11 of the best things to do in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a laid-back, eccentric city built on music, where the streets give off a palpable whiff of years gone by.

It's easy to imagine a young BB King carrying his guitar along Beale Street or a teenage Elvis Presley driving the crowds wild at the Overton Park Shell. And it's only natural to envision Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes strolling beneath the studio signs at Stax Records, or to enjoy walking in the footsteps of Johnny Cash at Sun Studio. 

While the city’s most popular tourist attraction, Graceland, can be seen as a kitschy shrine to the late King of Rock ’n’ Roll, other spots in this soulful, Southern city invite visitors to cut a rug and help the sounds of this legendary location continue to thrive. 

Here are the best ways for you to get to know Memphis.

"I Am a Man" exhibit at the National Civil Rights Museum. Gino Santa Maria/Shutterstock Gino Santa Maria / Shutterstock

1. Reflect at the National Civil Rights Museum

The National Civil Rights Museum is a solemn reminder of the price paid for progress. The institution encompasses the former Lorraine Motel, whose balconies became known globally as the site where civil rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr was gunned down by an assassin in 1968. 

A wreath marks the location of the tragedy outside; inside, an immersive story of America’s civil rights movement unfolds. The history here is grim, defiant and powerful. And it’s impossible to truly appreciate the city’s connection to the nation without exploring that past in depth.

A view of Beale Street. Erika Cristina Manno/Shutterstock Erika Cristina Manno / Shutterstock

2. Find bona fide blues on Beale Street

Though tunes are on deck year-round, blues hounds from across the globe make the pilgrimage to Beale Street sidewalks each January for the International Blues Challenge, during which hundreds of artists square off in an epic, four-day battle of the bands.

Planning tip: The best plan for Beale Street? To have no plan. The thoroughfare is home to dozens of bars, restaurants and juke joints all featuring some of the most talented musicians in the area. While larger venues like BB King’s Blues Club and the Rum Boogie Cafe host full bands, save room for smaller venues like Blues Hall or The Pig on Beale to check out acts like solo artists and trios.

A man views the music history of Sun Studio. Shutterstock Shutterstock

3. Explore the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll at Sun Studio

Perhaps no recording studio in the country was as perfectly positioned to take advantage of the evolution of the Delta blues as the one operated by Sam Phillips on Union Ave. The doors of Sun Studio sit just over a mile off of Beale Street, and they house one of the most captivating collections of music history in the country – one where even minute details have immense stories to tell.

An unassuming vinyl record sits behind glass in the upstairs museum here. Its label doesn’t bear the name of any of the artists this legendary recording service is famous for – no Elvis Presley, no Jerry Lee Lewis, no Johnny Cash, no Carl Perkins. But this dusty relic from 1951 might be more important than them all. One of the first pressings of an album that would make its way north to Chess Records in Chicago, the record is labeled “Rocket 88,” and it is widely credited as the very first rock ’n’ roll hit.

Rock ’n’ roll was literally born in Memphis, and seven decades after giving birth to the sounds that permanently transformed pop music across the globe, Sun Studio remains a sacred site that’s well worth the two-hour tour.

4. Make your way to Midtown

Take in a show at the Hattiloo Theatre, the only freestanding Black repertory theater in the region. Cozy up to a live performance at historic Playhouse on the Square or marvel at the movements of Ballet Memphis. Each theater flanks Overton Square, a historic entertainment district.

For local food, we love The Second Line, Boscos Restaurant & Brewing Company and Complicated Pilgrim, showcasing a side of the city’s food scene that goes beyond barbecue. Meanwhile, boutique hotel The Memphian serves up sunset views of the square from its rooftop cocktail bar, Tiger and Peacock.

Closeup of old school cassette tape with an Issac Hayes tape inside. Joe Sills/Lonely Planet © Joe Sills / Lonely Planet

5. Saunter through Soulsville

Nestled into a neighborhood just south of downtown, Soulsville encompasses a musical history just as rich as Beale Street and Union Ave.

The Southern rival to Motown – one with an all-star roster featuring Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and Booker T & the MG’s – Stax pumped out a staggering 167 Top 100 hits in just 15 years while showcasing a mixed-race house band, which brought together the best of Memphis’ blues and rock ’n’ roll artists.

