A popular gathering spot is the picnic area down the left-field line.

Secondly, despite the large footprint of the ballpark, the spaces are divided up in such a way that the size of the stadium doesn't become overwhelming. A grassy berm in left field and picnic areas down both the left- and right-field lines give you a chance to view the game from a slightly different perspective, as do three balconies. Even the back rows of the main grandstand aren't far away from the playing field.

The nonprofit that owns the Redbirds is also planning a new museum, The National Pastime: A Celebration of Baseball in American, that will focus on baseball and American life. The official museum of minor-league baseball, the museum will feature a player database featuring the career records of an estimated 250,000 individuals from the major leagues, minor leagues, Negro leagues and women's professional league; interactive displays linked to the information housed within the player database; and numerous other interactive exhibits, featuring video and multimedia elements.

Another popular gathering spot is the picnic area down the right-field line.

I spent a good chunk of the game wandering through the stands and seeing the view from the various parts of the ballpark. Though there was a crowd of 9,000 at the ballpark, it didn't seem crowded (except for before the game; we arrived early and were waiting outside the gates with many other folks). Since there are so many things to do at the park, a good share of the crowd is usually heading off to do something or another during the course of the game. If I'm a player, I'm not sure I like this -- the stands are full only at the start of the game -- but as a fan with children, I know these distractions can ultimately stretch out a kid's attention span to the full nine innings and beyond, and for that I am thankful.

Still, there are some things that can be done to improve AutoZone Park. If anything, the park tends to veer toward the generic: while the location is distinctly urban and the Peabody Hotel makes a nice backdrop, it really could be situated in the downtown of any larger American city. During my visit, there was no live music at the park (although Redbirds officials did confirm that there's live music at the ballpark on the weekend): in a town where there's such a rich musical heritage, there's no reason to have some sort of live music at the ballpark every night of the week. (Though the Redbirds do feature that most Southern of institutions: a cheerleading squad.) And in a city where BBQ rules, there's no pit at the ballpark. Sure, they bring in pulled pork shoulder from Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous (which will be covered in the next section), but that's not the same as having a real pit on the premises.

Is this the best ballpark in Triple-A? One of them, anyway. Isotopes Park, the home of the Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) certainly gives AutoZone Park a run for its money, but in a total different way: AutoZone Park is very much about the urban experience, while Isotopes Park is framed by the mountains and has the feel of a rural setting. And I've not seen Raley Field, the home of the Sacramento River Cats (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), which is often spoken of as being at the same level as AutoZone Park. Let's just say I'd hate to choose between the two and leave it at that: AutoZone Park is definitely worth a visit to anyone who cares about minor-league ballparks.

More photos of AutoZone Park ----->

Redbirds officials won't like me saying this, but in a town full of great BBQ joints, don't spend your time filling up at the park.

Now, having said that, AutoZone Park does offer some of the best concessions I've run across in the minors, so feel free to nibble and nosh. Start with the BBQ nachos ($7), combining nacho chips with pulled pork shoulder from Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous; if nachos don't do it for you, order a BBQ sandwich instead. The Delta Dog -- which is basically a corn dog -- passed my wife's corn-dog test: she is a aficionado who swears to the superiority of corn dogs over Pronto Pups. A fried chicken basket is $5.50, while an oyster or shrimp Po boy will cost you $8.50.

Otherwise, the standard ballpark offerings can be found at AutoZone Park: hot dogs, pizza, sausage, brats, soft-serve ice cream, etc. On tap is nothing special: Miller Lite, Icehouse, Killian's Red, Coors, Michelob Gold, Fosters, Sam Adams and Heineken ($5.50 for a small, $7 for a large).

There are several hotels within two blocks of AutoZone Park. The most notable is the Peabody Memphis Hotel (149 Union Av.), kitty-corner from the stadium's main entrance. The Peabody Memphis dates back to 1869 and was immediately lauded as one of the most luxurious hotels in the South. It's in the midst of a multimillion renovation designed to bring it back to its former glory. Even if you're not staying at the Peabody, drop by the hotel anyway: its Italianate Renaissance Revival lobby is still a sight to be seen, and if you time it right you can see the five famous Peabody Ducks entering (11 a.m.) or leaving (5 p.m.) the lobby's ornate fountain via a red carpet.

Across the street from both the ballpark and the Peabody is the Radisson Hotel Memphis (185 Union Av.), while the Hampton Inn Suites Memphis (175 Peabody Place) is located in Peabody Place, the shopping mall/entertainment center adjacent to the Peabody.

Other hotels within a mile of AutoZone Park include the Comfort Inn Downtown (100 N. Front St.), the Madison (79 Madison Av.), the Wyndham Garden Hotel (300 N. 2nd St.), the Holiday Inn Select (160 Union Av.), the Best Western Benchmark (164 Union Av.), the Howard Johnson Memphis (22 N 3rd St.), the Sleep Inn (40 N. Front St.), the Springhill Suites (21 N. Main St.) and the Marriott Memphis (250 N. Main St.).

The Boardwalk at AutoZone Park features several games designed for kids of all ages, including a batting cage and a pitching game.

If you bring your kids to the ballpark, you'll want to get there early so they can enjoy all the offerings from the Redbirds.

The plaza at the main entrance of the ballpark features several statues of ballplayers, and the younger kids seem to love running around them and playing with other kids in the vicinity. For slightly older kids there is the Boardwalk, where there are several baseball-related games, including the Knuckleball Knockdown, a batting cage, a speed gun for pitchers, and a few non-baseball-related games, including a basketball shootaround and a watergun race. More adventurous kids can scale the heights of the 24-foot climbing wall, while the younger kids can enjoy the only ride at the park, the Rockey Hopper.

