Over the past decade, we\u2019ve visited Memphis 16 times to hang with our family and explore the city. When my sister Kate & brother-in-law Will moved here from Los Angeles, everyone was a little skeptical. \u201cIsn\u2019t that the deep south?\u201d \u201cWhat\u2019s there besides Graceland,\u201d people scoffed.\u201d Grind City is totally misunderstood by outsiders, and even those that visit, often just go to Beale Street for live music and BBQ, then leave without a clue. It isn\u2019t trendy or polished like Nashville; it\u2019s refreshingly raw and real.<\/p>\n
Music runs deep in the city\u2019s soul. It\u2019s where entire genres were invented\u2026rock n\u2019 roll, soul, and<\/em> the blues. Grind City was a lynchpin in the Civil Rights Movement and today it\u2019s home to six sites on the US Civil Rights Trail. It is surrounded by nature, with the mighty Mississippi River and one of the biggest urban parks in the world. CNN Money recognized Memphis as one of the 10 best places in the U.S. for startups, and even big companies like Ford\u2019s e-vehicle operations are setting up shop here. In our 10 years of visiting, we\u2019ve watched the city hit its stride with more entrepreneurs, artists, chefs, brewers, and hoteliers creating so many cool spots. The arts are one of Memphis\u2019 greatest strengths and the city has channeled it be their unifier and catalyst for change.<\/p>\n Memphis has been our family hub for holidays and a bit of a safe haven in our nomadic lives<\/a>. After we got the obligatory visit to Graceland and the Civil Rights Museum under our belt, our Memphis trips became about hanging out and doing as the locals do. And when I say this, it doesn\u2019t mean sitting in a rocker on the front porch. My sister and her husband are music lovers, foodies, outdoorsy, and social people, always looking to try the latest haps and share the best of them with us. We put our heads together for this guide on the best things to do in Memphis to travel like a local.<\/p>\n Before we get into all the chill local spots, Memphis has a lot of layers to unpack\u2026Civil War history, music legends, civil rights monuments, and a layer of grit that can make it hard to see Memphis clearly. These are the essential tours and museums to get your bearings.<\/p>\n Forget those cheesy double-decker buses, and leave your Memphis introduction to the historians and musicians at Backbeat Tours<\/a>. Started by Bill Patton (author of The Guide to Historic Downtown Memphis<\/a><\/em>), this tour company knows how intrinsically tied Memphis history is to music, so the guide has a microphone and guitar to give a little context to each site. Like singing early Elvis tunes in front of Lauderdale Courts where The King of Rock n\u2019 Roll spent his teenage years, and playing songs central to the civil rights movement in front of I AM A MAN Plaza, honoring the 1968 sanitation workers strike that brought MLK to town. We hit the city highlights of historic Cotton Row, the Victorian neighborhood of Court Square, Central BBQ (with a tasting), Lansky Brothers (clothier to Johnny Cash, BB King, and Elvis), and a bunch of other key sites. Fun and informative, Backbeat\u2019s Memphis Discovery Tour is the best way to get oriented and have a great time. They also do walking and bike tours covering a variety of more Memphis-specific topics.<\/p>\n Memphis\u2019 original streetcar network closed in 1947\u2026but now the MATA trolley is back with gorgeous heritage cars. Sourced everywhere from Portugal to Australia, this is an impressive international collection of vintage cars with intricate woodworking, antique lighting, and chiming bells. When we came to speak at TravelCon Memphis, we piled in with a dozen blogger friends and had a selfie spectacular. Riding the Main Street Line and the River Front Loop during the day gives a great overview of town and a look into local life, and by night it\u2019s a smart way to bar hop. Better still, it\u2019s $1 a ride and a local experience! Make sure you chat with the conductors, each one we\u2019ve met is a Memphian, full of charm and sass.<\/p>\n Memphis has an incredible amount of high-quality museums, many of which are the undisputed authority on the topic. Make sure to see at least two of these!<\/p>\n You could call The National Civil Rights Museum<\/a> a tourist attraction, but it is essential education for every American. Set in the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luker King Jr. was assassinated, and expanded with state-of-the-art exhibits that earned them Smithsonian status, this museum profoundly covers five centuries of African American history and race relations. Going with my family was a fascinating experience, and sparked some deep conversations with our little niece who is largely color-blind to race, and my mom who lived in San Francisco during the Civil Rights Movement. (Fun fact, her college roommate was a Freedom Rider, and she spotted her in the museum\u2019s photo of a jail lineup!)