Weekend Getaways in TN: 48 Hours in Memphis

Weekend getaways in TN are the perfect way to find food, activities, and relaxation as a break outside the office. We found the perfect weekend getaways in TN: spend 48 hours in Memphis!

What stood out the most to us during this weekend getaway in TN is the mix of rich history and deep-rooted culture mixed with the revitalization efforts that are merging the past and present to form a new era for this city. Check out these tips on how to spend a weekend in this vibrant city while experiencing a blend of historical classics and modern-day experiences.

WHERE TO STAY IN MEMPHIS

The first part of a successful weekend away is determining accommodations. Our recommendation hands down is the nationally registered historic hotel, The Peabody Hotel.

This historically recognized hotel prides itself on updating its rooms every 5 to 6 years to keep it first class. This is the place to be seen in Memphis from famous guests including every President since Eisenhower, Michael Jordan, Lisa Marie Presley and Nicolas Cage staying at this famed spot.

The grand lobby features live music, ornate design, fresh flower arrangements and a grand bar serving a variety of tasty cocktails. This is also home to the famed duck march which happens twice daily. Don’t miss an opportunity to witness the celebrity duck march as they make their way to the fountain via red carpet!

CLASSIC THINGS TO DO IN MEMPHIS

With such a mix of history and revitalization, 48 hours in Memphis requires a blend of these 2 eras as you build your itinerary. First, let’s focus on the not-to-miss classics.

GRACELAND

You are not alone if you believe Memphis is synonymous with Elvis Presley. This was his home and continues to pay tribute to this iconic musical sensation. Don’t miss a visit to Graceland to pay homage to the king of rock ‘n roll.
We visited Graceland about 10 years ago during a road trip from Wisconsin to Texas.  Oh my, has it changed so much in the past few years.  It is now huge!  The standard tour costs $59 which includes an audio tour of Graceland, orientation film and access to the self-guided tour areas: Auto Museum, Entertainer Career Center and the Elvis Discovery exhibits.   The Graceland Estate is roughly 9 miles outside of downtown Memphis and sits on 13.8 acres of land.  The tour begins with a film showing a brief history of Elvis Presley.  The tour allows you to fully immerse yourself into all things, Elvis.  Visitors are able to walk room to room through Elvis’s Graceland estate learning intimate details and history of each functioning room on the property.  As you exit the Graceland Estate, you make your way to the next portion of the tour which includes the Auto Museum, Entertainer Career Center and the Elvis Discovery exhibits.   Throughout these rooms, you will spend endless time learning about his roots, influences and more details as to the what shaped the man known as “The King”.

The final stop on the tour is a walk through Elvis’s private planes which are both parked on the property.  These are a great way to image how Elvis traveled in style while flying around the country with his friends and family.  Overall, if you wanted, you could spend an endless number of hours visiting Graceland.  The curators of this museum have just about every item Elvis ever touched, looked at, thought about or influenced on display.  The rooms are enormous and they look to have plans for further expansion.  Definitely worth the price of the ticket to see this magical estate and learn more about the life of Elvis Presley.

BEALE STREET

Beale Street is historically known for music.  Kitchy souvenir stores have taken over a few of the building’s storefronts, but there are many bars and live music venues to choose from as you walk down Beale Street.

Each bar/restaurant is different and has many different musical acts.  Be sure to take a listen from the street outside of the venue to preview the rhythm and blues or Rock & Roll band performing on stage.  Beale Street is a great place to grab a drink with friends and listen to some live music.

We stopped in at the Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe & Honky Tonk.  The venue was a step back in time to be apart of the crowd enjoying food and drinks while watching the band perform classic songs and swinging of the hips!

GIBSON FACTORY TOUR

Don’t miss a visit to this factory to see the famed guitars of rock ‘n roll.
Cost of the tour is $10 and reservations are required.  Tour begins in the gift shop/store of the old Gibson factory.  Pictures are only allowed in the gift shop area, so be sure to snap a few of the guitars while you wait for the tour to start.  The tour is led by one of the Gibson factory workers that take you throughout the process from start to finish of a Gibson guitar.  Only a small amount of guitars are made in Memphis.  The Memphis Gibson factory produces an average of 48 guitars per day.  Each person specializes in their craft, applies their skill then passes the guitar off to the next person in the assembly line.  The tour allows you to follow the process from start to finish to as the guitars are meticulously crafted by hand to perfection.

SUN STUDIOS

Sun Studios has widely considered “The Birthplace of Rock & Roll” and is a must visit while planning your weekend getaway in TN of 48 hours in Memphis.

Tour Cost – $12 –  Tours begin at the bottom half of every hour.  If you time it just right, you can jump right in on a tour.  Free parking is in the back and on the street.  No problem getting a spot.  Don’t worry if you are a little early.  Sun Studios has a gift shop to browse old cuts of records and apparel while you wait for the tour to begin.  Sun Studios also has a 50’s style diner fully flowing with coffee and milkshakes while you wait for the tour to begin.

