Memphis Tourism

Live music spills from each club. Smoky barbecue wafts on the breeze. History hangs in the air. You're on Beale Street. From the moment your foot touches the cobblestones, you realize you've officially entered a music mecca unlike any other. It is the most visited attraction in the State of Tennessee. Beale Street is alive with blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll, R&B, soul, and gospel. It has a variety of clubs, restaurants, and retail shops. Its live music, outdoor concerts, clubs, restaurants and neon give you an authentic look at Memphis and its music. No other local landmark has held such mystique, intrigue, fame and infamy over the years. Beale Street is in the heart of Downtown Memphis and dates back to 1841. It inspired W.C. Handy's "Beale Street Blues." It was where B.B. King's Blues Club calls home. It has welcomed everything from bars and nightclubs to gamblers and musicians. Beale Street was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and was officially declared the Home of the Blues by an act of Congress in 1977. While on the street, don't miss local favorites, the Beale Street Flippers as they do acrobatic stunts you have to see to believe. Also, tour the home of W.C. Handy (the Father of the Blues) and enjoy outdoor concerts at the W.C. Handy Park.

Experience 120 acres dedicated to Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. From tours of Elvis’ iconic Graceland Mansion — to the gold records, jeweled jumpsuits, classic cars, and all-new interactive experiences at Elvis Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex, you will be fully immersed in the life and career of an American legend. Then, enjoy the royal treatment with a stay at our AAA Four-Diamond resort hotel, The Guest House at Graceland. While visiting, take in a live concert at the Graceland Soundstage or plan your trip around one of our annual Elvis celebrations or themed weekends. There is always something happening at Graceland!

The Renasant Convention Center is being reimagined with a game-changing renovation that includes enhancements to the building's interior and exterior. Every square inch of the convention center will be touched by this project, bringing hotel-quality finishes and amenities that are desired by meeting planners and their delegates. The convention reinvention vision is for meeting spaces that embrace the river and skyline views along with outdoor terraces, glass-enclosed concourses, pre-function space, and 46 breakout meeting rooms. When complete in the Fall of 2020, the Renasant Convention Center will feature a column-free 118,000-square-foot main exhibit hall, a new exterior concourse, and pre-function space, 46 breakout rooms, a secondary flex space that easily converts to a 67,500 square-foot ballroom, the largest in the region, and a 28,000 square-foot ballroom to host smaller events. The renovation will also include public art, digital wayfinding, and additional loading docks for easier load in and load out.

The Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and its original exhibition was developed by the Smithsonian Institution in 2000. It tells the story of musical giants who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create the music that shook the world. Located at 191 Beale Street at FedEx Forum, the museum offers a comprehensive Memphis music experience from the 1930s, through Memphis' musical explosion to its global influence.

The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. Serving as the new public square, the Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement, examine today's global civil and human rights issues, provoke thoughtful debate and serve as a catalyst for positive social change. Generations have taken a moment to reflect in the museum's courtyard with the Lorraine Motel marque sign on one side and the balcony where Dr. King was shot on the other. They prepare for a transformational museum experience inside they will not forget. Through its interactive and immersive historical and contemporary exhibits from slavery to Black Power, from voting rights to immigration, from Jim Crow to Dr. King's last days at the Lorraine Motel, the museum examines civil and human rights issues (then and now). Visitors come to learn and engage in civil rights history to better understand how this history impacts them today. The museum provokes thoughtful debate with its public forums, book talks, distinguished speakers, and one-on-one conversations with civil rights icons and new movement makers. It's the Power of Place, where history happened and is happening! A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. It is a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal. Plan at least two hours for the self-guided museum experience. The museum is closed every Tuesday.

The sweet smell of barbecue fills the air just about anywhere you go in Memphis.

The Memphis Airport serves as a large base for Delta Air Lines and offers many nonstop flights on Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United, and Spirit. MEM's top destinations throughout North America include Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, and Salt Lake City as well as convenient connections to international flights. Thanks to the presence of the FedEx World Hub, MEM is also the busiest cargo airport in North America and the second busiest cargo airport in the world. In 2022, MEM opened a new modernized concourse that features higher ceilings, more natural light, a new restaurant and retail options, and amenities such as chargers at every gate seat.

