Where to Stay in Memphis

a crowd of people walking down a city street

Where to Stay in Memphis, Tennesse

Memphis rests along the banks of the Mississippi River, at the farthest western edge of Tennessee. With a metropolitan population exceeding 1.3 million, it’s now the second largest city in the state and one of the South’s largest attractions – particularly for music lovers. The origin of blues, soul, and rock`n`roll, Memphis is renowned for the bars and clubs of Beale Street, Stax Records, Sun Studio, the Blues Hall of Fame, and Graceland, the lavish residence of Elvis Presley. It’s additionally where Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot in 1968, the site now preserved as the poignant National Civil Rights Museum. Though the city’s faced hardships, it’s an undeniably atmospheric place scattered with eateries, stores, and taverns loaded with personality. It’s also home to some of the top barbecue joints in the nation, with Memphis-style barbecue globally renowned and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest transpiring here every May.

The most practical area to lodge is downtown, with an assortment of upscale hotels and reasonably-priced chain options available. Less expensive selections exist in South Memphis near Graceland, but that vicinity can feel precarious at nightfall. Midtown is worthwhile to explore, particularly the trendy Cooper-Young neighborhood, though lodging choices are scarcer here. East Memphis is not as convenient unless extensive driving is anticipated, yet clusters of low-cost motels and outstanding shopping malls do exist.

While exploring Downtown and the South Main region on foot is relatively convenient, the Memphis Area Transit Authority operates an helpful downtown trolley system comprising 3 routes: Main Street Rail Line, Madison Avenue Shuttle Line, and Riverfront Shuttle Line. The Main Street trolley connects Beale Street, the Civil Rights Museum, and the South Main Arts District with Downtown for just $1 per journey (day pass $2, purchase on board). Buses serve other parts of the city, but it’s generally faster (and safer at night) to travel by private vehicle or taxis.

• Book lodging well in advance if your visit coincides with the anniversary of Elvis’s death in mid-August ( Elvis Week) and during the Memphis in May International Festival.

• Memphis International Airport is 12 miles to the south of Downtown and only around 15–20 minutes by taxi. All the major car rental businesses have desks here. The sole public transportation is MATA’s bus #28 Airport route, which runs to the Hudson Transit Center at the northern end of Downtown in around 30 minutes (this connects with the trolley service).

– The Tennessee Welcome Center is situated at 119 North Riverside Drive, facing Mud Island on the banks of the Mississippi River (daily 7am–10pm). The Memphis Visitor Center is at 3205 Elvis Presley Boulevard in South Memphis, on the road to Graceland.

Best Places to Stay in Memphis

a tall building with a clock on it`s side

Best Neighborhoods in Memphis for…

    • Best Neighborhood to Stay for First Timers/Sightseeing: Downtown Memphis
      The most visible choice is downtown Memphis, which has the largest variety of lodging and includes attractions, especially Beale Street and its associated bars, restaurants, and museums. Here you’ll also be within walking distance of the Mississippi River path and riverboat tours, Mud Island, the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, and the sights of the South Main Arts District, including the National Civil Rights Museum. Downtown is also easy to navigate thanks to the cost-effective and convenient trolley system, though you really need a vehicle to explore further afield. Alternatively, serious Elvis fans may want to consider staying in South Memphis – likely at the Guest House at Graceland – if the remainder of Memphis pales in comparison.
    • Best Neighborhoods for Nightlife: Beale Street & South Main (Downtown), Midtown
      Beale Street offers an enjoyable night out most evenings of the week, with locations like the Absinthe Room,Silky O’Sullivan’s, and Ghost River Brewing Co offering crafted beers and cocktails, as well as B.B. King’s Blues Club,Blues City Café, and many others hosting live music. A couple of blocks south along South Main, there’s the slick gastropub SOB Downtown,Slider Inn Downtown, and iconic dive bar Earnestine & Hazel’s).To escape the large numbers of visitors, you’ll need to tour the nightlife areas in Midtown, specifically in the Crosstown, Overton, and Cooper-Young neighborhoods. In Crosstown we enjoy the live music at Hi Tone Café and the cocktails at Art Bar at Crosstown Arts. There is also B Side and local icon Wild Bill’s Juke Joint, situated alone on Vollintine Avenue.

      • Memphis’s musical scene comes alive at the Memphis in May International Festival, which features the Beale Street Music Festival. August’s Elvis Week and Gonerfest also host many live performances.
      • A family friendly option is the Carmel Valley Ranch

    • Top neighborhoods for cuisine and eateries consist of Downtown, Cooper-Young, and East Memphis.

Memphis is often declared to be the pork barbecue capital of the world, and while the barbecue really is superb, there’s significantly more to sample, not least some exceptional soul food joints. Downtown has the widest selection of dining establishments, home to local classics Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous and the more upscale Southern restaurant McEwen’s. South Main Arts District is home to branches of Central BBQ and legendary Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, as well as the Arcade, a diner from 1919 that was a favorite of Elvis.

