Cruises to Memphis

20 Reviews
Memphis (Photo:f11photo/Shutterstock)

About Cruising to Memphis

To much of the world, Elvis Presley's Graceland is the main image of Memphis. But those who venture beyond the obligatory pilgrimage to The King's former home may leave with more vivid memories of other attractions.

Memphis is music, barbecue, Southern tradition and a place that helped spark the Civil Rights movement. Many riverboat cruisers will try to see everything in one extra day (which, of course, is impossible), but they'll discover much more than they may expect -- and learn a lot in the process.

Those embarking or disembarking on Sunday may decide to start their day with a living music legend. The Reverend Al Green -- yes, that Al Green -- preaches and sings at his Full Gospel Tabernacle Church most Sunday mornings. A recent visitor described it online as a "foot stomping, hand clapping, Bible-based Christian church."

There's live music scattered around Memphis, much of it on downtown's Beale Street. For the backstory, check out Memphis' music museums: rock 'n' roll's Sun Studio, where Elvis made his first 45s; Stax Museum, onetime recording studio for soul stars such as Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes; and Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, where the full story of Memphis music is told. If that's not enough, there's also the Blues Hall of Fame and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

The music story is incomplete without learning about the chaotic changes in Memphis after the April 4, 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which happened here. The music museums do mention the struggles, but to get to the heart of that era, everyone should spend time at the powerful National Civil Rights Museum, built around the site of the Lorraine Motel, where MLK died.

A new attraction in 2015 is an eye-popping store about a mile from the Beale Street Landing, where overnight and excursion riverboats dock. Once a basketball arena and site of mega-cultural exhibits, the riverfront Memphis Pyramid is now called Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid. It includes the 103-room Big Cypress Lodge, two restaurants and a dimly lighted emporium where fake cypress trees with real moss lord over shelves with T-shirts and parkas, a giant aquarium, an alligator habitat, pond, and waterfalls.

Barbecue reigns in Memphis. But again, beyond the cliche ribs -- so good -- there also are sophisticated wine bars and ethnic restaurants, plus several down-home cafes on Beale Street.

A couple of favorite meeting spots for Memphis residents are near Beale, in and around the city's beloved hotel: The Peabody Memphis. Locals and tourists crowd the lobby daily at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to watch the hotel's resident mallard ducks parade to and from the lobby fountain, where they swim all day. It's delightful. It's Memphis.

  • More about Memphis

  • Why Cruise to Memphis?

  • Memphis Cruise Port Facilities?

Loading...

We found you 8 cruises

Loading...
Loading...
Viking Mississippi
Viking Mississippi (Image: Viking River Cruises)

7 Night
Mississippi Delta Explorer

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
Cruise Critic Favorite
Viking Mississippi
Viking Mississippi (Image: Viking River Cruises)

14 Night
Upper Mississippi Explorer

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
Viking Mississippi
Viking Mississippi (Image: Viking River Cruises)

21 Night
Mississippi River Odyssey

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
Viking Mississippi
Viking Mississippi (Image: Viking River Cruises)

11 Night
Heart Of The Delta

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews

11 Night
Heart Of The Delta

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
Cruise Critic Favorite

21 Night
Grand Mississippi Voyage

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews

14 Night
America's Great River

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews

14 Night
The Big Easy To The Gateway City

33 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews

More about Memphis

Why Cruise to Memphis?

Pros:

You can visit Graceland, home of Elvis, and the hallowed ground of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cons:

Fares for taxis can be uneven; if you visit the Peabody Memphis Hotel in shorts, you might be underdressed

Bottom Line:

Memphis serves up nothing short of fabulous music, barbecue and a powerful homage to the Civil Rights Era

Memphis Cruise Port Facilities?

Beale Street Landing's floating dock has a spiral walkway (and golf carts with drivers to transport boat guests when the river is high) to the top of the riverbank and the Riverside Bar and Grill, where sandwiches, salads, fried green tomatoes, catfish and Memphis peach pie are among menu items. There's also a gift shop. Both are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in spring and summer, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in winter. Unfortunately, when the American Queen docked here to disembark passengers at 8 a.m. on a Sunday in December, nothing was open.

However, the six-acre site is a haven in good weather for those who relish being outside. There are walking and biking trails, fitness stations, spots to settle in and contemplate the river, and Island Play @ Beale Street Landing, a children's playground with misting devices in summer, dancing fountains and a giant catfish sculpture. It's a 10-minute walk to downtown, with crosswalks over Riverside Drive

The Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau is at 47 Union Street, walking distance from Beale Street Landing. It's open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, but is closed Saturday and Sunday.

