Go Backpacking

  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
×
Home » Destinations » North America » United States

The Best Time To Visit Memphis for Budget Travelers

Modified: Apr 9, 2025 · Published: Feb 5, 2023 by Nisha Batel |

Memphis is the second-largest city in Tennessee, behind Nashville, and a city full of music, cultural history, nightlife, museums, and food. If you're a history and music lover, this city should be on your bucket list. Now your question may be, when's the best time of the year to visit Memphis? It depends on your priorities and what you are looking for.

Memphis sign on Mud Island (photo: Joshua J. Cotten)
Memphis sign on Mud Island (photo: Joshua J. Cotten)

Table of Contents

  • Peak Season
  • Best Time for Sightseeing
  • Best Time to Explore Memphis' Musical History 
  • Suitable time for budget travelers  
  • Best Budget Hotels in Germantown
    • Homewood Suites by Hilton Memphis-Germantown  
    • Fairfield Inn & Suites Memphis Germantown  
  • Memphis Attractions
    • Beale Street  
    • National Civil Rights Museum
    • Graceland - Elvis Presley's Memphis Home
    • Sun Studio 
    • Big River Crossing  
    • Mud Island  

Peak Season

The city attracts many visitors during the summer. Its warm, dry climate is perfect for outdoor activities and festivities. The price of lodging increases along with the number of visitors, so book early to get your preferred accommodation.

In May, the smell of barbecue is in the air. The legendary World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest draws BBQ fans nationwide. The annual Beale Street Music Festival also occurs every May. In 2023, both events were held at Tom Lee Park on the downtown Memphis riverfront.

By June, the city starts to feel slightly more tropical as the humidity and temperature rise. Explore the public park and museum on Mud Island (a peninsula, not an island). Return to downtown and find a rooftop bar to enjoy a cocktail with views of the Mississippi River at sunset.

Best Time for Sightseeing

If you want to avoid crowds at popular attractions like Graceland and Beale Street, mid-September, November, and April are the best months to visit Memphis. You're more likely to be able to tour museums, Elvis' home, Sun Studios, Mud Island, and more without as many tourists as in the high season.

A woman holds an Elvis record (photo: Jamakassi)
A woman holds an Elvis record (photo: Jamakassi)

Best Time to Explore Memphis' Musical History 

August is an excellent time to visit Memphis for its musical history. Thousands of fans gather in the city yearly to celebrate the King of Rock and Roll during Elvis Week.

Take part in free karaoke events, dance parties, and free visits to the meditation garden at Graceland. This full-week celebration can get crowded, so book up to a year in advance if you want to go.  

One option is the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott hotel. It's only five miles from the Memphis International Airport and 6.8 miles from Elvis Presley's Graceland (where the main event happens during Elvis Week). This hotel is worth checking out as it's an ideal distance from popular tourist attractions.

Suitable time for budget travelers  

If money is tight and you want to visit Memphis on a budget, the winter off-season in December and January is best. The exceptions are the birthdays of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Elvis.

In the off-season, prices fall along with temperatures, and you can lock in better rates by booking flights and hotels early. The average temperature during this time is 46 F to 64 F, so remember to dress in layers.

Memphis has much to offer first-time visitors, from its importance in the Civil Rights Movement to being the birthplace of Blues music and rock 'n roll. 

"I Am a Man" protest mural (photo: Joshua J. Cotten)
"I Am a Man" protest mural (photo: Joshua J. Cotten)

Best Budget Hotels in Germantown

Germantown is a safe neighborhood in southeast Memphis. Staying here gives you convenient access to the airport and greater peace of mind when sleeping at night.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Memphis-Germantown  

The Homewood Suites' excellent location close to the highway makes reaching the best Memphis tourist attractions easy. Downtown is just 18 miles from the hotel, while Beale Street is only 16 miles away.

The 24-hour fitness center and fully equipped kitchens are available at this all-suite hotel. Check out more about this hotel's amenities on their website.

