I've found Beale St. to be a happening place at night, at least intermittently and not too dissimilar an experience from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. During the day, however, seems another matter. Some friends and I walked up and down on a grey Sunday afternoon, and the difference was striking: It felt and looked like a worn tourist trap. Things are definitely sexier at night, with lots of music and pedestrians to add to the equation.
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