*Thank you to Big Cypress Lodge for hosting us! All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
It has been a full year since we have been on a trip! That is not normal for my family. After we visited San Antonio in June last year, I was halfway through my pregnancy and not doing very well. I had SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction). I was in a lot of pain, so we thought it would be best not to travel the rest of my pregnancy. Our son was born on December 19th and then this thing called Covid-19 brought everything to a halt.
It has not been easy for our family staying at home. We have usually already traveled to a few places at this point in the year. Our daughter loves traveling, too. She went on her first trip when she was three months old and had been to four different states by the time she was two. Thankfully, we were finally able to get out of the house (and Arkansas) this weekend!
The Memphis Pyramid
Thursday morning, we packed up and headed out to Memphis, TN. I have always loved the history and soul of Memphis. Even if you have never been to Memphis, you have probably heard of the famous Memphis Pyramid. Originally, the pyramid was supposed to be one of three pyramids that would sit along the banks of the Mississippi River as a nod to the Pyramids of Giza in Memphis, Egypt. However, the project took decades and ultimately became reduced to a single large pyramid. It was opened to the public in 1991 as an arena for music and sporting events. However, the pyramid closed for a little over a decade in 2004, and in 2015, the pyramid opened its doors as a Bass Pro Shops Megastore. It holds over 600,000 gallons of water, over 1,800 fish, live alligators, and the largest collection of waterfowl-related gear in the world.
Big Cypress Lodge
We were completely speechless when we arrived at our room at the lodge. It was so spacious and gorgeous. It was just like staying at an up-scale lodge. You easily forget that you are inside a Bass Pro Shops or a pyramid because you have your own little paradise in your room. There was a welcome basket there to great us with chips, gummy worms, and popcorn. Our daughter was very happy about the popcorn!
Our room included a “living room” with a leather sectional, chairs, a work area, and television. Our bedroom featured a very comfortable king-sized bed, electric fireplace, closet, fridge, and television.
The bathrooms were the highlight for us. My husband was so excited about the showers and I was more than ready to try out the air tub. We have never stayed anywhere with a bathroom that was this spacious. My husband even watched the kids and let me have a bath with a glass of wine. It was the most relaxing thing I have done in a long time!
Fishbowl Bowling & Uncle Buck’s
After we took in everything that our room had to offer, we decided to go to bowling. The theme is under-water bowling and they nailed it! Our daughter loved seeing all of the fish and had so much fun bowling! Uncle Buck’s is an attached restaurant, but you can order at the bar if you are bowling. I think Guinn’s favorite part may have been when her pizza came out. She stopped bowling quick so she could eat. She takes after her momma.
I didn’t get a picture of Guinn’s pizza because she started eating as soon as it arrived. She had two big slices of Cheese pizza. I ordered the chicken strip basket with onion rings and my husband ordered the Tournament burger with fries. The food was tasty and what you would expect for a bowling alley. You can also order drinks while you play.
Sky High Ride
After bowling, we decided to get in line for the Sky High Ride. I am not a fan of heights, so I was pretty nervous waiting in line. I knew that this was something I wanted to experience with my family, though. It really was not as bad as I thought it would be. This elevator is the country’s largest free-standing elevator. It takes you 300 feet up to the glass observation deck where you can take in all of the magnificent views. I still was not brave enough to go all the way to the rails, but the views from where I stood were amazing! I am glad we all experienced it together. You get to experience this for free when you stay at the lodge!
Memphis Terrace at the Pyramid
We made our way to the Mississippi Terrace later in the evening. It has two firepits, oversized furniture, high top tables, a full bar, and a stage for live music. The menu consists of small plate appetizers and cocktails. I ordered a Southern Lady which was Makers Mark, Mint, Raspberry, and Fresh Lemon Juice. It was tart and refreshing. We ordered Bacon Guacamole because our daughter asks for “taco-mole” at least once a week. It was made with Lime Juice, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Smoked Bacon, Fresh Jalapeño, Queso Fresco, and Corn Tortillas. We all loved it. We also ordered the Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Salad which consisted of Arugula, Spring Mix, Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Heirloom Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella Pearls, and Balsamic Reduction. It is one of my favorite salads, and this one was delicious.
In-Room Dining
We ordered wine and Carrot Cake to end the night. Carrot cake is my favorite and this one was very tasty. For breakfast the next morning, we ordered the Big Cypress Breakfast, an Egg White Omelet, and Mini-Memphis. This was the only disappointing part of the trip. Our breakfast was something that you get out of the freezer section of Walmart. There was not any flavor and our breakfast potatoes were not cooked all the way through. It was definitely not something you would expect for such a nice a lodge. It was expensive, too. We do not mind paying for good, quality food. My husband and I are both foodies and sometimes we plan our trips around the places we want to eat. If I had known what we would be getting for breakfast, I would have saved our money and went to Brother Juniper’s. It is a great breakfast spot with fresh ingredients, and with what we paid for our food, I could have bought our breakfast and another family’s breakfast at Brother Juniper’s. So, I highly recommend that you consider getting breakfast elsewhere.
Other Amenities
Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to do everything that they had to offer. Here is a few of the other amenities:
The Big Cypress Spa by Gould’s – Treatments include a variety of massages, facials and nail services.
Archery & Pistol Range – a 25-yard range on the second floor of the Bass Pro Shops store.
The Lookout at the Pyramid – An up-scale restaurant at the top of the pyramid.
Ducks Unlimited Waterfowling Heritage Center – An education museum that showcases the history of waterfowling and wetlands conservation.
Conclusion
We had a fantastic time at Big Cypress Lodge! I cannot say enough good things about our accommodations. It was so beautiful and peaceful. The rooms will not disappoint! You can see a tour of our room, videos of the Sky High Ride, and extra pictures on my Instagram @hummingbirdandhousewife in the ‘Hosted’ highlights. Click here to reserve your room today!
While I do recommend the Mississippi Terrace, if you are wanting a nice meal then I recommend going out and exploring some Memphis restaurants. Some of my favorites are South of Beale, BB King’s Blues Club, Brother Juniper’s, and Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar.
