Also new or soon to be new is the baseball stadium that s under construction for Memphis minor-league team, the Redbirds, and a renovation of Central Station , which serves as the Amtrak station and is also a stop on the Main Street Trolley line. Aside from being a gracious old hotel that s a favorite with many Memphis visitors, it s the home of the famous Peabody Ducks . They march in formation and they live in their own rooftop penthouse . Every morning at 11 am, the ducks descend in an elevator with their trainer and, to the tune of the King Cotton March, parade down a red carpet to the fountain in the middle of the lobby. At 5 pm, the ritual is repeated as they go back to their room.
Large crowds turn out for the spectacle, especially on the weekend.
If nothing else, it s a good excuse to have a drink in the lavish lobby of the hotel, a large, ornate space ringed by a second-floor balcony. Today, Beale Street is a lively entertainment district that draws locals as well as visitors . Today, the beat goes on, even if the atmosphere is quite a bit more touristy than in the street s golden age. We also recommend B. B. King s Blues Club , though there s a cover charge in effect day and night. B. B. rarely plays his own club, but one of the most popular acts on the street, Ruby Wilson, makes her Memphis home there.