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Major city · United States

Memphis

Give Memphis 2 nights: one for Beale Street and the river, one for Graceland or the Civil Rights Museum. Skip July–August heat.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (extreme heat and humidity)
Airport
MEM
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Memphis is a music and civil-rights city on the Mississippi, in the southwest corner of Tennessee. Downtown holds Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum and the river bluffs; Graceland sits 15 minutes south by car. Sights are spread out, so a car or rideshare covers more than the trolley and buses do.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Memphis, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Street or quick mealBeer: draught in a Beale Street bar / can at a store$6–9$2–4
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km rideshareHigher on event nights.$12–20
  • Metro or bus rideMATA bus ride$1–2 (check)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, Graceland)$15–80 (check)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personUS$35
  • Mid-range bedDowntown or Midtown double room, a night, per roomUS$160
  • High-end bedDowntown or Midtown double room, a night, per roomUS$320

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Beale Street and the bluesGraceland (Elvis Presley's mansion)National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine MotelSun StudioMemphis-style barbecue
Airports
MEM Memphis International Airport (About 15–20 min by car to downtown; no international passenger flights despite the name. MATA route 64 runs to the airport.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Memphis: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

11°C

1°C

8 rd

Feb

13°C

3°C

8 rd

Mar

18°C

7°C

9 rd

Apr

23°C

12°C

9 rd

May

28°C

17°C

9 rd

Jun

32°C

21°C

8 rd

Jul

33°C

23°C

8 rd

Aug

33°C

23°C

7 rd

Sep

30°C

19°C

7 rd

Oct

24°C

12°C

7 rd

Nov

17°C

6°C

8 rd

Dec

12°C

2°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car or rideshare is the practical way to reach Graceland, Midtown and East Memphis. Downtown is walkable, and the Main Street Trolley runs along Main Street. MATA buses cover the city but thin out in the evening and some routes change at night and weekends.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Graceland

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car or rideshare south on Elvis Presley Blvd, about 15 min from downtown

Dated, timed tickets; book ahead. Not a day trip — a half-day from a Memphis base.

Tunica, Mississippi (casinos)

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Car south on US-61, about 45 min

Casino strip; only worth it if you gamble.

Clarksdale, Mississippi (blues)

overnight

Door to door: About 1.75 h

Car south on US-61, about 1 h 30 min

Blues clubs and the Delta; sleep one night rather than rush back.

Nashville

overnight

Door to door: 3.5–4 h

I-40 east, about 3 h 30 min by car; Vonlane luxury coach also runs the route

Too far for a return day; make it its own stop.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown (Beale Street and South Main)

Walk to Beale, the river and the Civil Rights Museum; loudest at night, priciest parking.

Midtown (Cooper-Young, Overton Square)

Local bars and restaurants; 10–15 min by car to downtown.

East Memphis

Quieter, near the zoo and botanic garden; car needed for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–190 excl. bed
High
$190+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Downtown or Midtown double room1 × 2 nights × US$160US$320
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$130US$520
Rideshare, downtown to Graceland, one way1 × US$20 · checkUS$20
Main Street Trolley day pass2 × US$3 · checkUS$6
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$90
Trip total≈ US$247 per person per day, bed includedUS$986

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Barbecue plate (pulled pork or ribs)$12–22
Beer: draught in a Beale Street bar / can at a store$6–9 / $2–4
5 km rideshareHigher on event nights.$12–20
MATA bus ride$1–2 (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
Museum entry (Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, Graceland)$15–80 (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Downtown and Midtown are busy and generally fine by day; use normal city care at night, stay in lit areas and take a rideshare rather than walk far after dark. Car break-ins are the more common problem — leave nothing visible.
  • Summer heat and humidity are severe: heat indices can pass 38 °C by day and stay near 29 °C at night.
  • Some MATA bus routes change after dark and at weekends: confirm the return trip before you go out.
  • Parking near Beale Street, FedExForum and AutoZone Park costs more and fills up on event nights.
  • Check opening days before you travel: several museums close one day a week (the Civil Rights Museum closes Tuesday, the Blues Hall of Fame closes Sunday and Monday).

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

MemphisMemphis

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

Most countries: consulates in Atlanta, Chicago or Houston, embassies in Washington, DC. Check your country's list before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • MEM airport → downtown, rideshare: about $25–35, 15–20 min (check)
  • Main Street Trolley: about $1–2 a ride, day pass about $3 (check)
  • Rideshare downtown → Graceland: about $18–25, 15 min (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the trolley stop? — Where is the trolley stop?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • One ticket, please — One ticket, please
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • To this address, please — To this address, please

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Memphis. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (extreme heat and humidity) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MEM: last MATA route 64 times, rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with anchors: Beale Street and the river, South Main and the Civil Rights Museum, Midtown (Cooper-Young, Overton Square), East Memphis.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Graceland, National Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, Stax Museum) and barbecue pages with last orders.
  4. Heat and event-night fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources