Whether you love to explore on your own or prefer sightseeing with a group, Memphis has plenty of tours that'll fit your style. From guided excursions to the best music tours in Tennessee, see what this city is all about.
Whether you love to explore on your own or prefer sightseeing with a group, Memphis has plenty of tours that'll fit your style. From guided excursions to the best music tours in Tennessee, see what this city is all about.
Music Tours Of Memphis
Whether you're touring solo or you have enough companions to form a band, hop aboard a vintage tour bus with Backbeat Tours. These tours have been classified as rolling concerts, so you’ll need your instrument (don’t worry, they’ve got you covered) and a camera to capture the good times. Backbeat starts on historic Beale Street and takes guests past sites like Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the childhood homes of Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Johnny Cash. Looking to get inside the attractions? The Memphis Hop Bus travels to all the main attractions on a loop each hour. Hop on and off as you wish and enjoy great Memphis history along the way.
Rock 'n' Roll Tours offers a variety of curated journeys through the heart of Memphis's music scene. From intimate walking tours to exhilarating car rides, each adventure is crafted to transport guests back in time.
Elvis fans will love Memphis Road Tours. While learning the city's history, see the late King's favorite hangouts and places that were significant to him. Plus, this tour offers convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off for its guests! To explore Elvis-related sites outside of Memphis, including his childhood home in Tupelo, Mississippi, try Graceland Excursions.
Ghost Tours
In a city with as much history as Memphis, you're bound to hear a few ghost stories. Historical Haunts knows the city's spookiest joints, and they offer guided tours with spine-tingling tales. Try their Haunted Memphis Bus Tour, or hear spectral stories as you sip a pint during a Haunted Pub Crawl. Backbeat Tours also offers a two-hour walking ghost tour and an exclusive Ghost Hunt tour, the latter of which takes you inside the famed Woodruff-Fontaine House, a historical cemetery and a famous haunted restaurant, Earnestine & Hazel's. This speciality tour is offered every Friday night from March through November.
Food & Drink Tours
Love sampling local cuisine? Try Tastin' 'Round Town, where you'll savor top dishes from five local restaurants. Meet the chefs and gain insider knowledge into the city's highly-rated food scene.
If you're into craft beer, book with Memphis Brew Bus or Memphis City Brew Tours — two ways to experience local libations without having to drive. On the Memphis Brew Bus, stop at three of Memphis' favorite taprooms, sip pints and meet the makers. Learn about beer, play trivia and groove to a soundtrack of local music in between stops. With Memphis City Brew Tours, swing by three to four breweries (depending on your tour of choice), where you'll sample up to 16 styles of beer and snack on pretzels, pizza or a meal pairing.
Can't get enough craft beer? Visit Memphis' craft breweries for guided tours and taproom access. And don't forget about Memphis' very own distilleries, Old Dominick and Blue Note Bourbon.
Tours By Bus
Memphis offers a variety of themed bus tours, from music to Memphis history. Grab a shuttle bus to casinos in nearby Tunica, Mississippi, or explore the Civil Rights Movement and Black history with Heritage Tours and A Tour of Possibilities. Backbeat Tours also offers a three-hour Memphis Discovery Tour, where guests can shop at Lansky Brothers (a clothier to Memphis music legends like Elvis), grab a bite from Central BBQ and visit I Am A Man Plaza. Memphis Best Tours offers a two-and-a-half-hour attractions tour which includes sites like The Lorraine Motel, The Pyramid and Beale Street.
No car, but want to see the city? Get on board with the Memphis Hop. This shuttle loops around to a handful of Memphis attractions every hour, so you can spend as much time as you want in each attraction.
DIY Tours
Want to tour on your terms? The Memphis Heritage Trail highlights African American achievements in Memphis. Follow themed loops, or take on the entire trail using the free app as your guide. Or salute the legends of Beale Street by following along the Beale Street Brass Notes Walk of Fame, which highlights the artists who put Memphis music on the map.
Around the city, spot historical markers that signify pivotal moments (green plaques identify places on the National Register of Historic Places). The Memphis Women's Legacy Trail, another fantastic self-guided option, features 25 stops recognizing impactful Memphis women.
Looking for a unique, exciting tour of the city? Discover landmarks through a series of riddles and clues on this three-hour tour with Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure - Memphis.
Tours by Carriage
Spend any amount of time in downtown Memphis, and you’ll come across a carriage. Tour with the family, or choose a romantic after-dinner trot exploring the heart of downtown. You’ll get your own driver for the one-hour tours with Carriage Company.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Love music history? Visit the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum on the street level of the FedExForum building. The Smithsonian-affiliated exhibit highlights musical pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create sounds that shook the world.
Thespians will adore tours at The Orpheum Theatre. Explore more than 90 years of theater history, as well as the Halloran Centre, where the theater's educational programs are conducted.
Try the Overton Park Shell Backstage Experience. This tour tells the story of a young Elvis Presley, who brought live rock 'n' roll to the world there in 1954. Learn about the Shell's significance to the Great Depression, World War II and the 1970s — or catch one of its many free concerts.
Step back more than 155 years at The Peabody Memphis. After catching the morning duck march, book a history tour for an exclusive look around the "South's Grand Hotel" with the Peabody Duckmaster. Tours are $10 per person and free for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchases at the Peabody Front Desk.
Party Bike Tours
Another way to get around is by bike. But why bike solo when you can bring all of your friends? Have a party on wheels with Sprock n’ Roll. These 16-person pedal-powered bicycles will take you around downtown or midtown.
Voted a top nightlife experience in town, Sprock n' Roll brings you and your crew the ultimate Memphis adventure — on wheels. Whether you're planning a birthday bash, bachelorette or a fun night out, this pedal-powered party bike delivers a ride you won't forget.
Canoe Tours
Try the Mississippi River Expedition and see miles of sprawling, southern landscapes on a half- or full-day paddle. Or take a three-hour sunset cruise, where you'll enjoy a charcuterie spread on an island beach, then paddle under the bridge into downtown Memphis as the sun sets across the city skyline. Check out more paddling tour options here.
Riverboat Tours
When you're ready to leave land for water, a Memphis riverboat tour is the ticket. See the legendary Mississippi aboard these charming vessels. Cruise the night away with a romantic dinner or take a traditional sightseeing cruise.
Learn all about 90-minute sightseeing tours, themed dinner cruises and multi-day, overnight cruises on the Mississippi River.
