Dog walking in Memphis, anyone?!
The pups and I spent Christmas in the largest city on the Mississippi river this year – Memphis, TN.
Whenever I think of Memphis, I immediately think of Marc Cohn’s song Walking in Memphis, and that is exactly what we did in the afternoon on Christmas Day.
I mean, it was 70 degrees outside (that’s a little over 20 C), so the perfect opportunity to put on our walking shoes and burn off some of those holiday calories with the pups!
Dog Walking In Memphis: Exploring The Mississippi Riverwalk
Free Parking At Tom Lee Park
Tom Lee Park is one of the many beautiful parks along the 5 mile Memphis Riverfront.
It’s located right along Riverside Drive at the foot of famous Beale Street.
I learned that it’s named after African-American riverworker Tom Lee who saved 32 passengers of the sinking steamboat M.E. Norman in 1925.
There wasn’t a specific address to take us there from the Memphis suburbs, so we went with 251 Riverside Drive, Memphis, TN, 38103, which was close enough.
Once you get to Riverside Drive, parking is fairly self-explanatory and impossible to miss.
There’s a huge designated parking area where parking is free.
And that’s exactly where we parked to explore the 1 mile walking trail along the Mississippi river.
Panoramic Views Of The Mississippi
While Christmas Day was a little cloudy and on the windy side, we were still able to enjoy the panoramic views of the Mississippi and Arkansas on the opposite side of the river, as well as of the Memphis skyline.
I can only imagine what it’d look like on a spring day featuring lush greenery and a blue sky, although I have to say that the cloud formations were intriguing, too!
Dog Walking in Memphis At RiverFIT
While we walked along the path, we discovered the Riverfront Fitness Trail aka RiverFit.
It’s sponsored by the Memphis Grizzlies (Basketball) and consists of several fitness & exercise stations.
We came across one of the two Beach volleyball courts, the soccer field, and two exercise stations while exploring Tom Lee Park along the Mississippi.
Since stair climbing is a high calorie burning exercise, the Grizz Steps are a great stair climbing workout for all species involved, ha!
Feeling Safe With Blue Crush Sky Cop
I noticed several Blue Crush SkyCop systems along the Riverwalk. I actually wasn’t sure what they were right away until I took a closer look and zoomed in on one.
Turns out CRUSH stands for Crime Reduction Using Statistical History partnership with the Memphis Police Department.
It’s essentially video surveillance of the Riverwalk using state-of-the-art electronic surveillance equipment.
I love this proactive approach of the Memphis Police because it instantly made me feel safe.
Dog Walking in Memphis: Exploring The Mississippi Riverwalk – Bottom Line
I highly recommend exploring the Mississippi Riverwalk with your pups if you ever get a chance to do so!
Our walk along the Memphis Riverfront was a fun experience with great views of the river and the city.
We burned a good amount of calories in the 90 minutes we spent exploring Tom Lee Park and were rewarded with the view of the pretty houses once we climbed up the Grizz stairs.
Parking was free which was a bonus!
Have you walked your dog in Memphis? As always, we’d love to hear from you in our comment section!
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- Winter Getaway to Hilton Head Island’s Dog-Friendly Red Roof Inn
- Our First Experience at Pet Friendly La Quinta Inns & Suites
- Croatia With Dogs: Our Summer Road Trip with Wally
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