Memphis: Travel Guide

Memphis sits on the Chickasaw Bluffs above the east bank of the Mississippi River in southwestern Tennessee, with approximately 620,000 residents in the city and 1.3 million in the metropolitan area. Its claim on American musical history is unmatched: the city produced or incubated blues, soul, rock and roll, and gospel in a concentration no other American city can equal. Sun Studio recorded Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison within a single decade. Stax Records produced Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MGs. Beale Street produced B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and W.C. Handy.

The city is also the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel — now the National Civil Rights Museum. Memphis processes its complex history more directly than most American cities of its size.

Getting to Memphis

By air: Memphis International Airport (MEM) is approximately 11 miles southeast of downtown. No rail connection; taxi to downtown approximately $30-$40; rideshare approximately $18-$25 as of 2026. MEM has direct service from most major US hubs.

By car: Memphis sits on I-40 (east-west) and I-55 (north-south). From Nashville approximately 210 miles (3.5 hours). From Little Rock approximately 140 miles (2 hours). From New Orleans approximately 395 miles (6 hours via I-55). From St. Louis approximately 285 miles (4.5 hours).

By train: Amtrak’s City of New Orleans (Chicago-New Orleans) stops at Memphis Central Station (545 S Main St). One train per direction per day. From Chicago approximately 9.5 hours; from New Orleans approximately 8 hours.

Getting Around Memphis

Memphis is car-dependent outside the downtown core. Graceland (6 miles south), Midtown’s Cooper-Young district, and Stax Museum all require a car or rideshare. The MATA trolley runs downtown and along Main Street. Rideshare is widely available.

What to See

Graceland — 3764 Elvis Presley Blvd. Elvis Presley’s home from 1957 until his death in 1977 — one of the most visited private homes in the United States. The mansion tour (self-guided via iPad) covers the living room, jungle room, and trophy building. Admission approximately $42 for adults for the mansion tour as of 2026; comprehensive packages with aircraft and car museum run approximately $65-$95. Open daily; hours vary by season.

National Civil Rights Museum — 450 Mulberry St. Built around the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was assassinated. The museum documents the American civil rights movement from the slave trade through 1968 with exceptional depth. Admission approximately $20 adults as of 2026. Open Monday and Wednesday-Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 1-5pm; closed Tuesday.

Sun Studio — 706 Union Ave. The recording studio opened by Sam Phillips in 1950 where Elvis Presley made his first commercial recordings in 1954. Guided tours run hourly; admission approximately $15 adults as of 2026. Open daily 10am-6pm. The studio still records.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music — 926 E McLemore Ave. Built on the site of the original Stax Records studio, with original instruments, recording equipment, and Isaac Hayes’s gold-plated Cadillac. Admission approximately $13 adults as of 2026. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm.

Beale Street — the heart of Memphis nightlife: blues clubs, bars, and restaurants on a pedestrian-accessible strip with open container laws throughout the entertainment district.

Neighbourhoods

Downtown/Beale Street is the tourist core — hotels, the Mississippi Riverfront, FedExForum (Grizzlies arena), and the Peabody Hotel all within walking distance.

South Main Arts District (south of downtown along South Main Street) contains galleries, independent restaurants, the Amtrak station, and Central Station Hotel.

Midtown/Cooper-Young (approximately 4 miles east) is the city’s primary independent restaurant and bar district — a walkable grid around Cooper Street and Young Avenue.

Overton Park (adjacent to Midtown) contains the Memphis Zoo and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art on 342 acres.

Hotels

The Peabody Memphis — 149 Union Ave. The city’s grand hotel, opened 1925 and famous for the Peabody Ducks — a family of mallards that parades through the lobby twice daily. From approximately $250-$450 per night as of 2026.

Guest House at Graceland — 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd. A 450-room hotel on the Graceland campus with themed suites and a 464-seat theater. From approximately $200-$350 per night.

Central Station Hotel — 545 S Main St, South Main. A restored 1914 Beaux-Arts train station converted to a hotel, with Amtrak still operating from the ground floor. 123 rooms. From approximately $160-$270 per night.

Sheraton Memphis Downtown — 250 N Main St. A 370-room convention hotel within walking distance of Beale Street. From approximately $130-$200 per night.

Budget: Sleep Inn at Court Square (300 N Second St) — from approximately $80-$120 per night; central downtown location.

Restaurants

The Rendezvous — 52 S 2nd St (via an alley off Monroe Ave). Since 1948, the Rendezvous has served Memphis dry-rub ribs over charcoal in a basement dining room seating several hundred. Ribs approximately $18-$32. Open Wednesday-Saturday for dinner.

Central BBQ — 2249 Central Ave (multiple locations). Memphis-style BBQ across several cuts; the pulled pork sandwich is the recommended entry point. Mains approximately $10-$24.

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken — 310 S Front St. Spicy fried chicken with a thin, crackling crust — widely cited as among the best fried chicken in the United States. Expect a wait on weekends. Full chicken approximately $14-$18.

Cozy Corner — 745 N Pkwy. A family-owned BBQ institution in a former convenience store. The whole barbecue Cornish hen is the signature item. Cash or card. Mains approximately $10-$22.

Majestic Grille — 145 S Main St. A reliable contemporary American restaurant in South Main Arts District. Mains approximately $18-$36.

Practical Notes

Memphis summers are hot and humid (July average approximately 92°F). The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (second week of May, Tom Lee Park — the largest BBQ competition in the world) and Beale Street Music Festival (first week of May) fill downtown hotels and require advance booking. The NBA Memphis Grizzlies play at FedExForum October-April; playoff runs affect hotel availability with minimal notice.