\u00a0<\/p>\n Thoughtful signage, hundreds of artifacts, and more than 40 films cover topics from slavery, the rise of Jim Crow, and positive changes of the late 20th<\/sup> century, to the challenges we face today. You can even walk into the hotel room MLK spent his final hours, and go across the street to the buildings linked to the assassination and the mysteries around it. During our visit, the King of Ghana and his dignitaries just happened to be touring the museum, which gives you a sense of how internationally revered the Civil Rights Museum really is.<\/p>\n When it comes to soul music, Stax<\/a> is the center of the universe. On the original site of Stax Records, which produced 900 singles and launched legends like Otis Redding and Issac Hayes, is the world\u2019s only<\/em> museum dedicated to American soul music. Celebrating their 20th<\/sup> anniversary in 2023, they\u2019ve just renovated with new exhibits and interactive displays, now totaling 2,000 items of memorabilia, from costumes to classic cars.<\/p>\n On our recent trip, we heard about the Tuesday concerts with the Stax Academy Alumni Band\u00a0 (the Soulsville Foundation has two impressive schools nurturing local talent), so we brought my mom and nieces for some fun. Energetic eight-year-old Maisie ran ahead and sprinted back, saying \u201cAunt Anne, they have a disco dance floor!\u201d We proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes booging to episodes of Soul Train under the stage lights. Then came time for the eight-piece alumni band; they were soooo good, they had everyone in the aisles shaking a tailfeather. I didn\u2019t know my mom was a soul fan, but these songs totally brought her back and had her humming Aretha for days and saying, \u201cThat was so much fun!\u201d<\/p>\n Whether you are a soul, blues, or rock n\u2019 roll fan, Memphis has a top-notch museum to get your foot tappin\u2019.<\/p>\n Memphis Music Hall of Fame:<\/a><\/strong> Did you know 20 percent of the early inductees in the Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll Hall of Fame came from within a 100-mile radius of Memphis? From Tina Turner to Justin Timberlake, meet the hometown heroes. Our bro-in-law, who knows that Mike & I love<\/em> dive bars and live music, would make a point to take us to a new gem each time we were in town. Earning true dive bar status in Memphis doesn\u2019t just mean you have neon beer signs, it means your walls can talk. Side note and wacky<\/em> fact:<\/em> Memphis liquor laws are such that if a bar doesn\u2019t sell hard alcohol, and the establishment is cool with it, you can bring your own!<\/p>\n Where W.C. Handy published the blues, where Elvis and BB King got their start, and where the next big acts cut their teeth, Beale Street is forever glowing in a neon halo. This strip of juke joints, blues halls, and bars has tourists for a reason, but there are still spots that locals go. The girls and I always have fun popping into A. Schwab (est 1876), with its old-time soda fountain, variety-store treasures, and artifacts from its 1970s stint as The Beale Street Museum. We sometimes go up to Patio Bar for the incredible people-watching, or get out of the fray with a frosty one at the local brewery, Ghost River Tap Room. And when we feel like some Blues in Blues City, there is the Itta Bena Bar above B.B. King\u2019s.<\/p>\n When it comes to music on Beale Street, we love the Blues City Cafe.<\/a> This is obviously not a hidden gem if acts like Queen Latifah & Rufus Thomas have graced the stage, and guests like President Bill Clinton & Samuel L. Jackson have popped in for a show, but this place is legit. One of Kate & Will\u2019s favorite bands, The Eskimo Brothers regularly plays here and we always try to catch them. To give you an idea of how cool these guys are and how intimate this venue is, The Eskimo Brothers actually took the time to call me from the stage when my sister said I was late for the show. It\u2019s just that kind of place.<\/p>\n A place Elvis played in the 1950s and where Jerry Lee Lewis visited so often in the \u201980s he called it his \u201coffice,\u201d is the \u201cWorld Famous Hernando\u2019s Hide-A-Way.<\/a>\u201d Resurrected in 2018 to honor their rockabilly and honkey tonk past, they have live music Wednesday through Saturday, and creative cocktails like The Johnny Cash Smash and All Shook Up Daiquiris. It\u2019s a throwback dream, worth the Uber ride a little out of downtown.