The 1-40 Tennessee Welcome Center, at 119 N. Riverside Drive, is near the Brass Pro Shops at The Pyramid (about a mile from Beale Street Landing). However, the Memphis CVB is open only during weekday business hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. So plan your Memphis visit in advance.

Good to Know?

There's a friendly, casual atmosphere in Memphis, although those who venture to The Peabody Memphis will feel more comfortable if they leave their T-shirts and Nikes in their suitcases and dress up a wee bit.

When a local asks a bartender for Jack, he means Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey.

If you hear someone mention "the Grizzlies," they're not talking about bears, but about the local NBA team.

"Grit and grind" is a favorite Memphis saying, which is plastered across T-shirts and signs at NBA games. Tony Allen said, "All heart. Grit and grind," after his transformative performance when the Grizzlies beat Oklahoma City's Thunder in a wild game on February 8, 2011. Fans call the FedEx Forum (where the team plays) the Grind House.

Check fares in taxis. One driver posted a $4 Sunday surcharge on his meter, while the next two posted $2.

Getting Around?

By Trolley: Memphis' downtown trolleys have been undergoing restoration since 2014; local officials promise they will return! In the meantime, they've been replaced on the same routes by buses painted to look like trolleys.

By Bus: There's the Hop On commercial tour bus, which operates Tuesday through Saturday in spring and summer, but only Thursday through Saturday in fall and winter. There is a free hourly shuttle between Graceland, Sun Studio and the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum.

By Taxi: On a pretty day, passengers making a Memphis port call as part of a longer cruise can walk to from the port to downtown. If you have luggage, it's best to take a taxi; they line up for disembarking passengers when riverboats dock. Uber is also active in Memphis.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

There is no ATM in Beale Street Landing, where the riverboats dock (see Where You're Docked), or at the National Civil Rights Museum. However, there are ATMs on every block of busy Beale Street downtown, a center for music, bars and cafes. There's also an ATM near the corner of downtown's Main and Peabody, a busy pedestrian intersection.

Language?

English with a touch of a Southern accent is what you'll hear in Memphis.

Where You're Docked?

Riverboats dock at Beale Street Landing, where a new riverfront building opened in June 2014 at 251 Riverside Drive. It's at the foot of Beale Street, where it dead-ends at the Mississippi River, about a 10-minute walk to downtown. Daytime excursion boats also leave from here.


Memphis Cruise Reviews
The Peabody Hotel is charming albeit it crowded with celebrations and people coming to see the ducks. Sun Studios and Memphis Rock & Soul Museum were both terrific. The stories are amazing. We enjoyed our tour to Read More
User Avatar
lyrrek
We did the post-cruise Memphis experience. If you have the time, I would highly recommend it. The first morning, we were bussed to Graceland and spent time touring the home of The King, Elvis Presley. The second mRead More
User Avatar
CruisinCadie
Hotel was famous but crammed to the gills. Graceland was amusing but unless you are a die hard Elvis fan you may wish to avoid standing outside his small home (in the rain in our case) and go directly to the interestRead More
User Avatar
Tomgosdeck
We wanted to visit the cities on the Mississippi.Read More
User Avatar
Large1937

Related Cruises

Cruises to Newport

Cruises to Newport

261 Reviews
Cruises to Amsterdam

Cruises to Amsterdam

1,057 Reviews
Cruises to Rouen

Cruises to Rouen

121 Reviews
Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

449 Reviews
Cruises to Kauai

Cruises to Kauai

628 Reviews
Cruises to Gdansk (Warsaw)

Cruises to Gdansk (Warsaw)

120 Reviews
Cruises to Marseille

Cruises to Marseille

936 Reviews
Cruises to Izmir

Cruises to Izmir

187 Reviews
Cruises to Adelaide

Cruises to Adelaide

106 Reviews
Cruises to Lima

Cruises to Lima

110 Reviews
Cruises to Rangiroa

Cruises to Rangiroa

30 Reviews
Cruises to Penang

Cruises to Penang

134 Reviews
Cruises to Phuket

Cruises to Phuket

149 Reviews
Cruises to Hakodate

Cruises to Hakodate

26 Reviews
Cruises to Picton

Cruises to Picton

165 Reviews
Cruises to Cinque Terre

Cruises to Cinque Terre

355 Reviews
Cruises to Bernkastel-Kues

Cruises to Bernkastel-Kues

37 Reviews
Cruises to Kinderdijk

Cruises to Kinderdijk

8 Reviews
Cruises to Dawson City (Yukon)

Cruises to Dawson City (Yukon)

Cruises to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

Cruises to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

290 Reviews

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.