Best Things to Do in Memphis

Memphis is a city in Tennessee in the United States, known for its rich musical heritage and home to legends such as Elvis Presley. Its vibrant cultural scene is complemented by delicious cuisine, iconic buildings and beautiful natural spaces where you can relax.

During your stay in the city, you will find many things to see and do. You can hop on a tourist bus to explore the streets, visit the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, take a bike ride or participate in a food tour. You can also relax in the Botanical Garden, visit Elvis Presley's mansion and enjoy other activities detailed below.

Taking a panoramic tour of Memphis by bus will allow you to easily explore the city and discover its most iconic sights. You can also delve into the local history and enjoy the musical culture that characterises it. There are two options available for this experience:

Guided bus tour

On this tour, you will see iconic places such as the famous Beale Street with its vibrant music, the moving Civil Rights Museum, the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, among many other stops. All this while listening to live commentary from an expert guide.

In addition, when you book a guided bus tour of Memphis , you will have the option of taking a boat trip on the Mississippi River and visiting Sun Studio, where the legendary Elvis Presley recorded his first song, That's All Right (Mama).

• Price: from £44 per person.
• Duration: between 2 and 7 hours.
• Advantages: you will see the city in the company of an expert guide whose commentary will allow you to immerse yourself in local history and musical culture.

Tour with live music

This bus tour focuses on the musical history of the city. As you travel through the streets of Memphis and take in the must-see destinations, you'll enjoy a vibrant live blues and rock and roll show.

If you decide to book the guided bus tour with live music, you can get off at some of the city's highlights to explore and take photos. You can also enhance the experience by adding admission to Sun Studio or the Stax Museum.

• Price: around £37 per person.
• Duration: 2 to 3 hours.
• Advantage: you will enjoy a pleasant musical show while touring the streets of the city.

Memphis is a city with an African-American and Southern culinary heritage, which you can discover during your stay. Take a food tour and enjoy everything from iconic barbecue to fluffy biscuits. You'll delight your taste buds with the variety of flavours and feel how each bite transports you to the history and tradition of the city.

Throughout this experience, you will walk the streets of the city, discovering popular restaurants and places where you can eat delicious regional specialities (barbecue, soul food, deviled eggs, etc.). For example, Central BBQ, known for its pork ribs; Elwood's Shack, with creative dishes and a cosy atmosphere; Soul Fish Cafe, specialising in soul food, among others.

You can take a route on your own or book a food tour of Memphis. If you choose the latter, you will be accompanied by a culinary expert who will take you to the best places and tell you about each dish. In addition, this type of guided activity will give you the opportunity to interact a little with the chef in charge of the restaurant you visit.

Useful information

• Price: if you go on your own, you pay for what you consume at each place. If you take a guided tour, the approximate cost is €72 per person. (Includes tastings).
• Duration: on your own, there is no time limit. The guided experience lasts about 3 hours.
• Advantage: you will delight your palate with the flavours of traditional Memphis food.

One of the city's unquestionable tourist attractions is the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, where you can learn about the history of the musical pioneers of these two important musical genres. You'll see interesting collections of historical artefacts, interactive exhibits and much more.

When you arrive at the museum, you will feel as if you have travelled back in time, specifically to Memphis in 1930. You will find around seven galleries with photographs, instruments, costumes, artefacts and some audiovisual exhibits. You will enjoy a unique cultural experience: you will immerse yourself in the music and understand the racial and socio-economic challenges faced by musicians of the time.

In addition, when you purchase tickets to the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, you will enjoy an audio guide with over 300 minutes of detailed information, through which you will discover the importance of Memphis in music history. You will also have access to around 100 rock 'n' roll and soul songs to accompany the tour and enjoy an immersive experience.

Useful information

• Admission: €15 per person is the approximate cost of tickets.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 17:00.
• Advantage: you will learn about the history and evolution of two musical genres born in Memphis: rock 'n' roll and soul.

The bike bar is a unique and fun mode of tourist transport that is very popular in Memphis. You'll cycle through the liveliest streets while enjoying your favourite drinks and taking in the urban landscape, which is home to some of the city's main attractions.

On this bike tour with a mobile bar, you'll enjoy a fun atmosphere while discovering the city. Accompanied by a driver who leads the bicibar, you will pass through Tom Lee Park, Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, and other notable Memphis landmarks.

When booking a bicibar tour in Memphis, it is important to note that this type of activity does not usually include drinks and snacks. Therefore, you should bring everything you want to drink and eat along the way.

Useful information

• Price: the average cost of the activity is approximately €18 per person.
• Duration: around two hours.
• Advantage: you will explore the streets of the city on a fun mode of transport that combines a bicycle and a bar.

Step back in time and explore the city's past at the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum. Built in 1871, this historic late Victorian building houses an important collection of antiques that will give you a glimpse into what life was like in Memphis during the 19th century.

You can explore the elegant rooms of the former Woodruff-Fontaine family residence at your own pace, admiring interesting exhibits as you go . For example:

• The collection of furniture reflecting 19th-century style.
• Decorative art, consisting of ceramics, glass and metal objects.
• Some paintings and sculptures by local artists.
• A textile collection, with costumes and accessories from the Victorian period.

