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Things to Do in Memphis, United States
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Plan language: EnglishMost popular attractions in Memphis, United States
Things to do in Memphis, United States, include exploring Graceland, the 13-acre estate of Elvis Presley, or strolling along Beale Street, famous for its live blues music and historic clubs. History buffs can visit the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
1. Graceland
Step into Elvis Presley's world at Graceland, a landmark of American music history. Tour the mansion, view his cars and costumes, and visit the Meditation Garden.
Quick facts: You can walk through 23 rooms of private décor, from velvet-covered sofas to walls crowded with gold and platinum records. Guided tours pull in about 600,000 visitors each year, with many pausing at the glass-front trophy room where jumpsuits and guitars shine under spotlights.
Highlights: Pop into the famous Jungle Room and your feet sink into thick avocado-green shag while a faux rock waterfall and tropical ferns frame a gold-toned organ, the very space where late-night recording sessions happened. Fans still leave hundreds of scarves, sunglasses, handwritten notes and printed photos on the small family garden next to the private burial plot, a colorful ritual that swells to thousands of items during anniversary gatherings.
2. Beale Street
A legendary strip pulsing with blues history and live music. Expect neon lights, street performers, smoky clubs, and Southern barbecue aromas.
Quick facts: Neon-clad clubs and live bands spill rhythm onto the sidewalks every night, creating a soundtrack that fuses electric blues, jazz, and soul. More than a dozen clubs and restaurants sit within a few blocks, and the smell of barbecue often mixes with trumpet riffs for a street-level concert atmosphere.
Highlights: Colorful neon and polished brass catch the light while musicians trade riffs from doorway to doorway, sometimes stretching a single chorus across three venues for nearly an hour. Around 20 local players commonly hop between clubs on weekend nights, producing improvised call-and-response solos you can hear over the sizzle of barbecue and the clink of glass under a flickering marquee.
3. National Civil Rights Museum
Explore the story of America's civil rights movement at the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Expect immersive exhibits, original artifacts, and personal testimonies.
Quick facts: You can walk through immersive galleries that stitch together oral histories, original protest signs, and court documents so the civil rights struggle feels immediate and human. More than a million visitors have stood on the preserved motel balcony and explored interactive exhibits that use archival film, period audio, and tactile displays to bring stories to life.
Highlights: Step onto the preserved balcony of Room 306 and the dim lighting and faded motel paint make the moment shockingly real while a looping radio clip and eyewitness audio put you on the street where events unfolded. One little-known touch is a hands-on station with replica press passes and flyers under soft glass, accompanied by a 60-second excerpt from a 1963 speech that turns abstract history into a voice you can feel in the room.
4. Sun Studio
Step into the tiny studio where rock and soul were recorded. Guided tour, original studio gear, and iconic stories bring music history alive.
Quick facts: Legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King recorded raw, live takes that helped rewrite popular music. A single ribbon microphone and a cramped control room captured performances that went on to sell millions, and the warm tape hiss still hums on many reissues.
Highlights: Producer Sam Phillips pushed musicians to 'make noise', and the original handwritten session sheets, including the 1954 take notation for 'That's All Right', are still on display. Step into the tracking room and you can hear faint tape hiss, see a shallow dent near the mic stand said to be from Johnny Cash's belt buckle, and smell warm, aged tape when staff spin an original reel.
5. Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Explore the birthplace of Stax Records where soul legends recorded and shaped modern music. Hear rare tracks, tour the restored Studio A and interactive exhibits.
Quick facts: Vintage recording consoles, handwritten lyric sheets and stage-worn suits sit beside interactive listening stations that let you isolate horns, vocals and grooves. More than 2,000 artifacts chart the soul era, and a life-size recreated control room gives you the chance to stand where session musicians tracked hits.
Highlights: A full-scale recreated control room lets visitors dial up separate stems, isolating as many as six instrument channels so Booker T.'s organ or Isaac Hayes' baritone can jump forward in the mix. A museum logbook displays original session notes with exact take numbers and musician credits for songs by Otis Redding, a small, scratchy detail that often pulls people close enough to read the handwriting.
6. Memphis Zoo
Walkable city zoo with diverse habitats and interactive programs for all ages. Expect close-up animal viewing, scheduled feedings, and splash play for kids.
Quick facts: You can wander winding, tree-lined paths and spot animals close enough to study whisker patterns or the subtle shimmer of feathers. Keeper talks turn routine feedings into memorable moments, so you might hear a hawk's piercing call overhead or watch primates casually solve puzzle feeders.
Highlights: Step into the humid glasshouse where mist hangs thick, the air smells of wet earth, and flashes of vermilion and emerald suddenly dart between branches. A low-lit trail around the nocturnal house lets reflective eyes catch the lamps while keepers quietly narrate strange behaviors, making after-dark visits feel like sneaking into a world the daytime hides.
