimes you just need a frozen tequila slushie. When that time comes, Memphis has you covered with frozen, on-the-rocks, salted, flavored, sweet, and sour margarita options.

16. Places To Get Ice Cream In Memphis
It’s cold and creamy and sweet and amazing.  You can get it in cones, cups, sandwiches, inside sno cones, and probably with alcohol mixed with it. It’s ice cream! This guide is a rundown of all the places for the treat in town.

17. Memphis Soups
While I like soup just fine, some people are really, really into “eating” bowls of mostly liquid. This guide is for those people, by popular demand.

18. Where To Get Oysters
Yeah, we’re landlocked. But we’re also home to the world’s best shipping company, FedEx. And that means fresh oysters err’day at a handful of local spots.

19. Things To Put In Your Memphis Picnic Basket Part 1 and Part 2
Packing a picnic for the Levitt Shell or Shelby Farms? Here’s a list of essential items to tuck away for your picturesque Memphis meal. Also good for making gift baskets or finding Memphis-themed prepared foods and snacks.

20. Memphis Grilled Cheeses
This post has a reader-generated list (plus a few descriptions) of the best melted, gooey, toasted, buttery-ness that is a grilled cheese sammy.

21. Memphis Sandwiches
I love sandwiches, man. They’re so wonderful. And trust me, Memphis has some of the best. Check out a list of 20 of our local favorites in this guide.

21. 100 Things To Eat In Memphis (Presumably Before You Die)
A riff on the popular “100 ___ to ____ before you die” type of article you find everywhere, these posts are lists of must-eats for Memphis. There are versions for 2012, 2013, and 2015.

22. Memphis Mac ‘n’ Cheese Guide
This list is an ode to the city’s unofficial side dish/veggie substitute/source of debate and contention: macaroni and cheese.

Yes, we have guides to brunch – so many brunches! – but they are in the process of a total overhaul.

Things To Do

23. A Huge List of Memphis Events And Festivals
When is Crawfish Fest? What’s the date for Beale Street Music Fest? Is anything happening in November? All these questions and more are answered in this big ol’ list of more than 120 annual Memphis events, organized by month and updated throughout the year as more definite dates are announced. Published annually in December, and updated throughout the year.

24. Volunteering and Giving Guide (List of Nonprofits and Charities)
This list of local non-profits and charities is a great starting point if you’re looking to donate money, sign up to volunteer, or just learn more about how Memphis has become the most charitable city. Updated annually around Thanksgiving.

25. 50 Free Things To Do In Memphis 
Memphis is one of the most affordable large cities in the country. Don’t believe me? Check out this list of fifty ways to enjoy our arts, history, outdoors, culture, and more without spending a cent.

26. Farmers Market Guide
Find local and regionally-grown produce, prepared foods, and crafts, and more at these Mid-South Farmers Markets. This guide is updated annually around March, right before farmers market season kicks off (though there are several that are year-round).

27. 100 Places You Need To Go In Memphis
Make pilgrimages to the famous, hidden, weird, beautiful, and interesting places around the city. From the Crystal Shrine Grotto to Sun Studio to the Sputnik sign at Joe’s Liquors, it’s all on here. How many have you been to?

28. Exam Survival Guide
Contributor Stacey put together this handy list of Memphis coffee shops – plus user-friendly tips is aimed at the student (or distracted blogger) in need of some serious productivity fuel.

29. Guide to Memphis Crawfish Festivals
The city goes nuts for mudbugs in March and April, with a half dozen festivals plus extra events at local restaurants. This list has ’em all. Updated annually in January or February.

30. Your Guide To Memphis Bookstores
A list of all the places in town to browse, peruse, and hold in your hands real paper books (and gifts, and more).

31. Places To Sing Karaoke
Hit me with your best shot! These local bars and watering holes give even the most off-key hairbrush microphone singers a chance to perform in front of other…people who aspire to karaoke greatness.

32. Places To Watch Grizz Games
Sometimes you can’t make it to FedExForum, or we have an away game. This guide provides a list of places that will show our beloved Beale Street Bears on the TV – for better or worse – and any specials they may have to help you drink away our basketball sorrows/celebrate our heart-attack-inducing victories.

There are also these seasonal guides…

Spring Events Guide 2017 (updated annually in mid-March)
About 40-50 festivals and events happening mid-March through mid-May plus descriptions and information.

Summer Events Guide 2017 (updated annually in late May)
About 40-50 festivals and events happening late May through mid-August) plus descriptions and information.

Fall Events Guide 2017 (updated annually in mid-August)
About 40-50 festivals and events happening late August through mid-November plus descriptions, links, and basic info.

Holidays + Major Events

These guides are updated annually approximately one month before the holiday occurs (information is not available until that time) so if you happen to catch last year’s link, just check the homepage or do a quick search.

Places Open on New Year’s Day 2018

Memphis Guide To The Super Bowl 2018

Memphis Valentine’s Day Events 2018

St. Patrick's Day Events In Memphis 2018

ABCs of Memphis In May 2017

4th of July Events In Memphis

Elvis Week Survival Guide

Guide To Cooper Young Fest

Oktoberfests + Fall Beer Festivals

Halloween Events Guide

Places Open On Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Survival Guide

Holiday Shopping Guide

Holiday Events Guide

Holiday + Christmas Parades

New Year’s Eve 2017 – 2018

Liberty Bowl Quick Guide


That’s it for now. Thanks for taking the time to explore the blog – even though there’s a lot here, it’s still just a fraction of what the actual city has going for it. Don’t forget to drop me a line if you have ideas for new blog posts or new guides!

 

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