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Visit the home of blues, soul and rock n’ roll.
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Visit the home of blues, soul and rock n’ roll in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn about the deep history of this city as you explore the award-winning restaurants, beautiful outdoors, foot-tapping music and vibrant neighborhoods.
Cozy up in your sumptuous room after a long day of fun in the city. The Central Station Hotel has 123 beautifully-designed rooms which include king or double queen plush beds, custom artwork and amenities like in-room Keurig coffee, a 50” HDTV, products from the William Roam Steam Collection and complimentary WiFi. You can even enjoy an in-room, custom Eggleston Works speaker so you can jam to The Central Station’s Memphis-inspired playlist.
Accessibility: Various rooms are accessibility including roll-in showers, accessible tubs and rooms for the hearing impaired.
Parking: $26 on-site, self-parking lot
A boutique hotel in the heart of Memphis, Arrive Hotel offers 62 guest rooms, an all-day bakery with coffee and cocktails, a poker room and rooms with AppleTV. Choose from a Studio with a king bed and 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens, the Bigger Studio which has a bit more room and city views, the Double if you’re traveling with friends or family members, or the Corner Lofts which have loads of space, a large tile shower and more. Enjoy a cocktail or beer at Longshot where you can play shuffleboard or just dig in to made-from-scratch snacks.
Accessibility: The property is ADA accessible. Service animals are allowed. Braille signage is located throughout the property. ADA accessible guestrooms are provided. Hotel corridors are a minimum 36 inches wide. Check out this full list of accessibility features.
Parking: $34/night + tax valet parking. Pull up to the hotel loading zone on Butler Street, adjacent to the hotel, for luggage assistance, check-in and valet parking access. The parking garage is locked from midnight to 6 a.m.
The cute boutique Hu Hotel has fun decor with records lining the elevators and the staff is so friendly and helpful. High quality linens, working stations, flat-screen HDTV with streaming capabilities and luxury bath products. The hotel offers dry cleaning, a coffee shop and more.
Accessibility: Eight ADA accessible rooms are available. For full accessibility details, contact Hu. Hotel.
Parking: Hu. Hotel has partnered with Metro 67 Parking Garage, owned and managed by Premium Parking, at the corner of Front Street and Madison Street. Parking is $22/night if you pay through the hotel. To secure this rate, register your license plate number with the hotel front desk prior to parking or within 15 minutes of parking in the garage.
James Lee House is an iconic bed & breakfast located in an 1800s house. It still boasts the original doors, bath tubs, walls and other finishes. You'll love waking up in light-filled bedrooms and ending the day by slipping into your luxurious bed.
Accessibility: There is one first-floor suite, The Crosley, is adjacent to the guest entrance, reachable by stairs or ramp. The other suites are only reachable by stairs with railings.
Parking: All overnight guests have access to the private, gated parking lot. For access, text James Lee House when you arrive. Once checked in, you will receive a remote for the gate entrance. The gate opens automatically when you depart. Return your remote at the end of your stay.
Take some time to explore and get fresh air at the 4,500-acre Shelby Farms Park located in the heart of Memphis. This park has it all from horseback riding trails to bike excursions, hiking, kayaking and fishing on the more than 20 bodies of water and even bison. Spread a blanket out on the green and have a picnic or play a round of disc golf. However you want to experience the outdoors, you can in Memphis. Challenge yourself with Go Ape, an outdoor adventure course that has six individual sections that take you higher up the pine forest canopy. There are over 40 crossings or obstacles like rope ladders, Tarzan swings, six zip lines and net bridges.
Accessibility: The Shelby Farms Greenline, Chickasaw Trail and Baptist Memorial Health Care Promenade are accessible. The Woodland Discovery Playground is ideal for children ages 12 and under of all abilities. The First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center and FedEx Event Center are ADA and ADA restroom facilities are available at the Woodland Discovery Playground, First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center and FedEx Event Center.
Parking: Available throughout the park. Check out the park map for more details.
Special Events: Enjoy events throughout the year like Canoes + Cocktails, Memphis Dragon Boat Festival, fun fall events and holiday fun in the winter.
Tickets: Admission is free, but some activities like horseback riding, zip line experiences and canoe rentals require a ticket.
