Graceland
If you only make one stop in Memphis, it should be here: the sublimely kitschy, gloriously bizarre home of the King of Rock and Roll. Though born in…
Shutterstock / Natalia Bratslavsky
Memphis
Memphis doesn't just attract tourists; it draws pilgrims. Music-lovers lose themselves to the throb of blues guitar on Beale St. Barbecue connoisseurs descend to stuff themselves silly on smoky pulled pork and dry-rubbed ribs. Elvis fanatics fly in to pay their respects at Graceland. You could spend days hopping from one museum or historic site to another, stopping only for barbecue, and leave happy.
Celebrating its bicentennial in 2019, Memphis has long been marked by a certain baroque, ruined quality both sad and beguiling. But the city these days feels re-energized. Neighborhoods once downtrodden and abandoned – South Main, Binghampton, Crosstown and others – are being reinvented with kitschy boutiques, hipster lofts, daring restaurants, welcoming microbreweries and design-minded revamps of old buildings, all dripping with Memphis' wild river-town spirit. Poverty is still prevalent, and some neighborhoods are considered unsafe at night, but the vibe overall is one of optimism and local pride.
Explore Memphis
- Graceland
If you only make one stop in Memphis, it should be here: the sublimely kitschy, gloriously bizarre home of the King of Rock and Roll. Though born in…
- Sun Studio
This dusty storefront is ground zero for American rock and roll. Starting in the early 1950s, Sun's Sam Phillips recorded blues artists such as Howlin'…
- National Civil Rights Museum
Housed partly inside the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr was fatally shot on April 4, 1968, is the gut-wrenching National Civil Rights Museum…
- Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Wanna get funky? Head directly to Soulsville, USA, where this 17,000-sq-ft museum sits on the site of the old Stax recording studio. This venerable spot…
- Elvis Presley's Memphis
Graceland's new $45-million, 200,000-sq-ft state-of-the-art entertainment complex is five times the size of the old visitor center. Highlights include…
- Memphis Pyramid
Don't laugh, but the most striking building in Memphis, a 32-story pyramid completed in 1991, is now home to an enormous Bass Pro Shop. Even if you don't…
- Memphis Music Hall of Fame
It was a long time coming, but Memphis finally has a shrine to its own. This small but well-done museum, the sister gallery to the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul…
- Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
On Sunday, put on your 'smell goods' and head to services in South Memphis, where soul-music legend turned reverend Al Green presides over a powerful…
- BBlues Hall of Fame
Dedicated to Blues Hall of Fame inductees, this intimate and well-done space features a rotating art gallery on the lobby level and a small but well…
Latest Stories from Memphis
Planning Toolkit
Tips & Travel trends to help you pick the perfect time to visit this destination.
Golden rules to keep in mind when traveling to this destination.
Add visiting these must-see local hot spots and culture centers to your next travel itinerary.
Deals and tips on ways to save without sacrificing the fun on your next trip.
Plan a day trip full of local flavor and get back in time with these same-day options.
Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Memphis.
See
Graceland
If you only make one stop in Memphis, it should be here: the sublimely kitschy, gloriously bizarre home of the King of Rock and Roll. Though born in…
See
Sun Studio
This dusty storefront is ground zero for American rock and roll. Starting in the early 1950s, Sun's Sam Phillips recorded blues artists such as Howlin'…
See
National Civil Rights Museum
Housed partly inside the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr was fatally shot on April 4, 1968, is the gut-wrenching National Civil Rights Museum…
See
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Wanna get funky? Head directly to Soulsville, USA, where this 17,000-sq-ft museum sits on the site of the old Stax recording studio. This venerable spot…
See
Elvis Presley's Memphis
Graceland's new $45-million, 200,000-sq-ft state-of-the-art entertainment complex is five times the size of the old visitor center. Highlights include…
See
Memphis Pyramid
Don't laugh, but the most striking building in Memphis, a 32-story pyramid completed in 1991, is now home to an enormous Bass Pro Shop. Even if you don't…
See
Memphis Music Hall of Fame
It was a long time coming, but Memphis finally has a shrine to its own. This small but well-done museum, the sister gallery to the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul…
See
Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
On Sunday, put on your 'smell goods' and head to services in South Memphis, where soul-music legend turned reverend Al Green presides over a powerful…
See
Blues Hall of Fame
Dedicated to Blues Hall of Fame inductees, this intimate and well-done space features a rotating art gallery on the lobby level and a small but well…
Guidebooks
Learn more about Memphis
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