Memphis Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go
I will be honest, before my first trip to Memphis I thought of it mostly as the home of Elvis and a lot of barbecue. I left understanding that it is the beating heart of American music, a city with more soul per square mile than almost anywhere I have been. Memphis sits on the east bank of the Mississippi in southwest Tennessee, and it has a laid back, deeply musical character all its own. This guide pulls together everything I learned about getting the most out of it.
Getting There and Around
Memphis is served by Memphis International Airport, which has connections from across the country. The city is also a manageable drive from Nashville, Little Rock, and New Orleans, which makes it an easy addition to a southern road trip. Once you are there, having a car helps, especially for reaching sites outside the downtown core, though parking downtown is easy enough. For a day visiting the main attractions, you can manage a lot on foot between the waterfront, Beale Street, and the National Civil Rights Museum. Rideshare apps work well for the longer stretches of town.
Where to Stay
Your best bet for a first visit is downtown or the South Main arts district, which gives you walkable access to Beale Street, the riverfront, and many of the restaurants. I enjoyed staying south of the core, where the buildings are full of vintage shops, galleries, and coffee spots. If music is the whole point of your trip, there are also hotels right along Beale Street itself, though those come with the nightlife noise. For a quieter base, the area around Overton Park on the midtown edge puts you near attractions like Sun Studio with a short drive.
The Essential Sights
No trip is complete without Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home, which is an oddly moving experience whether or not you are a fan. Equally vital is Beale Street, the neon lined strip of music clubs and restaurants that stays loud late into the night. I also put the National Civil Rights Museum, built at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, at the very top of my list. It is a powerful, emotional place that makes the city’s history tangible. On the music side, Sun Studio bills itself as the birthplace of rock and roll, and the small tour is worth every minute.
Music Around the City
Memphis is a music city in the truest sense. Beyond the tourist spots, catch live blues, soul, and rock in the clubs along Beale and in the dive bars scattered through midtown. The Stax Museum tells the story of the soul label that made Otis Redding and Booker T. Jones household names, and it is a wonderful museum housed in the original studio grounds. On weekend nights there is live music somewhere on nearly every block, and I recommend asking locals where they go, because the best rooms are often the least famous ones.
Food and the Barbecue Question
You came for the barbecue, and Memphis delivers. The city’s style is praised for its pulled pork, dry ribs, and long smoked meats, and every local has a favorite pit. I am not going to crown a single champion, because half the fun is trying several. Beyond the ribs, make room for the fried catfish, soul food plate lunches, and the famous whole hog barbecue. Breakfast at one of the classic diners is also worth an early alarm. Be prepared to be generous with napkins and to take the food seriously, because Memphians do.
Mississippi River and Outdoors
The river is the reason the city exists, and it deserves your time. Walk the riverfront along Tom Lee Park, rent a bike, or simply watch the barges work the water from a bench in the sunset. A short drive across the bridge into Arkansas gives you a broad view of Memphis from the western bank. For green space, Overton Park near the middle of the city holds shaded trails, a golf course, and the Memphis Zoo. The city is hot in summer, so plan outdoor time for morning or evening and use the heat of the day for museums and music clubs.
Practical Tips
A few things will smooth your trip. Summer heat and humidity are real, so pack light cotton, a hat, and water. Many attractions and clubs are walkable but paying for a car or using rideshares covers the rest. Pre-book Graceland and the Civil Rights Museum online to avoid queues, and mind your belongings in the busiest tourist spots. Take a little time to learn the city’s music history before you go, because it will double the meaning of what you see. And allow your schedule to loosen, because the best Memphis moments, a live set, a backyard pit barbecue, a conversation at the bar, rarely fit into a timetable. Go for the history and the hospitality, and you will leave planning your return.
