The Peabody: the most amazing hotel in Memphis, TN

I hear it already. Some of you are really wondering how amazing a hotel can be. After all, it’s in Memphis, TN, a location that isn’t really known for it’s theming. But guys, The Peabody hotel is a toddler’s paradise. Keep reading and you’ll agree, The Peabody is the most amazing hotel in Memphis, TN.

What makes The Peabody so amazing

First, the building is beautiful! If you’ve ever walked into a place and couldn’t stop staring at all the details, then you know exactly what I mean. The carved wooden details of the ceiling lead down to the focal point of the bottom floor: a large marble fountain filled with the cutest ducks you’ve ever seen. These ducks are the real draw of the hotel, and people come from hundreds of miles just to see them.

a Little Peabody duck history

In the 1930s the General Manager of The Peabody, Frank Shutt, and one of his friends, Chip Barwick, returned to the hotel from a hunting trip. Legend says they were pretty drunk and decided to put their live decoy ducks (which were legal at the time) in the fountain. And everybody adored them! The ducks just swam around in the fountain until Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help train the ducks in 1940. This started the Peabody Duck March that draws so much attention today. Mr. Pembroke founded the position of Peabody Duckmaster, serving for 50 years.

I was able to speak with Kenon Walker, the current Peabody Duckmaster during our visit. He was very friendly and eagerly discussed his job, giving us some cool facts about the ducks. (He also gave Poppy a really fancy sticker with a mallard on it, which she proudly wore.) Mr. Walker has been Duckmaster for several years, having trained more ducks than I can count. Each group of ducks stays in the hotel for three months, and is then released on a local farm. And when he gets a new group of ducks, he marches them straight out on the red carpet at their designated time, without any training. He says it’s easier to do if the red carpet is lined with onlookers, otherwise he may have to chase a duck or two.

The Peabody Duck March

The Peabody Duck March occurs twice a day. The first one occurs at 11:00 am, when the ducks are marched down from their Royal Duck Palace on the roof, down the elevator, across the red carpet, and into the fountain. The second march occurs at 5:00pm, when they are brought back up to their palace for the night. We’ve never seen their entrance to the fountain, but I imagine it was just as cool as their exit for the day. When they exit, the Duckmaster brings out a set of stairs and a rolled up red carpet. He then puts the stairs next to the fountain and rolls out the carpet just a little bit. The Duckmaster then goes through a speech about the ducks, The Peabody, and introduces the Honorary Duckmaster. (Honorary Duckmaster is a package you can purchase for your kiddos where they get to help march the ducks and get some cool swag. To find out what that entails, click here.) The Duckmaster had previously selected a few kiddos to help roll out the carpet for the ducks. The ducks are then marched down the red carpet, pausing to pose for pictures, and into the duck elevator.

FAQs

When can I see The Peabody Ducks?

You can see them from 11:00am-5:00pm daily in the fountain. After 5:00pm you can see them in their Duck Palace on the roof (pending no special event is taking place).

If I want to see the Duck March, when should I arrive?

All of the research we did suggested that we get there at least 30 minutes in advance. For the first time going, I’m glad we did. The next time we go, we’ll go a bit closer to marching time. Going early allowed us to see the ducks in the fountain, which excited Poppy beyond belief. She kept walking around the fountain, pointing at the ducks, and squealing in delight. I can’t even tell you how happy it made her. We also got a chance to talk to the Peabody Duckmaster and have him answer some questions. (This is when we found out that we could actually visit the roof after the March!)

Where’s the best place to view the Duck March?

Hands down, the best viewing location is sitting beside the red carpet! Most of the kiddos were sitting on either side of the red carpet. Their parents were standing behind the velvet rope. However, for littles, one parent is allowed to sit with them next to the red carpet. I sat there with Poppy in my lap. (Turns out this was the best idea as she tried her best to crawl into the middle of the duck action.) If there are any other adults in your party, they will need to stand behind the velvet rope.

How can I have my kiddo be a part of the action?

As previously mentioned, the Honorary Duckmaster is a package that you must purchase at least three days prior to your visit. If you want a free option, I suggest getting there early and speaking to the Duckmaster. He randomly selected four kiddos, just prior to the Duck March, to help unroll the red carpet.

I’ve stayed for the Duck March, now what?

You take the elevator to the roof, of course! While no one is allowed to ride in the elevator with the ducks, you can go up to the roof to visit them right after they march out for the evening. You’ll get to see their $200,000 marble Royal Duck Palace, complete with a miniature Peabody hotel replica. And the rooftop views are to-die-for!

The next time you’re looking for a unique experience, head to The Peabody: the most amazing hotel in Memphis, TN!

Want to know about another of our favorite destinations? This post is about our trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden!

Have you ever been to The Peabody? Let us know your thoughts!