The Battle of Fredericksburg: The Deadliest in the American Civil War


Date Published: May 25th, 2026 | Last Updated: May 25th, 2026
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA
Date of travel: Feb 8th, 2026

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is a massive historic park operated by the National Park Service. It commemorates four major battles in the American Civil War: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. Of these 4, the most notable one is the Battle of Fredericksburg at Sunken Road, which will be the focus of this article.

Note: To be honest, if you’re not into American history and you have limited time, then you’re probably going to find this kind of boring. We’re not history buffs, but we found it pretty cool to walk amongst this place and seeing the stone wall along the Sunken Road.

Contents:

  1. Visitor Info
  2. A little background info
  3. How much time do I need?
  4. Best time of year to travel?
  5. Getting Around & Parking
  6. What to Expect
  7. Some Final Thoughts

Visitor Info:

Location: 1013 Lafayette Boulevard, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (takes you to the visitor’s center)
Hours: sunrise to sunset, the visitors center is open 9am-5pm
Website: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Cost: free

A little background info:

The Battle of Fredericksburg at Sunken Road lasted 4 days and is known as the largest and deadliest battle of the American civil war. It was a massacre of the Union forces. Here, the confederate army occupied ‘Marye’s Heights’, a hill that overlooks the town of Fredericksburg. This site gave them the advantage of height as well as cover on the “Sunken Road” which was a road with a small stone wall. It was literally an uphill battle for the Union soldiers who had very little to no cover climbing up the hill while being targeted. It was estimated that 20,000 soldiers died here (at least 13,000 of them being Union soldiers), but only 3000 were able to be identified.

Check out this short 4 minute video of a park ranger that explains more about the background surrounding this battle: https://www.britannica.com/video/overview-Battle-of-Fredericksburg-American-Civil-War/-224645

How much time do I need?

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is a massive historic park. We only visited the Battle of Fredericksburg site at Sunken Road which is the main highlight of this park. It took us 2 hours to walk through the Sunken Road trail (see map further down this article) and read all of the information plaques. If you just walk the trail without reading anything, you’ll be done in less than 1 hour. We then spent another 15-20 minutes driving through the small town of Fredericksburg to see some of the other historic sites on the map, but the signage wasn’t very clear and the spots were easy to miss so we didn’t stay very long.

If you want to visit the other 3 battlefields in the massive Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania, and Wilderness), I can’t say exactly how much time you’ll need for them since we didn’t visit, but I’ve heard some people say 1-2 days to see everything. I’ve attached a picture of the overall park map you can pick up from the visitors center to give you an idea of how big this place is. You can also find a pdf version of it here: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/images/FRSPmap1_1.jpg.

Overview Park Map of all 4 Battle Sites

Best time of year to travel?

The historic park is open year-round, however the walking paths are not very well maintained in the winter, so keep that in mind if you’re visiting in the colder months. We visited in the middle of winter and had to walk over icy snow on the Sunken Trail and stepped in other people’s snowy footprints to make it up Marye’s Heights hill.

The best time to come is anytime where there’s no snow or ice cover on the ground.

Getting Around & Parking

Driving is the best way to get around. Park your car for free at the Ferdericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center (1013 Lafayette Boulevard, Fredericksburg, VA 22401) and the historic Sunken Trail path starts just behind the building.

What to Expect

Start at the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center (1013 Lafayette Boulevard, Fredericksburg, VA 22401) where you’ll park your car. The main visitors center is temporarily closed until further notice for renovations, however they relocated into the smaller bookstore building next door. Here, there is a souvenir shop, bathrooms, and staff members you can speak to about the area and pick up a map. It’s open 9am-5pm. On the park website it says that they offer ranger tours at 10am, 11am, and 2pm (we weren’t here at the right time so we did a self-guided walk following the map).

Here’s a link to the park website for more pdf maps incase you can’t get your hands on one: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/planyourvisit/trails-brochures.htm

Below is a walking map of the Sunken Road Trail which is your guide to explore the battlegrounds. The path starts behind the visitors center on the “Sunken Road” where you parked your car. In this guide, I’ll walk you through this path and the things you’ll see along the way.

Walking map of the Sunken Road Trail (white squares = where buildings used to be; filed in squares = where a current building stands)

The Sunken Road was originally called ‘Country Road’ or ‘Telegraph Road’ and was a normal everyday road used by farmers to transport crops into town and locals to visit neighbours. This road had a short stone wall and was built along the side of ‘Marye’s Heights’ hill. Sunken Road was the perfect position for the confederate soldiers to take cover by the shield of the stone wall while taking aim at the charging Union soldiers to defend the hill.

Sunken Road
Sunken Road
Sunken Road

As you follow the walking trail map, you’ll pass by the Innis House. This house was present during the roaring Battle of Fredericksburg and you can see evidence of bullet holes and shell fragments on the walls! The outside panels have been replaced overtime, but you can peek your head in the window and see all the bullet holes on the interior walls.

Innis House

Next you’ll pass by Kirkland Monument, which is a large statue dedicated to “the angel of Marye Heights”, Seargent Richard Kirkland. This young confederate soldier heroically crossed over the Sunken Road walls to aid wounded enemy Union soldiers.

Kirkland Monument

Next you’ll continue to path and U-turn up towards the top of Marye’s Heights. Here you’ll get a view of the land below and what it would’ve been like to be a confederate soldier looking down below towards the Union soldiers charging uphill. There was minimal cover for them and it was no wonder why this was a massacre.

At the end of the walking path, you’ll come across the Fredericksburg National Cemetery with thousands of small granite headstones that mark the graves of both identified and unknown solders.

After the cemetery, you’ll intersect with the Sunken Road again briefly before heading back to the parking lot at the visitors center.

