From the moment I set foot in Memphis, I knew that it would very quickly become one of my favorite cities in the United States due to its historical past. Famed for the assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., this city serves as a very important reminder of what has happened in our not so distant past, and what can continue to happen should we not remain vigilant. There are so many important things to do in Memphis.

Directions to Memphis Tennessee

Getting to Memphis is incredibly easy if you're Stateside or road tripping through the United States. I actually visited Memphis on my first ever road trip down the East Coast! While I can't provide you with exact directions to get to Memphis Tennessee, since I don't know where you will be coming from (feel free to let me know in the comments below!), I can assure you that it is very easily accessible. Memphis International Airport sees about 80 flights a day from various carriers, with American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines being the most well known. You can find the cheapest flights to Memphis here. 

Once you've arrived, your best bet is to road trip Memphis. As some of the locations are spread out, it's easiest if you drive around. If you aren't road tripping the States and need to grab a car, there are plenty of cheap rental cars in Memphis. Score the lowest car rental deal here.

Where to Stay in Memphis

There are ample places to stay in Memphis, from AirBnBs to luxury hotels. Should you decide to go the AirBnB route, you can get $55 off your AirBnB using my code here. If you're looking to be pampered, I would recommend staying at The Peabody or the Westin Memphis Beale Street, and if you're looking for something a little more affordable but still quite comfortable, you can check out the Hotel Indigo Memphis Downtown (I personally love the Hotel Indigo Brand — I've stayed with them in Singapore and Indonesia too!). 

Things to do in Memphis

If you only have time for one thing in Memphis, you must go to the National Civil Rights Museum no questions asked, but there are honestly so many things to do in Memphis. These were my favorite spots:

1. The Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Motel, which has been built into the National Civil War Museum, is the tragic site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination outside Room 306. There is a wreath hanging off MLK’s balcony, with two period-cars like that of which he would have driven beneath his room.

The Lorraine Motel – Things to do in Memphis

It’s a poignant memorial to Dr. King and all that he did for our country. Directly across from the Lorraine Motel is the dormitory room from which he was shot. You are able to enter this room with your ticket to the museum and, in this building, not only can you see how researchers agreed upon how the act was orchestrated with such precision, but the conspiracy theories associated with the killer as well.

The Lorraine Motel – Things to do in Memphis

2. National Civil Rights Museum

The National Civil Rights Museum was the reason that I went to Memphis in the first place. I had spent the previous month learning about our country’s Civil War and then our fight for Civil Rights. For me, it culminated at the National Civil Rights Museum. This very interactive museum is both captivating and devastating all the same, and is an eye-opening look into our country’s recent, dark past.

National Civil Rights Museum – Things to do in Memphis

National Civil Rights Museum – Things to do in Memphis

The Museum does not just focus on our famed Civil Rights Movement, but rather, the fight for civil rights from slavery until today. This is a truly moving, incredibly powerful museum and it’s an absolute necessity to visit for nationals and foreigners alike. You need to devote at least half a day for the museum in order to do it right, and even still, you won’t be able to read every detail or listen to every clip.

National Civil Rights Museum – Things to do in Memphis

Toward the end of the museum, you will have the chance to listen to Dr. King’s final speech before entering his room at the Lorraine Motel and the room he was brought into bleeding after he was shot. Did you know that he never muttered a word after he was shot? Fair warning, most people end up crying at some point throughout the exhibit, myself included (and I’m no crier!). The National Civil Rights Museum is, hands down, the best museum that I’ve been to in the world.

National Civil Rights Museum – Things to do in Memphis

3. Sun Studio Tour

If you’re not in Memphis for one King, you’re there for the other: Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. As a bit of a music fan, I knew that I just had to tour the famous Sun Studio.

Sun Studio Tour – Things to do in Memphis

Sun Studio Tour – Things to do in Memphis

Although it's where Elvis got his first big break, I wasn't touring Sun Studio for Elvis, but for U2. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a big U2 fan. In fact, I got a piggyback ride from Bono on stage at Madison Square Garden during a concert in 2005, but that’s a whole other story! Anyway, U2 recorded three songs at Sun Studios – Angel of Harlem, Love Rescue Me, and When Love Comes To Town. They left their drum set there when they finished recording, so I just had to see it.

Sun Studio Tour – Things to do in Memphis

Part of this recording session is immortalized in U2's movie “Rattle and Hum.” BB King (another King, jeez!) was one of their first recording artists, and when Sun Studios re-opened for recording in 1987, U2 were the first recording artists and they recorded their songs with BB King — it was an incredible juxtaposition of the old Sun Studio and new Sun Studio. U2 aside, Sun Studio is truly fantastic if you love Rock ’n’ Roll. Not only can you sit at U2’s drum kit, but you can sit at Jerry Lee Lewis’ piano and sing into Elvis’ original mic!

