Things to do in Memphis

Tennessee · 45 vetted places · city

Spring and fall bring warm, comfortable days and bloom-filled gardens, ideal for the outdoor music and BBQ scene. Summers are hot and very humid; winters are mild but can be damp.

Best months: April, May, September, October

Plan a Memphis trip

What is worth your time in Memphis

National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine MotelDo not miss
A profound, world-class museum built around the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
Museum · 3.3 hr4.9
Shelby Farms ParkDo not miss
One of the largest urban parks in the US, five times the size of Central Park, with lakes, trails, bison, and the Shelby Farms Greenline.
Park · 2.5 hr4.8
Stax Museum of American Soul MusicDo not miss
The soul of Memphis on the original Stax Records site, telling the story of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and the Memphis sound.
Museum · 2 hr4.8
Bass Pro Shops at the PyramidDo not miss
A 32-story glass pyramid on the river housing a cypress swamp, aquariums, a hotel, and the tallest freestanding elevator in the US.
Landmark · 2.3 hr4.7
Memphis Rock 'n' Soul MuseumDo not miss
A Smithsonian-created museum tracing how Memphis music broke racial barriers, from rural field hollers to rock and soul.
Museum · 1.6 hr4.6
GracelandDo not miss
Tour Elvis Presley's mansion and the sprawling Elvis Presley's Memphis entertainment complex, the second most-visited home in America.
Activity · 8 hr4.5
The Peabody MemphisDo not miss
Watch the famous Peabody Ducks march down a red carpet to the lobby fountain twice daily in this grand 1925 hotel.
Landmark · 1.1 hr4.5
Beale StreetDo not miss
The neon-lit home of the blues, packed with live music clubs, bars, and BBQ joints that roar to life every night.
Nightlife · 2.3 hr4.4
Memphis Music Hall of FameDo not miss
A compact downtown shrine to the legends who made Memphis music history, from Elvis to Three 6 Mafia.
Museum · 1.3 hr4.3
Sun StudioDo not miss
Tour the legendary studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded, the birthplace of rock and roll.
Historic Site · 1.3 hr
Cooper-Young Historic District
Midtown's bohemian heart of indie restaurants, bars, vintage shops, and live music around a landmark trestle gateway.
Neighborhood · 1.8 hr4.9
Dixon Gallery and Gardens
A refined Impressionist art collection set within 17 acres of formal woodland gardens in East Memphis.
Museum · 1.9 hr4.8
Old Dominick Distillery
A downtown distillery reviving a pre-Prohibition Memphis brand, with tastings and a rooftop river view.
Activity · 1.5 hr4.8
Overton Park Shell (Levitt Shell)
The historic open-air bandshell where Elvis played his first paid concert, still hosting free live music under the trees.
Landmark · 1.8 hr4.8

And 31 more, which the planner picks between based on your dates, pace and what you are into.

Worth knowing

Memphis is the birthplace of soul, blues, and rock and roll; build a day around its music museums and a night around live music on Beale Street.
Barbecue is a religion here; try dry-rub ribs and a pulled-pork sandwich, and consider the spread of pitmasters across the city, not just downtown.
The free Peabody duck march happens daily at 11am and 5pm; arrive at least 30 minutes early for a spot in the lobby.
Downtown is walkable along the riverfront and Main Street trolley line, but a car helps for Graceland, Shelby Farms, and east-side gardens.
Summers are hot and humid; plan outdoor stops like parks and the riverfront for the morning and save museums for the afternoon.