5 Days in Memphis: First-Timer Plan
Let’s be honest about five days in Memphis: the city’s own sights, Beale Street, the Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, Sun Studio, Stax, Midtown, Shelby Farms Park, are genuinely done by the end of Day 4. Rather than inventing a fifth day of city filler, this itinerary takes the 4-day plan and adds a single Mid-South day trip. If you’d rather build a whole trip around the Delta and the region instead of the city, see Memphis, Tennessee: A First-Timer’s Base and its own 5-day itinerary .
Book these before you go
- Graceland’s timed-entry ticket at graceland.com
- A rental car, essential for Days 2, 3, and 5
- A place to stay downtown or in Midtown, check rates on Booking.com
| Day | Focus | Rough daily cost (per person, no lodging) |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Beale Street, National Civil Rights Museum, BBQ | $45-70 |
| Day 2 | Graceland, Sun Studio | $110-150 |
| Day 3 | Stax Museum, Overton Park, Big River Crossing | $35-55 |
| Day 4 | Midtown, Shelby Farms Park | $30-50 |
| Day 5 | Tunica, Mississippi day trip | $40-100 (casino spending varies widely) |
Day 1: downtown and the Civil Rights Museum
Morning
National Civil Rights Museum (450 Mulberry St, about $25 adult, closed Tuesdays), built around the Lorraine Motel, site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968.
Afternoon
Walk Beale Street by day, free, then the Peabody Duck March (149 Union Ave, free, 11am or 5pm) if timing allows.
Evening
Dinner at Central BBQ, then live music on Beale at a verified venue like Rum Boogie Cafe.
Day 2: Graceland and Sun Studio
Morning
Graceland in Whitehaven, book the timed Elvis Experience tour ahead, roughly $85 adult, confirmed at graceland.com .
Afternoon
Sun Studio (706 Union Ave, about $15 adult, 40-50 minute tour).
Evening
Dinner at Gus’s Fried Chicken.
Day 3: soul music and the riverfront
Morning
Stax Museum of American Soul Music (about $20 adult, closed Mondays).
Afternoon
Overton Park, then Big River Crossing, a free walk into West Memphis, Arkansas.
Evening
Dinner at Cozy Corner.
Day 4: Midtown and Shelby Farms Park
Morning
Cooper-Young and Overton Square in Midtown.
Afternoon
Shelby Farms Park, 4,500 acres of trails in East Memphis.
Evening
A relaxed dinner, save your energy for tomorrow’s drive.
Day 5: day trip to Tunica, Mississippi
Morning
Drive south, 30-45 minutes, to Tunica, Mississippi, a casino corridor along the river.
Afternoon
Visit the Gateway to the Blues Museum to see how the Delta blues story connects north to Memphis, then browse the casino floors if that’s your thing, or just enjoy the Tunica RiverPark.
Evening
Drive back into Memphis for a final dinner, no need to eat in Tunica if you’d rather close the trip with one more Memphis BBQ meal at Payne’s Bar-B-Q.
Is 5 days enough for Memphis?
Yes, and then some. Four days covers everything in the city itself; the fifth day is really a bonus, one light Mid-South day trip rather than a necessity. If you want to go deeper into the Delta, our 6-day itinerary rounds out the city’s smaller museums before a second regional trip.
Do you need a car for 5 days in Memphis?
Yes, for most of the trip. Downtown is walkable, but Graceland, Stax, Shelby Farms Park, and Tunica all require a car or rideshare.
One practical note: Memphis’s combined sales tax runs about 9.75% and applies to restaurant food. Book Graceland before you land, especially around Elvis Week (Aug 8-16, 2026).