Sunken Road with the reconstructed stone wall and view of the Cemetery Lodge behind it

After Sunken Road, we did a mini self-guided driving tour of a few historical battle spots around town – see the map below. The sites weren’t very well marked and was easy to miss so we didn’t spend much time at them.

Driving map around Fredericksburg: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/planyourvisit/directions.htm

We also drove through downtown Fredericksburg which wasn’t all that exciting – many of the shops were closed or for rent.

Downtown Fredericksburg
A mural in downtown Fredericksburg

Some Final Thoughts

  • The historic site at Sunken Road marks one of the bloodiest battles in the civil war. If you’re not that into American history, then maybe give this a skip. We’re not history buffs, but we enjoy visiting historical places to learn about significant events that helped shape this nation.
  • Consider a guided tour at the posted times if you want to avoid reading the information plaques.
  • Have proper footwear if you’re going to visit in the colder months since the trails are not very well maintained.

AbbyLeave a comment

Your Ultimate Day Trip to Alexandria, Virginia: What to See and Do


Date Published: May 23rd, 2026 | Last Updated: May 23rd, 2026
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA
Date of travel: Feb 7th, 2026

The town of Alexandria, Virginia, is a historically rich city on the Potomac River that originally started as a tobacco trading post in the mid 1700s and became one of the busiest ports in America. It is famously known as George Washington’s hometown. He surveyed the land at the age of 16 and was a part of the foundational planning of this town and maintained a close relationship until his death in 1799. He lived, dined, worshipped, and conducted business through these historic streets of Alexandria.

Today, the main things to do here is to explore the preserved streets and buildings of Old Town, take a short stroll along the waterfront, check out the converted Torpedo Factory, and visit a masonic temple dedicated to the memorial of George Washington.

Contents:

  1. How many days do I need?
  2. Best time of year to travel?
  3. Where to stay?
  4. Getting Around & Where to Park?
  5. Sample Itinerary to Hit All the Highlights in 1 Day
  6. Things to Do:
  7. Some Final Thoughts

Best time of year to travel?

You can visit any time of the year, but the best time to visit will be in Spring or Summer when the weather is warmer and it’ll be nicer to walk around. We came in the middle of winter and a lot of streets were covered in snow.

Where to stay?

Although a very cute lively town, there’s not a ton of nightlife in Alexandria, so it’s not imperative to stay in the middle of old town, unless you really want to be within walking distance to a few restaurants or bars. We chose a cheaper option about a 10 minute drive away off the side of the freeway and just drove into Alexandria to save on hotel costs.

Getting Around & Where to Park?

Driving will be your best option to explore the main sites around Alexandria. Old Town will be the main attraction and is a very walkable town. We found the cheapest parking to be in the underground parking garage at Market Square underneath City Hall (address: 108 N. Fairfax Street Alexandria, Virginia). It was $2/hour, maximum $10 per day. You can also park on the street, but parking is limited and has limited hours.

There is a free “King Street Trolley” that you can take around town. We didn’t take it because the places we wanted to visit were relatively close together and very walkable within Old Town. You can find out more about the trolley service and routes here: https://visitalexandria.com/plan/king-street-trolley/ .

How many days do I need?

Alexandria is a pretty small town and it only takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end of the main street to the other, but there are plenty of restaurants, shops, and a few historic sites to keep you busy. 1 day will be enough time to see all the highlights here. Check out the sample itinerary below to help plan your day.

If you haven’t already, consider visiting the nearby Mount Vernon (the historical home of George Washington) – it’s only about a 30 minute drive North:

A Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Mount Vernon, George Washington’s Home


Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate, offers a glimpse into the life of the first president. Visitors can explore the mansion, museum, and gardens, with many tour options available. Follow this comprehensive guide on visiting this vast estate and how to get the most out of your visit!

Sample Itinerary to Hit All the Alexandria Highlights in 1 Day:

  • 9am -11am – Start at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial since it opens the earliest at 9am (remember they’re closed Tues and Wed). Book the 9:30am tour that lasts 1 hour and then explore the floors and museum displays.
  • 11am – 3pm – Explore Old Town Alexandria: follow a self-guided tour to check out the historical buildings including Spite House, Captain’s Row, Carlyle House (remember it closes at 4pm and not open on Wed), Christ Church (also closes 4pm most days, closed Monday). Walk down King Street and have lunch in one of the many restaurants in town, go shopping and make sure to visit “Shop Made in VA” for unique souvenirs made by Virginian artists.
  • 3pm – 6pm – From King Street, walk towards the waterfront and take the waterfront walk to the Torpedo Factory Arts Center and browse through 3 levels of artist studios and maybe do some shopping.
  • 6pm onwards – Do a quick stop by the Jones Point Lighthouse if you have time for more waterfront views and to check out this small lighthouse. Then have dinner back in Old Town before heading out!

Things to Do:

The main things to explore in Alexandria, Virginia are: the streets of historic old town, the waterfront walk, the torpedo factory, and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. If you have time you can also visit the Jones Point Lighthouse.

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial

Address: 101 Callahan Dr, Alexandria, VA 22301, United States
Hours: 9am-5pm Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Tour times (1hr long, included in admission cost): 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm, 3:30pm (check the website to reserve tickets and updated hours)
Admission: $20 per person (pretty steep if you ask me)
Parking: Free, on-site
Website: http://gwmemorial.org/
How much time to spend here: roughly an hour to go through everything

I will preface this by saying that you absolutely must have a reserved tour time if you plan to visit. Unfortunately we didn’t know about the tours and we came just after the last tour finished and couldn’t go up the tower where some of the exhibits are and missed a lot of what was offered including the grand views from the observation deck at the top. We paid full price admission ($20) for essentially a self-guided walk-through of the main floor and a small museum room. It didn’t feel worth it for the admission cost, but when you look on their website, there were a lot more things we could have seen. Check it out here: https://gwmemorial.org/pages/tours .

