Memphis Guided History & BBQ Tour
Discover Memphis landmarks, museums, and local culture by air-conditioned bus
Duration
2–3 hrs
Includes
Guided tour, BBQ tasting
Highlights
Explore Memphis beyond its headline attractions on a guided bus tour through downtown history, music, and culture. Add a museum visit for a closer look at the city’s civil rights or musical legacy.
- See the Peabody Hotel’s famous Duck March
- Browse Lansky Brothers, clothier to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King
- Discover downtown landmarks including Cotton Row, Court Square, and Beale Street
- Explore the National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, or Edge Motor Museum with an add-on
- Ride in an air-conditioned bus
Itinerary
- Board at Alfred's on Beale (Beale & BB King Blvd.) and depart after check-in.
- Drive past and view Victorian Village, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
- Visit the I Am A Man Plaza at Clayborn Temple downtown, site of the Sanitation Strike Marches
- Enjoy a BBQ tasting at Central BBQ, award winning local BBQ restaurant (beer and additional food not included; BBQ is pork and we do not offer substitutions).
- Drive through the South Main Historic Arts District.
- If you purchased a museum add-on, you'll be taken to that museum; if you purchased the tour only, you'll return to the meeting location on Beale St.
What's Included
- Air-conditioned bus transportation
Important details
- Arrive 15 minutes before departure
- No music is played on this tour
- No food is allowed on the bus or inside museums
- No ice chests or coolers are allowed on the bus
- Restrooms are not available on the bus
- The National Civil Rights Museum add-on requires a security screening before entry
Cancellation Policy
Full refund with 24 hours' notice of cancellation. Full refund if the operator cancels due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows are charged the full price.
FAQs
Plan ahead: there are no restrooms on the bus. Use the restroom at the meeting location and at Central BBQ.
You can bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on the bus, but do not bring ice chests or coolers. Do not bring food on the bus or inside the museums.
Your BBQ tasting is included, but soft drinks and beer at Central BBQ are not included.
Meeting details
Alfred's on Beale, 197 Beale Street
More about the National Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum sits at the Lorraine Motel in downtown Memphis, the very site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April 1968. Walking up to this preserved facade, with its turquoise doors and vintage cars parked beneath the balcony of Room 306, is one of the most powerful moments any visitor can have in Memphis. The National Civil Rights Museum has transformed this somber landmark into a sweeping educational experience that traces the long arc of the American civil rights movement, from the earliest days of resistance through Freedom Rides, sit-ins, and the marches that reshaped a nation. On the Memphis Discovery Tour, this stop anchors the day with reflection and depth before the city's flavors and music take center stage.
Inside the National Civil Rights Museum, you move through immersive exhibits that pair archival photographs, audio recordings, and life-sized recreations of pivotal scenes, including a replica of the Montgomery bus where Rosa Parks made her stand and the Greensboro lunch counter. The tour gives you time to take in these moments at your own pace, letting the weight of the stories settle. Stepping back outside into the Memphis sunlight, you carry that history with you as the day continues toward soulful barbecue, Beale Street rhythms, and the local shops that give the city its character. The contrast is intentional, and it makes every bite and beat that follows feel more meaningful.
This experience is perfect for thoughtful travelers, families with curious teens, history lovers, and first-time visitors who want to understand Memphis beyond its music and food. The National Civil Rights Museum offers context that frames the rest of the city, helping you see how struggle, creativity, and community are woven into every neighborhood you pass through. Couples seeking a meaningful shared experience, solo travelers drawn to American history, and groups of friends looking for a day that balances substance with celebration will all find something lasting here. Join the Memphis Discovery Tour and let the National Civil Rights Museum open the door to a deeper understanding of this remarkable city.
Related locations
Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum
Admission includedStep inside the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum and the story of American popular music unfolds around you in sound and image. Located in the heart of downtown Memphis near Beale Street, this Smithsonian-affiliated institution draws you into the cotton fields, juke joints, and recording studios where blues, gospel, country, and R&B collided to create something entirely new. The Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum holds more than 300 artifacts and a self-guided audio tour that lets the music speak for itself.
