Even if you aren’t a fan, there’s no debating that taking a tour of Elvis Presley former mansion and the studio where Elvis Presley recorded his first song is one of the coolest things to do in Memphis. Naturally, Memphis is much more than the home of the legendary king of Rock…and there’s plenty of fun to be had with friends and family.
Spend a fun day in Shelby Farms Park
If you’re visiting Memphis during the warmer months of the year, you simply cannot miss heading out to Shelby Farms Park for a fun day out. Biking, disc golfing, kayaking, paddle-boating and even horse riding are some of the stuff you can get up to in Shelby Farms and, best of all, the park offers rentals.
If you’re bringing toddlers, you also won’t have to worry about keeping them busy because Shelby Farms boasts a stunning playground with climbable structures and grassy lawns.
Catch an 3D movie at the Pink Palace Family of Museums
Passing by the Pink Palace museum to watch a 3D movie is definitely, one of the coolest things to do in and around Memphis for fun. This particular IMAX Theater boasts a huge 40-ft high screen that really allows you to immerse yourself into the movie...the theater is currently showing the “Born to be Wild” and “Tornado Alley” until November 16th.
Besides watching a 3D movie, there’s plenty more things you can do at the Pink Palace like watch plants and birds at the nature center, learn about the galaxies at the planetarium, and see millions of years old fossils at the science center.
Ride the monorail to Mud Island
If you’re driving from Arkansas, one of the first things you’ll see when driving across the Memphis-Arkansas Memorial Bridge to Memphis will be the interesting-looking monorail, which runs right below a walkway. The monorail is one of Memphis’ many trademarks and the beauty of taking a ride on the monorail is being able to get the best views of downtown area and the Mississippi River ever!
Once in Mud Island, you’ll be able to do quite a lot there such as taking photos of the famous Memphis Belle WWII bomber and attend a concert at the Mud Island Amphitheater.
Visit the Chucalissa Archeological Site
Spending some time at the Chucalissa Site is another top thing to do around Memphis if you want to see a some of the artifacts the archeologists excavated from the site a few years back. The Chucalissa Site also boasts an interesting museum called - C.H. Nash Museum – which has interesting exhibits on Indian tribes and African Americans.
Catch a Broadway show at the Orpheum Theater
Visiting the Orpheum Theater is definitely, one of the things to do in and around Memphis, especially if you want to catch a Broadway show or concert in an old-fashioned movie palace.
That’s right! The Orpheum Theater was built in the mid 1920’s and it’s the oldest in the state of Tennessee along with the Historic Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, of course.
Be part of the “Memphis in May International Festival” celebrations
There’s no better time to be in Memphis than during the month of May when the May International Festival kicks-off. The biggest event of the month-long celebrations is, of course, the Beale Street Music Festival, which is held between May 4 and May 6. The Beale Street festival is without a doubt, one of the top festivals in the United States and the organizers always try to include in their line-up all kinds of music-genres from rock to hip-hop.
The Beale Street Music Festival at the Tom Lee Park is definitely, one of the must-not miss events in Memphis in May, though so is the Super Bowl of Swine (May 17-19) and the Sunset Symphony event on May 26, which closes the May celebrations with spectacular plane acrobatics, huge fireworks and a live performance by the one-and-only Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Take an airboat ride of the Mississippi River
While in Memphis, you certainly can’t miss doing a river boat cruise of some kind along the famous Mississippi River! Dinner cruises on a paddle-wheeler (with Riverboat Paddlewheel Cruises) and sightseeing cruises (with Memphis Riverboats) are definitely a popular ways to experience the river.
However, if you’re really looking to spice things up, you’re better off booking a ride on the Demona airboat to experience the Mississippi River like never before. If you’ve never been on an airboat before, don’t pass the opportunity to be onboard the Demona because it's seriously one impressive piece of machinery!
See. Weekend Getaways near Chattanooga
Things to do in Northeast TN
things to do on a trip to Arkansas
