Big Cypress Lodge in Memphis: Bringing the Great Outdoors Indoors

By Karen Tina Harrison

Updated 05/17/17

  • Big Cypress Lodge: Deep in the Swamp, Right in Downtown Memphis

    Grand Cypress Lodge's lobby has sharks andalligators
    ••• Bears, sharks, alligators: it's all happening at Grand Cypress Lodge in Memphis. ©Grand Cypress Lodge

    Best New Hotel Amenity: Alligator Pool

    Yes, I said "alligator pool." Where?

    This Country Vacation Is Right in Downtown Memphis

    Maybe you're headed to Memphis for its Southern charm and chow...but you'd rather be hunting and fishing.

    You can have them both. And live gators to wave "good morning" to.

    Big Cypress Lodge, which opened this week in the center of Memphis, Tennessee lets you enjoy the city and Mother Nature... in the hotel's interior wilderness. Ths is a nature lodge, offering an outdoor vacation, in the middle of the city of Memphis. That's a unique concept, and Big Cypress Lodge offers a one-of-a-kind getaway.

    Interior Wilderness?
    Yes. Big Cypress Lodge is set in the famous Memphis Pyramid. Now occupied by Bass Pro Shops, the famed nature and recreation outfitter, the Pyramid is called Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid.

    The Great Outdoors, Indoors

    When you are in the Pyramid you are in Memphis. But you are also in the great outdoors.

    • Inside the Pyramid...MORE are acres of cypress wetlands: a giant cypress swamp
    • And (yes) an alligator pool And (yes) it's secured
    • Duck aviaries and ponds with over 1,800 fish

    Where Is Big Cypress Lodge?
    The Pyramid is set in downtown Memphis amidst nature...
    • On the banks of the mighty Mississippi River
    • And along the famous Mississippi Flyway, a primary migratory route of North American birds, at its peak in May

    Big Cypress Lodge is the First Hotel from Bass Pro Shops

    Bass Pro Shops, America's #1 outdoor retailer, owns and operates Big Cypress Lodge. 
    • Here's About'sFly Fishing Expert's take on Bass Pro Shops

    Bass Pro Shops is well known to anglers and hunters, and its stores are hailed for their nature displays and dioramas.
    • Here at Big Cypress Lodge, Bass Pro shops has recreated real wilderness environments...on a massive scale, right in Memphis's Pyramid.

    What's Big Cypress Lodge Like?

    Big Cypress Lodge was created by Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops. He also owns Big Cedar Lodge, a wilderness resort in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains.

    Big Cypress Lodge is set on the second and third floors of the Pyramid, overlooking Bass Pro Shops' retail and nature areas.

    Accommodations at Big Cypress Lodge

    The Lodge's 105 guest accommodations are designed to bring the great outdoors indoors.
    • Many rooms resemble log cabins
    • Most rooms have screened porches with rocking chairs
    • Your view could be the Pyramid's wetlands, swamps, and cypress forests
    • Other rooms deliver views of Memphis and/or the rolling Mississippi River
    • Two Duck Cabins resemble vintage waterfowl hunting cabins
    • The Fly Fishing Lodge, over 1,300 square feet, sleeps seven
    • Four Tree Houses nestle amidst giant cypress trees; they're over 1,000 square feet and sleep eight
    • The resort's top digs: the 2,000-square-foot Governor's Suite, which features the boardroom you need

    Dining at Big Cypress Lodge

    The Lodge's main dining venue is The Lookout at the Pyramid.
    • It perches at the 32-story Pyramid's peak
    • Seating is indoors and out, with views of the Mississippi River and the Memphis skyline
    • The menu is Southern comfort food
    • The Lookout at the Pyramid's centerpiece: a 10,000-gallon catfish aquarium

    Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl & Grill serves American classics in a nature-themed room.

    • It serves Caribbean and shore cuisine
    • It's set in a glassed-in underwater room decked out like a sunken ship
    • And the restaurant features an ocean motif and a13-lane bowling alley

    More Guest Perks at Big Cypress Lodge

    • Cutting-edge fitness center
    • Spa offering face, body, and nail services

    Bottom Line About Big Cypress Lodge

    Big Cypress Lodge is unique, with something for many different kinds of travelers.
    • Nature
    • Fishing and hunting
    • Dining
    • Spa
    • Shopping
    • Seeing what Memphis has to offer
    • And then...there's that alligator pool. Not your generic resort for sure!

    Find Out More About Big Cypress Lodge

    • Big Cypress Lodge website
    • On Facebook
    • On Twitter
    • 800.225.6343
    • About's Memphis Expert's Things Not to Miss in Memphis (the Mississippi River is #1)