I recently visited Memphis Tennessee for the third time, to attend a blogging conference. My first two visits were at least 20 years ago, so I was excited to return and see the Birthplace of Rock’n’Roll through a travel blogger’s eyes. (On my first two visits, I was overly impressed with the open alcohol containers allowed on Beale Street.) While the conference was pretty intense time-wise, the organizers also built a lot of fun into our Memphis itinerary. We were treated to some of the best food in Memphis, fun evenings at unique venues, a walking tour of downtown Memphis and a VIP appearance by the world-famous Peabody ducks. If you’re planning a weekend in Memphis, check out some of these Memphis attractions.

Browse Memphis Tours through Viator

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Memphis Riverboat Tours

I grew up on the Mississippi River, and fondly remember spending a few special occasions on paddlewheel boats, before they all converted to casino boats. I was able to join Memphis Riverboats for a sightseeing cruise on the Mississippi River. They offer two daily sightseeing cruises, plus a dinner & music cruise and jet boat or airboat rides. Onboard, you’ll find a concession stand with snacks, sodas, and adult beverages. There’s no assigned seating, so just grab a table as you board.

The best part of the cruise was the commentary from our guide, who had us in stitches with his “you might be a hillbilly…” routine. You’ll get a good history of the Mississippi River, how it impacted the founding of Memphis, and an overview of the various bridges crossing the river.

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Beale Street

No visit to Memphis is complete without a stroll down Beale Street. A short stretch of the street is closed to traffic, so pedestrians can easily move between music venues and restaurants, many of which are open until 3 am or even 5 am. Be prepared to show ID to enter the entertainment district, and on Saturdays, there is a cover charge of $5. If you enjoy live music, plan at least one evening to check out all the venues lining Beale Street.

If you come to Beale Street for dinner, stop at Blues City Cafe, one of Memphis’s top BBQ spots. Be sure to save room for dessert!

Kayaking in Memphis on the Mississippi River

I was so excited when I found out I could go kayaking in Memphis! I joined Kayaker Allen for a paddle on the Mississippi River. Allen has an inspiring story of taking up kayaking at the insistence of a physical therapist after a motorcycle accident. He fell in love and has been paddling ever since. Allen is working hard to promote kayaking in the Memphis area, with day trips, multi-day excursions, and kayaks adapted for paddlers with disabilities.

We had a great tour along the skyline of downtown Memphis, getting a close-up look at some of the bridges spanning the Mississippi River, as well as Mud Island. If you get a chance to go kayaking in Memphis, definitely look up Kayaker Allen and schedule a tour!

Where to Eat & Drink in Memphis

Memphis is known as one of the best spots in the world to find good BBQ. We sampled some pretty phenomenal places, and also visited some really fun venues around town. How do you choose when a city has 177 BBQ restaurants? It helps when the Memphis Visitor’s Center has crafted your Memphis itinerary and tells you where to eat in Memphis!

2 Food Trippers has the ultimate guide to the best Memphis restaurants and bars!

Book a Memphis Food Tour!

• Central BBQ – my favorite food in Memphis this time. Amazing ribs and the side dishes, especially the pulled pork nachos, were killer!
• Gus’s Fried Chicken – Hot & Spicy chicken scares me a bit, but Gus’s was just right – not too hot, and super juicy. Everyone (but me) swooned over the fried pickle spears, and their Mac N Cheese was worthy of seconds!
• Loflin Yard – We had the best lunch at Loflin Yard. From the brisket tacos to the pimiento cheese and grilled veggies. But what we really loved is the space – Loflin Yard has two huge yards with fun lawn games.
• Old Dominick Distillery – we spent an evening on the rooftop at Old Dominick Distillery. After a tour of the distillery, we enjoyed live music and Gus’s Fried Chicken, alongside some special concoctions made with Old Dominick spirits.

Peabody Ducks

You have to see this to believe it. I could not believe how many people flock (see what I did there?) to the Peabody to watch the ducks march. Busloads. The ducks live in a penthouse apartment on the rooftop and each day at 11 am, they are marched downstairs to the lobby fountain where they splash around all day. At 5 pm, they are again marched upstairs to their penthouse for the evening. Kids are allowed to sit along the edge of the red carpet that gets rolled out, but adults will have to vie for the best spot, which means arriving early. You can also get an aerial view from the mezzanine balconies, but those fill up fast, too! If you get a chance to meet the duck master, he will gladly give you the background on the ducks and more info on their training and return to the wild at the end of their stint at the Peabody.

The rooftop is usually open to the public, and you can get a peek at the $200,000 penthouse where the ducks live.

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Where to Stay in Memphis

I can’t recommend the Peabody Hotel highly enough. Sometimes historic hotels are just that: historic. (Meaning old, with old smells, old amenities, etc). This was definitely not the case at Peabody Memphis. I was surprised to hear they are renovating all of the rooms by next year, as my room was super nice. You can’t beat the location for easy access to downtown Memphis, Beale Street, and Beale Street Landing. If you’re there on a Thursday, check out the rooftop parties with live music, food, and a gorgeous Mississippi River sunset.

Browse Memphis hotels at Booking.com

What’s Left on my Memphis Bucket List?

For being in conference sessions every day, I still feel like I covered a lot during my long weekend in Memphis. That said, there are still a ton of things I went to see in Memphis, not to mention trying more of that delicious Memphis BBQ. This quick trip to Memphis left me wanting much more! What will I see next time I visit Memphis?

Rebecca and the World has a great list of the best museums in Memphis!

• National Civil Rights Museum – I heard from other bloggers what a moving experience it was to visit this museum in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr was killed. I didn’t feel I had enough time to properly devote to this museum, so it will be the first up next time I visit Memphis.
• Stax Museum of American Soul Music is another Memphis museum I missed out on and look forward to visiting next time I’m in town
• Sun Studio is another key piece of Memphis music history worth visiting
• A Tour of Possibilities – I had a quick mini-tour with Carolyn “The Queen” Michael-Banks after my kayak outing. I definitely want to come back and take a full tour. The Queen’s tours share the historic and cultural gems that African Americans have contributed to Memphis.
• Bass Pro Shops Pyramid is way more than just a sporting goods store. This glass pyramid is an icon on the Memphis skyline and has an observation deck and restaurant.
• Rendezvous BBQ – often touted as the #1 BBQ spot in Memphis, Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous is closed on Sundays and Mondays, which were the only free days I had in Memphis.
• You can’t talk about Memphis without mentioning Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. I’ve visited twice when I was younger, but Graceland has recently undergone major renovations, so I’m anxious to see what’s new!

How would YOU spend a weekend in Memphis? Any travel tips for my next visit?

Many thanks to Memphis Travel, Tennessee Vacation, Peabody Hotel, and Mediavine for hosting me as a BlogHouseMemphis participant!