River Tours

Although the economic heart of Memphis has moved to the eastern suburbs, this is still a Mississippi River town; no visit to Memphis would be complete without spending a bit of time on Ole Man River. Memphis Riverboats, 45 S. Riverside Dr. (tel. 800/221-6197 or 901/527-5694) operates several paddle-wheelers, all of which leave from a dock on "the cobblestones" at the foot of Monroe Avenue in downtown Memphis. From March through November, there are 1 1/2-hour sightseeing cruises, and in the summer, there are sunset dinner cruises and party cruises. The barbecue-buffet dinner cruises include live music.

The 1 1/2-hour sightseeing cruise costs $18 for adults; $16 for seniors, military, and students; $10 for children 4 to 17 (free for children under 4). The evening dinner cruise costs $45 for adults, $43 for seniors and military, and $30 for children.