Things to do
Things to do in Memphis
American music was born here twice: the blues on Beale Street, rock 'n' roll at Sun Studio — and the barbecue argument never ends.
Photos for Memphis are still on their way. Every listing below is real.
Top things to do in Memphis
The Home of the Blues: Beale Street, Sun Studio, and barbecue.
- Beale Street — The blues highway: the clubs, the neon, the live music nightly.
- Sun Studio — The 'birthplace of rock 'n' roll': the 1954 Elvis/Johnny Cash/Carl Perkins room — the guided tour.
- National Civil Rights Museum — The Lorraine Motel: the essential American museum — allow half a day.
- Graceland — Elvis's mansion: the mansion tour, the planes, the jumpsuits.
- Stax Museum — The soul studio's museum: the Soulsville story, Isaac Hayes's Cadillac.
- Memphis Zoo — The top-ranked zoo: the pandas (check current), the Northwest Passage.
- Mud Island & the Mississippi — The river park: the River Walk model, the monorail.
Free things to do in Memphis
Memphis is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:
- Beale Street (daytime) — The street: free (clubs charge at night).
- Tom Lee Park — The riverfront park: free.
- Overton Park — The old-growth forest park: free.
- South Main Arts District — The galleries and streets: free.
- Mississippi riverfront — The river views: free.
Festivals & the religious calendar
The town's own festivals:
- Memphis in May / Beale Street Music Festival (May) — The month-long festival: the music festival, the barbecue cooking contest, the sunset symphony.
- Elvis Week (August) — The Graceland pilgrimage: the candlelight vigil (15 August).
- Juneteenth / MLK commemorations (June / April) — The civil-rights city's remembrances.
- Cooper-Young Festival (September) — The neighbourhood arts festival.
And the national calendar:
- Independence Day (4 July) — Fireworks, barbecues, parades — the summer national holiday.
- Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday of November) — Turkey, travel, the Macy's parade on TV; the year's biggest domestic travel day.
- Halloween (31 October) — The full American Halloween: trick-or-treating, haunted houses, costume parties.
- Memorial Day / Labor Day (last Monday of May / first Monday of September) — The bookends of summer: the two big summer-weekend holidays.
Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.
Sports: Basketball
The Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) at the FedExForum: Grind City, the Grit 'n' Grind era's legacy — the city's pro heart. Memphis Tigers (NCAA) basketball at the same arena; Tigers football at the Liberty Bowl. Minor-league baseball: the Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A) downtown.
The Liberty Bowl (December) college football game; the St. Jude golf heritage. Barbecue is the other sport — the dry-vs-wet debate is serious.
Tickets: official site
What's new in Memphis
The riverfront (Tom Lee Park) redevelopment is the showpiece. Memphis in May's dates are confirmed yearly. The music venues keep the live scene nightly.
Submit your event
Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.
Common questions
How many days do I need in Memphis?
Two full days covers the highlights above. Add a third for the day trips — see our day-trips guide.
What can I do in Memphis for free?
Plenty — see the free list above. The town's festivals and markets are the other great free shows.
When is the best time to visit Memphis?
Time it for a festival if you can — the calendar above is the cheat sheet. Otherwise, the shoulder seasons dodge the crowds.
More to explore in Memphis
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