Step out onto “America’s Most Iconic Street” for a night of dancing and music on Historic Beale Street. Established in 1841, it’s been a thriving area for commerce and culture. Beale Street was home to many Black-owned businesses, clubs, restaurants and shops. It even was the headquarters of Ida B. Wells’ anti-segregationist newspaper, Free Speech. Today, it’s a mecca for music, nightlife, dining and the arts. Step into the original B.B. King’s Blues Club where live blues, classic soul and rock n’ roll keep the party going all night. Enjoy a Cajun and barbecue menu with hot music provided by house bands at Rum Boogie Café. You’ll love seeing all the music industry memorabilia including more than 200 autographed guitars from Elvis, Sting, Rufus Thomas, Bon Jovi, Booker T and the MGs and more.
Parking: Thousands of parking spaces are within 100 yards of Beale Street. See this parking map with nearby garages, prices, hours and more.
Special Events: New Year's Eve bash, St. Patrick's Day parade, Christmas parade and more seasonal happenings throughout the year.
Earnestine & Hazel's has a fun vibe and a deep history. It started as a pharmacy in the 1930s then turned into a cafe where musicians like B.B. King, Sam Cook, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles and the like would come to the cafe for good food and tell stories. Today, it's a reminder of Beale Street's deep music history that serves up a variety of local beers like Wiseacre and Ghost River along with their famous Soul Burger. Live bands play soul, blues and jazz nightly and the famous Juke Box may just select a song itself.
Accessibility: Earnestine & Hazel's Bar is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible restroom
Parking: Nearby parking includes Parking at Central Station Pavilion, Tennessee Brewery Garage at 502 Tennessee Street, 395 South Main Street Parking Lot or the TN Brewery Garage at 495 Tennessee Street
You can’t go to Memphis without making a trip to the King of Rock n’ Roll’s iconic home. At Graceland, fully immerse yourself in Elvis’ home, his life and legacy. Once inside, you’ll see the living room, the kitchen, the famous Jungle Room, his father’s office and the newly-enhanced Trophy Building. Included in the tour are the recently restored Racquetball Building, Meditation Garden and the still-in-use dining room.
Accessibility: Graceland offers shuttle services with a lift for the tour only for those who are in wheelchairs or scooters. All rooms in the Graceland Mansion are wheelchair accessible, except for two basement rooms. There are photos and a TV monitor that shows what the two basement rooms, the TV room and the pool room, look like for those guests who cannot view them in person. Elvis Presley's Memphis is wheelchair accessible. While the airplanes are not wheelchair accessible, there's a video of the planes in the gift shop. The iPad tour is fully captioned.
Parking: $10 for standard vehicles and $15 for RV's, trailers or semi-trucks. The secured, main parking lot is located at 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Special Events: Check the event calendar for special concerts, traveling exhibits and annual events like Elvis Week, Elvis Presley's Birthday Commemoration, Christmas at Graceland and more.
The National Civil Rights Museum is located at the former Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated April 4, 1968. The museum is part of the top 5% of institutions to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Through interactive exhibits, more than 40 new films, 260 artifacts, oral histories and more, you will be guided through 500 years of history.
Accessibility: The museum offers complimentary tour guide and sign language interpretation with at least two weeks' advanced notice. Complimentary tour guide interpretation for visually-impaired guests is offered with 48-hours' notice. To arrange a tour, contact guest services at 901-521-9699. Assisted listening devices for the museum's two main theater experiences and transcripts for audio elements within the exhibitions are available upon requests. All films are closed captioned.
Parking: Free parking is available for museum guests. To enter the visitor lot, turn north on Mulberry Street from G.E. Patterson Avenue.
Special Events: Annual events include King Day every third Monday in January, Ruby Bridges Reading Festival and Juneteenth Community Day
See the famous duck march at the Peabody Hotel. Every day at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., you can see the five wild North American mallards march to and from the fountain in the Peabody’s lobby. You can reserve the Ducky Day Family Package, which includes an overnight accommodation plus the opportunity to be an Honorary Duckmaster where you’ll help the Duckmaster march the ducks to and from the lobby fountain. You even get your own brass-head Duckmaster Cane.
Accessibility: Public and guest room spaces have accessible features. Here's the full list.
Parking: Valet parking is $37/night + tax and self-parking is $28/night + tax in the Peabody Parking Garage. The parking entrance is at 118 South Second Street. Electric vehicle charging stations are located in the Valet Parking area for $25 for overnight parking or $28 for short-term valet parking.
Special Events: The annual Peabody Rooftop Party features live music, drinks and views of the sun setting over the Mississippi River every April-August. Ongoing events include afternoon tea, Duckmaster history tours, weekend brunch and piano music in the Corner Bar.