<\/p>\n When we saw this bar name name written on wooden boards, in black marker, and lined with Christmas Lights, we instantly knew Wild Bill\u2019s<\/a> would be good. A live blues dive bar\u00a0located in the Vollintine-Evergreen district, Wild Bill\u2019s is only five minutes from world-famous Beale Street, but almost entirely missed by tourists. In their quarter-century history, they\u2019ve pulled some of the South\u2019s biggest names and are always bringing in rising talent. When we went, there was a 70-year-old lady killing it on electric guitar and a singer who would have made W.C. Handy proud.<\/p>\n Arguably the best dive bar in America (featured in Esquire<\/em>, Playboy<\/em>, and nine movies), this former 1930s pharmacy-turned-barber-shop-turned-brothel-turned-bar, has (ghost) stories to tell. Earnestine & Hazel\u2019s<\/a> actually went up for sale in recent years and our brother-in-law\u00a0considered buying it for safekeeping! Good news, it\u2019s in the hands of good friends respecting the legacy of this place, leaving its creaky floors and chipping paint, and offering good live music and comfort food (including the nationally recognized Soul Burger).\u00a0If you see the old \u201cSundry Store\u201d sign outside and think this place looks shady, you\u2019ve arrived.<\/p>\n We have to pour one out for the greatest Karaoke bar of all time, a place so divey it sadly met its demise (maybe having the parking lot double as the men\u2019s bathroom was going too far.) When we went for their closing party, the best singers in town came to honor this plywood house of music, everyone was dancing like a big hug, and PBR flowed like the Mississippi.<\/p>\n This venue is not just scenic and fun, but where history was made. The very first<\/em> time Elvis performed his crazy concept of Rock \u2018n Roll was here, at the now Overton Park Shell<\/a>. Today, this open-air amphitheater is using music as a way to build community and celebrate diversity. Come for their signature free live music concerts that run from May through October, multiple days a week. An evening at this small venue under the shady trees and dancing alongside Memphians is always a joy. Come to the park a few hours before a show and check out the neighboring Memphis Brooks Museum of Arts.\u00a0<\/p>\n At 4,500 acres, Shelby Farms Park<\/a> is more than five times the size of Central Park! Among the biggest urban parks in the world, it\u2019s got 20 bodies of water, 40 miles of paved and single-track trails, and just about every outdoor activity\u2026disc golf, ziplining, kayaking, horseback riding, and more. My sister and her family go here every month, so we asked them to describe their perfect Shelby Farms day they said, \u201cBiking around Hyde Lake, getting a bite at Coastal Fish Company, and watching the bison roam.\u201d (Yes, Shelby Farms is home to a herd of bison.)<\/p>\n Our favorite Memphis nature day of all time was taking a walk through the Lucius Burch Jr. Forest for a Wolf River Beach Day. While we girls were swimming and building sand castles, the boys went mountain biking in the surrounding forest, then we all reunited for a picnic and a game of river bocce. Having nature like this just a bike ride away from downtown made us appreciate the city even more. For more intense mountain biking, do the six-mile Tour de Wolf single-track loop.<\/p>\n The mighty Mississippi is one of the world\u2019s major river systems and a waterway that has connected the center of the country since the dawn of time. It is the stuff of legend, evoking the words of Mark Twain, the songs of Tina Turner, and the origin story of Memphis. By day, you can see it\u2019s the hard-working river it\u2019s always been, but by sunset, the magic of the Mississippi shines in golden hues. Enjoy it from high-flying rooftop bars like Beck & Call, Hu. Roof, or the historic Peabody Hotel. To be even closer to the water, head to Beale Street Landing or Mud Island.<\/p>\n Going to a baseball game has become a pricey and commercialized affair\u2014not at the Memphis Redbird\u2019s stadium<\/a>. This Triple-A team, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, still has the fun-loving spirit of baseball. You can get tickets for $6 and lay out your picnic blanket on their grassy bluff seating, while eating pulled pork nachos. In recent news, we love to hear that AutoZone Park has been named a Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Ballpark and that they swapped out their VIP suites for an all-inclusive club.<\/p>\n On our 16th<\/sup> trip to Memphis, we were looking for fresh ways to explore the city and came across Knowledge Quest\u2019s South Memphis Community E-biking Event. We quickly realized this wasn\u2019t just a scenic ride to the Mississippi River, this was one of KQ\u2019s many regular events and agents for social change in inner-city Memphis. Innovative programs like their three-acre urban teaching farm, Teen Tech Center, and regular wellness events\u2014from Tai Chi to beekeeping\u2014are revolutionizing this community and inspiring others. Our ride across town, stroll through the organic teaching farm, and chats with the founder Marlon Foster were so invigorating! Check out KnowledgeQuest.org<\/a> for how you can participate in their events (or join us in making a donation)!