Whitehaven - Memphis, TN Area Guide

Whitehaven takes its name from Colonel Francis White, an early settler and property owner who was influential in getting a rail line through the area in the mid-19th century, connecting the cotton farms in the Mississippi Delta to the Memphis markets. Most development in the neighborhood took place in the 20th century and it became a residential suburb that was annexed by Memphis in 1970.

Visit local museums such as the W. C. Handy Blues Museum and Performing Arts Center and Elvis Presley Enterprises, as well as the world-famous Graceland museum and Heartbreak Hotel, where the king of rock and roll once lived. Watch out for Elvis Week each August and the Cooper-Young Festival, selling local arts and crafts.

Head to Elvis Presley Boulevard, running from north to south through the neighborhood, to find the majority of dining and entertainment options with a strong focus on barbecue, Southern-style comfort food, and a running theme of Elvis Presley decor.

Famed for its food but equally for its pink decor and homage to Elvis, Marlowe's Ribs and Restaurant serves Memphis-style barbecue and provides free rides to the premises via its pink limousine. Start your meal with a sausage and cheese plate or a Memphis flat-bread pizza smothered with basil barbecue sauce. Next, order a BBQ combination plate featuring pulled pork, smoked chicken, beef brisket, and pork ribs. Try spaghetti Memphis-style, with a barbecue sauce and pork covering fresh noodles, or stick with the basics by choosing a baked potato, bite-sized shrimp, or a half rack of ribs.

Try Pollard's BBQ, a popular restaurant that was once a mobile catering business before it moved into its premises in a prime location thanks to the demand from regular customers. Locals recommend the half-chicken plate or rib-tip plate, served with sides such as baked beans, fried pickles, and onion rings. Finish your meal with the Elvis, a peanut butter and banana sandwich on French toast with caramel drizzle.

Satisfy your appetite on the famous Monster Burger at Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken, which packs four 1/2-pound beef patties, four slices of cheese, pickles, onions, and tomatoes into a bun. As a chicken joint, this restaurant attracts locals for its fried chicken recipe, serving up buffalo wings, jumbo tenders, or home-style deep-fried chicken with sides including fries, coleslaw, onion rings, and fried okra.

Order a Hunka Hunka Burnin' Burger at the Rock N Roll Cafe, conveniently located on Elvis Presley Boulevard. During Elvis Week, you can also catch an Elvis tribute show while enjoying your meal. Dance the night away at Classic Hitz or Classic Soulz, or spend the evening at Graceland enjoying a dinner and the Jungle Room Lounge.

Well-serviced by the Memphis public transportation system, the neighborhood of Whitehaven enjoys plenty of bus stops along most major thoroughfares, traveling along the Whitehaven 46 route from downtown Memphis to the south of the neighborhood. The 42 Crosstown and 20 Airways Transit Center routes also pass through the area.

Expect to find minimal infrastructure for bicycles, although the flat terrain makes cycling a reasonable way of getting about. Pedestrians also enjoy easy and relatively safe routes, although the 18-square-mile area and spread-out nature of the neighborhood make walking more feasible in the commercial districts than farther out in Whitehaven.

Most locals rely on personal automobiles to get about, enjoying limited on-street parking and parking lots dedicated to the customers of local businesses, and finding easy access to major roadways on Elvis Presley Boulevard through the center of the neighborhood, as well as Interstate 55 to the east and Route 61 to the west. Uber operates in the area, while several taxi and car services can be called to arrange a booking.

Find several parks and green spaces within the community of Whitehaven. Visit Dalstrom Park for 75 acres of greenery with two large playgrounds, seven pavilions, two picnic areas, and a 1.5-mile walking trail for exercise enthusiasts. Gardenview Park includes a playground ball field, while Whitehaven Park caters to families and sports fans alike with a 0.5-mile fitness trail, an indoor basketball court, a playground, a football field, the Roarke Tennis Center with a total of 12 courts, and the Whitehaven Community Center for regular events.

Slightly cheaper than the rest of Memphis when it comes to living expenses, Whitehaven also enjoys a cost-of-living rating almost 20 percent below the national average. The median rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment in Whitehaven is about $650, also on the lower end of the scale when it comes to Memphis neighborhoods. Combine this with Whitehaven's proximity to the center of Memphis and a travel cost to get there of just a few dollars, and this neighborhood's attractiveness seems clear. Expect to pay just over $8 for a glass of beer at a local bar or pub, while gas prices provide another check in the positive column at over eight percent lower than the national average.

Most neighborhood shopping opportunities exist at the Southland Mall, which includes Sears alongside 60 other stores, but more shopping awaits on or around Elvis Presley Boulevard. Visit Boulevard Souvenirs for Elvis Presley memorabilia and early Memphis rock-n-roll collectibles, or treat yourself to new cosmetics and a massage at Heather Boutique and Spa.

For embroidery supplies, try Name Game, and for plus-size clothing, visit Curvee Chic Boutique. Go north to find Royal Furniture selling bedroom sets, accent tables, and home office supplies, or go west in search of the couture hats and bejeweled fashions at Scruples.

The many neighborhood grocery options include large chain markets, such as ALDI, Walmart, and Kroger, as well as smaller local convenience stores, such as Snappy Sacker. The South Memphis Farmers Market in Southside sells fresh seasonal produce from local farms and vendors.