If this isn't enough, you can turn your kids loose at the P.D. Parrot Playhouse Perch, located in the left-field grassy seating area. The Perch features observation towers, a miniature baseball diamond, slides and dugout seating.

And, of course, you can always take your kid for a walk during the game, thanks to the concourse that rings the stadium.

The Redbirds front office says that there's 20,000 parking spots within easy walking distance of AutoZone Park. By and large, this parking is fairly cheap -- you shouldn't pay more than $6 to park at a Redbirds game. There are three parking garages that are part of Peabody Place; between them they hold over 2,200 cars. There are also two parking garages at the Peabody Hotel, the Toyota Center, and the Radisson Hotel. For a full list and maps, check out the Memphis Center City Commission Web site.

If you don't seek out some BBQ in Memphis, you're a fool. If there's one thing Memphis is known for, it's Memphis-style pork BBQ. You can't throw a dead pig anywhere in Memphis without hitting some sort of rib joint.

BBQ in Memphis comes in three forms, and each has its own set of advocates. There are wet ribs, where BBQ sauce is basted on the ribs before and after they are cooked and smoked. There are dry-rub ribs, where a spicy rub is applied to the ribs before they're smoked. And then there are Memphis-style sandwiches, where pulled or chopped pork shoulders are topped with a sweet coleslaw.  As a casual tourist, you won't need to come down on any side -- all three forms are great.

One of the most renowned rib joints in Memphis is Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous Room (52 South Second St. [the General Washburn Alley]; 901/523-2746), located a half-block away from AutoZone Park down a narrow alley next to a parking ramp. The Rendezvous was started by Greek immigrant Charlie Vergos in 1948 and is still run by his kids. The Rendezvous is fairly unique in Memphis in that the ribs are grilled over charcoal, not smoked, and only when they're fully cooked is the rub applied. Don't bother asking for any BBQ sauce, either -- they don't serve it.

Then there are Corky's (5259 Poplar Av.; 901/685-9744), Neely's (670 Jefferson Av.; 901/521-9798; 5700 Mt. Moriah Road Ext.; 901/795-4177) and Interstate Bar-B-Que Restaurant (2265 S. Third St.; 901/775-2304), usually mentioned as the leading BBQ joints in the city. If you're leaving Memphis and not yet had your fill of BBQ, Corky's and the Interstate have branches at the Memphis airport. With airlines scaling back on in-flight meals, you can bet the smell of BBQ will fill your outbound flight.

Insiders who love pork sandwiches will point you toward the Big S Grill (1179 Dunnavant; 901/775-9127) and Payne's (1762 Lamar Av.; 901/272-1523). The Big "S" features pork shoulders smoked in an oil drum, with the sandwich a mix of pink meat and the charred exterior, topped with a dollop of coleslaw. It's located in Soulsville USA, where a number of soul and rock legends have lived and recorded -- Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Booker T. & the MGs, Sam & Dave, Al Green, the Staple Singers, and the late, great Johnny Ace. Soulsville USA was also the home of Stax Records and Hi Records, two labels are define American soul music. At Payne's, your sandwich is made fresh, cut directly from a pork shoulder taken directly from the smoker.

If pork isn't your thing, try the smoked Cornish game hens at the downtown Cozy Corner (745 N. Parkway; 901-527-9158) or the bar-b-que spaghetti at the Interstate.

My personal favorite, though, is the Germantown Commissary (2290 S. Germantown Rd.; 901/754-5540). It's out of the way -- Germantown is east of Memphis -- and while Germantown is now a swank suburb of Memphis, the Commissary has not been updated for many, many years. It's a small place that looks like an old country store, but the place rocks: even on a Monday night there was a line out the door waiting to order takeout. The pulled-pork sandwich is to die for (it's served with beans, slaw, and a deviled egg), while the smoked ribs are great as well.

For a full listing of Memphis BBQ joints, check out this listing.

Speaking of Stax Records and Hi Records: Memphis is the home of American soul music and a center for both rock music and the blues. Sun Records, the germinal record label that gave the world Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Conway Twitty and Jerry Lee Lewis. The original Sun Studio is not far away from the ballpark (it's at 706 Union Av.; 901/521-0664), and tours run every half hour.

But the major musical tour in Memphis is Graceland (3734 Elvis Presley Blvd.; 901/332-3322, 800/238-2000) Elvis Presley's Memphis home and burial ground. Tours run daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for most of the year. At Graceland you can see the King's living room, music room, his parents' bedroom, the dining room, kitchen, TV room, pool room, and “jungle” den in the main house, and, behind the house, Elvis’s racquetball building and his original business office. You'll also see the trophy building, which contains Elvis's collection of gold records and awards, career mementos, stage costumes, jewelry, photographs, and more. If you don't want to spring for a tour (it's fairly spendy at $16.25), call and see when the Meditation Garden is open for free (usually mornings); the garden contains the grave sites of Elvis and his parents.

For live music -- both literally and figuratively -- there's Beale Street, located near the ballpark in downtown Memphis. Beale Street has been somewhat gentrified over the years (anyplace with a Hard Rock Cafe is gentrified by definition), so put some care into where you listen to music.  B.B. King’s, Rum Boogie, Blues City Cafe, and New Daisy all have reputations for presenting the authentic blues, but perhaps the most authentic venue is the Center for Southern Folklore, where groups like the Daddy Mack Blues Band keep the blues alive.