2 days in Memphis

Day by day

1. Day 1: Graceland and National Civil Rights Museum

   Graceland, National Civil Rights Museum, Beale Street and Sun Studio, then Big River Crossing in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Graceland

      He is buried in the Meditation Garden behind the house. Across the boulevard, the Elvis Presley's Memphis complex displays his cars, stage costumes, gold records and his two private jets.

   2. Late morning

      National Civil Rights Museum

      was assassinated on 4 April 1968, the museum traces the struggle for civil rights from slavery through the Montgomery bus boycott and the sit-ins to the Memphis sanitation workers' strike. The tour ends at Room 306, preserved as it was, and continues across the street in the building where the shot was fired.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dry-rub ribs

      Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous, in an alley across from the Peabody, has served them since 1948; barbecue joints across the city offer both dry and wet.

   4. Afternoon

      Beale Street

      Handy, B.B. King and other musicians shaped the Memphis blues. At night it becomes a pedestrian zone with live music pouring out of clubs. A. Schwab, a general store trading since the 19th century, and the W.C. Handy House Museum are daytime stops.

   5. Late afternoon

      Sun Studio

      Guided tours end in the original recording room, which still operates as a studio.

   6. Evening

      Big River Crossing

      Walk over at sunset, then stay for the light show; bring water in summer, as there is little shade.

2. Day 2: Stax Museum of American Soul Music and The Peabody Ducks

   Stax Museum of American Soul Music, The Peabody Ducks, Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum and Blues Hall of Fame Museum, then Overton Park and the Levitt Shell in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Stax Museum of American Soul Music

      & the M.G.'s and the Staple Singers, this museum covers soul music from gospel roots to the 1970s. Highlights include Isaac Hayes' gold-trimmed 1972 Cadillac Eldorado and a dance floor playing classic Soul Train footage.

   2. Late morning

      The Peabody Ducks

      The tradition dates back to the 1930s.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pulled pork sandwich

      Barbecue restaurants and roadside joints throughout the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum

      It sits by the FedExForum plaza at the end of Beale Street.

   5. Late afternoon

      Blues Hall of Fame Museum

      Run by the Blues Foundation, this museum honours inductees of the Blues Hall of Fame with galleries of instruments, records, stage clothing and interactive displays, a block from the National Civil Rights Museum.

   6. Evening

      Overton Park and the Levitt Shell

      Bring a picnic blanket to a free Levitt Shell concert on a warm evening, and walk the Old Forest trails beforehand.

Before you go

• Graceland: Buy timed mansion tickets online in advance, especially in summer, around Elvis's birthday in January and during Elvis Week in August.

If it rains

• Swap in Dixon Gallery and Gardens (East Memphis): Leave time to walk the gardens, especially in spring when azaleas and dogwoods are in bloom.
• Swap in Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid (Pinch District): Take the lift to The Lookout at sunset for the best river view in the city.
• Swap in Children's Museum of Memphis (Midtown): Ride the historic carousel and, in summer, bring swimwear for the splash park.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–20 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.8 hours in December to 14.5 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. MATA's vintage-style trolleys run along Main Street downtown and connect South Main, Beale Street, the Peabody area and the Pinch District.

More or fewer days

• One day in Memphis
• 3 days in Memphis

Questions travellers ask