Hear the Rock ‘n’ Roll

There’s no mistaking the I.M. Pei-designed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the Lake Erie waterfront in Cleveland, Ohio. Inside the architectural wonder, tour six levels to see exhibits and artifacts of legends ranging from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses and Bruno Mars. Listen to Rock Hall experts talk about your favorite artists, hear tunes, watch films with rare footage and catch a concert. While you’re in this friendly city, visit a host of other museums, explore 18 city parks and stop into downtown bars to listen to live rock music.

More than 40 years after his death, the mystique of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, still lures people to his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee. Tour his mansion, which includes the famous Jungle Room, go inside his custom jet and see Presley’s 20 favorite vehicles, including that pink Cadillac. Learn about his childhood, his rise to stardom and the legacy he left behind at the on-site Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex. Relax in the 450-room Guest House at Graceland resort hotel, then head to rollicking Beale Street to take in the sights and sounds of Memphis.

Any visit to Austin, Texas – where legends like Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan got their start – should include the popular Sixth Street entertainment district. In this venue-packed nightlife hot spot, you can request a song at a dueling piano bar, listen to indie music and catch up-and-coming musicians every night of the week. When you’re ready to see more, sample international flavors at one of Austin’s famed food truck courts, take a dip in Barton Springs Pool or tour the Texas State Capitol.

Everything about the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington, fascinates both music and science fiction fans. Explore whimsical exhibits – perhaps about Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie or Nirvana – inside the Frank Gehry-designed building that is steps away from the Space Needle. Go inside the Guitar Gallery to learn about the instrument, test your skills in the Sound Lab, vote for your favorite tunes and watch music performances on a big screen. In this city, the birthplace of rock sub-genre grunge, find a host of venues to listen to talented musicians.

A bronze statue of Elvis Presley, with a guitar slung around his neck and arms outstretched, welcomes visitors to Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, where the King of Rock ’n’ Roll made his debut in 1954. Inside, sign up for a public or private tour and hear insider stories about the legends who have rocked the stage at 705 Elvis Presley Avenue. The 1920s Art Deco venue, designated a National Historic Landmark, is one of many cultural landmarks in this festive and fun town on the Red River in northwest Louisiana.

Since 2007, heavy rock and metal sounds have pulsed through Columbus, Ohio for one rowdy three-day weekend each May. The music festival previously known as Rock on the Range has morphed into the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival. Still held in MAPFRE Stadium, the event's core remains the same: Legendary rock headliners, such as Foo Fighters, System of a Down and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, share the bill with new bands and comedians. The new lineup also includes spoken word acts, live mural painting, screen printing and art installations. Before or after the festival, spend extra time in this state capital to visit lively galleries, restaurants and parks.

Tread the beautiful grounds where history was made in 1969 when 32 musical acts performed at the Woodstock Music Festival on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, in the Catskill Mountains. Tour the museum for an immersion into the peace movement of the 1960s and how the three-day festival, attended by more than 400,000 people, changed a generation. Today, see rock ’n’ roll greats, such as Roger Daltrey, Poison and Peter Frampton, and newly minted stars, too. Attend performances with 15,000 others at the Pavilion Stage amphitheater or inside the 440-seat Event Gallery. Find excellent bed and breakfast accommodations throughout the Catskill Mountains.

Rock ’n’ roll is the No. 1 priority at PJ’s Lager House in the historic Corktown district of Detroit, Michigan. After all, the venue’s motto is “Live Life Loud.” Most nights, you can hear both big names and talented newcomers at affordable prices. While you listen, fill up on pub food and quench your thirst with local and international beers. Enjoy your surroundings in the 1914 building that has operated as a beer garden since Prohibition ended in 1933. This is a fun intro into Detroit’s music scene that also boasts a reputation for hip hop, techno and Motown.