The Blues Hall of Fame houses the stories and memorabilia of some of the biggest blues stars in the industry. Koko Taylor's dress, Mavis Staples GRAMMY gown, and Charlie Musselwhite's harmonica are just some of the artifacts you can see. Rare album covers, photos and awards can only be seen inside this music museum. More than 400 inductees into the Blues Hall of Fame are highlighted in the museum to better tell blues' influence on music.
Accessibility: Visitors have shared the museum is easy to navigate with a scooter or wheelchair and it has an elevator. Guided tours are available
Parking: Free parking is available as well as street parking and nearby parking garages
Special Events: Blues are celebrated throughout the year at the Blues Hall of Fame with the annual Blues Music Awards, International Blues Challenge and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards
Memphis' Cotton Museum is housed in the original Memphis Cotton Exchange building, the very center of the regional economy. Cotton's place in Memphis' history is told through original films, exhibits and oral histories from eye-witnesses. Cotton Row shows just how busy Memphis was with cotton commerce, considered the largest spot-cotton market in the world. The Memphis Cotton Exchange was the center of the cotton trade that happened worldwide.
Accessibility: The Cotton Museum is accessible and family-friendly
Parking garages and street parking are available
Explore the shops, restaurants and live entertainment housed in century-old buildings in the Cooper-Young District. For a day of unique shopping, head to Cooper-Young's specialty shops and boutiques. You can find vintage styles at Fox + Cat Vintage, browse new and used books at the century-old Burke's Books, and find your new favorite vinyl at Goner Records. Before leaving, you must stop by House of Mews where rescue cats are curled up happily in the store and in the windows.
Parking: Limited street parking and parking options by Premium Parking for a fee. It's recommended to use ride share services or taxis.
The rock venue, Hi-Tone Cafe is where you want to go to see artists like Healy, Shefolks, Ethan Parker and Ten High. They have two rooms for music with a lounge in-between. Bring cash for the cover charge and then hang out to enjoy all the different artists.
Accessibility: Contact the venue in advance and the team will be happy to make arrangements for you
Parking: Available in front of the venue and on the sides. Additional parking is allowed at Regions Bank and the strip mall.
Spend a few hours delving into the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum that tells the story of the birth of rock and soul music. Start from the rural hollers of the 1930s to the 70s with Stax, Sun Studio and Hi-Records to the overall music influence rock and soul has had on the world. With video, songs and artifacts, you can fully immerse yourself into Memphis' strong music story. The museum is regarded today as one of Memphis' most prominent museums.
Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible entrance, parking lot and restrooms
Parking: Located at the corner of Beale Street, you can find parking near Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum in parking garages around downtown Memphis.
One of the most impressive vinyl collections around, Goner Records is a gem in downtown Memphis. You can find vintage records and today's sounds all in one place.
Accessibility: Goner Records is wheelchair accessible and has an ADA-compliant main entrance as well as accessible parking near the entrance
Parking: Street parking and bike parking are available
Special Events: Concerts are hosted throughout the year as well as the annual Gonerfest each September
Now that you've seen where Elvis lived, catch a live music performance where he booked his first gig. The Overton Park Shell is an outdoor stage offers free shows all summer long. It's just one of the fun things to do in Memphis with kids as there's plenty of room for them to dance to the music.
Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible. Certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity with sensory bags available. American Sign Language Interpreters are available at many concerts and events
Parking: Free parking throughout Overton Park
Special Events: Concerts and events are hosted throughout the year with signature events including the Orion Financial Free Concert Series, The Shell Yeah! Benefit Series and health and wellness series
Enter rib heaven when you step through the door of Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous. Tender, dry rub ribs have been a staple for this restaurant for over 70 years. Start your meal off with the pork or chicken barbecue nachos then get a small or large slab of ribs, pork shoulder sandwich or chopped chicken sandwich. You can pair your ribs with pork shoulder, brisket or chicken. Lamb riblets, meatless red beans and rice and even a skillet of shrimp (can feed up to eight people, but give Rendezvous 24-hour notice) are also on the menu.
Huey’s is a family-friendly restaurant that’s been a Memphis staple since 1970 and serves mouth-watering burgers, salads and catfish. All burgers are six ounces of certified angus beef and topped with the special Huey’s seasoning. You can make any burger a veggie, black bean or turkey burger. Try the World Famous Huey Burger topped with mayo, lettuce, tomato, mustard, pickles, onions, cheddar or Swiss cheese on a buttered and toasted sesame seed bun. The Bluff City Burger is a favorite topped with smoked cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, onion straws and barbecue sauce. Huey’s also has the 100% vegan Beyond Burger.
