Memphis Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Memphis

Memphis serves as the county seat of Shelby County in western Tennessee, situated along the elevated Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. As the largest city proper along the river and the second most populous in the state, it anchors a metropolitan region spanning across Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The bluffs historically provided natural protection from river flooding, creating a favorable site for trade and settlement.

Human settlement in the region spans thousands of years, beginning with indigenous Mississippian communities that constructed ceremonial earthwork mounds, followed by the Chickasaw people. European explorers from Spain and France navigated the area in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, leading to colonial rivalry over the bluffs. The city was established in 1819 by John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson, who named it after the ancient Egyptian capital on the Nile. Driven by river navigation and the cotton industry, Memphis grew into a major trade hub, later enduring Union occupation during the Civil War and devastating yellow fever outbreaks in the 1870s. In 1968, the city became a central site in the Civil Rights Movement following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Memphis is internationally recognized for its music heritage, having played a prominent role in the development of blues, soul, rock and roll, and hip-hop. Beale Street remains a focal point for the city's blues legacy, alongside landmarks such as Sun Studio, Graceland, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and the Memphis Pyramid. The National Civil Rights Museum, affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, documents pivotal historical events. The city is also renowned for its local style of barbecue and hosts the annual World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

In addition to its cultural institutions, Memphis is a major transport and logistics center. It houses the primary global air hub for FedEx at Memphis International Airport, one of the world's busiest cargo facilities, and features a prominent inland port along the river. The municipality hosts several higher education institutions—including the University of Memphis, Rhodes College, and LeMoyne–Owen College—and is home to the Memphis Grizzlies professional basketball team.

Urban revitalization efforts have focused extensively on the downtown district. Recent projects include large-scale improvements to Tom Lee Park along the riverfront, featuring walking trails, bike racks, athletic courts, and a flyway extension, as well as ongoing developments at the St. Jude Campus and key downtown buildings.