It has been said that "If music was a religion, then Memphis would be Jerusalem and Sun Studio its most holy shrine." In 1954, an unknown Elvis Presley grabbed a mic and sang his heart out making Sun the most famous recording studio in the world. Take a guided tour through the birthplace of rock 'n' roll where you will experience outtakes from recording sessions, touch Elvis' first microphone and hear the real story of the studio that launched the careers of not only Elvis Presley, but Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, and many others that signed with the Sun label. Sam Phillips opened Sun Studio in 1950 with the goal of capturing the pure, raw energy of Beale Street. It produced the first rock 'n' roll single: Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats' version of "Rocket 88" in 1951 and continues as an active recording business for many notable artists including U2, Def Leppard, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, Paul Simon, Margo Price and many more. Tours are given at the bottom half of every hour. While you're waiting, enjoy an old-fashioned soda in the café or browse their incredible gift shop for Sun recordings, books, concert posters, and other Sun memorabilia. For your convenience, there is a free shuttle to and from Graceland, the Rock 'n' Soul Museum, and Sun Studio.

Shelby Farms Park in East Memphis is the largest urban park in the United States. Shelby Farms has trails, bike trails, horseback riding, running trails, playgrounds, a lake with kayak and canoe rentals a farm to table restaurant and plenty of space to fly kites. Shelby Farms is also home to a herd of American Bison.

FedExForum, home to the Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis Tigers, is one of Memphis’ newest sports facilities. FedExForum is available for events including basketball, boxing, wrestling, ice shows, and more. The venue also includes a variety of catering options provided by Levy Restaurants, the leader in sports and entertainment venue dining.

Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is the perfect venue for your next football game. Steeped in tradition, Liberty Bowl Memorial is the home of the University of Memphis football team, the Southern Heritage Classic and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl game.

At the Memphis Zoo, get nose-to-nose with polar bears and splashed by sea lions in Northwest Passage. Visit giant pandas "Ya Ya" and "Le Le" in CHINA, a breathtaking Asian-inspired exhibit. Take in the sights and sounds of Yellowstone National Park at the Teton Trek exhibit, featuring grizzly bears, elk, timber wolves and trumpeter swans. The Memphis Zoo is an interactive and fun experience for the whole family. Don't miss Zambezi River Hippo Camp, home to hippos, flamingos, Nile crocodiles and other animals along the 1,600 miles of Africa's Zambezi River. Viewing all the exhibits requires a walk of about 2 miles, and visitors should allow three to five hours to see the entire property. Guided tram tours are available for a small fee. The zoo is host to several annual events such as Zoo Boo with its haunted forest, Zoo Lights with over 1 million holiday lights and Zoo Brew.

This one-square-mile neighborhood - starting just one block south of Beale - holds some of Memphis’ greatest legends, architecture, art, innovation, and characters. It is full of DIY’ers and entrepreneurs, locally-owned shops, chef-owned restaurants, and organizations that support the arts. This was Memphis’ first suburb, first art district, the hub of the world’s first modern grocery store, and where rock & roll was first played on the air. Today, the world comes to South Main to hear the story of the civil rights movement. Well over $500 million in new development is underway in South Main, bringing in more homes, attractions, restaurants, shops, and creative spirit.

Today, even with just a couple of hours, you can get the riverboat experience. Memphis Riverboats operates sightseeing, dinner, and themed cruises daily from March through October; on Saturdays and Sundays in November; and on select dates from December through February, including Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine's Day Dinner & Music Cruises. SIGHTSEEING CRUISES ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FROM MEMPHIS The classic choice is the 90-minute Memphis Sightseeing Cruise, which presents a Memphis city tour and riverboat cruise in one. Over the course of your 7- to 10-mile roundtrip journey, you’ll enjoy views of downtown Memphis and the riverfront, Presidents Island, and the Wolf River Tributary, a mix of urban and natural scenic views. Your captain narrates the trip, sharing points of interest and historic tidbits along the way, from Mark Twain’s 19th-century connections to Memphis to Tom Lee’s heroic rescue on the river in 1925. And of course, the boat itself is full of charm, from the decorative gingerbread detailing on deck to the big red paddlewheel in back. Snacks, drinks, and alcohol, as well as souvenir photos, are available for purchase on board, and the tours are family-friendly. Most days, the tours leave at 2:30 p.m., but in high season, a second tour may be added at 5:30 p.m.