Enjoy outdoor dining at Loflin Yard which is also pet-friendly. Choose from a variety of small plates like brisket tacos, smoked wings and a beef brisket plate. Nosh on burgers, the smoked brisket Po-boy or hot chicken. Barrel-aged cocktails like the Buffalo Trace Old-Fashioned and Sazerac Rye and creatively-named cocktails like Your Cousin’s Destination Wedding – Altos Plata tequila, Tattersall Grapefruit Crema, Priqly Liqueur and topped with sparkling wine - and Can You Make My Girlfriend Something Pink – Wheatly vodka, Lillet Rose, Ancho Reyes Chili Liqueur with watermelon puree - will make your evening fun and enjoyable.
Is there anything more perfect together than barbecue and Memphis? The answer is a resounding no, especially when we're talking about a slab of ribs from Cozy's. You can also order pork and beef nachos, barbecue bologna and whole barbecue chicken with sides like barbecue baked beans, Cole slaw and even barbecue spaghetti.
Maybe it's the fact that Central BBQ doesn't use sauce in their smoke pit, maybe it's the combination of dry-rub spices or the all-day marinade. Whatever it is, Central BBQ is a famous stop for locals and travelers to get a taste of their art. Chow down on the pork BBQ nachos that come with a mountain of pulled pork that's smothered in barbecue and cheese sauces, shredded cheese and jalapenos. A slab of ribs or an order of beef brisket or pulled pork comes with two of their homemade sides like macaroni and cheese, barbecue beans, green beans and slaw. You'll want to order dessert, even if you take it back to your hotel, because the homemade banana pudding, cheesecake and peanut butter pie are worth tasting.
The bungalow turned French-Creole restaurant, has been a Memphis staple for years, and for good reason. Restaurant Iris is one of the best places to eat in Memphis with delicious fine dining main courses such as seared scallops, Kvaroy Arctic salmon a la Barigoule, duck confit and pork belly as well as the prime 10-ounce beef filet served with mashed potatoes, honey roasted carrots and house-made Worcestershire sauce.
Get to Arcade Restaurant early, as locals and visitors alike flock to Memphis' oldest cafe, first opened in 1919. Order the fluffy French toast, buttery biscuits with a side of hashbrowns and strong coffee to start your day on the right foot.
Order a burger with a side of truffle fries to instantly be transported to a simpler time at the Beauty Shop Restaurant Lounge, formerly Priscilla Presley's go-to shop to get her hair cut and styled. Seating is beneath Belvedere hair dryers and everything on the menu is delicious. If burgers and truffle fries aren't your thing, order the Thai Cobb salad, salmon Gravlax – herb goat cheese, avocado, greens, Kirby cucumbers, tomato and red onion or the chicken and brown rice bowl packed with sweet bell peppers, cabbage, onion, mushrooms, fried kale and sprouts.
If you have a hankering for Italian, head to Hog & Hominy where you can dine on salad with crispy chicken, collards, meatballs, sweet potato slices and pizza. Save room for the Carol's Delightful Smile dessert - a malted chocolate mousse pie with an Oreo crust and Whoppers chocolate candy.
If you go to Alchemy for dinner, try a variety of small plates like the chicken boudin risotto with roasted chicken and fried herbs, the beef sliders topped with chipotle pimento cheese, roasted tomatoes, and bread and butter pickles. Or try the edamame hummus made with crispy chickpeas, olives and roasted tomatoes served with flat bread. If you're famished, dine on the main dishes like shrimp & grits, duck confit and pan-seared beef striploin. Return for breakfast on Sundays to indulge in Belgian waffles with berries and bacon, French toast and iced coffee.
Make reservations for this upscale dining experience at Flight Restaurant Wine & Bar. Flight's dishes are smaller and can come in threes. You can get three of the same meat family or order a variety of things. You can't go wrong with the chicken and waffles, steak and mashed potatoes, or bison and rice. Flight also has a recommended wine pairing for each dish, or you can pick your own – same for dessert. Peanut butter ice cream, a chocolate chip soufflé and apple cobbler are great choices to finish off your meal.
Aldo's Pizza Pies is some of the best pizza in town, inspired by New York-style pizza with a southern twist. Start off by sharing stuffed peppers filled with basil pesto goat cheese and marinara parmigiano. Then, choose a specialty pizza like The Memphis - Central BBQ sauce topped with Aldo's four-cheese blend, Central BBQ's pulled pork, red onion and Cole slaw. House-made pasta, salads and sandwiches are also on the menu. Save room for dessert with a slice of New York cheesecake or a mini chocolate chip cannoli.
Dine, dance, explore and marvel at all there is to do in this great city. Plan your visit to Memphis.
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