Blues music drifting from open doorways, smoky barbecue joints, and a deep musical legacy give this riverside city a character unlike anywhere else in the South. Loud, soulful, and full of history, it’s a place that has shaped American culture far beyond its size.
Set along the banks of the Mississippi River in southwestern Tennessee, Memphis is known for its legendary music scene, especially around Beale Street where blues clubs and live performances still define the atmosphere today. The city is also closely tied to the legacy of Elvis Presley, whose home at Graceland remains one of its most famous attractions.
Alongside its music and food culture, Memphis also played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement, with landmarks such as the National Civil Rights Museum helping preserve that important history.
Beale Street
Bars, Blues, and Elvis Presley… Beale Street has it all! This street in downtown Memphis is more than just a popular tourist destination, it’s been instrumental in the history of Memphis, particularly for the African American community.
It was established in 1841 and was influential during the Civil War, when black culture and commerce thrived in this area of Memphis. When yellow fever devastated the cities population in the 1870s, a former slave named Robert Church invested into restoring Beale Street. The park he built on Beale Street became a hotspot for blues musicians.
Beale Street was home to the Free Speech newspaper, was visited by Martin Luther King during a protest, and was played at by famous musicians like BB King. There are restaurants, bars, shops, and so much history to explore in Beale, don’t miss it!
Sun Studio
If Beale Street is the home of the blues, Sun Studio is the home of rock and roll. It recorded famous artists like Howlin’ Wolf, BB King, and later Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. It opened for business on the 3rd of January in 1950 and has been legendary ever since.
On your tour of the studio, you’ll get to listen to old recordings by iconic rock and roll, country and blues singers and bands, and get insight into how their careers took off and led them to stardom.
Take a picture in the studio, microphone in hand, and experience the thrill of being in a recording studio. Sun Studio still records tracks today, maybe yours could be the next big hit…
Graceland
Elvis Presley started his career in Memphis and lived in the city for most of his life. He built his home here, the Graceland mansion. Elvis died in 1977 in the mansion, when he was just 42. He left his fortune to his father, and it was later passed on to his daughter Lisa.
The mansion was opened to the public in 1982. You can’t stay in the home, but you can stay in the nearby guest house that has 450 rooms and a 464-seat theater that hosts live music performances.
You can climb onboard one of his luxurious and private airplanes, like everything else, Elvis certainly flew in style. After touring his home and plane, head over to Elvis Presley’s Memphis complex, where you can see some of his most famous outfits, guitars, and enjoy Elvis themed entertainment.
Blues Hall of Fame
The Blues Hall of Fame is run by The Blues Foundation and is a recent addition to Memphis. The city is renowned for its blues scene, and has been for a long time.
The hall has 10 galleries with interactive screens where you can learn all there is to know about the memorabilia and celebrated blues artists featured in the museum. It’s home to the guitars of famous blues artists like Donald Dunn, Matt Murphy, and Pee Wee.
You’ll also get to see their clothes, album covers, shiniest awards and much more during your visit. They have permanent and traveling exhibits, so you can keep going back! The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but open to music fans the rest of the week.
Statue of Elvis
Have you always wanted to get a picture with Elvis? Now’s your chance! Head to downtown Memphis and stroll along Beale Street, you’ll soon find him. Elvis is a world-renowned artist, crowned the King of Rock and Roll. He moved to Memphis when he was just 13 and kept coming back.
Tracks like It’s Now or Never put him on the charts and led him to fame. When you see his statue, you’ll be All Shook Up and probably find you Can’t Help Falling in Love With it, pun intended!
The original statue was built in 1980 and is now in the Memphis Welcome Center. It was moved there after being weathered and worn by the elements. For three years after it was taken down there was no Elvis statue on Beale Street, but a new one was put there in 1997, to the relief of Elvis fans everywhere.
Slave Haven / Burkle Estate
The Burkle Estate is on 826 North Second Street, which with time has become a polemic address. The property was owned by Jacob Burkle before the Civil War and visited by herdsmen and their livestock who needed to rest along their journey.
But it is also thought that the address was visited by slaves who had escaped their owners and were using the Underground Railroad as a route to freedom. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of way stations that were connected by underground tunnels and served as safe resting spots for fleeing slaves.
The house is now a museum, so on your visit you can tour the house and explore the antique artifacts. The property is in great condition considering it was built in 1849. It’s also a unique opportunity to learn about the hope that was offered to slaves who had suffered immense injustice and hardship.
Mud Island River Park
This park by the riverside isn’t actually an island, but it’s almost entirely surrounded by water. The Mississippi runs along on one side and the Wolf River Harbour is on the other. You can get there by crossing the Hernando de Soto Bridge from Downtown or by land on the North Mud Island Road at the other end of the island.
The park is home to the Mississippi River Museum and has a large, outdoor concert venue that hosts live music events when the weather is nice. The park has nice views of the river, a great spot for an afternoon picnic.
It’s always busy on a sunny day, and is a popular spot frequented by tourists and locals alike. You can stop by for a fun afternoon outdoors and meet some locals. What’s not to love?
Peabody Ducks
The Peabody is a Hotel in Memphis that has become a very popular tourist attraction because of its peculiar live-in residents, a little flock of ducks! The ducks have been living in the hotel since the 1930s when they were put in the hotel fountain as a practical joke.
In 1940 they were trained by Bellman Pembroke to walk to and from the hotel fountain, a famous waddle now known as the Peabody Duck March. You can watch them on their march twice a day, an entertaining and comical thing to do with the kids or friends.
The ducks have gotten quite famous across the US and have been on many popular TV shows like Sesame Street. When they aren’t out in the fountain they live in a $200,000 duck house on the rooftop, possibly the fanciest room in the whole hotel!
National Civil Rights Museum
The Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s shook the nation. African Americans fought tirelessly for equal rights, marching for hours in long protests, and speaking out. The movement wanted to put a stop to legal racial discrimination and segregation.
Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and many more prominent figures of the Civil Rights movement are discussed at the museum. You can stand in solidarity with Rosa on board the Cleveland Avenue bus or visit the replica Lorraine Motel room, where Luther King was assassinated, right here in Memphis.
The museum encourages visitors to think about how we can learn from history and apply it to today’s world. Fighting racism is an ongoing battle, and by learning from our past we can create a better future.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Stax Records is a recording studio that opened in Memphis in 1957 under a different name. The studio became known after releasing popular soul hits, as well as blues, funk, and gospel records.
Stax is also known for organizing the Wattstax festival in 1972 to commemorate the 7th anniversary of Watts riots. The rebellion occurred in 1965 in LA, 34 people were killed and more than 3,400 were arrested.
The museum is full of memorabilia, outfits, instruments, records, photos, and costumes of the iconic American soul artists who recorded here, as well as other renowned soul musicians. There’s also an old Cadillac in the building! Afterwards, head into the original recording studio, which is still in business today.