Tennessee · United States
Memphis travel guide
Memphis is a city in Tennessee, United States, home to about 633,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- MEM13 km · Frederick W. Smith International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/New York
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Memphis
Memphis (, MEM-fis) is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Tennessee, the fifth-most populous in the Southeast, and the 29th-most populous in the US.
Although downtown Memphis has experienced quite a rebirth and renewal in the last few years, the center of the city is older; it is full of new development, teeming with change and coming into its own. In the past few years, the city has emerged to boast one of the largest downtown populations among US cities. Citizens again have a vested interest in making downtown a safe, exciting place to visit and relax in after decades of abandonment. Memphis is extremely hot in the summertime, and the humidity can make you feel even hotter!
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Memphis
See
- Beale Street
- Blues Hall of Fame Museum
- The Cotton Museum
- National Civil Rights Museum
- Belz Museum of Asian & Judaic Art
- The Metal Museum
- Fire Museum of Memphis
- Mud Island Park
- Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum
- Sun Studio
- Memphis Zoo
- The Pink Palace Museum
Do
- Memphis Redbirds
- FedExForum
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Memphis Tigers
- Memphis Backbeat Mojo Tour
- Memphis Hustle
- Memphis In May International Festival
- Ghost River Brewing
- Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
- T.O. Fuller State Park
- West Tennessee Skydiving
- Craft Axe Throwing
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Memphis
Memphis has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; April is the wettest, with about 147 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Memphis: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR, 93 km) and McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL, 115 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Memphis is on the southwestern corner of Tennessee, with the Mississippi River and the state of Arkansas bordering it to the west and the state of Mississippi to the south.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MEM · Frederick W. Smith International Airport
JBR · Jonesboro Municipal Airport
MKL · McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Memphis
Eat
Memphis is one of the cheapest places in the USA to live, and that includes going out to eat. Memphis is famous for two things: music and food. The local BBQ is well-known, and you can sample it "wet" (with spicy, tangy sauce) or "dry" (rubbed with spices before cooking), with rib tips being a well-known local specialty. Other options abound across the city, from Southern home cooking to international fare. You won't go wrong with famous names, but the adventurous will find real treasures in modest hole-in-the-wall joints that make up for their shabby appearance with fabulous flavor.
Stay safe
Violent crime has been a growing problem in Memphis. In 2021, the city had the highest homicide rate in the entire US. It is wise to stay away from areas in North and South Memphis, as these areas have very high rates of crime. Neighborhoods like Riverside, Orange Mound or Binghampton struggle with poverty, urban decay and crime. Even completely suburban areas like Frayser and Raleigh have crime-related problems. Nonetheless, safety in downtown Memphis has greatly improved in the last few years. Throughout the day, especially at night, there is usually a large police presence downtown, especially in the area around Beale Street.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Memphis: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Memphis?
Memphis has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; April is the wettest, with about 147 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Memphis?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR, 93 km) and McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL, 115 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Memphis?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Memphis
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.