Famed as the home of the blues, riverside Memphis fuses historic charm with a vibrant forward-thinking vibe, making for a wonderfully exciting city break destination. Whether you’re travelling as a couple or with family and friends, this striking Tennessee city promises an intriguing cultural history, a legendary music scene and some terrific Southern barbecue. Accommodation options are wide-ranging, with everything from intimate historic inns to sleek city hotels with all the mod-cons. Our pick of the best places to stay in Memphis offers brilliant bases in and around the downtown area, within easy reach of top museums, buzzing eateries and funky live music venues.
Perched on the banks of the Mississippi River, much of Memphis has undergone a significant regeneration in recent years, but many of the city’s oldest buildings still ooze a sense of faded grandeur. The best way to delve into the soul of the city is through a guided walking tour, where you can discover the secrets of everything from the enormous former Sears Crosstown building to little lanes lined with old record stores.
There are heaps of excellent museums, too. Highlights include Sun Studio, the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, as well as the W.C. Handy Museum. Fans of Elvis Presley should make a beeline for Graceland, whilst Beale Street is the place to go for the blues. For a reckoning with Tennessee’s past, the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum comes highly recommended, as does the National Civil Rights Museum in the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
Escape to Mud Island River Park for outdoorsy adventures, hike or cycle along riverside trails and feast on delectable barbecue dishes in the evenings before seeking out the hottest live music spots. Whether you’re in town for the food, the tunes or the turbulent history, the best places to stay in Memphis offer a characterful base from which to explore.