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is the modern-day centerpiece of Soulsville. Carved out of the studio’s former digs, the museum spotlights the chart-topping hits of Stax artists, as well as the resounding impact those artists created in the era’s civil rights movement.

Local tip: Swing by The Four Way restaurant to satisfy your appetite in one of the city’s most famous spots for home cooking, or stretch your legs at Memphis Rox, a world-class nonprofit community climbing center.

Elvis exhibit in Graceland. John Hicks/Getty Images

6. Get lost in the glamour of Graceland

Nearly 50 years after Elvis Presley’s death in 1977, the grounds of his former Memphis home and headquarters at Graceland remain hallowed ground for music fans. Presley and members of his family are buried on the grounds of the home.

Visitors to Graceland gain access to a 200,000-sq-ft (18,580-sq-m) entertainment complex that showcases the life of one of the planet’s first global superstars.

If you want to really do it up, Graceland is home to a full-scale concert venue, Graceland Live, and a four-star luxury retreat, The Guest House at Graceland.

Planning tip: A hidden gem of history hides just around the corner from Graceland. Hernando’s Hide-A-Way was once a favorite haunt for rock ’n’ rollers like The King, as well as The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis. Disused for decades, Hernando’s is now a restored rockabilly roadhouse welcoming visitors with live music and a full menu of Southern-fried treats.

7. Spend a weekend night on South Main

A former warehouse district just two blocks from the Mississippi River boasts some of the best weekend nightlife in Memphis. Broadly encompassing the remainder of downtown south of Beale Street, the South Main Arts District is home to rooftop views of the Mississippi River at Beck & Call, hyper-popular craft-beer maker Wiseacre Brewing Co., iconic barbecue joint Central BBQ, and a host of cocktail and dive bars.

Local tip: One of the best dive bars in America sits on the corner of South Main St and GE Patterson. On weekend nights at Earnestine & Hazel’s, visitors can dance the night away to a house band featuring live horns, rock ’n’ roll, soul and blues. But the bar’s real secret lies upstairs at Nate’s Bar. There, Nate Barnes has been tending to a low-lit corner bar since the 1990s – in a space that once housed a brothel.

8. Feed a giraffe

Once home to one of the only sets of pandas in a United States zoo, the Memphis Zoo is now better known for its unique replica of a national park lodge and its large collection of animals. Built in 1906, it has seen plenty of renovations over the past couple of decades, resulting in unique modern exhibits that are almost as interesting as the animals that they house. Besides Teton Trek, designed to resemble the Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park, there’s also a replica of an African fishing village in the Primate Canyon and a 500-seat theater for viewing the sea lion show. If you’re visiting Memphis with kids, make sure to check out the farmhouse and take a ride on the train.

The Memphis Pyramid is now a flagship Bass Pro Shop. Feng Cheng/Shutterstock © Feng Cheng / Shutterstock

9. Visit a not-so-ancient pyramid

Perhaps the most unique thing to see in Memphis, as well as arguably one of the most famous, is the Memphis Pyramid. This giant, glass-covered pyramid was once known as the Great American Pyramid and later as the Pyramid Arena. Today, the odd structure, perched right on the Mississippi Riverfront and towering over the downtown area, is actually a Bass Pro Shop. Take a step inside, and you’ll be transported to a southern swampland, complete with a giant marsh in the middle filled with fish. 

Big River Crossing Bridge with Mississippi River. Gerald Zaffuts/Getty Images © Gerald Zaffuts / Getty Images

10. Cruise down the Mississippi

Like many cities in the Midwest, Memphis owes its existence to the Mississippi River. If you really want to see this unique city from a new angle, a cruise on a riverboat is a great place to start. There are several different types of sightseeing tours to choose from, including options with or without a meal.

11. Experience the marching of the ducks

The history of the Peabody Hotel, one of the oldest in Memphis, dates back to the 1860s. You’ll need to open up your wallet to book a night at this hotel. However, one of the best free activities to enjoy in the city is located right in their lobby. Each day, the Peabody Ducks, a small flock of ducks that live at the hotel, walk a red carpet to the hotel’s fountain, where they lounge for the day before returning to their private quarters.