For couples · Memphis · United States
Romantic things to do in Memphis
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Romance in Memphis means sunset on the river, blues in a dark club and long Southern dinners in South Main and Midtown. Couples tend to stay in South Main Arts District.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 2
- Area for couples
- South Main Arts District
- Best months
- April and October–November
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset over the Mississippi
Walk out on Big River Crossing or the Tom Lee Park lawns as the sun sets over Arkansas.
2.Blues night on Beale Street
Start with dinner downtown, then spend the night club-hopping to live blues.
3.Peabody rooftop
Have a drink on the Peabody's rooftop, home to the ducks' palace, with views over downtown.
4.Levitt Shell concert
Picnic at a free outdoor concert in Overton Park on a warm evening.
5.South Main dinner
Dine in a restored warehouse restaurant in the South Main Arts District.
Sights couples love
Gallery · East Memphis
Dixon Gallery and Gardens
Leave time to walk the gardens, especially in spring when azaleas and dogwoods are in bloom.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Couples
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Garden · East Memphis
Memphis Botanic Garden
Visit in April, when the iris and azalea gardens are at their best, and let children explore My Big Backyard.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for culture, couples and food lovers
South Main Arts District
South of Beale Street, South Main has restored brick warehouses with galleries, restaurants, bars and boutique hotels, including one in the old Central Station rail depot. The National Civil Rights Museum and the Blues Hall of Fame are here, and the trolley runs along Main Street.
- Good
- Characterful streets and good restaurants; Walk to Beale Street; Boutique hotels
- Watch out
- Quieter on weeknights; Limited parking
- Nearby
- National Civil Rights Museum, Blues Hall of Fame, Central Station, Beale Street
Romantic day trips
- Clarksdale and the Mississippi Delta (About 1.5 hours) — Down Highway 61 through the flat cotton country of the Delta, Clarksdale has the Delta Blues Museum, juke joints with live blues on weekends and the legendary crossroads of Highways 61 and 49.
- Oxford, Mississippi (About 1 hour 20 minutes) — Home of the University of Mississippi, Oxford has a lively town square with independent bookshops, restaurants and bars, and Rowan Oak, the home of novelist William Faulkner, set in woodland near campus.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Dry-rub ribs, Pulled pork sandwich and Barbecue spaghetti. Some barbecue and soul food spots close on Sundays or Mondays, so check before driving across town.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Memphis romantic?
Romance in Memphis means sunset on the river, blues in a dark club and long Southern dinners in South Main and Midtown.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Memphis?
Sunset over the Mississippi: Walk out on Big River Crossing or the Tom Lee Park lawns as the sun sets over Arkansas.
+Where should couples stay in Memphis?
South Main Arts District: Galleries, restored warehouses and the National Civil Rights Museum.