Move Over Nashville! This Underrated City In Tennessee Is Seeing Record Growth In Tourism

Whenever you consider Tennessee, it is most likely Nashville and its plethora of dive bars, good reproduction of the Parthenon, and energetic Broadway district that come to thoughts.

It could be the capital and essential leisure hub, alright, nevertheless it’s removed from being the one present on the town—or ought to we are saying, the one present within the Volunteer State.

Straddling the west financial institution of the Mississippi River, Memphis is Tennessee’s most populous metropolis, and with an equally vibrant music scene, scenic city parks, and an underrated meals scene, it is no marvel it is breaking tourism information proper now:

Memphis Sees Document-Breaking Tourism

As reported by the Tennessee Division of Tourism Improvement, out of the 31.7 billion spent by vacationers within the state in 2024, 4.3 billion are claimed by the Memphis metro space.

This makes Memphis the second most worthwhile Tennessee vacation spot after, you guessed it, Davidson County, of which Nashville is the seat, and one of many fastest-growing locations within the States: within the final six years, customer spending elevated by over 36%.

Numbers are thrilling, however we’re not right here for boring tourism information. We’re certain you are eager to know what the attraction is for guests from all around the 50 states (and the broader globe).

Let’s simply say that, whether or not you are right here for Rock n’ Roll, the understated cultural worth, lush nature, or a few of that good outdated down-home Tennessee cooking, you are in for a deal with:

Fall Colours & Vibrant Social Scene Like No Different

For starters, the ‘Bluff Metropolis‘ is constructed on the bluffs that overlook the Mississippi River, and its Riverwalk, alongside the shores of the enduring waterway, is a must-see for vacationers on the town:

Stretching via Tom Lee Park, alongside Beale Road Touchdown, and all the way in which to Mud Island River Park, it is the proper method to unwind and soak within the area’s nature. Proper now, the waterline is especially fairly, with all of the amber-tinged fall leaves.

Strolling in Memphis is bound to get you impressed, just like the tune, however if you happen to’re on the lookout for time on a Friday night time, no-frills Midtown is the place to be.

Not like the overly-popular Beale Road, which could really feel a tad too touristy to your liking as a Journey Off Path reader, Midtown spots like Hello Tone Cafe and Growlers nonetheless retain that Memphian allure: we’re speaking scrumptious draft beer, welcoming, chatty locals, and nice rock bands.

After all, Earnestine and Hazel’s within the Downtown space, past Beale, are regional classics, however they’ll get crowded, particularly throughout occasion nights, so we might advise you to reach early to safe seat.

Barbecue That is Nothing Brief Of Legendary

Memphis’ dry-rubbed ribs and smoked pork sandwiches are legendary, and belief us once we say individuals fly from all around the world for a chew.

You have not actually been to Tennessee’s largest metropolis till you’ve got tried Jim Neely’s chopped pork sandwiches on S. Third Road. Likewise, if you happen to’re a fan of smoked meats, you may’t miss Central BBQ’s pulled pork, a brief stroll from Beale Road.

Now, if you happen to occur to be craving real-spit barbecue and coleslaw comprised of scratch, The Bar-B-Q Store is your port of name: tinheritor ribs have been even voted America’s number one by the Meals Community.

To be honest, a easy stroll round Downtown will open up a world of eating choices, from King’s Palace Cafe, a Cajun and Creole hotspot, to Docks Off fifth, greatest identified for its tasty seafood menu, to Aldo’s Pizza Pies, an informal Italian eatery.

Rock n Roll Your Means Round Memphis

Memphis can be a world-class cultural vacation spot, regardless of not often being acknowledged as such. As an example, do you know you may go to Graceland, the home the place Elvis Presley spent his teenage years, proper within the coronary heart of Whitehaven, a brief 20-minute drive from Downtown?

For the music buffs on the market, you will even be thrilled to be taught that Solar Studio is the place Elvis, Johnny Money, and B.B. King recorded a number of of their most celebrated information. It is no marvel it is dubbed ‘birthplace of Rock n’ Roll’, and it is now open as a museum, with tickets costing solely $20 per grownup.

As for an precise museum, nevertheless, you may need to take a look at the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, which chronicles the rise of blues and soul as genres, and the way they formed the native cultural panorama.

Other than the musical heritage, the Nationwide Civil Rights Museum, positioned within the former Lorraine Motel, is the place Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Tracing Memphis’ function within the cotton commerce throughout the slavery years, the Cotton Museum is yet one more must-see, and if you happen to love artwork galleries, be sure you cease by the Brooks Museum of Artwork: it is merely the oldest and largest artwork museum in Tennessee.

Heading to Tennessee this fall? Make certain to take a look at this different fast-rising, various metropolis break to Nashville for fiery fall colours and luxuriant nature.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead author at Journey Off Path, has over 60+ nations below his belt (and at the moment weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative tales that can have you ever packing your baggage.