The name Memphis means “established and beautiful,” and we couldn’t agree more. Whether you’re interested in the hustle and bustle of Beale Street or the quiet and quaint feel of Shelby Farms Park, Bluff City offers something for everyone. Check out the quick video below, and then explore five more stops on this virtual vacation to beautiful Memphis, TN.
Take a Virtual Tour of Memphis, TN
Memphis Zoo
2000 Prentiss Place, Memphis, TN 38112 • (901) 333-6500
The Memphis Zoo resides in Overton Park in the heart of Memphis. One of five zoos in America featuring pandas, the Memphis Zoo takes visitors on a worldwide tour of the animal kingdom. Currently, the zoo is posting regular virtual animal encounters and behind-the-scenes content from its social media platforms as well as hosting the inaugural Memphis ZOOlympics.
Explore the wild world of the animal kingdom at the Memphis Zoo. Image: Andrea Zucker
The National Civil Rights Museum
450 Mulberry St., Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 521-9699
Preserving the exterior of the Lorraine Motel, guests are provided the poignant experience of standing under the balcony where Dr. King shared his last moments with friends. The National Civil Rights Museum is a deep dive into the struggle of minorities in America from the beginnings of the slave trade to present day.
Visit an important piece of American history at the Lorraine Motel while visiting the National Civil Rights Museum. Image: Brand USA
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
926 E McLemore Ave., Memphis, TN 38126 • (901) 261-6338
Stax Museum of American Soul Music is the original site of Stax Records, where legends like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus & Carla Thomas, Booker T. & the MGs and many others launched the Southern soul movement — the South’s gritty, raw and stripped-down answer to Motown. Break it down on the replica Soul Train dance floor under a disco ball and experience the music that was the soundtrack for America’s Civil Rights Movement.
Any type of music can be found in Memphis, but the Stax Museum of American Soul Music shows blues and soul will forever rule the street. Image: Dan Ball
Sun Studio
706 Union Ave., Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 521-0664
Sun Studio is where a Memphis disc jockey named Sam Phillips helped popularize a prodigious crop of young talent. Through its doors passed names like Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, Ike Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and, of course, a young man named Elvis. Local musicians provide a uniquely intimate and passionate tour of the small studio space where guests from across the world can pose with the same microphone used by the King as he recorded tunes that would pioneer rock ‘n’ roll.
Stand in front of the same microphone Elvis once used at Sun Studio. Image: Alex Shansky
Shelby Farms Park
6903 Great View Drive North, Memphis, TN 38134 • (901) 222-7275
Featuring more than 40 miles of trails, this 4,500-acre urban park is one of the largest in the country. Explore the park by foot, bicycle, boat, horseback or through the trees at the Go Ape! challenge course. There is something for everyone at Shelby Farms.
Explore Shelby Farms by foot, bicycle, boat, horseback or zipline. Image: Allen Gillespie / Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
Check out more amazing Southern destinations in our “Virtual Vacation” series. Click HERE!