<\/p>\n Being in the Sun Belt, Memphis has mild winters, lovely springs, hot summers, and colorful autumns\u2026all conducive to spending much of the year outdoors with a drink in your hand! As a result, the city has a bunch of beer gardens, many family and pet-friendly.<\/p>\n Midtown Memphis is a hip local neighborhood, with cute shops, restaurants, and bars. However, if there is one midtown establishment that wraps all that coolness into one package, it\u2019s Railgarten<\/a>. Spread across 1.5 acres of outdoor space, old shipping containers are now bars, eateries, and stages. In the middle, you\u2019ve got a proper volleyball court, an outdoor screen for big games and movie nights, and seating with firepits or umbrellas to keep the fun going no matter the weather. My sister and I have a strong volleyball connection (it\u2019s how we communicated in our feisty teenage years and indirectly how we both met our husbands). We love coming here as a family (Lexie Dog included), to hit the ball around, have a few beers, and catch new bands. Check their schedule for fun music and events.<\/p>\n The much-anticipated grand reopening of Tom Lee River Park is poised to be the ultimate hangout spot along the Mississippi. More than 1,000 new trees and 50,000 native flora have been planted for this manicured green space with fountains, raised walkways, and artful playgrounds. There will also be a stage for live music and multiple eateries for fun into the night. Opening September 2023.<\/p>\n Hiding behind the railroad tracks in downtown Memphis is Loflin Yard<\/a>, an oasis of historic buildings, eateries, bars, and outdoor spaces, even a stream! Akin to Railgarten with live music, lawn games, and chill spaces, but swankier.<\/p>\n Just across the street from Loflin Yard, Carolina Watershed <\/a>has the prime spot overlooking two waterfalls with a big patio to take them in. And you\u2019ve gotta love their circular bar inside a silo and comfort food.<\/p>\n With a rich culinary tradition and an influx of hot new chefs, dining is among the best things to do in Memphis. Of course, you\u2019ve gotta try both their wet- and dry-style BBQ but there is so much more to Grind City cuisine. Many of the beer gardens and bars we listed above also have great food (particularly Blues City Cafe and Loflin Yard), but the following places are all<\/em> about good grub.<\/p>\n Restauranteur Ryan Trimm partnered with the world-famous Central BBQ to create this funky, feel-good diner. Known to be \u201cthe best breakfast in Memphis,\u201d this place has lines out the door for their McBetter Breakfast Sandwich, 3 Hermana Tacos, and Breakfast of Champions sriracha tofu bowl<\/a>. Open from 7am until 1pm\u2026as they say, \u201cGet up \u2018n Grit-it!\u201d<\/p>\n We ate at this Midtown mainstay during our omnivore days and can vouch for its legit Memphis BBQ and downhome charm. The Bar-B-Q Shop<\/a> is my bro and sis\u2019s #1 BBQ pick to this day. Try their signature BBQ Spaghetti (it\u2019s way better than it sounds).<\/p>\n Finally, a restaurant that understands that just because some folks don\u2019t eat meat doesn\u2019t mean we don\u2019t want good BBQ! In fact, Imagine<\/a> is so good at Southern cooking, that their Vegan Memphis Sandwich Platter was featured in USA Today\u2019s Best BBQ in the States (against ALL BBQ)! And when my mom had the shrimp po\u2019 boy, even the meat eaters at the table were asking for another bite.\u00a0 Modern Southern cuisine with an Asian twist is an unexpectedly delightful\u00a0combination that has earned ACRE<\/a> awards. Set in a renovated house on a tree-lined street, this contemporary space is super inviting and romantic. As vegans, we were impressed with the Hamachi Crudo cucumber and carrot ginger salad, the Roasted Carrots with Avocado, walnut, labneh, and white truffle honey vinaigrette, and meat eaters will surely love this place too. Literally atop the century-old (working) train station, the recently opened Central Station hotel<\/a> has kept its high ceilings, massive windows, and marble floors for the perfect balance of hip and historic. Plus, it\u2019s home to the fantastic Southern-French fusion restaurant, Bishop.\u00a0<\/p>\n The industrial-chic Arrive Hotel<\/a> has been the traveler hotspot since its opening in 2019. Punchy decor in the lobby is complemented by serene suites for a well-rounded look and feel. Located in the South Main Arts District, it\u2019s just off the main tourist drag but still in the heart of it all.