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is an active Freemasons temple that also incorporates a memorial to George Washington, one of their most notable and famous historic members. They have deemed him the ultimate example of a freemason:

To American Freemasons, George Washington’s life symbolizes the reward of virtue and morality dedicated to public service. He is the culmination of striving to overcome the rough human nature to be perfect in service to family, neighbor, nation and God. His life exemplifies the transition from rough to perfect ashlar.

We’ve driven past many masonic lodges in our travels, some looking like a small shack, but this is the most grand one we’ve come across. This building has mutiple purposes not just a Masonic temple, but also a research library, a cultural space, and a performing arts center. You can walk here from Old Town Alexandria (roughly a 30 minute walk from the Torpedo Factory Arts Center) or drive here (free parking on site).

View from the top of the steps

What is Freemasonry? That’s a loaded question. Honestly, I had always assumed it was some sort of secret cult like they depict in that episode of the Simpsons where homer joins the Stonecutters. In being exposed to it more over the years and coming across a few masonic lodges and reading about historic Freemason members, the best I can simplify and summarize my understanding is that it’s an adult men’s club where their “primary purpose is to improve men”. I think of it like Boy Scouts but for adults and without the wilderness training 😅 – that’s probably a bit too simplified. They meet, they discuss, they plan in the goal of “self-improvement, moral discipline, and brotherhood”. They have deep roots that started in Britain as far back as the 1600s. It’s not so much a secret society, but the rules, rituals, and traditions they follow are kept a secret from non-members. Here’s another excerpt from the museum that may help explain it a little more:

Freemasonry differs from stonemasonry, however, in that it teaches men virtues and moral truths, rather than arts and skills. While operative masons use tools to fashion stone and construct buildings, speculative Freemasons use rituals and symbols to improve themselves. Just as a new stonemason learns his craft as an apprentice, journeyman and finally a master mason, a Freemason is initiated through three degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason.

When you first enter the building, there’s a reception desk where you can purchase tickets and get more information. The whole building is 9 floors high, but without a tour, you cannot enter the tower portion and only have access to the first 2 floors. The first floor has a (relatively) small museum of the history of the Freemasons in America. The information here is quite dense and took us some time to get through it all. It covers historical members and their morals and beliefs.

The museum of Freemasonry
Freemasons have special aprons they wear
How I always imagined it 😅
Benjamin Franklin was also a member
George Washington in his Masonic gear

The second floor has a big statue of George Washington with 2 large murals and a replica meeting room for the Freemasons.

There’s also a theatre for the community and a decent sized Freemasons gift shop before you exit, which was surprising for this secret but not so secretive club!

A replica Freemasons meeting room

In summary, if you’re into learning about the Freemasons and see some cool murals and a statue of George Washington in his masonic clothing, then come for a visit. If for nothing else, come to get a great panoramic view of the town of Alexandria from the top floor of the temple (but remember that you can only get access to the tower with a guided tour)!

Historic Old Town

Historic Old Town is a very walkable area. The main street to explore is King Street, with the most exciting area between West Street and the Waterfront. It takes about 15-20 minutes to from one end to the other.

Although it’s not a large area to explore, there are a ton of historical buildings and sites here that can be easy to miss. Check out this website from the town of Alexandria for self-guided tours/maps: https://www.alexandriava.gov/SelfGuidedTours#WalkingToursofOldTownHistory

Tip: There’s a scavenger hunt map in the link above. If you complete it and bring it back to the visitors center, you get a free prize!

If you’re here for George Washington history, there’s also a map in the link above that focuses just on notable places where George Washington lived/worked/dined/worshipped.

Shopping on King Street:

There are tons of shops on King Street to explore. My favourite was “Shop Made in VA” which had unique souvenirs made by local Virginian artists!

A cool shop with Virginia souvenirs made by local artists (“Shop Made in VA” 1121 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States)

The Hollensbury Spite House

Address: 523 Queen St, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA

The Hollensbury Spite House is the skinniest historic house in the US, measuring at just 7ft and 6 inches wide (229cm) and 325 square feet! Why is it called a spite house, you ask? Prior to 1830, this place was an alleyway and local brickmaker, John Hollensbury, owned the buildings adjacent to the alley. He was tired of people loitering here and the horse and wagons scraping against his buildings and damaging the brick, so his solution was to purchase this narrow alley (for a little over $45!) and built this house to block the walkway.

This spite house is located at 523 Queen Street. There’s no signage and can be easy to miss, so just punch the address into Google maps to guide you. It’s currently a private residence (so don’t go knocking) – which probably explains the lack of signage.

Fun fact: Although the Hollensbury Spite House is the most famous for being the most narrow, there are actually 3 other spite houses in Alexandria – check out this article here: https://alexandrialivingmagazine.com/home-and-garden/queen-street-spite-house-alexandria-va-historic-alley-homes/

The Hollensbury Spite House

Christ Church

Address: 118 N Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States
Hours: closed Mondays, 9am-4pm most days except Wed and Sun (check the website for updated hours)
Website: https://www.historicchristchurch.org/
Admission: free, also free tours available, donations accepted

Christ Church was built in 1773 and is still operating today. There is no charge for admission and they also offer free tours daily (check website for updated hours). This is where George Washington came to worship and he even purchased his own pew box (back in the day, the pews were inside boxes and you can purchase a box to ensure that your family members could sit together). Another notable parishioner was Robert E. Lee, whoever later became the general of the Confederate army.

The church is a walkable distance from King Street, but you can also drive here with free street parking in the vicinity.

