William Faulkner wrote that the delta begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel. Be sure to visit and see the “March of the Ducks” Don’t know the times.

1. Stax Museum/Soulsville USA: Graceland and Sun Studios get all the hype, but if you want to see where Otis Redding came in off the streets and laid down “These Arms of Mine” and the Peacock blue El Dorado with gold trim that Isaac Hayes purchased with the proceeds from “Shaft,” this is your place. Every studio is perfectly preserved and there is some really cool arcana here for anyone who’s into Southern soul music. Plus, the Four Way Restaurant on Mississippi Blvd (two blocks north of the Stax Museum) serves some of the city’s most exceptional soul food. Not to be missed. I’ll extend the caveat that Soulsville is South Memphis and thus pretty rough around the edges, but you should be fine during the day.

2. Central Barbecue: Again, Rendezvous and Interstate Barbecue get all of the out of town hype (and deservedly so), but people in Memphis who know barbecue swear by Central Barbecue. I’d put Cozy Corner in this bracket as well. That said, the experience of eating at the RendezVous downtown is so distinctive that, if you haven’t been there, then it probably is a command performance for you.

3. Al Green’s Full Gospel Tabernacle Church, 787 Hale Road: This is where the original lover-man preaches and it is quite a Sunday experience. Even if you’re not a church-going type, you’re basically getting a free Al Green show. I think services start around 11 and run practically indefinitely. My advice is that it’s alright to come late, but don’t you dare leave early, because he’ll call your heathen ass out in front of everyone. Still, it’s an awesome experience and he has a cracking soul/gospel band and choir backing him up.

4. Cielo. Great restaurant inside a two-story Victorian mansion near downtown. Very cool place to take the wife.

5. Cooper-Young/Midtown. I used to live in this neighborhood and, frankly, I never understood why anyone lives east of there. Lot of cool restaurants, old homes, funky shops, bars, etc.

6. The Riverwalk. You can pretty much walk for miles up and down alongside the deep muddy and get fantastic views of Memphis’ distinctive skyline.

7. The Peabody Lobby. Best place in town for a cocktail. I think the ducks march around 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., but you should look that up.

Things to skip: Beale Street and Peabody Place. The FedEx Forum is right behind Beale Street and, if this were basketball season, you’d be well advised to check it out. But, as it is, this area is just about booming low-riders and volatile local teenagers getting rowdy with tourists. Nothing you want any part of.

Tunica is close – one of the 3 Mississippi areas with casinos. Go play cards with people who have less teeth than you — but about the same amount of facial hair.