Sun Studio Tour – Things to do in Memphis

We were also lucky enough to be taken into the control room, and I was shocked to see that they are still largely using the same old recording equipment. I stood there at the mixing desk, looking out into this room that has held not only the Million Dollar Quartet, but so many phenomenal musicians, and I was slightly aw-struck. The talent that has walked through that room is just unbelievable.

Sun Studio Tour – Things to do in Memphis

4. Graceland

If you’re a big Elvis fan, Graceland is not to be missed. You do have to go with a tour though, which tend to start at about $45 USD. Despite not knowing much Elvis, I was prepared to shell out the money and I knew it was rated as a must-see in Memphis.

Graceland – Things to do in Memphis

I then found out though that you can visit the Meditation Garden where Elvis is buried (alongside his grandmother, mother, father, and stillborn brother) for free between 7:30am-8:30am daily. While you don’t get to see inside the mansion, you do get to see the facade and his backyard, in addition to the graves. It’s an emotional experience for many Elvis-lovers, but I’m definitely glad that I went for that.

Graceland – Things to do in Memphis

You also have the option of touring Elvis’ two private planes across the street, but if you peak through the fence (or are tall enough to see over the fence), you can get a nice look at the Lisa Marie Presley, named after his daughter.

Graceland – Things to do in Memphis

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5. Crystal Shrine Grotto

Want to find one of Memphis’ best kept secrets? Well, head to the Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, and follow signs for the Crystal Shrine Grotto. It sounds weird, I know, but trust me when I say that this of one of Memphis’ most unique, and free, sites.

Crystal Shrine Grotto – Things to do in Memphis

The Crystal Shrine Grotto, which depicts numerous hand-made Bible scenes, was built by Dionicio Rodriguez in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The grotto is made up on rock quartz crystal and semiprecious stones illustrating “Christ’s Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection,” and it is truly fascinating.

Crystal Shrine Grotto – Things to do in Memphis

6. Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum

Slave Haven offers a very interesting look into the Underground Railroad. Jacob Burkle moved from Germany, fleeing oppression to realize that he left one oppressive society for an even more aggressively oppressive society. He originally resided in Arkansas, but when he saw how bad the slave trade was in Memphis, he moved to Memphis solely with the intention of helping to free the slaves.

Underground Railroad Museum – Things to do in Memphis

He built his house from scratch, and the cellar was the first room that he built, as he knew he wanted to help hide slaves there as soon as possible. When people began getting suspicious of Burkle not having slaves, he went to the slave market, purchased two slaves, and immediately told them when they got back to his house that he would be freeing them and putting them on the underground railway when the time was right; they were used as a means of disguising his highly illegal actions.

Underground Railroad Museum – Things to do in Memphis

After letting them go, and knowing for certain that they were safe, he reported those “slaves” as runaways so that he didn’t seem suspicious. Jacob Burkle was never caught. Had he been, he would have been hung on the spot and his house would have been burned down.

7. Beale Street

Beale Street is Tennessee’s version of Bourbon Street, but less rowdy and more tolerable. It has bright neon lights, some good eats, and fantastic live music!

Beale Street – Things to do in Memphis

8. Sunset on the Mississippi River

The U2 fan in me just had to watch sunset over the Mississippi River while listening to Heartland like they do in the “Rattle and Hum” movie (go ahead, make fun of me), but anyone in Memphis really should head over to Tom Lee Park to watch sunset; it’s a truly beautiful site!

Watch Sunset Over The Mississippi River – Things to do in Memphis

Memphis Tennessee Map

To give you a visual and make it easier while you plan your trip, I figured it'd be helpful to have a Memphis Tennessee Map! I've pinned all of the places above so that you could make the most of your time there. As always, feel free to leave me any questions in the comment section below. 

What to Pack for your Memphis Getaway

What you pack will depend on what time of year you visit Memphis. While your clothing may vary, I have compiled a list of travel essentials that will certainly help you out! From packing essentials to tech essentials, outdoors essentials, fitness essentials, business essentials, and more… I’ve got you covered! Click here to discover the 137 travel essentials you need to check out before your Memphis getaway! 

Do you have Travel Insurance?

I hope you don’t travel without travel insurance! If you do, you better think again. If you have health insurance in the States, of course this doesn't apply to you. But if you're visiting, travel insurance is arguably the most important thing to have on hand (after your passports and visas). I’ve had to use my travel insurance multiple times on the road, even though I’m healthy. You never know when something might happen; take comfort in knowing that whether your flight gets cancelled or you wind up sick and in the hospital, you will be covered. I recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance for each and every one of you travelers. You can get a free quote here.

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