Captain’s Row (cobblestone road)

Address: no exact address. It’s located at the 100s block on Prince Street (houses in the ‘100s’) between S. Union Street and S. Lee Street (see map below). You can type in ‘100 Prince Street, Alexandria’ in Google Maps and it’ll take you to the corner of S. Union Street.

No exact address – it’s at the 100’s block of Prince Street between S. Union St. and S. Lee St. in Old Town Alexandria

Captain’s Row is a section of perfectly preserved cobblestone road on Prince Street in Old Town Alexandria. It is the town’s most iconic and historic block, renown not only for its 250 feet of original cobblestone road but the preserved 18th century homes. It is named after Captain John Harper who built many of these homes in the late 1700s and is one of the few surviving surviving blocks of land in Alexandria that represents early American and European style architecture.

Unfortunately for us, since we visited in the middle of winter, only part of the cobblestone road was exposed so we couldn’t quite appreciate the historic picturesque scenery.

Carlyle House

Address: 121 N Fairfax St, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States
Hours: 10am-4pm most days, closed Wednesdays, 12-4pm Sundays (check the website for updated hours)
Admission: $8 per adult, $3 per child
Website: https://www.novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park

Carlyle House is a historic mansion completed in 1753 by wealthy Scottish merchant, John Carlyle, one of the founders of Alexandria. It is one of the most prominent homes in Old Town Alexandria and is architecturally unique. Built in Georgian residential-style architecture with simple but bold features around the windows and doors, the home itself is symmetrical in layout with a central hallway and the left and right sides of the house mirror each other.

Apart from unique architecture, this home also has a lot of historical value. England’s involvement in the French and Indian War was planned at the Carlyle house. The result of that war made young George Washington a hero. The house was also later the site of a hotel and hospital. Check out this cool website for more interesting facts about the Carlyle House: https://ourhistorymuseum.org/blog/the-top-5-most-interesting-facts-about-carlyle-house-in-alexandria-va.

Due to the weather and timing, we didn’t go inside, however just seeing the home from the outside was quite impressive.

Waterfront Walk

This short path along Alexandria’s waterfront gives you views of the dock and provides some greenery (or snowery in our case). Although short, it was a nice quiet little walk that led us to the Torpedo Arts Center from King Street. There are some shops and restaurants around the area as well.

Torpedo Factory Arts Center

Address: 105 N Union St, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States
Hours: 10am-6pm, daily
Admission: free
Website: https://torpedofactory.org/
How much time to spend here: roughly an hour to go through all the shops

The Torpedo Factory Arts Center was one of my favourite places in Alexandria. This 100+ year old building houses the nation’s largest collection of working artists’ open studios all under one roof!

As you may have guessed from the name, this building used to be a torpedo factory that was constructed at the end of World War I in 1918. It produced Mark III torpedos for about 5 years until production stopped during peacetime, but then resumed leading up to the start of World War II. After the war ended, this factory made rocket engines briefly before shutting down permanently in 1946. It was then the Federal Records Center that stored documents, records, and artifacts.

In 1969 the city of Alexandria purchased the building. It took the government a few years to vacate the premises, but by 1973, The Art League had an expiring lease and sought the old torpedo factory as the new site for their plans. After years of planning and renovations, it officially re-opened in 1983 as an artist studio and still continues on today!

The Torpedo Factory Arts Center is like no place we’ve ever been before. It’s an impressive 3 floors of artist studio space where they work and sell their art all in real time. There are artists from different backgrounds making all types of art – painters, sculptors, jewellers, mixed media…etc.- it was really cool to watch them work. Toby got a really cool ring here and the great thing about being in the artist studio is that some of these pieces can be customizable since you’re buying direct from the artist in their shop! It’s definitely a treat to walk around this space and get inspired by all the amazing art around you.

Jones Point Lighthouse

Address: 100 Jones Point Dr, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States
Hours: 6am-10pm, daily

If you have some extra time, The Jones Point Lighthouse in the southern part of town has some far away views of Washington, DC across the river. It’s located within a park setting and you can follow the trail here as part of the riverfront walk and take you all the way up to the Torpedo Factory Arts Center and lead you into Old Town.

We didn’t end up stopping here because the weather was extremely windy and cold so we decided to skip it. The lighthouse looks cute from online pictures.

Some Final Thoughts

  • Old Town Alexandria is pretty cool. Lots of shops with many historical sites to see. Follow an online self-guided tour if you want to make sure you don’t miss anything.
  • The Torpedo Factory Arts Center is definitely a MUST!
  • Book a tour if you’re going to visit the Masonic Temple so you can get to the top of the temple.
  • Don’t forget to check out Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington if you’re into more historical places!

A Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Mount Vernon, George Washington’s Home


Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate, offers a glimpse into the life of the first president. Visitors can explore the mansion, museum, and gardens, with many tour options available. Follow this comprehensive guide on visiting this vast estate and how to get the most out of your visit!

AbbyLeave a comment

Graceland: A Complete Guide to Visiting Elvis Presley’s Home


Date Published: April 28th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 28th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA
Date of travel: April 14th, 2025

Contents:

  1. How much time do I need?
  2. Getting Here
  3. Cost of Tickets
  4. Entertainment Complex/Visitor’s Center – the start of the journey
  5. The Mansion
  6. First Floor of the Mansion
    1. Entryway
    2. Living Room/Music Room
    3. Gladys & Vernon’s Bedroom
    4. Dining Room
    5. Kitchen
    6. The Jungle Room/Den
  7. Basement Level of the Mansion
    1. TV Room
    2. Pool Room
  8. Back of the Mansion
    1. Vernon’s Office & the Smokehouse
    2. Trophy Building
    3. Racquetball Building
    4. Meditation Garden
  9. Back to the Entertainment Complex
    1. Cars, Motorcycles, and Boats
    2. Elvis’ Army Days, Karate, and the Graceland Archives
    3. Elvis’ Influence on Other Celebrities
    4. Music and Film Memorabilia
    5. Costumes and Accessories
      1. The Glorious Jumpsuits!
    6. Awards
  10. Giftshops
  11. Dine, Shop, Check out the Planes, or Back to the Parking Lot

