T.O Fuller State Park has 1138 acres and is located within the southern limits of the city of Memphis in Tennessee.
The campground has 45 campsites that are RV accessible. Some sites can accommodate up to 85 ft. of RV space. Tent campers are also welcome.
Site Review at T.O Fuller:
We had site #29 when we stayed at T.O Fuller State Park. It is a pull-thru site that is 100 ft long. It easily accommodated our motorhome, tow dolly, and detached car.
The only thing about this site is the atypical placement of the picnic table and the fire ring. Normally when you pull in the picnic table is on the same side as your door. In this case, it is not. If this is something that you would find inconvenient; there are several sites with the regular setup.
Each site (except the primitive tent sites) has an electric and water hook-up. There is a centrally located dump station near the entrance to the campground area.
The comfort station has showers, flush toilets and laundry facilities.
The sites are fairly open so you don’t have much in the way of visual privacy but they are reasonably spaced apart. The campsite pad is paved and only minor levelling may be required.
We visited in May on the Canadian long weekend (which is the weekend before the US Memorial Day weekend) I didn’t see much in the way of campground staff but the campground host was extremely helpful and friendly. He was located on site #1.
If you want a campfire and require wood, ask the campground host and he will sell you a bag of Bio-Blocks.
These are 100% all-natural kiln-dried hardwood sawdust blocks. A 12-block bag costs $6 USD. It actually burned really well.
Activities:
Swimming:
T.O Fuller State Park has a nicely maintained recreation area. There is a large Olympic-sized pool complete with a bathhouse.
- Lifeguards are on duty during swimming hours
- Open Memorial Day weekend until Labour Day weekend.
- The pool is CLOSED Mondays and Tuesdays except during holiday weeks.
- There is a fee for use which I was told was $5USD a day per person. Camping guests pay half price.
- The recreation area is not located too far from the campground area but you would have to drive to it.
- Parking is available.
Hiking:
The park has over 8 miles of natural hiking trails ranging from moderate to rugged.
Biking:
Biking is permitted on the roads. There are no accommodations specifically geared to biking.
Visitor Centre:
There is a small Visitor Centre with really nothing more than a few pamphlets about some activities in the surrounding area and an information desk. The centre is open Monday to Friday 8-4:30.
Nearby Attractions:
We chose to camp at T.O Fuller State Park and use it as a “lodging only” type of park primarily to enjoy the Memphis attractions.
Downtown Memphis:
To drive to downtown Memphis takes about 15 minutes. It is approximately 10 miles away. There are lots of things to do and see in Memphis, your trip is obviously geared to your interests, so all I can do is highlight some of the things we did.
- We checked out the Peabody Hotel
- Saw the Mississippi River
- Strolled down Beale Street.
- Enjoyed a beverage at Silky O’Sullivans with their drinking goats.
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- Had a look around the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid. For $10USD per person, you can take an elevator to the top and look out over Memphis from the observation deck.
Graceland:
It is the second most-visited house in the United States (the first being the White House). I found the cost to be quite expensive actually, but I guess the cost is what it is and you are either going to pay it or not. Arguably, It is a rock and roll landmark and a piece of iconic Americana. It certainly wasn’t the main reason for our trip, but I’m glad I saw it. The minimum charge for just the tour through the house itself is about $49.95 USD.
If you want to see the cars,
you will probably opt to pay $79.75USD per person. Check out graceland.com for all ticket price options.
Graceland RV Park
I checked out Graceland RV Park when I visited Graceland. I had considered camping here when I was doing research for this trip. The campground is located directly beside the parking lot for Graceland and I liked the idea of just being able to walk across the lot and not having the hassle of driving or parking.
The sites are parking lot style, and though they do have full hookups, there is nothing in the way of privacy or space between sites. Campfires are not allowed.
The cost per night is around $45USD.
Graceland RV Park advertises that they have a shuttle to take you to downtown Memphis. The cost is $5 per person each way. I can not comment on the reliability or the frequency of the shuttles.
I have seen worse campgrounds for sure, I think I just expected more from a campground affiliated with Graceland. There is no view, no theme, and no “Elvis” atmosphere. All that separates the campground from the parking lot is a chainlink fence.
So yes convenient to Graceland, but if you were to stay somewhere else and bring your vehicle there is lots of parking so it’s not saving you any hassle, even if you did bring big equipment or buses.
The National Civil Rights Museum
I wanted to see the National Civil Rights Museum more than I wanted to see Graceland. The museum is located in the Lorraine Motel, the site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
While the museum features Dr. King, it also chronicles key episodes of the American Civil Rights Movement and examines current global and civil rights issues.
Admission is $16 USD per person. The museum is closed EVERY Tuesday. The hours are 9-6 all other days.
I found the museum to be a powerful place and definitely worth visiting. We had allotted half a day to visit and I could have easily spent more time there. If in Memphis again I would re-visit, there is a lot of information and I know I missed much due to time constraints.
The Crystal Shrine Grotto
I had heard about the Crystal Shrine Grotto prior to visiting Memphis and when we found ourselves in the vicinity we stopped in to check it out.
It sits in the middle of Memphis’ Memorial Park Cemetery. The Crystal Shrine Grotto is a man-made cave. Mexican folk artist Dionicio Rodriquez designed and created the cave over the course of ten years, beginning in 1937. Within the grotto are ten scenes depicting the life of Jesus Christ.
Rodríguez had been tasked with beautifying the cemetery grounds. He dug a cave almost 60 feet into a hill on the grounds and decorated the interior with faux crags made of cement and quartz crystals.
To complete the experience, haunting harp music is also piped in. Surrounding the cave is the grotto area which features a pool of water as well as gnarled concrete trees that visitors can walk through.
Admission is free and you are welcome to check it out and render your own opinion. Not sure I would go out of my way to see it but it was interesting for a short stop.
Things to Know:
- I had read reviews regarding the area around the park (that it was sketchy and poor and the houses all had bars on their windows) and thus expressed concerns about the potential safety of the camping guests??? The only reason I address this is that I had read quite a few reviews actually with this concern. I can tell you that at no point during our 4-day stay did I feel even remotely uneasy. The campground area is well within the park and though there are no controlled gates or fences, any safety concerns seem completely unwarranted to me. And btw Elvis’s house has bars on the windows too.
- There is no camp store.
- Ice is available from a machine like you would find in hotels. It is located in the laundry room.
- There is an Interpretive Centre located in the recreation area. I think it used to be a golf course but now is used to host nature programs. At 2 pm Wednesday through Sunday tours are offered that include a program on the history of T.O Fuller State Park, a bird program and a walking tour of the wildlife enhancement area. Cost is $4 for adults and $2 for children and seniors.
- The Chucalissa Archaeological site.
was discovered when workers were excavating to construct a swimming pool back in 1940. They unearthed evidence of a prehistoric village. It has been restored and the site and the museum is operated by the University of Memphis. Admission is free for campers and your tickets can be obtained at the visitor centre.
- Leashed pets are permitted.
IMO:
T.O Fuller State Park was the best RV camping option for our visit to Memphis. It is conveniently located with most Memphis attractions being less than 10 miles away.
The park was quiet with spacious sites. The nightly fee of $25 which include electric and water was reasonable. I would definitely recommend T.O Fuller State Park as an RV Place to Go when visiting the Memphis area.