Throughout your tour of the mansion, you will find several QR codes that you can scan to obtain information about the building and the Woodruff-Fontaine family. In addition, when you purchase tickets to the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum, you will have access to the garden area, which will surprise you with its lush natural landscape.

Useful information

• Admission: the approximate cost is €15 per person.
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 12:00 to 16:00. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Advantage: you will get a glimpse of what Memphis was like in the 19th century.

During your stay in Memphis, you can visit the Music Hall of Fame. This iconic venue offers you the opportunity to delve into the city's music scene. It is undoubtedly an enriching cultural experience that you will enjoy and remember.

Through a series of multimedia exhibits, you can discover the evolution of music in the city and learn about some of the famous artists who have left their mark on the city's music industry. For example, B.B. King, an influential blues musician; Johnny Cash, proclaimed the King of Country Music; Elvis Presley, a cultural icon of the 20th century, among others.

If you decide to purchase tickets to the Music Hall of Fame, you can enjoy an extensive collection of memorabilia belonging to legends of blues, rock 'n' roll, and soul. You will see instruments, costumes, personal items, awards, and much more.

Useful information

• Admission: €9 per person is the average price to access this attraction.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• Advantage: you will learn a little about the city's music scene.

If you are a fan of the paranormal, then during your stay in Memphis you should join a ghost tour. You will be surprised by the stories hidden in the streets and corners of this city. You will have a unique and spine-tingling experience in which you will discover the dark side of the city.

Accompanied by a guide, you will visit the most mysterious places in Memphis, including the following:

• The Peabody Hotel, opened in 1925. This place is home to many supernatural stories.
• The old Orpheum Theatre, with a rich history of entertainment in the city and the legend of the spirit of a young actress who haunts the place, among others.
• Elmwood Cemetery, present in the city since 1852. This place has many ghost stories.

In addition, if you decide to take a ghost tour of Memphis, you will also visit the famous bar and restaurant, Alexander and Hazel's. It is a former brothel with a peculiar atmosphere, considered the most haunted place in the entire city. In fact, it is said that some ghosts still inhabit it.

Useful information

• Price: €30 per person is the average cost of this activity.
• Duration: approximately 2 hours.
• Advantage: you will discover the interesting paranormal stories hidden in the city.

Memphis is home to Graceland, Elvis Presley's famous mansion, where he lived from the age of 22 until his death. It is an iconic place in the city and a must-see on your itinerary, whether or not you are a fan of the legendary King of Rock and Roll. You can explore the interior of this impressive property and be amazed by everything it has to offer.

At the mansion , you will have the opportunity to stroll through its different rooms, take a look at the recording studio, the garden area and much more. You will see an amazing exhibition featuring Elvis's costumes, photographs, record awards, his car collection, among other things. You can also climb aboard one of his personal planes and feel like a star.

In addition, if your itinerary allows and you are interested in discovering the King's origins, you can book an excursion to Elvis Presley's birthplace from Memphis to Tupelo (a town located just over 90 minutes away). There, you will delve into his childhood.

Useful information

• Admission: from around £36 per person.
• Opening hours: every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Advantage: you will see all the treasures housed in the mansion where the legendary King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, lived for most of his life.

Another interesting option in Memphis is to enjoy some time outdoors at the Botanical Garden. There, you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the streets and immerse yourself in the tranquillity offered by this important green space in the city. You will discover different areas of great beauty, as well as themed areas for playing in nature.

When you arrive at the garden, you will find a huge area of about 96 acres, which you can explore at your own pace, discovering the following places as you go:

• The arboretum, with an important collection of more than a thousand trees belonging to some 180 different species. You will also have the opportunity to see 19 species of oak trees.
• The collections of nativeplants, perennials (which bloom in different seasons), succulents, cacti, among others.
• The 30 themed gardens, including the Japanese garden, with sakuras and bonsais; the butterfly garden, with nectar-producing plants that attract these insects; the rose garden with hybrid and climbing species, etc.

You will also see a series of sculptures that enhance the different areas of the garden. And, occasionally, some art exhibitions. In addition, there is the family garden area with interactive activities. You can grow some plants and vegetables while learning about their growth. Ideal if you are with children.

Useful information

• Admission: around £12 per person.
• Opening hours: every day from 9:00 to 18:00.
• Advantage: you will enjoy a unique experience where you can get away from the hustle and bustle and connect with nature without leaving the city.

Memphis Zoo is another place you can add to your list of things to see and do in the city. In this park, which is home to just over 3,500 animals belonging to some 500 different species, you will have the opportunity to experience wildlife.

During your visit, you will find a series of themed areas with various ecosystems, including the following:

• The African Safari, home to elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos, gorillas, kangaroos, etc.
• The bird area, with outdoor exhibits featuring native and exotic species, among others.
• The reptile section, featuring snakes, crocodiles, toads and all kinds of amphibians.
• The feline exhibit, with tigers, leopards, lynxes and more.

At the Memphis Zoo, you will find a farm animal area . There, you can interact with friendly cows, horses, sheep, ducks, and more. You can also learn a little about their care and the world of agriculture.

Useful information

• Admission: the average cost is around €15 per person.
• Opening hours: every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. From October to March, closing time is reduced by one hour, i.e. until 5:00 p.m.
• Advantage: you will experience wildlife up close, discovering amazing species from the wild and some domestic animals.