Address: 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd.,Memphis, TN 38116
Website: https://www.graceland.com/
Hours: 9am – 4pm, daily
Cost: $84/adult for standard admission (multiple packages available for an additional cost)

Graceland is a 13.8 hectare property in Memphis, Tennessee, and was once the home of the one and only Elvis Presley. He lived here with his parents Gladys and Vernon from 1957 until his death in 1977. Graceland was declared a National Historic Landmark and is open as a museum that houses everything Elvis, from grade school report cards to his massive collection of beaded shiny jumpsuits. This is Memphis’ top tourist attraction and has everything you need to know about the King! For die-hard fans, you can even stay the night in the “guest house” behind the property which is done up like a resort.

Toby and I came in the middle of April and although it was busy, it wasn’t insane. I’d recommend coming early in the morning to get ahead of the crowds and to go through the exhibit without too many people squeezing around you. Even if you’re not a big fan, Graceland is still a neat place to visit to immerse yourself in Rock n’ Roll history and learn about the icon himself.

How much time do I need?

You’ll need at least 3-4 hours here to get through most of it, but if you want to read through the description of every piece of memorabilia or artifact, then expect to be here for much longer. We got here at 9am when they opened and didn’t leave until 1pm, and we still didn’t have enough time to see his planes! We were going at a moderate pace, reading most things, but not everything. You could seriously spend a whole day here if you add on dining at one of his restaurants on site.

To break it down:

  • The star attraction is the mansion itself, which wasn’t as big as I was expecting (however, we did just recently come from visiting the Biltmore Estate in Knoxville, TN 😂). The self-guided tour of the home took about 1.5 hours. You go through the house in groups, so there can be a bit of a wait to get into the actual house depending on how busy it is.
  • The majority of the Elvis memorabilia and artifacts are inside the Entertainment Complex, which is the building that’s connected to the visitor’s centre. You get access to this area after coming back from the mansion. This took us 2 hours to get through. The exhibits just kept coming and coming!
  • There are a couple of themed restaurants and multiple gift shops around, so add on another 30 minutes to 1.5 hours if you plan on staying for a meal and doing some shopping.
  • To see the planes, you’ll need at least another 30 minutes or so.
  • *Allow for even more time if you decide to get an upgraded ticket package!
https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2597/elvispresley-2dmap-20-print.jpg

Getting Here

Getting here by car is the best way to reach Graceland. There’s plenty of parking here and it’s only a short 15-minute drive from downtown Memphis. You can also Uber/Lyft here to save on driving.

There are also options of public transport, tourist busses, and shuttles, however from my research none of them seemed straightforward and I struggled to find costs and timings for these services. Best to just drive or ride share to get a better sense of timing (you should arrive 15 minutes before the start of your timed ticket).

Cost of Tickets

There are a few options for ticket packages that I’ve screenshotted from their website below.

We went for the standard admission (“Elvis Experience“), it’s $84 per adult. Pretty steep, but it includes the self-guided tour of the mansion, the “entertainment complex” (where all the Elvis items are on display including his car collection), and his custom jet plane. These 3 alone will take you at least 4 hours and will give you more than enough everything Elvis.

Entertainment Complex/Visitor’s Center – the start of the journey

Get here 15 minutes prior to the start of your timed ticket to have enough time to find parking, walk up to the massive building that is the Entertainment Complex, and join the line to watch a short intro video that wasn’t all that exciting. Our tour time was 9am, so there was plenty of parking when we arrived at 8:45am.

They didn’t seem to check ticket times, so don’t stress too much if you’re running late. The times are only to ensure there’s not a massive rush of people all at the same time. When you show up, you just join the line to go into the intro video theatre and when it’s full, they’ll close it and open the next one. They’ll scan your ticket right before going into the theatre.

Walking up from the parking lot
The Entertainment Complex/Visitor Center/Ticketing

After the short intro video, you’ll get herded out the back door and into another line to collect your iPad for the self-guided tour (audio guide by John Stamos!) and the line to get on the shuttle bus to take you to the mansion that’s located across the road (see map above to get your bearings). You can only access the mansion through their shuttlebus.

The Mansion

The short shuttle bus ride will drop you off directly in front of the mansion. Here, they’ll usher you to the front door and go over some brief rules before entering the house and instructions on how to start your audio guide.

First Floor of the Mansion

Entryway

You’re immediately greeted by a set of white stairs when you enter the front door. The entire second level was Elvis’ private space and only his closest confidantes were allowed in this space. They’ve kept the upstairs closed off to the public out of respect for him. Too bad, it sure would’ve been cool to see how he would’ve decorated his own bedroom given his eclectic taste for the rest of the house!

If you look closely, there’s a mirror at the top of the stairs to the left. One of the guides said that it was Elvis’ way to look down the stairs without actually coming down to see who was here and if he wanted to hang out with them. 😂

No entry upstairs

Living Room/Music Room

This is the living room/music room where they would gather, entertain, and sing gospel songs on the white grand piano. The beautiful stain glass peacocks are the Christian symbol for eternity and resurrection.

Gladys & Vernon’s Bedroom

Elvis’ parents Gladys and Vernon had their bedroom on the main floor. Gladys was largely involved in decorating this room, including choosing the poodle wallpaper in the bathroom!

Dining Room

This is the formal dining room where Elvis would sit at the head of the table by the window and entertain guests. Behind him would also be where they would set up their Christmas tree. It was common to have dinner served at 9-10pm at night!