Food aficionados will want to venture further out. The Cooper-Young area highlights several noteworthy restaurants and cafes in a compact, walkable space. Notable spots include the Southern seafood at Soul Fish,Maciel’s Tortas & Tacos, upscale seafood at Tsunami, and the contemporary American cuisine at Beauty Shop.

East Memphis provides a variety of acclaimed culinary destinations albeit more spread out (automotive transport is quite useful), including Iris which excels in fabulous French-Creole cuisine, while Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant offers authentic Ethiopian dishes. Popular establishments comprise Huey’s Poplar renowned for burgers and 1922 veteran Leonard’s Pit Barbecue. We also admire Erling Jensen for refined dining and the sugary treats at Gibson’s Donuts.

    • East Memphis and South Main have quality purchasing venues.
      .

” The historic downtown region of Scottsdale is enclosed by relaxed outdoor shopping centers and the Scottsdale Waterfront, with trails along the cool edges of the Arizona Canal. The area is dotted with lively bars and restaurants and quirky boutiques. Scottsdale Civic Center features Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Center For The Performing Arts, while the romantic trails of the Desert Botanical Garden are a brief drive away. Bespoke Inn Scottsdale is perfect for a couples’ retreat, with the onsite Virtù restaurant ideal for romantic dinners.

  • Top Family Accommodations in Boston: Boston Marriott Long Wharf – Four Seasons Hotel Boston – Residence Inn by Marriott
  • Best Neighborhood for Local Atmosphere: Cooper-Young (Midtown)
    Cooper-Young in Midtown – anchored by the intersection of Cooper Street and Young Avenue – presents a nice escape from tourists and mingling with a hip community of locals, students, and artists. There aren’t many sights to behold in terms of attractions, but it’s a walkable neighborhood packed with restaurants, bars, and indie stores. We enjoy 901 Comics,Java Cabana Coffeehouse, the craft beers at Memphis Made Brewing Co, the vintage clothing at Fox + Cat Vintage,Burke’s Book Store, and Goner Records).• The sole location inside Cooper-Young offering budget lodging is an excellent option, Hostel Memphis. Dormitory accommodations are available as well as cozy private rooms with shared bathing facilities.
  • Unsafe Areas of Memphis
    The city of Memphis has one of the higher crime rates in the United States, a situation that seems to have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic with rates significantly increasing in 2020 and 2021. That said, the primary tourist areas – Beale Street, South Main, Graceland – tend to have strong police presence and visitors are unlikely to encounter difficulties provided they exercise caution at night, using taxis and avoiding deserted streets. In general, Downtown, Midtown, and East Memphis have safer environments than South Memphis.

The 5 Best Neighborhoods in Memphis for Tourists

1. Downtown Memphis

Downtown Memphis, traditionally considered the business and cultural heart of the city, has enjoyed minor rejuvenation following years of decline. For visitors, it is best known for the live music, diners, and bars in the Beale Street Entertainment District located at the southern end. Now legendary as a blues corridor, Beale Street began life in the 1840s as an affluent white neighborhood but transformed into an African-American commercial street during the Jim Crow era – in the 1920s it boomed as a hub of vaudeville theaters, concert halls, blues bars, and juke joints. Today it has been largely rebuilt as a tourist attraction, lined with souvenir shops, music clubs, bars, and retro cafés, but the live venues still feature genuine talent. Highlights encompass B.B. King’s Blues Club, the Orpheum Theatre,Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and W C Handy House Museum, while the A. Schwab store at 163 Beale St appears to have hardly changed since opening in 1876. The “Beale Street Flippers” will likely entertain you as you stroll along the strip with their acrobatic stunts. Nearby, the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum outlines the complete musical history of the city in the shadow of the FedExForum, home of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.

Additional notable parts of Downtown incorporate the enlightening Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange, the Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art, and the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, an expansive outdoor equipment store that also consists of a hotel, water features, and an observational deck at the peak of the 321-foot steel pyramid itself (completed in 1991).

It`s also important to remember the Mississippi Riverfront, which features the tranquil River Walk stretching along the Mississippi River Greenbelt Park in the north down to Tom Lee Park in the south. Riverboat trips depart from the pier at 45 Riverside Drive. Just across is Mud Island, connected to the shore by walkway or monorail. Here you can find the Mississippi River Museum and a precise replica of the lower Mississippi River.”>

On the eastern edges of Downtown, the Victorian Village is a tiny enclave of 19th-century mansions, one of which is considered the city`s finest bed and breakfast, the James Lee House. You can also tour the Mallory-Neely House and Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum. Seminal early recordings by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Roy Orbison were made at nearby Sun Studio, signaling the beginning of Rock n’ Roll.

