Memphis is a music-history reunion city with a downtown core organized around two anchors: Beale Street's blues clubs and the Mississippi riverfront. Graceland (Elvis's home), Sun Studio (where rock and roll was recorded), the National Civil Rights Museum (in the Lorraine Motel), and the Stax Museum cluster within a 15-minute drive of each other. Hotel rates are among the lowest of any major American reunion city, and the airport is 15 minutes from downtown. Pair with Beale Street ribs and you have a complete reunion weekend.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
Graceland
Elvis Presley's home; the Mansion tour, Elvis Presley's Memphis exhibits, and his car museum. Plan a half-day; combo tickets are best value.
Official source ↗Beale Street
4-block historic music district; blues clubs every door, BB King's Blues Club is the anchor. Family-friendly during the day; adult-oriented at night.
Official source ↗Sun Studio
The Birthplace of Rock and Roll — Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis all recorded here. 45-min guided tours every hour.
Official source ↗National Civil Rights Museum
Built around the Lorraine Motel where MLK was assassinated in 1968. Among the most powerful museums in the country.
Official source ↗Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Built on the site of the original Stax Records studio; tells the story of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Memphis soul.
Official source ↗Memphis Zoo
76-acre zoo in Overton Park — the only zoo in the U.S. with a giant panda exhibit (until Jan 2024; check current status).
Official source ↗Memphis Pyramid (Bass Pro Shops)
32-story glass pyramid on the riverfront — Bass Pro megastore inside, the tallest free-standing elevator in the U.S., and a hotel/restaurant at the top.
Official source ↗Mud Island River Park
Riverfront park accessible by monorail or bridge; scale model of the Mississippi River and the Mississippi River Museum.
Official source ↗Peabody Hotel duck march
Historic 1869 hotel; the Peabody Ducks march from the rooftop to the lobby fountain at 11 AM and back at 5 PM daily. Free to watch.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Memphis reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Music history obsessives (Sun, Stax, Graceland, Beale)
- Civil rights history (National Civil Rights Museum is unmatched)
- BBQ obsessives (Memphis dry-rub is its own style)
- Budget reunions (lowest hotel rates of any major reunion city)
- Multi-generational groups
Practical logistics
- Closest Airports
- Memphis Intl (MEM) — 15 min to downtown
- Group Lodging
- The Peabody Memphis (464 rooms, the iconic option), Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis, Sheraton Memphis Downtown, and the Big Cypress Lodge (inside the Bass Pro Pyramid) all do group blocks. Downtown AirBnBs sleep 8-12.
- Parking
- $15-25/day at hotel garages; cheaper than most reunion cities.
- Accessibility
- Beale Street, the Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, and Peabody lobby are all wheelchair-accessible. Some Beale Street venues have stairs only.
- Cost Per Person
- Plan $135-260/person/day. Among the cheapest reunion cities in the South.
- Official Site
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee
When to go
October-May. April-May and September-October are sweet spots — comfortable temps. Memphis in May (the month-long festival including the Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest) is iconic but books up. Avoid July-August (hot and humid).
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
10-25: A 4-bedroom downtown loft AirBnB; private dinner at Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous.
Medium group · 25–60
25-60: The Peabody Memphis (464 rooms, 80,000+ sq ft event space) — iconic and right-sized for a 30-50 family reunion.
Large group · 60+
60+: The Peabody Memphis and Sheraton Memphis Downtown handle the largest groups. Pair with a private after-hours buy-out at the Stax Museum or a Beale Street venue.
Sample 3-day Memphis reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly's Schedule and customize for your group.
Friday — Arrival & Beale Welcome
- MEM arrivals, 15 min to downtown
- 4 PM hotel check-in (The Peabody Memphis)
- 5 PM Peabody duck march back to roof
- 6 PM walk Beale Street
- 7:30 PM welcome dinner — Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous (dry-rub ribs)
Saturday — Music + Civil Rights
- 9 AM Sun Studio (45-min guided tour)
- 11 AM Stax Museum
- 1 PM lunch at Central BBQ
- 3 PM National Civil Rights Museum (allow 3 hours)
- 7:30 PM group dinner — Itta Bena (above BB King's)
Sunday — Graceland + Goodbyes
- 9 AM Peabody duck march
- 10 AM Graceland (combo ticket; plan 4 hours)
- 2 PM final group photo at the Graceland gates
- 3 PM goodbye lunch at Cozy Corner
Reunion organizer tips
Stay at or near The Peabody Memphis. The 1869 hotel is itself an attraction (the duck march at 11 AM and 5 PM), 5 minutes' walk from Beale Street, and built for events. If The Peabody is full or out of budget, Hyatt Centric Beale Street is the alternate.
Plan the National Civil Rights Museum carefully. It's emotionally heavy and not appropriate for very young children. Allow 3 hours; book timed tickets ahead. Pair it with the Stax Museum (a 10-min drive) for a full music + civil rights afternoon.
Make Graceland a half-day group activity. Buy combo tickets (Mansion + Elvis Presley's Memphis + Cars) for the best value. Plan 4 hours including lunch on-site. Located 15 min south of downtown.
Reserve a private room at a Memphis BBQ classic for the big group dinner. Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous (downtown, dry-rub ribs, the iconic Memphis BBQ), Central BBQ (multiple locations, Memphis-style sandwiches), and Cozy Corner (Memphis legend) all do groups of 20-40.
Time the Peabody duck march for one morning. 11 AM in the lobby — the head Duckmaster walks the resident ducks down a red carpet from the rooftop to the lobby fountain. Free to watch; arrive 30 min early for a good viewing spot.
Add a Mississippi riverfront walk at sunset. The Big River Crossing pedestrian bridge to West Memphis, AR (1-mile each way) gives the best skyline view and is free.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Memphis reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
Is Memphis safe for a family reunion?
Downtown, Beale Street (during the day and early evening), South Main, and the major attraction areas are well-trafficked and safe. Like any city, stick to populated areas at night and use rideshare instead of walking long distances after dark. Avoid the area south of Crump Boulevard and east of Bellevue.
Is the National Civil Rights Museum appropriate for kids?
Best for ages 10+. The content includes graphic photos and the room where MLK was assassinated. Younger kids will be confused or upset. Older kids and teens will find it deeply moving. Allow 3 hours.
Where should we stay for a Memphis reunion?
The Peabody Memphis is the iconic choice — historic hotel, the duck march in the lobby, walking distance to Beale Street. Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis and Sheraton Memphis Downtown are the alternates.
Is Graceland worth the ticket price?
For Elvis fans, absolutely. The combo ticket (Mansion + Elvis Presley's Memphis + Cars + Planes) is the best value at ~$80. Allow 4 hours including lunch. Skip if no one in the group cares about Elvis.
When is Memphis in May worth planning around?
For music and BBQ fans, yes — the Beale Street Music Festival (early May) brings 100+ acts to Tom Lee Park, and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (mid-May) is the largest BBQ contest in the world. Hotel rates spike; book 4+ months out.
How does Memphis BBQ differ from other styles?
Memphis BBQ is dry-rub or wet-sauce ribs and pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw on the bun. Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous is the dry-rub original; Central BBQ is the modern favorite; Cozy Corner is the local-legend pulled-pork spot.
Other reunion-friendly spots nearby
Helpful planning guides
The complete family reunion checklist
12-month, 6-month, and day-of checklists organizers actually use.
Read the guide →Family reunion budget guide
How to estimate, track, and split costs without spreadsheets.
Read the guide →Family reunion for 50 people
Logistics, lodging, and budget for a 50-person reunion.
Read the guide →