Kitchen

As a foodie and an avid cook, I was quite disappointed by the kitchen. I expected it to be grand with elegance! This kitchen was last redone in the mid-70s. Elvis had cooks and maids on staff at all hours of the day in 8-hour shifts so meals are usually cooked to order! Common dishes would be simple Southern cooking including: fried chicken, steaks, pork chops, meat loaf, and many cheeseburgers. Elvis also loved homemade banana pudding so it was always made available.

The Jungle Room/Den

In 1974, Polynesia/Tiki furniture was popular and Elvis decorated this room with these furniture pieces to remind him of his favourite Hawaiian vacation. Check out the floor to ceiling green shag carpeting in this room. The immersive carpeting resulted in fantastic acoustics in this room and Elvis recorded 2 of his records with RCA in this very room!

Basement Level of the Mansion

The stairs leading to the basement was lined with mirrors!

TV Room

Elvis loved football and would watch 3 different games at the same time on 3 TVs. There’s also a pull down projector screen where he could play movies and a jukebox that could hold 100 singles with speakers wired throughout the house.

Pool Room

This is my favourite room of the house due to its beautifully colourful interior and unique wall and ceiling panelling!

Back of the Mansion

As you finish touring the main house, the trail leads out the back of the house over to the unattached smaller buildings on the property grassy areas where they could ride their horses. There’s also a kidney-shaped pool.

Vernon’s Office & the Smokehouse

Vernon Presley, Elvis’ father managed Elvis’ personal affairs including all of his fan mail and the running of Graceland. He had his own office on the property in the back. There’s also an old smokehouse that was once used as a firing range.

Trophy Building

This building was built as an expansion to the home and was also where Elvis and Priscilla had their wedding reception. It has since been renovated to tell Elvis’ personal story and contain artifacts from his family and youth. Here you’ll find old family photos, his first bicycle, a police badge collection (Elvis would have been a policeman if his music career didn’t take off!), and even his grade school report card! The items on display here is in contrast to the memorabilia on display at the Entertainment Complex that focuses on Elvis’ music career rather than personal life.

Interesting fact: Did you know that Elvis was born as the second twin? Unfortunately the first twin Jesse Garon Presley was a stillborn. Gladys and Vernon didn’t even know they were expecting twins until Elvis showed up just 30 minutes later. John Stamos’ character ‘Jesse’ in the show Full House was named as a tribute to Elvis’ brother.

Racquetball Building

Elvis enjoyed racquetball so much that he had a racquetball court built on his property. This was the last room that he was seen alive after playing a game with some friends and singing his last songs on the piano in this room. He retired upstairs to his comfort room and was later found dead.

Meditation Garden

The Meditation Garden was said to be one of Elvis’ favourite places on the property. It was a place for meditation, reflection, and quiet contemplation. Gladys and Elvis was originally buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, but for security purposes, Vernon had them moved here on Graceland. The Meditation Garden is the final resting place for Vernon, Gladys, Elvis, and Minnie Mae (Elvis’ maternal grandmother). There’s also a small plaque here for his brother, Jesse. Lisa Marie (Elvis’ daughter) and Benjamin (Elvis’ grandson) are also buried here.

The self-guided tour of the mansion ends after the Meditation Garden but there’s still TONS to see. You’ll line up to get back on the shuttle bus to go back across the street to the Entertainment Complex, where the visitor centre was.

Back to the Entertainment Complex

The Entertainment Complex is a HUGE building with seemingly endless exhibits on Elvis. It starts off with his car collection and continues on to more artifacts from his personal life including his passion for karate, his army years, his influence on other celebrities, his television and film work, awards, and of course his many MANY bejewelled jumpsuits.

Cars, Motorcycles, and Boats

Elvis’ Army Days, Karate, and the Graceland Archives

Despite being a rockstar, Elvis received no special treatment while in the army (according to the posters, anyway 🤫). This exhibited highlighted his time in the army and his duties.

Elvis was also really into karate. He trained and competed, and earned an 8th degree black belt. I know nothing about the karate world, but it sounds impressive.

There are over 1.5 million items in the Graceland Archives and on display or just a few of these items of Elvis memorabilia. For an upgraded ticket package tour, you can speak to an archivist!

Elvis’ Influence on Other Celebrities

It’s insane how much influence Elvis had to the music industry. This exhibit highlights some of the biggest stars that have drawn inspiration from Elvis in one way or another.

Music and Film Memorabilia

The famous million dollar quartet piano that was at Sun Studio!

Costumes and Accessories

The Glorious Jumpsuits!

Awards

Giftshops

There are many gift shops sprinkled throughout the Entertainment Complex, some are between exhibits. Each one is a little different and annoyingly they don’t all carry the same things. The largest gift shop that will carry most things will be the one at the entrance to the right of the ticketing area, so I wouldn’t bother going through each one unless you really want to.

Check out this replica jumpsuit you can buy for $5000!

Dine, Shop, Check out the Planes, or Back to the Parking Lot

Once you’ve finished going through the exhibits in the massive Entertainment Center (congratulations on your legs for lasting this long), you’re done the majority of it. There are a couple of Elvis themed restaurant options and a few more gift shops before you head back to the parking lot.

But before you get into your car, you’ll see a walkway that leads to his custom planes. Unfortunately we were on a time constraint (who would’ve guessed that 4 hours wasn’t enough?! 😜) and had to leave to make it on time for our Memphis tour so we couldn’t see the planes. I took a quick snapshot photo of the planes from the outside below:

I hope you enjoyed my picture-filled recount of our visit to Graceland! It’s definitely worth a visit!

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Top Things to Do in Portland, Maine: Eat, Shop, Explore


Date Published: Oct 22nd, 2024 | Last Updated: April 22nd, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA
Date of travel: Aug 5th, 2025

Portland is the largest city in Maine, full of cool shops and endless lobster rolls. Spend an afternoon here walking through the old streets, sample the abundant seafood, and take a tour around town.