2. South Main Arts District

The 1 square mile South Main Arts District, with its beginnings lying a brief distance to the south of Beale Street, though being officially part of Downtown, has developed into a thriving neighborhood of its own. Initially a residential suburb of Downtown, it became the city’s railroad center point in the early 20th century before experiencing a long decline in the 1950s and 1960s. Thanks to its revival in the late 1980s, it’s now crammed with locally possessed stores, restaurants, breweries, and businesses and is definitely modern Memphis at its most dynamic. The biggest attraction here is the National Civil Rights Museum, which joins the Lorraine Motel, place of Martin Luther King Jr.’s fatality in 1968. Galleries inside highlight the major events of the Civil Rights movement and include King’s actual room, Room 306, just as he left it. Nearby, the Blues Hall of Fame Museum exhibits blues memorabilia from all the greats, while the Memphis Farmers Market runs April to October, every Saturday, on South Front Street.

  • Schedule your visit during the last Friday evening of the month to enjoy the street festival in South Main, when galleries and shops remain open late and live performers entertain shoppers.
  • South Main offers fun lodging, but only 2 top options – both excellent. Else, it`s a pleasant stroll or trolley ride from Downtown.
  • Best Hotels:
    ARRIVE • Central Station Memphis

3. Midtown

Sprawling Midtown covers the central section of Memphis, east of Downtown and I-69. Though it’s generally a residential area, there are plenty of sights and activities for visitors. Leafy Overton Park houses the excellent Memphis Zoo, where giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le are the star attractions. The park also includes the absorbing Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, renowned for its collection of medieval and
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Renaissance works.

Just a bit south on Madison Avenue, the Overton Square Entertainment District showcases restaurants, unique shops, theaters, and amusement spots like Playhouse on the Square,Hattiloo Theatre, and films at Malco’s Studio on the Square. A couple of blocks down along Cooper Street, the Cooper-Young Historic District is a trendy enclave renowned for pioneering restaurants and bars.

Over on the western side of the neighborhood, Crosstown Concourse is a 1920s Sears, Roebuck distribution center converted into a multifaceted “vertical urban village,” housing restaurants, art galleries, the Crosstown Theater, and additional amenities.

4. South Memphis and Graceland

• The everyday neighborhood of Santurce lies behind Condado, a still somewhat rough area that contains a couple attractions for art lovers: the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, which shows post-1940 art from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean; and the Museo de Arte, housing the best collection of fine art on the island.

Stax is found in a neighborhood dubbed Soulsville, brightened with murals honoring Al Green, Otis Redding, and other Memphis soul artists. The Stax Museum celebrates the legendary record label established at 926 East McLemore Avenue in 1960. Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Albert King, and the Staples Singers created hits here throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. Be sure to dine at the storied Four Way nearby at 998 Mississippi Blvd, a soul food mainstay since 1946, popular with Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders.

The primary attraction remains Graceland, further south in Whitehaven. Interactive iPad tours take visitors through the house itself (including the Hawaiian-themed Jungle Room), Elvis’s racquetball court, and a collection of his more extravagant costumes on display. The graves of Elvis and his parents lie outside in the Meditation Garden. The massive Elvis Presley’s Memphis complex contains several museums and hands-on experiences dedicated to the “King”, plus a display of his favorite automobiles.

  • Fans of Al Green and/or Gospel music might want to check out the weekly services at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church at 787 Hale Rd. Established by Green in 1976, visitors are welcome at the 11.30am Sunday service, where Green still usually sings.
  • South Memphis isn`t normally the best place for lodging or having as your home base, but there are some exceptions. The Guest House at Graceland is one of finest hotels in the city and clearly very convenient for visits to Graceland itself. There is a cluster of alternative hotels near here if Graceland is your primary target in Memphis.
  • Memphis International Airport is also in South Memphis, and there’s another cluster of hotels near here, convenient for early or late flights but not much else.
  • Low-cost motels line Elvis Presley Blvd (US-51) and South 3rd Street (US-61), but note that principles are low.
  • Best Hotels in Graceland:
    Guest House at Graceland • Holiday Inn Express & Suites Arpt Elvis Presley Blvd • Graceland RV Park & Campground
  • Best Hotels near the Airport:
    Comfort Inn Airport • Courtyard by Marriott Airport • Quality Inn Airport I-240

5. East Memphis

In a blue-trimmed stone construction on one of Old Town`s primary paths, the War Museum of Nafplio houses intriguing displays of regional military history, like arms and artifacts from the War of Greek Independence through World War II occupation and resistance. Admittance is €5, students free. Open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 2pm, Weekends 10am to 2pm. Closed Mondays. • Map

Traveling eastward, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens showcases art exhibitions and 17 acres of woodlands and gardens to explore. Next door, the Memphis Botanic Garden highlights 28 specialty gardens over another 96 shady acres.

Further east is the 65-acre Lichterman Nature Center, popular with families for easy trails around lakes and wooded areas. Live snakes, turtles and other creatures can also be viewed there.

The expansive Shelby Farms Park offers horseback riding, stand-up paddle boarding on Hyde Lake, and adventure activities at the Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park. Bicycles can also be rented and the 10.65 mile paved Shelby Farms Greenline. It`s worth noting that some of Memphis’ best shopping is located in East Memphis, though traveling to make the most of this (and other attractions) necessitates a vehicle.

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

Together with my husband, Intan, we often find ourselves in our second home, Bali, but our adventures take us to exciting destinations all over the globe.

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