<\/p>\n Set in the city\u2019s Victorian Village Historic District, this grand home from 1848 on the National Register of Historic Places, is now a luxurious and totally unique B&B. The James Lee House<\/a> gets the love it deserves from everyone from Travel & Leisure<\/em> to New York Magazine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Have you been to Memphis lately? It\u2019s time for a getaway! Check out our Tennessee Road trip blog <\/a>for our itinerary from Knoxville to Memphis.<\/p>\nGET ORIENTED<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Backbeat Tours<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Backbeat](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/backbeat.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nRide the Vintage Street Cars<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Memphis](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/trolley.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nMUSEUMS & MUSIC HISTORY<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Civil Rights Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/figure>\nStax Soul Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/figure>\nBlues Hall of Fame, Sun Studio & More Music Museums<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Sun Studio:<\/a><\/strong> Birthplace of Rock n\u2019 Roll & the Million Dollar Quartet (Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis)
Memphis Rock n\u2019 Soul Museum:<\/a><\/strong> What it sounds like, but even better, with its Smithsonian-accredited displays.
Graceland:<\/strong><\/a> The home of all things Elvis (mansion, cars, airplanes, jumpsuits, and the full story of his legacy. (Pricey, but worth it!)
Blues Hall of Fame Museum:<\/strong><\/a> Homage to the Home of the Blues and how far its sound has traveled.<\/p>\nMUSIC VENUES & ROCKIN\u2019 BAR<\/strong>S<\/h2>\n
Best of Beale Street<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Beale](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/20230625_20230625_155707_HoneyTrek_COPYRIGHT-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBlues City Cafe\u2019s Band Box<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Hernando\u2019s Hide-A-Way<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Wild Bill\u2019s Juke Joint<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/dive-bars-memphis.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nEarnestine & Hazel<\/strong>\u2018s<\/h3>\n
RIP: Wind Jammer<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Concert at the Overton Park Shell<\/strong><\/h3>\n
MEMPHIS OUTDOOR FUN<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Mississippi](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Outdoor-fun-20171124_Memphis_20171124_104958_HoneyTrek_COPYRIGHT.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nShelby Farms<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/wolf-river-beach.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWolf River Beach<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Sunset on the Mississippi River<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/missippi-sunset.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nMemphis Red Birds Ball Game<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Knowledge Quest Community Events<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Collages43.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBEER GARDENS & SUNDAY FUNDAYS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Railgarten<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/rail-garten.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nTom Lee River Park<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Loflin Yard<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Loflin](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/sunday-funday-loflin.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nCarolina Watershed<\/strong><\/h3>\n
BEST RESTAURANTS IN MEMPHIS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/food-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBrunch: Sunrise Memphis<\/strong><\/h3>\n
BBQ: The Bar-B-Q Shop\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Vegan: Imagine<\/strong><\/h3>\n
More Vegan Restaurants<\/strong>: Plant-Based Heat<\/a>, Son of a Vegan<\/a>, and City Silo<\/a> (for its bountiful plant-based options).<\/p>\nFine Dining: ACRE<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Fine Dining Honorable Mention:<\/strong> Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen<\/a><\/p>\nBEST BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN MEMPHIS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/hotels-2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nThe Central Station Memphis<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Arrive<\/strong><\/h3>\n
James Lee House<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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