Fun fact: Although Portland is the largest city in Maine, the capitol is actually Augusta!

Contents:

  1. How long do I need in Portland, Maine?
  2. Where do I park?
  3. What to do in Portland: Shop, Eat, and Explore!
    1. 1) Shop
      1. Commercial Street
      2. Exchange Street
    2. 2) Eat
      1. Portland Lobster Co.
      2. Luke’s Lobster
      3. Highroller Lobster Co.
      4. Duckfat
      5. The Holy Donut 🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️
    3. 3) Explore
  4. Some final thoughts
  5. Need more travel recommendations for Maine? Check out these other places!

We originally did this trip in August 2024 on our way up from New York to Rockland for the lobster festival (you can read about the lobster festival here). We stopped by Portland on our way home and spent the afternoon here walking through the streets and perusing through the variety shops ranging from cool hipster vibes to fancy boutiques. There’s a LOT of restaurants here, not just seafood. Sadly, due to our short time here and limited stomach capacity, we were only able to hit up a few places, but the next time we come back I’ll definitely be crossing more off my list!

Below is a map of downtown Portland divided into 4 regions: the arts district, government district, old port district, and waterfront district. The majority of the shops and restaurants are in the old port district (in red).

https://www.portlandmaine.com (image edited)

How long do I need in Portland, Maine?

You really only need a few hours to explore downtown Portland. Even though it’s Maine’s largest city, it’s not actually that big. It’ll take you about 20-30 minutes to walk up and down the main street of Old Port (Commercial Street) and Exchange Street, then add in a couple extra hours for shopping and eating. There are a couple of museums and points of interest you can hit up as well to fill out the day and some microbreweries to check out in the evening. We didn’t have time to do these, but I’ll include it below.

There are also harbour cruises and island-hopping ferries you can take as well to explore more outside of Portland. Therefore, if you want to just do the city itself, an afternoon will be enough (or stay longer so you can fit in more meals in a day 😜) but you can easily stretch it out to 3-4 days if you want to take it slow. Portland is a nice place to be.

Also, Cape Elizabeth is 15 minutes south of Portland and is home to Maine’s oldest and most iconic lighthouse: Portland Head Light. I’d recommend spending a couple hours here as well to check it out, do the cliff walk, and also have a look at Bug Light (the cutest smallest lighthouse I’ve ever seen). There’s also more seafood options here in case you haven’t gotten your fill of lobster rolls yet.

Where do I park?

Your best bet is to park in a city-operated parking garage in Portland. The rates are reasonable and some of them are very central and within short walking-distance to the centre of downtown Portland.

Here is a list of city-operated parking garages with the parking rates: https://www.portlandmaine.gov/296/Parking. I’ve made a map of the most central city-run parking garages below along with the most popular eateries and walking streets to give you an idea of the best location to be.

We parked in the Elm Street garage, which was $28 max per day and $4 per hour. It was easy to get to and pretty central, only a short walk to Exchange street which leads right to the harbour. We found this rate pretty reasonable (especially coming from NYC), but there are cheaper lots further away that have $15 all day parking (check the website).

Some people also say there’s free unrestricted parking on Somerset Street by the Whole Foods but we didn’t investigate this because it was too far for us to want to walk (it was also a really hot day).

I’d avoid parking in private lots since it can get crazy expensive (some up to $40-50 per day). You can also do street parking which is about $2.50-$3.00/hour, but it fills up quick and most streets have 2 hour restrictions.

Map of downtown Portland highlighting the closest parking garages and the most popular eateries. The highlighted yellow streets are the most popular for shopping.

What to do in Portland: Shop, Eat, and Explore!

We only had an afternoon here and from my research on Portland, we’ve hit up the most popular places. We do plan to come back again in the near future and explore some more, so I’ll be updating this post when we do – keep watching this space!

Some sights around downtown Portland

1) Shop

Commercial Street

Walk along Commercial Street and you’ll find many cute boutique and souvenir/gift shops lined up one after another. This street is right by the harbour and is one of the busiest touristy streets for shopping. It’s highlighted in the map above.

Exchange Street

Exchange Street is another street full of shops. This street is more tucked away compared to Commercial Street but I found the shops here to be a lot more interesting with a cool hipster vibe. There’s restaurants along this street as well with some nice coffee shops. I found this street to have more character compared to the more tourist-y Commercial Street. This street is also highlighted in the map above.

2) Eat

When in Maine…eat Lobster Rolls! There is no doubt an abundance of seafood in Maine and we had nothing but seafood on our brains so that’s what we focused on, but there were tons of other non-seafood restaurants that looked amazing as we walked by. In my research, the consensus for the top 3 places for lobster rolls were: Luke’s Lobster, Highroller, and Portland Lobster Company.

Portland Lobster Co.

Address: 180 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101

Portland Seafood Co is a small shop on the harbour with limited seating inside the restaurant, but there’s a huge open back patio by the water where you can easily grab a seat. We went right when they opened and there were already a few people there. They have a decent sized menu and the prices were fair. They’re well known for their lobster rolls, but Toby really wanted to try the Lobster BLT since we had never seen it before – it was REALLY good and they were generous with the lobster meat. I had a classic steamed lobster. Unfortunately I had a bad time with gastro from an earlier donut shop (more on that later) so I couldn’t fully enjoy the extent of the meal, but from the bites I had, it was delicious. Toby was more than happy to help me finish my lobster.

