Outdoor Activities & Entertainment

Entertainment: Discovering Entertainment in Our Community

Evenings and weekends in Memphis revolve around live music, local restaurants, and sports. Most of the city's entertainment districts are within 15 minutes of the medical district, so a weeknight concert or dinner is easy to fit into your schedule.

Live Music and Nightlife

Beale Street, with blues clubs and live music every night
Lafayette's Music Room in Overton Square
Levitt Shell in Overton Park, with free outdoor concerts
Minglewood Hall and Crosstown Theater
Blues and soul shows at venues across Midtown and Downtown

Sports

Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) at FedExForum
Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, at AutoZone Park
University of Memphis football at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
AutoZone Liberty Bowl in late December
FedEx St. Jude Championship, a PGA TOUR event at TPC Southwind

Dining

Memphis is known for dry-rub ribs and pulled pork barbecue, but the dining scene goes well beyond it. Midtown, Cooper-Young, and East Memphis have strong independent restaurants.

Barbecue at longtime local spots across the city
Babalu and Ecco in Midtown for small plates and Mediterranean dishes
Jack Brown's and Huey's for burgers
Paulette's and Tug's in Harbor Town
Bog and Barley, an Irish pub in East Memphis

Shopping Districts

Laurelwood and Regalia in East Memphis
Saddle Creek in Germantown
Overton Square and Cooper-Young for local shops
Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, with a hotel, restaurant, and observation deck

Events and Festivals

Zoo Rendezvous, a food and drink tasting event at the Memphis Zoo
Cooper-Young Festival, an arts and music festival held each fall
St. Jude Memphis Marathon in December
Community events in Harbor Town, including an annual 5K and holiday celebrations

Outdoor Activities: Embrace the Outdoors: Activities in Our Area

Memphis has more green space than many visitors expect. Large parks, river trails, and greenways run through the city, and the long spring and fall seasons give you most of the year to use them.

Parks and Trails

Shelby Farms Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country, with lakes, trails, and horseback riding
Shelby Farms Greenline, a paved rail-trail connecting Midtown to Shelby Farms
Wolf River Greenway, a trail system that runs from downtown toward the eastern suburbs
Overton Park, with an old-growth forest and walking trails in Midtown
Tom Lee Park, a redesigned riverfront park downtown
Harbor Town walking trails along the Mississippi River

Biking

Big River Crossing, a pedestrian and bike path across the Mississippi River into Arkansas
Big River Trail, which continues on the Arkansas side along the levee
Mountain bike trails at Shelby Farms Park

Water Recreation and Fishing

Kayaking and canoeing on the Wolf River, including access from Harbor Town
Paddleboarding and boat rentals at Shelby Farms Park lakes
Fishing in park lakes and nearby rivers
Duck hunting in the Mississippi Flyway across the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta

State Parks

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, north of the city, with trails, lakes, and camping
T.O. Fuller State Park, in south Memphis, with trails and a golf course

Golf

TPC Southwind, home of the FedEx St. Jude Championship
Overton Park's renovated nine-hole course
Public courses across Memphis and Shelby County
Private clubs in East Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville

Recharge and Play: Recreation Options

Memphis and its suburbs have a wide range of built recreation for families, from athletic clubs and pools to youth sports complexes and neighborhood parks. In Germantown, most neighborhoods have a park within walking distance.

Athletic and Fitness Clubs

Germantown Athletic Club, with indoor and outdoor pools, a splash pad, a fitness center, and tennis courts
University Club in Midtown, with tennis, pools, indoor courts, and a fitness center
YMCA locations across Memphis and Shelby County
Neighborhood clubhouses with pools and tennis courts in communities such as Kimbrough Woods in Germantown

Parks and Courts

Pickleball courts at parks throughout Memphis and the suburbs
Johnson Road Park and other neighborhood parks in Germantown
Tennis courts in parks across East Memphis and Germantown

Family Attractions

Memphis Zoo in Overton Park
Children's Museum of Memphis, with an outdoor splash pad
Museum of Science and History at the Pink Palace
Memphis Botanic Garden, with a children's garden

Youth Sports

Soccer, baseball, and softball leagues across Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville
Regional youth soccer tournaments in the Germantown area
School and club teams through public and private schools