When we say genuine trolley cars, we mean it too. We’re talking intricate woodwork, hard-carved corbels, and antique lighting fixtures that give character and appeal to these vintage vehicles. Here's what you need to know: ● The Main Street Rail Line will operate from 6:45 a.m.-12:00 a.m. Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on Sunday (operating every 12 minutes). ● The Riverfront Line will operate from 10:20 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday (operating every 40 minutes). ● The Madison Line will operate 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. from Monday-Friday and 8:15 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday (operating every 30 minutes). The Memphis trolley makes stops near (and will take you past) notable destinations like: Beale Street National Civil Rights Museum The South Main Historic Arts District, which just happens to house the Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum, a pocket-sized museum for the biggest fans of rail travel The Mississippi River Renasant Convention Center Numerous Downtown Memphis hotels (hello, Peabody ducks) and restaurants (is that barbecue I smell?) Dollar for dollar, there is no better way to get a nostalgic view of Downtown Memphis than by trolley. Speaking of cash, make sure you bring along a couple of greenbacks for the ride. Base trolley fares are $1 per ride and daily passes can be purchased for $2.00. The 2.5-mile Riverfront Loop route is a relief for tired feet and offers a picturesque view of the Mississippi River. The Madison Avenue trolley line gives you access to Midtown Memphis.

The 2,100-seat multi-purpose facility is the home of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and hosts a multitude of other events including ballet, opera, pop and jazz concerts, touring theatrical productions, children's theater and general sessions for conventions in the Memphis Cook Convention Center.

From 1959-1974, a tiny movie-theater-turned-recording-studio in South Memphis produced a string of hits that stirs souls today. Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, a brother and sister duo, purchased the old Capitol Theater on McLemore Avenue to relocate their recording equipment. Without knowing, they would soon be part of a worldwide sensation dubbed American soul music. This move placed them in an area rich with talent. Many of the artists and musicians who recorded at Stax were from the surrounding neighborhood, local churches and schools. In a time when racial tension was high, this studio never saw race but rather focused on producing its own sound, a Memphis sound, that would be heard around the world. The tour starts with a short introductory video (which alone is worth the price of admission!). From there you will see an amazing collection of more than 2,000 interactive exhibits, films, artifacts, items of memorabilia, galleries, and, of course, Isaac Hayes' gold-plated, peacock blue 1972 Superfly Cadillac El Dorado. While touring the museum, you will hear Stax hits including "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding, "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MGS, "Do the Funky Chicken" by Rufus Thomas, and "Theme from Shaft" by Isaac Hayes. Soulsville U.S.A. needs to be part of your Memphis music pilgrimage. Shop their large collection of CDs, DVDs and other Stax souvenirs.

On an average annual basis, The Orpheum has presented more Broadway touring productions than any other theater in the country. In addition to bringing the finest Broadway Productions to the area, a wide array of entertainers have graced the Orpheum's stage including Cary Grant, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Kenny G, Chuck Mangione, Stacy Keach, Patti LaBelle, Robert Goulet, Dorothy Hamill, Harry Connick, Jr., Tom Jones and the Vienna Choir Boys to name a few. Two of Memphis' local arts groups, Ballet Memphis and Opera Memphis, also call The Orpheum home.

This sports and events facility will include indoor basketball and volleyball hard courts and be adaptable for other sports like wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading, futsal, convocation, and commencement events. The Center will also include a cafe and concessions area. Located in the heart of Liberty Park, just outside Memphis’s Liberty Bowl Stadium, the venue is in immediate proximity to a wide array of entertainment, retail, dining, and hospitality options, making it an ideal location for traveling tournaments and events looking for that little something “extra.” Set to open in November of 2022.

The collection of the Brooks encompasses works in all media made throughout the world, from antiquity to the present day. With this encyclopedic collection and an exciting schedule of international traveling exhibitions and award-winning programs, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art ranks as the oldest and one of the largest fine arts museums in the state of Tennessee, with a total of 86,000 square feet of which 36,600 is devoted to the display of art.