The Memphis vibes are legendary. It’s one of those cities where people genuinely care about your visit, and they’ll let you know warmly the minute they meet you. A smile, a chat, a wave, a hug. This friendly welcome is a Memphis phenomenon shared across the city’s 60+ unique attractions.
We’ve partnered with Memphis Travel to get you the skinny on all things Memphis. With so much to do across the city, it can be overwhelming to know how to narrow it down into time, tastes, and appetite. Yes, appetite, because, the food!! With over 100 barbeque restaurants to choose from, plus award-winning fine-dining fare, twists on Southern classics, and breweries and distillers to complement, this is no destination for a diet.
So, whether you’re planning a Memphis mini-break or including it on a mammoth USA road trip, we’ve got all things Memphis to get you started.
Welcome to Memphis
Top Five Memphis Must-Dos
- Explore Downtown: it feels like everything in Memphis has a beat, with Downtown Memphis the heartbeat. As you stroll world-famous Beale Street, the beats, the stories, and attractions act as a living museum, weaving modern vibes and musical history as you wander (or dance) it. The rhythm of the Mississippi River is best experienced on it, with views of the Memphis skyline seen from riverboat rides and kayak trips. Civil rights history unfolds like a steady pulse at the national landmarks, museums, and galleries. Plus, there are sporting events, barbeques, and free things to do, all accessible on foot from one of downtown’s signature hotels (P.S. there are seven new properties).
- Memphis Midtown Magic: Not all of the buzzing Memphis nightlife happens on Beale Street. In fact, there are a host of entertainment districts to inspire, no matter your scene, and a lot of it happens in Midtown. Fancy a feast at an on-trend local restaurant? Or busting a move at a live music venue? How about catching a show, a play, a musical? Midtown’s where it’s at! Plus, Midtown Memphis has fantastic art galleries and exhibition spaces, inspiring some of the city’s signature events and festivals.
- Showcasing Southern Memphis: No visit to Memphis is complete with an excursion to the southside; the rock, roll, and soul of the city. Explore Elvis’s legacy and history across his 5.6-hectare estate at Graceland. Follow this with the soothing soul sounds at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. You won’t want to miss the authentic flavours of Memphis’s barbeque and soul food, either. If you’ve time, take a guided tour of the Victorian-era Elmwood Cemetery, too.
- Explore East: Did you know that Memphis has a blooming garden district? Yup, East Memphis is an area of lush natural beauty. Shelby Farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Choose to walk the trails, horseback ride, paddleboard, or zipline! Visit the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis Botanic Garden, or Lichterman Nature Center for mellower explorations. Follow your nature fix with a shopping one, with local boutiques, quirky antique stores, and malls vying for space in your suitcase. Reflect on the day over a delectable dish and cocktail; East Memphis is home to the city’s most visionary chefs and mixologists!
- Go Further: Shelby County: The Memphis fun doesn’t stop at the city’s borders. Nope! Between parkland, farmland, wineries, and yesteryear town squares, you can choose your vibe in Shelby County! Germantown offers shopping sprees, outdoor adventures, and fun annual events. The 2-hectare lake is popular at Lakeland for fishing enthusiasts, and the nearby Delta Blues Winery also impresses. Millington is a hiker’s dream, with 20 miles of flora and fauna filled hiking trails in the Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. The Mirimichi championship golf course wows in Millington, or head to Arlington to step back in time and explore the historic sites at Depot Square. In Bartlett, the Davies Manor Plantation has a popular tea-and-tour of the county’s oldest log home. Alternatively, enjoy the scenic wetlands or historic town square in Collierville.
Get inspired
There is no doubt that Memphis is an inspiring destination. The passion, the vibrancy, the verve! The music, the explorations, the food – nom nom! It’s almost impossible to come to Memphis and have a bad time, which is why there are a ton of cool Memphis videos to inspire you to plan your visit right now. Like this one here and here and here.
Our fave, though? This jam-packed intro to three days in Memphis. Take us now!
Memphis Melodies
Talking about Memphis without sharing the best local music is like scuba diving and forgetting to turn on your air supply. Life-enriching, hip-rollin’, and groove-getting, music is the Memphian air supply. And if you think it’s all blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll, you’re wrong! Memphis’s modern music legacy is expansive, high-vibing, and toe-tapping fun.
To discover this for yourself, check out the Memphis on Your Mind playlist above, mixing classics with new tunes to tap your toe to. Or tune in to All Out Memphis; it goes… well… ‘all out’ with 75 Memphis beats.
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PLUS! DESIGN YOUR OWN TRIP WITH THE USA TRIP PLANNER
The Visit USA Trip Planner is an amazing (and free!) tool that creates a customisable itinerary to match your personal preferences and style.
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Find out more: Trip-Planner.VisitTheUSA.com
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