Luke’s Lobster

Address: 60 Portland Pier, Portland, ME 04101

Everyone was going to Luke’s or talking about Luke’s. It’s probably the most popular lobster roll spot in Portland and it’s also situated right on the water. We didn’t end up coming here because we’ve had Luke’s in NYC (it is indeed damn good) and wanted to try something new. If you’ve never had Luke’s before, I’d highly recommend coming here.

Highroller Lobster Co.

Address: 104 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101

Highroller Lobster Co. had really cool vibes and it was super busy. We needed to get on the road and we were still full from Portland Lobster Co. so we decided to grab takeout instead of sitting down in the restaurant. The takeout menu was much smaller, but we were mainly here to try out their lobster roll anyway so we didn’t mind (although there were some amazing looking dishes on the full menu – I’ve included photos of both the dine-in and the takeaway menu). We ordered two 2oz lobster rolls that was $17 each. Super pricy and it was also SUPER TINY 💔. The bread was good and it was a decent lobster roll, but for the long time we had to wait and the small portion, it wasn’t THAT good. Next time maybe we’ll go for dine-in and get more variety.

Duckfat

Address: 43 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101

Not seafood, but I thought I’d include it due to the sheer popularity of this place and how every single travel blog mentions it. This place was even featured on an episode of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’. Duckfat is known for their Belgian-style french fries that are cooked in, you guessed it, duck fat! Their poutine is the go-to most popular item. Unfortunately we did not get to try this place because when we arrived, the line was super long and it would’ve been at least an hour wait. We were still full from all the lobster rolls anyway and we also still had a 7 hour drive ahead of us, so we didn’t wait. They don’t take reservations, it’s walk-in only, but you can pre-order and have it as takeaway – something we didn’t realize until we got there.

They do have a second location that only does takeaway called Duckfat Frites Shack (43 Washington Ave, Portland, ME 04101) that may have faster service. It’s another 10 min walk that we didn’t take because by then we would’ve been too far from our car. Womp womp.

Duckfat
The Holy Donut 🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️

Address: 177 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101 (there are 3 locations in Portland, but this is the most central)

I don’t get it. I honestly don’t.

The Holy Donut is a donut shop that specializes in potato-based doughnuts. Their google reviews are off the charts. Every single travel blog says to come here and they say to come here first thing in the morning before they run out and have these doughnuts for breakfast. So we did. They open at 7am and we arrived just after 9am and there was a line of about 10 people in front of us, but the line went quick. We ordered 3 donuts (at $4.50 – $5 each): the blueberry glaze (most highly recommended), the blueberry lemon, and maple bacon. There was nowhere to sit so we ate it outside.

I was so excited to try these. After having a bite of each one… I was disappointed. I don’t get the hype. The potato-based doughnut made it really dense like a heavy cake and I felt like there was too much cake to the topping ratio so you get a small amount of flavour, then the rest of the time you have a mouthful of dry dense cake. Toby liked it, but he likes dense cake.

The aftermath was what made me curse this place. We hadn’t eaten anything apart from these donuts that morning (and I only ate a total of 2/3 of a donut to save room for lunch) but I started to have the worst acid reflux I’ve ever had (and I’m not a person that gets reflux issues!). Maybe it’s the empty stomach or the dense carbs in the donut, but after 40 mins of walking, I was sweating up a storm and vomited up acidic fluid multiple times (so glad I was able to find a restroom in time). Not appetizing, I know, but this messed up my stomach for the rest of the day which was quite upsetting because I was ramped up for more lobster meals in Portland. Never again shall I come here.

But, as much as I dislike this place, there are many more that love this place so I’ve included it in this post so you can make the judgement yourself. If you do go, I’d recommend not being on an empty stomach and bring some Tums or Pepto just in case. We struggled to find a pharmacy within walking distance.

3) Explore

We pretty much just ate and walked around town looking into the shops during our afternoon in Portland. Due to the donut incident, my stomach bothered me for the rest of the day so we didn’t do much else, but here’s a list of things I found that seemed cool for our trip next time:

Some final thoughts

  • I don’t get the hype with Holy Donuts.
  • Portland is a cute town with tons of boutiques and cool shops.
  • You only need a day to explore the city, but if you want to add on island-hopping, boat cruises, and museums, you can easily spend at least 2-3 days here.
  • Try all the lobster rolls!

If you’ve been to Portland before, I’d love to hear about your favourite places or other places you’d recommend!

Discover Acadia National Park: Your Guide to Mount Desert Island


Acadia National Park is the “Crown Jewel” of the North Atlantic Coast providing breathtaking coastal views, mountainous hikes, scenic drives, beaches, and a town with no shortage of restaurants. This national park is a must-do in Maine!

Hiking Acadia’s Beehive Trail: A Complete Overview


The Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park is one of the most popular hiking trails known for its stunning panoramic views and challenging vertical climbs. This guide has all the information you need to tackle this trail.

Exploring Cape Elizabeth: Iconic Lighthouses and Lobster Rolls


Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is a serene coastal town featuring iconic lighthouses, including the famous Portland Head Light and the nearby smaller Bug Light. Visitors can explore both lighthouses and enjoy renowned lobster rolls at local spots like Bite Into Maine and the Lobster Shack at Two Lights, all in half a day.

Top Things to Do in Portland, Maine: Eat, Shop, Explore


Portland, Maine, is a charming coastal city known for its vibrant shops and seafood, particularly lobster rolls. Visitors can enjoy its historic streets, numerous dining options, and attractions, including the iconic Portland Head Light. A few hours is sufficient for a quick visit, but extending to a few days allows for deeper exploration.

Mount Battie and Megunticook: Your Camden Hiking Guide


Camden Hills State Park sits just outside the small coastal town of Camden, Maine. This park has a number of hiking trails with the most popular ones being Mount Battie and Mount Megunticook. Both of these trails offer panoramic views of the ocean coast and sweeping colourful fall foliage trees below. If you’re driving through the…

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