7. Shelby Farms Park
Huge green space with trails, lakes, and a treetop zipline for active outdoor fun. Expect biking, paddleboarding, dog parks, and scenic picnic spots.
Quick facts: More than 4,500 acres of woodland, prairie, and lakes sit inside a single urban park, offering roughly 40 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. You can smell cut grass and watch dragonflies skitter over shallow harbors, while kayaks and fat-tire bikes pop along the shoreline.
Highlights: A huge off-leash dog area covers dozens of fenced acres, and most weekends draw several hundred dogs and owners who splash, play fetch, and socialize along the water's edge. Low sunlight slants across the open prairie and mirrors the sky on quiet bays, creating sunset photos where orange and purple streaks fill a horizon framed by kayaks and distant train horns.
8. Orpheum Theatre
Historic Orpheum delivers Broadway-caliber shows in an ornate 1920s palace. Expect grand chandeliers, plush seating, and a lively, intimate performance vibe.
Quick facts: Step inside and you'll find a gilded, atmospheric auditorium where painted clouds and twinkling stars hover above the stage, giving every seat a bit of theatrical magic. A thunderous applause can ripple from orchestra to top balcony, and performers often say the wood-paneled acoustics make voices bloom in a way that feels almost cinematic.
Highlights: Under the stage lights, gold leaf catches like tiny flames, producing a warm, close-up glow even from the back rows. Listen during quiet set changes and you may hear the faint creak of original floorboards and the buttery tang of fresh popcorn drifting from the lobby, a sensory mix that feels like stepping into a living postcard.
9. Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid
A landmark entertainment and outdoor retail complex inside Memphis' Pyramid. Explore massive gear halls, an indoor swamp, an observation deck, restaurants and attractions.
Quick facts: A massive copper-clad structure rises 321 feet, its silhouette visible from miles away along the river. Inside, a multilevel outdoors emporium mixes wildlife dioramas and cascading waterfalls with a giant retail floor that feels more like a theme park than a shop.
Highlights: You can ride a glass elevator up 28 stories, watching the city shrink beneath you as the roar of an indoor waterfall hints at the wild scenes below. On the rooftop, a broad observation deck delivers sweeping river and skyline views, and after sundown colored lights wash the copper surface in warm amber tones that feel cinematic.
Where to Stay in Memphis, United States
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Traditional Sweet Dishes
Banana Pudding
A classic Southern dessert made in layers of vanilla wafers, custard, and bananas, banana pudding is a ubiquitous staple at Memphis family gatherings, potlucks, and barbecue dinners.
Pecan Pie
Pecan pie highlights locally grown pecans and Southern baking traditions, it is especially popular in Memphis during holidays and at local bakeries.
Peach Cobbler
Peach cobbler showcases sweet, juicy Southern peaches, often served warm with vanilla ice cream and a scoopable comfort-food appeal at Memphis diners and festivals.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Memphis-style Dry-Rub Ribs
Memphis is famous for its dry-rub ribs, which are slow-smoked with a spice blend for a flavorful bark, and usually served with sauce on the side rather than slathered on.
Pulled Pork Sandwich
Slow-smoked pork shoulder, hand-pulled and dressed with tangy vinegar or tomato-based sauces, is a barbecue cornerstone at Memphis joints and local competitions.
Memphis Hot Tamales
Memphis hot tamales are a regional twist on tamales, wrapped in cornmeal and often spiced, they grew out of African American and Mexican influences and became a famous street and festival food.
Traditional Beverages
Sweet Tea
Iced sweet tea is the South's signature refreshment, and in Memphis it is the default drink at restaurants, backyard gatherings, and community events.
Tennessee Whiskey
Tennessee whiskey, typified by brands like Jack Daniel's, is a regional spirit enjoyed in Memphis bars and music venues, and it plays a part in the city's nightlife and cultural identity.
Southern Lemonade
Fresh-squeezed Southern-style lemonade, often sweet and sometimes enhanced with mint or a splash of bourbon, is a classic cooling drink served across Memphis during warm months.
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Getting there
Airports
Train stations
Amtrak City of New Orleans, regional freight connections
Taxi or ride-share from MEM to downtown takes 20-30 minutes; MATA bus is cheaper but slower.
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Comments (9)
Call museums ahead, a few have free or discounted days. For live shows arrive early to dodge cover charges and long lines.
Huge fan of the BBQ and live music, very friendly people. Summers are hot though, plan outdoor stuff early in the day.
Nightlife is lively, but expect loud crowds and tourist trap prices after dark, especially on weekend evenings.
Park near the riverfront and walk, downtown garage rates spike after 6pm. Rideshares at night were cheaper than hunting for a spot.
Went in July and the humidity was brutal, spring or fall would be much better if you want to walk between spots.