Memphis Tourism

Memphis music is authentic, diverse and influential. Music-lovers visit to pay tribute to legends with ties to the city, including Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aretha Franklin and Isaac Hayes. And they visit to experience the city that continues to inspire modern-day musicians, from Three 6 Mafia, Justin Timberlake and Julien Baker to Al Green. For this reason, Memphis attractions and activities present one-of-a-kind musical experiences. Only in Memphis, you can listen to live blues on historic Beale Street, hold Elvis’ mic at Sun Studio (or tour the King of Rock 'n' Roll's home, Graceland Mansion) and see Isaac Hayes’ gold-plated Cadillac at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. What else would you expect from the city mentioned in more than 1,000 song lyrics and titles (more than any other in the world)? Beyond the music, Memphis’ 60-plus attractions and activities are some of the top things to do in Tennessee, including the National Civil Rights Museum and seven stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, the world’s longest pedestrian bridge over the Mississippi River, the red-carpet marching Peabody Ducks and the world’s ninth largest pyramid. The Memphis pyramid is home to a bucket-list Bass Pro Shops complete with an indoor swamp, underwater-themed bowling and a glass-bottom observation deck overlooking the Mississippi River. Visitors also come to Memphis for the city’s reputation as a barbecue capital. With more than 100 restaurants dedicated to the craft, an annual barbecue cooking contest and unique specialties to try – from charcoal-smoked ribs to pulled pork-studded nachos – Memphis is a city that feeds the soul. Soul food and celebrated chefs contribute to that reputation. p.s. If you’re wondering how Memphis got its name, this city that anchors southwest Tennessee, marked by bluffs that rise from the Mississippi River, is named after the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, which sat along the Nile River.