The tour begins by walking upstairs to a “showroom” of sorts where the guide will tell you history, background and humble beginnings of Sun Studios in the 50’s as you look through the glass walls at the historic relics of Sun Studios past.  You will learn the history and struggle of Sam Phillips to bring the sounds of Memphis to the radio.  After 20 minutes or so, the group will head back downstairs to the front office and recordings studio.  This is where the magic happened to create hit records from B.B. King, Howling’ Wolf, Johnny Cash and an unknown guy named Elvis Presley.  Your guide will play songs and tell you the history about them being created in that very studio.  

STAX RECORDS

Stax Records is known for bringing Southern soul or “Memphis Soul” to the mainstream. 

Tour Cost – $13 – Tours are self-guided and begin with a short 20-minute video to provide visitors with an overview of what they will be seeing throughout the Stax Museum.  After the video, visitors are able to walk through the enormous 17,000 sq ft museum of countless hallways, interactive exhibits, videos, music, and rooms filled with the rich history of Stax Records.  Soak in all of the historic music, outfits, and history Stax Records brought to the masses.  Learn all about the artists such as Booker T. & the M.G’s, Isacc Hayes and Otis Redding.  The recommended time from the employees at Stax is 2 hours for your planned visit, but you can easily visit in one hour and really learn a lot during your self-guided tour.  Free self-parking is in the back and plenty of room available.  Small gift shop to bring home a souvenir from your visit.  

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AT THE LORRAINE MOTEL

The Lorraine Motel was the site historically known for the April 4, 1968 assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

Tour costs – $16.  The tour is built around the Lorraine Motel and consists of historic buildings and museums that help visitors understand the historical journey of the Civil Rights movement in the United States.

NEW SCHOOL THINGS TO DO IN MEMPHIS

Memphis is trying to become relevant again and quite honestly they are doing a good job.  The day’s of only visiting Beale Street, Graceland and a couple recording studios are a thing of the past.  There are a lot more things to do and see in Memphis which allow you to have an excuse to come back again and again!

STREET ART

Take a walk in the Cooper-Young district of Memphis.  This eclectic neighborhood is a melting pot of residential homes, restaurants, small businesses and nighttime hot spots.  As you walk down the streets, stop in at a shop or two, while looking down each alleyway or behind buildings.  You never know what great street art you will find!

OLD DOMINICK DISTILLERY

“Share a sip of pure Memphis” words to live by from Old Dominick Distillery. The Old Dominick Distillery was established by fifth generation brothers who discovered an old family bottle & recipe of their great great grandfathers “Memphis Toddy” from the 1800’s. Intrigued by their discovery, the seed was planted on what would later become the revival and creation of the Old Dominick Distillery in the heart of downtown Memphis.

Head distiller, Alex Castle,  brought her chemical engineering background, knowledge and experience from Wild Turkey Distillery to the Old Dominick Distillery and has been involved from day one.  Alex has been an integral part of the design, look and recipes Old Dominick will be putting out for years to come. Old Dominick currently offers the classic family recipe and foundation of the distillery: The Memphis Toddy, two kinds of vodka (Honeybell & Memphis) for purchase in the gift shop or to sample at the bar inside the distillery.  Take some time to grab a testing and/or a cocktail.

Alex’s first batch of whiskey officially turned one year old on the day we visited.  We were able to sneak away for a sample and were not disappointed.  While it’s still young, subtle hints of caramel, vanilla, banana bread and toasted nuts were tasted as we sipped our share of the unfinished product on its one-year-old birthday.  Looking forward to trying this in 2021!

Alex’s first official batch of Tennessee whiskey is currently aging new charred American oak barrels(Char #4) and is expected to be released to the public in 2021. I’ll definitely be on the lookout to grab a bottle from the first production run.

BIG RIVER CROSSING

Want to fulfill your dream of being in two places at once? Well, Big River Crossing is the place for you.

FREE –  Big River Crossing is nearly a mile long pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi that serves as a connection point between Memphis, TN and West Memphis, AR.  Take a stroll or ride a bike across the bridge to see the Mississippi River from above.  Look out across the water and see the city lights of Memphis along the riverbanks in the distance.  The halfway point is well marked so you are able to split your body in half for the Instagrammable photo of being in TN & AR at once.  

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

FREE – Built in 1927, this newly renovated industrial space use to house the Sears, Roebuck & Company distribution center.  It’s an amazing piece of property when you think about the history of the company once housed there, then to see the downfall of Sears and what has blossomed out of the new ideas and construction of modern-day Memphis.  

Sears closed down this building in 1993 and it sat vacant for 17 years until the non-profit group, Crosstown Arts, had an idea for redevelopment.  Today, Crosstown Concourse is a learning space for people of all ages to visit, live, enjoy food, socialize and explore the arts of this “mixed-use” cultural space.

WHERE TO EAT IN MEMPHIS

When planning your weekend getaway in TN spending 48 hours in Memphis food, and beverages will be needed!  Looking for something to eat?  Well, look no further than the wide array of restaurants Memphis has to offer.

