6 of the best day trips from Memphis

06.03.2024 - 00:29 / lonelyplanet.com

Memphis has rightfully earned its place in history for its impact on American music and the Civil Rights Movement.

But since the city is also so well located, near Mississippi and Arkansas, with good highway connections, bus routes, and train lines, it's a great base for visitors looking to maximize their time. 

Getting outside Memphis allows travelers to dig deeper into what makes the region so unique, including its cuisine and the music of the Blues Highway that starts there and continues south. It’s also a chance to see the wide open spaces beyond the city skyline. Here are six of our favorite day trips from Memphis.

Travel time: 1 hour

Brownsville is where visitors can learn about the Queen of Rock n Roll – Tina Turner. Her one-room schoolhouse was transported from nearby Nutbush, Tennessee, to the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Museum and here you’ll find a world-class collection of Turner memorabilia.

The school is adjacent to the former home of blues pioneer Sleepy John Estes, another former area resident. The Dunbar-Carver Museum also covers the region’s cultural heritage.

Stop by for a meal at Helen’s BBQ, a century-old building named for the matriarch that still oversees the pit. She’s the recipient of the Southern Foodways Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award for her slow-roasted pork, ribs, and sausage.

How to get to Brownsville from Memphis: An hour’s drive east of Memphis on I-40 will put you at exit 56, where you can dive into the museums or choose to venture a further ten minutes into town.

Travel time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Oxford, Mississippi is home to the University of Mississippi, often called “Ole Miss.” The school dates back to 1844 and is best experienced through football game day in the Grove, at the center of campus, where tailgating crowds gather. 

Oxford is also where author William Faulkner lived. His home, Rowan Oak, has been turned into a museum, where you can walk through the grounds and home, with its furnishings and book cases. Another essential stop in town is Square Books, a sprawling bookstore with two satellite locations on the historic square covering just about every genre. 

Despite its relatively small size, Oxford has multiple award-winning restaurants, including the empire of Chef John Currence, who opened City Grocery on the square in 1992, where it remains a beloved institution. Part of the same restaurant group, Snackbar is run by James Beard-award-winning Chef Vishwesh Bhatt, using Mississippi ingredients and influences from his native India. 

How to get to Oxford from Memphis: Take I-55 south out of town until you cross into Mississippi. In Batesville, turn on 278, which brings you right into Oxford.

Travel time: 1 hour and 20 minutes to Dyess; 1 hour and 20