Memphis is no Caribbean cruise port, so use your imagination
By Tom Adkinson
June 4, 2021

(Editor’s note: This is one in a series of travel stories spotlighting destinations and activities to consider in a time of coronavirus and to inspire safe outings elsewhere.)

Memphis cruise. Image by Tom Adkinson

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – Travel is opening up, but it still will be awhile before large numbers of people are sunbathing on Caribbean cruise ships and strolling on Caribbean beaches. However, Memphis, a decidedly non-Caribbean destination, does have some slightly comparable activities at its 4,500-acre Shelby Farms Park – if you have a good imagination.

Memphis family stroll. Image by Tom Adkinson

Instead of boarding a cruise ship with thousands of other travelers, you can have a more intimate excursion on a paddleboat and even add to the festive atmosphere with a multi-colored umbrella if you choose. A modest substitute for a walk along a beach is a family stroll beside Hyde Lake, which you can enhance with a meal or a beverage at Coastal Fish Company, a popular Memphis restaurant inside the park that offers multiple ocean fish selections so you can have some sense of the sea.

Shelby Farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in America and is five times larger than the admittedly more famous Central Park in New York City. You can visit sunrise to sunset every day of the year. No passport required.