BELLE TAVERN

This place is hidden in the Barboro Alley across the street from The Peabody Hotel.   You won’t be disappointed at this whiskey haven.

Carefully crafted cocktails are featured on the menu with a mix of many liquors, but whiskey is definitely the star.  The owner has a love for whiskey which you can tell by the decorations around the bar and his descriptions of the drinks.  Belle Tavern has a large selection of whiskey and bourbon from around the world. Highly recommend the 3 Whiskey Old Fashioned.

AUTOMATIC SLIM’S

Automatic Slim’s has a great brunch on the weekends!  They offer $2.50 Mimosas & Bloody Mary’s.  The peanut butter & banana pancakes are not too shabby to pair with your beverage of choice!

They also feature different happy hour specials daily, since I was there on a Thursday I was lucky enough to enjoy martini day! Their featured choices from an astounding list of 25+ martini cocktails for $5 each.  Definitely worth checking out when in Memphis.

KOOKY CANUCK

Happy hour here is from 3-7 pm and well drinks, domestic beers & house wines are $2.50.  Pretty solid deal if you are on a budget and looking to grab a quick drink.

ARCADE DINER

Founded in 1919, The Arcade Diner is the oldest café in Memphis.  Located in the South Main Historic District, people come here to reflect on the past and gaze at the 1950’s inspired decorations & memorabilia.

I’m sure the majority of it is pretty authentic because the place has been there for a very long time.  There is a special booth in the back corner which is known as the “Elvis booth”.  They say “The King” himself would sit in that very booth and eat his signature sandwich: the fried Peanut Butter ‘N’ Banana sandwich w/bacon.

A quick and easy place to fuel up on this sandwich or something else from the diner menu while you are walking around the South Main Historic District.  The Arcade Diner is just down the street from the Lorraine Motel.

HATTIE B’S

Can’t make it to Nashville during your weekend getaway in TN?  Well, you are in luck because Hattie B’s will be your destination for some of their signature hot chicken.

Located in the Cooper-Young neighborhood of Memphis. Hattie B’s chicken varies in degrees of “heat” of their fried chicken.  Hattie B’s is worth a stop while you are out exploring the Cooper-Young neighborhood.

CENTRAL BBQ

There is a reason Central BBQ has been ranked in the top 3 BBQ restaurants in Memphis since 2003, they have mastered the slow smoke process including secret spices, 24 hours marinating and delicious finishing sauces.

This is the real deal of Memphis BBQ. They have all the meat and side choices but don’t miss out on their meaty ribs. Can’t decide between wet or dry rub? No problem! Get them both for fall-off-the-bone deliciousness. Another standout menu feature was the BBQ nachos featuring pulled pork, BBQ sauce, cheese (both shredded and saucy) jalapenos and the perfect topping of a BBQ shake dusting. The flavor explosion will leave you wanting to lick the plate clean!

RENDEZVOUS

If you see smoke in the air as you walk down the alley of South Second Street, don’t be alarmed. Follow your nose as you will be lead down the alleyway and eventually downstairs to this historic BBQ landmark.  Rendezvous has been serving up their Memphis style dry rub BBQ since 1948 when owner Charlie Vergos was cleaning out the basement of his diner and he discovered a coal chute. A new era of Memphis BBQ was born.

CATHERINE & MARY’S

Upscale Italian food served in an upscale yet industrial setting featuring James Beard-nominated best chefs for the Southeast: Andy Ticer & Michael Hudman.

The expansive food and cocktail menu left us wanting to order more than we could handle.  So many options from the classic Italian cocktails to the traditional Italian menu items which featured fresh, seasonal ingredients with a wide array of handmade pasta dishes far exceeding our expectations.

Highly recommend the Radiatore: cacio e pepe.  If you only have time to dine at one restaurant during your time in Memphis, this is the winner.

THE GRAY CANARY

The Gray Canary is attached to the Old Dominick Distillery building which is located in the South Main Arts District Area.  The growing renaissance of downtown Memphis continues with the addition of The Gray Canary.  The chefs pride themselves on their unique cooking techniques such as using ash and embers, adding acids to smoking and one pot cooking can manipulate flavors that transcend classic thinking and taste profiles. The Gray Canary features a wood fire kitchen serving up many small and large plate options which focus on fresh seafood and seasonal vegetable dishes.  We dined on the Smoked Fish dip, Octopus, and Sweet Potato.

48 HOURS IN MEMPHIS SUMMARY

Overall, Memphis is an old school town with a rich history that influenced and shaped a lot of the culture in America as we know it today.  It’s a fantastic city to visit to better understand the historical influences of the city of Memphis.

Not only will you learn some of Memphis’s historical significance, but you will be able to witness the ever-changing city as it’s in the early stages of a modern-day revival.  A new generation is moving in and “updating” the city in a way that respects the past.

In the words of Elvis Presley, “Thank you, Thank you very much” for reading this post!

Disclosure: I traveled to Memphis to attend BlogHouse Memphis. This post is written in partnership with conference sponsors Memphis Tourism, Mediavine, and The Peabody Memphis.