The Original American Idol

On Holiday
Across the street from the main house sits a strip-mall-style complex that holds Presley's cars and airplanes. Visitors wander around the shops and museums to the tunes of a Graceland-based Sirius radio station, an all-Elvis channel that could play for eight days straight without ever repeating the exact same track.

Mansion on the Hill
At over 17,000 square feet, Graceland is hardly huge by modern standards, but in 1957 — and to a boy from small-town Mississippi — it was a dream come true. Before Elvis Week (an annual celebration held each August), some 100 fans per day camp out on the sidewalk, waiting to enter the home of the King.

Monkey Shines
Presley (or his decorator) had a serious thing for monkeys the simian creatures fill the Jungle Room, and a two-foot ceramic guy sits on the mirrored coffee table in the TV Room, where, he can spend eternity watching three of Graceland's many televisions. (There are 14 in all, not counting the one Elvis shot.)

The Living Room
Located just inside the front door, its white plush carpeting, peacock stained glass, and assorted retro knickknacks are perfect indicators of the architectural excess to come. When the Idols visited Graceland, they used the grand piano in the rear to rehearse their songs with music exec Tommy Mottola.

The Legacy
The halls of Graceland can make even casual Elvis fans get a little emotional: Filled with keepsakes and family photos (like that of his parents), they remain a perfectly preserved testament to what he left behind. The devoted continue to send close to 1,500 memorial bouquets to the home every year.

Airbrushed Memories
The age-old battle continues: Skinny Elvis or Fat Elvis? (Frankly, the folks at Graceland would prefer it if you replaced the word ''Fat'' with '''70s.'' '''70s Elvis'' sounds nicer.) Either way, it's hard to imagine any of today's pop stars selling gold-framed guitar-shaped cameos 30 years after their death.

Lunch Me Tender?
The on-site Rockabilly's Diner offers the King's favorite food — fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches — and sells 350,000 of the sticky snacks a year. In an ideal world, one would not accompany this with the chili-cheese fries that are also available...but it's nice to know the option is there.

The Souvenirs
On and off the Graceland property, Memphis is home to a staggering amount of Elvis merchandise, from postcards and T-shirts to expensive jewelry and limited-edition musical instruments replicating those of the King. Even the airport houses a comprehensive selection...just to be sure you've got no regrets.