Instead of just emphasizing comfort, there is a genuine understanding of the small details that tourists genuinely value, such as the ability to bring their pets on vacation.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Memphis Germantown  

The vibrant Memphis atmosphere is within reach when staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites. Given that they are both close to the hotel, you might benefit from the selection of eateries and shops that The Shopping at Saddle Creek and The Avenue at Carriage Crossing offer.

A good breakfast and coffee are complimentary every morning. This hotel in Germantown, TN, is an excellent choice for vacationers and business travelers.

Memphis Attractions

Beale Street  

Beale Street at night (photo: Heidi Kaden)
At night, Beale Street comes alive (photo: Heidi Kaden)

Beale Street is the epicenter of nightlife in Memphis and is home to bars, restaurants, musical history, and entertainment. During the day, you can walk the street, grab food, see the big guitars, or get an old-fashioned soda at A-Schwab.

At night, street performers like the Beale Street Flippers show a different side of the city. Music is also available in almost every bar, and you can find some fantastic local acts on the weekends.

National Civil Rights Museum

You can't leave Memphis without seeing the National Civil Rights Museum, which focuses on the civil rights movement from the 17th century to the present.

The museum is a sobering experience worth two to three hours of your time and attention. It features many exhibits that show the progression of African American rights in the country and spotlight many pivotal moments in the cause.

The museum was built at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was shot and killed. Visitors will see the room he stayed in before that fateful event.

Graceland - Elvis Presley's Memphis Home

This sprawling property allows guests to tour Elvis' home and see how it was decorated while he lived there. It's a blast to see, and you're given an audio tour on an iPad that tells you about each room you are looking at. 

After exploring the home, you can visit a half-dozen museums on the property dedicated to everything from his cars and stage outfits to numerous gold records. Two of his planes are displayed, and you can walk into each.

Sun Studio 

Outside Sun Studio in Memphis, TN (photo: Frédéric Barriol)
Outside Sun Studio (photo: Frédéric Barriol)

Sun Studio is one of the two world-renowned music studios in Memphis. This small studio was the first to record Elvis, and he and Johnny Cash would record many of their hits here.

The studio is open for guided tours. The tours take you upstairs to memorabilia and photos from its music-making history. They also take you into the recording studio, where you can take pictures with the equipment and microphone used to record famous songs.

If you are a music lover, you must visit this place to understand how Memphis impacted popular music and culture.

Big River Crossing  

Big River Crossing is one of the more active recommendations on this list. Budget travelers don't have to spend a penny to see the mesmerizing view of Memphis from this bridge.

The bridge is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the United States and the longest that crosses the Mississippi River. It's almost a mile long, and at the halfway point, you'll cross from Tennessee into the state of Arkansas.  

Mud Island  

Mud Island Park is one of the best places to walk in the city. This peninsula is across from downtown Memphis. You can take a monorail, a museum, and a walking path to explore. The walking path has a small-scale topographical representation of the Mississippi River as it runs its entire course to the Caribbean Sea.

Memphis offers many fun activities and experiences, from its rich history to a great music and rock and roll vibe. With some research and planning, you can have a great vacation in Memphis, even on a backpacker's budget.

_____

This story is brought to you in partnership with Stealth Management Group LLC.

Related Stories

  • MoPOP building.
    11 Seattle Museums To Inspire You
  • Argosy cruise through the Ballard Locks in Seattle.
    My Experience on the Seattle Locks Cruise by Argosy Cruises
  • Starship and Mars mural at Starbase, South Texas.
    Driving to SpaceX in Boca Chica: What You Can Actually See
  • Dave walking down a dune on South Padre Island (photo by Kelly Lemons).
    13 Fun Things To Do on South Padre Island
  • Share
  • Email
Dave at Ahu Ko Te Riku on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.

Hi, I'm Dave

Editor in Chief

I've been writing about adventure travel on Go Backpacking since 2007. I've visited 68 countries.

Read more about Dave.

Footer

back to top

About

  • About
  • Archive
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Follow Us

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work With Us
  • Submissions

Copyright © 2025 Go Backpacking