What to do once you land inMemphisFind your bearings
Memphis is where rock and roll was born, where BBQ is a competitive sport, and where the blues still pour out of juke joints on Beale Street every night. The city wears its history honestly: the National Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, and Stax Museum tell the story of American music and justice. The food alone is worth the trip.
Neighborhoods
Downtown / Beale Street — The tourist center: neon-lit blues clubs, BBQ restaurants, and the FedEx Forum. Touristy but genuinely fun after dark
South Main Arts District — Restored warehouses with galleries, coffee shops, boutiques, and the trolley line. Memphis's creative revival happening in real time
Cooper-Young (Midtown) — The local hangout: indie restaurants, dive bars, record shops, and a tight-knit neighborhood feel. Best brunch area in the city
Crosstown — Anchored by the massive Crosstown Concourse building: brewery, restaurants, concert venue, and rooftop bar all in a former Sears warehouse
Overton Square — Theatre district meets restaurant row. Memphis's version of going out without the Beale Street chaos
Best time to visit
April through May for perfect weather and Memphis in May BBQ festival. September through October is warm and less crowded. Summers are brutally hot and humid.
Getting around
The Main Street Trolley runs downtown to South Main for $1 per ride, free on special event days
Downtown is very walkable. Beale to South Main to the riverfront is an easy 20-minute loop
Uber and Lyft work well and are cheap. Most rides in the city core cost $6 to $12
Rent a car for Graceland, Stax Museum, and BBQ joints outside downtown. Parking is free almost everywhere
Key areas
Beale StreetSouth MainCooper-YoungGracelandMud Island
Zero-dollar wins
1
Beale Street live musicWalk the strip and hear blues, rock, and soul pouring from open doors. No cover at most clubs, just buy a drink
2
Mississippi River bluff sunsetWalk to Tom Lee Park or the bluff walkway for sweeping views of the Mississippi. The sunsets over Arkansas are stunning
3
South Main trolley rideHop the vintage trolley through the arts district. The ride itself is a dollar, but the architecture tour is priceless
4
Peabody Hotel duck marchEvery day at 11am and 5pm, the Peabody's resident ducks march through the lobby to the fountain. Free to watch, delightfully absurd
5
Shelby Farms Park4,500-acre urban park with trails, a lake, bison herd, and free festivals. Bigger than Central Park, less crowded than your backyard
6
Sun Studio exterior and neighborhood walkThe 'birthplace of rock and roll' exterior and surrounding Marshall Avenue neighborhood are free. The $15 tour inside is worth it too
Treat yourself
(we think it's worth it)
Catherine & Mary's$60 to $100
Italian-Southern fine dining from the Nolan family (of Hog & Hominy fame). Handmade pasta with Delta ingredients in a gorgeous spaceFlight Restaurant & Wine Bar$70 to $120
Wine flights paired with modern Southern cuisine on South Main. The tasting menus are surprisingly reasonable for the qualityGraceland VIP tour$80 to $150
Skip the basic tour and get the full Elvis experience: upstairs rooms, private car collection, and smaller groupsThe Peabody rooftop party$40 to $80
Thursday night rooftop at the Peabody Hotel with live music, cocktails, and views of the Memphis skyline and riverThe legendary bites
The dishes this city perfected
Central BBQ$12 to $22
Memphis BBQ done right: slow-smoked ribs, pulled pork, and dry rub that locals argue about. Multiple locations, all excellentDry-rubbed ribs with slaw and beansGus's World Famous Fried Chicken$12 to $18
Spicy, crispy, perfect fried chicken that started in rural Tennessee and conquered the South. The original Downtown location has the most soulSpicy fried chicken (dark meat) with white bread and coleslawPayne's Bar-B-Q$8 to $14
Cash-only cinder block joint that's been smoking since 1972. No frills, no pretense, just some of the best chopped pork in AmericaChopped pork sandwich with hot slawDyer's Burgers$8 to $12
They've been frying burgers in the same grease (strained daily) since 1912. Sounds wild, tastes legendary. Beale Street institutionDeep-fried burger on a white bun with mustardThe Four Way$10 to $18
Soul food restaurant since 1946, where MLK and Aretha Franklin ate. Still serving the same fried catfish and turnip greensFried catfish plate with mac and cheese and greensWhere locals eat
Where residents actually go
Cozy Corner BBQ$6 to $12
Cash-only joint famous for Cornish game hen smoked whole and BBQ baloney. Utterly Memphis, utterly deliciousElwood's Shack$8 to $14
Breakfast tacos, smoked chicken, and a full BBQ menu from 7am. The brisket tacos and smoked wings bring the early crowdAlcenia's$10 to $16
Miss Betty's soul food with a hug included. Fried catfish, cabbage, yams, and the famous Ghetto Aid punch. Cash only, weekend brunchHog & Hominy$14 to $25
Italian-Southern mash-up in a casual East Memphis spot. Wood-fired pizza meets smoked meat and Delta ingredientsGray Canary$18 to $35
Wood-fired steaks and oysters in the Crosstown Concourse. The short rib and bone marrow is ridiculousGo off-script
1
Stax Museum of American Soul MusicBuilt on the site of the original Stax Records studio. Isaac Hayes's gold Cadillac is in the lobby. The $13 tour is one of America's best music museums
2
Wild Bill's juke jointLegendary hole-in-the-wall on Vollintine. Live blues on weekends, BYO setups, and an atmosphere you cannot manufacture. The real Memphis
3
Big River Crossing bike rideWalk or bike across the Mississippi on the longest pedestrian bridge over the river. Start at Mud Island and end up in Arkansas for a beer
4
Full Gospel Tabernacle (Al Green's church)Reverend Al Green still preaches most Sundays. Visitors welcome for the 11:30am service with a full gospel choir. Dress nicely
Insider intel + tourist traps
Tips
- ✓Don't skip the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. It's heavy but essential. Go early, it takes 2 to 3 hours
- ✓Beale Street is the tourist draw, but Cooper-Young and South Main have better food and more locals. Do one night on Beale then explore
- ✓BBQ is religion here. Don't ask for sauce before tasting the meat. Dry rub is the Memphis tradition and it's meant to stand alone
- ✓Sun Studio tours run every 30 minutes and are genuinely great. The $15 fee is worth it for the stories and the acoustic room
“Hit three BBQ joints in one day and I don't regret a single bite. Central for ribs, Payne's for the sandwich, and Cozy Corner for the smoked hen. Memphis is the best food city nobody talks about.”
Skip
- ✗Beale Street souvenir shops: the same mass-produced blues merch at 3x the price. Get real Memphis gear at Shangri-La Records or Burke's Book Store
- ✗Graceland basic tour audio guides that rush you through: spring for the VIP to actually enjoy the experience at your pace
- ✗Alfred's on Beale for BBQ: it's mediocre tourist-facing food. Walk 10 minutes to Central BBQ for the real thing