Music in Memphis Tennessee: The Perfect Wheelchair Accessible Weekend
Although Memphis may be outshined a bit by its sister city Nashville, it is also a major music destination in its own right. You’ve probably heard of Graceland and Elvis Presley, but Memphis has so much more to offer. I didn’t realize just how much, until I visited in April 2022. Now, I’ve put together a guide to the perfect wheelchair accessible weekend for music in Memphis Tennessee so that you can discover this gem of a city yourself.
Wheelchair Accessible Places to Stay in Memphis
There are plenty of hotels to stay in during your visit to Memphis. I recommend staying downtown as it will make it easy to get around to see the sights and find places to eat. When I visited, I stayed in the Sheraton Downton Memphis.
Sheraton Downtown Memphis
The Sheraton has ADA accessible rooms with plenty of space to maneuver and roll in showers with a fold down seat. There is also a small onsite restaurant where you can grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast or dinner. There is accessible transportation almost literally outside of the hotel which makes it easy to get around the city.
Tips for Booking a Wheelchair Accessible Room
When you book your room (no matter which hotel you choose), you can book directly with the hotel and then call the front desk to verify your accessible room reservation as well as ask for a specific room number. This may help to prevent the dreaded issue of arriving only to find out that there are no accessible rooms available or that they gave you a hearing accessible room vs a mobility accessible room.
You can also book through a third-party website, but I highly recommend calling the hotel to confirm your reservation and requirements. Make sure to speak with the front desk vs the reservation department as sometimes the two departments don’t communicate very well and therefore an accessible room may not be set aside for you.
It is also a good idea to call a week before your arrival to once again confirm your room and accessibility needs.
Getting Around Memphis in a Wheelchair
There are a couple of options for getting around Memphis when you’re using a wheelchair. If you are not doing a road trip and are instead arriving by the airport, you can request an accessible taxi. Checker Cab offer accessible taxis on demand. Just call their office to request a pickup.
Walk/Roll Around the City
The downtown area of Memphis is very walkable (or rollable) with plenty of curb cuts and mostly flat surfaces. This area, however, is large and if you want to save energy and battery power, then make sure to use some sort of transportation to get from site to site.
Hop on Hop Off Bus
There is a hop on hop off bus that will take you to the most popular attractions, including Graceland. One of the buses is ADA accessible for wheelchairs. Unfortunately, when I visited it was out of service. Make sure to check with the company ahead of your visit to let them know you’ll require this bus and to make sure it’s running.
Take the City Trolley
Another option is to take the trolley. The trolley runs down the main street in Memphis and will get you close to the downtown attractions. It is also fully wheelchair accessible. At each trolley station there is a wheelchair lift and ramp that will make boarding seamless. There are also designated areas on the trolley for wheelchair users and people with mobility problems. Passes are available for unlimited rides and are inexpensive, starting at $2 a piece.
Of course, you can also use the taxi service I mentioned above to get to more out of the way places. However, relying solely on taxis will cut into your travel budget and add up quickly.
Wheelchair Accessible Places to Eat in Memphis
Sugar Grits
This charming restaurant has a great menu for local food and a fun atmosphere. It’s also not far from the major downtown attractions, which makes grabbing a quick bite a breeze.
While the main entrance has steps, there is an accessible entrance when you enter the parking garage and use the door on the right to enter through the back. Accessible restrooms are available.
The food was delicious and reasonably priced. Staff were very friendly. And where else is a better place to get some grits? It’s right in the name!
BB King House of Blues
Located on Beale Street right in all of the action, the House of Blues gives you an accessible place to grab some good food and listen to some authentic blues music. Check out their website for performance details.
The Arcade Restaurant
The oldest café in Memphis is also where Elvis used to eat his breakfast. In fact, there is a booth here dedicated in his honor. From their daily specials to their hearty breakfasts, salads, sandwiches and pizza, there are plenty of options to satisfy your taste buds for breakfast and lunch. Seating for wheelchair users is available in their large back room.
Blues City Café
This café combines yummy food with great music. Open for dinner, the menu offers the food that Memphis is known for. From fried chicken, ribs, shrimp and Tomales there is something for everyone’s taste buds.
Don’t head home too soon though, the music here is pretty amazing as well. In fact, some of their famous performers have included: BB King, Hank Williams Jr, Queen Latifa, Keanu Reeves and Dogstar, and Kid Rock just to name a few.
The Perfect Music in Memphis Weekend Itinerary
Day 1
Sun Studio Tour
Sun Studios is where many of the greats have been recorded. Some of the well-known names that have played music here are Elvis Presley (this is where he got his start), BB King, Duke Ellington, U2, Johnny Cash and many more. On this tour, you’ll get to hear stories of their time spent here and go into the still working studio where they performed.
The tour is partially accessible. The beginning of the tour starts upstairs which houses memorabilia of the studio’s most famous members. The last half of the experience takes place in the actual studio and is wheelchair accessible. The gift shop and café are also accessible with a flat entry.
What Makes the Sun Studio Tour Special
One of the things I really enjoyed about my visit here was the incorporation of music into the storytelling. It had me tapping my foot and wanting to sing along for the whole time. I was able to be in the very spot Elvis stood when he recorded his first single and even sing into the microphone that he once used. No matter what style of music you like, this is a great and fun tour to start off your stay in Memphis.
National Civil Rights Museum
You may be wondering why I suggest going to the Civil Rights Museum on a musical weekend in Memphis, but I assure you they connect, but more on that later.
What You Will Experience at the Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum is an immersive experience that takes you on a journey through the start of slavery in America right through the civil rights movements. It combines artifacts with video and music to help you understand how the fight for civil rights started, the different strategies for achieving these rights and the consequences people faced for speaking out about this issue.
Towards the end of your self-guided tour here, you will end up in the Loraine Motel. You will get to see the hotel rooms as they were in the 1960’s and come to a window which overlooks the balcony where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his last speech and was assassinated.
While my whole visit to the museum was moving, the ending of the tour was the most emotional for me. It is understandably a very somber place and as I looked out the window, it gave me chills. I had to hold back the tears.
Tips for Visiting the Civil Rights Museum
When visiting the Civil Rights museum, I highly recommend giving yourself plenty of time (at least 3 hours but it’s easy to spend more time here as well) and try to be as present as possible. Don’t worry about what you’ll visit next or be on a schedule. Immerse yourself in the experience.
While I had learned the highlights of the civil rights movement in school, there was so much more I learned during my time at the museum. To take everything in, digest what you are learning and then consider where we are as a nation today in this ongoing battle, is quite the process. I found it helpful to be visiting with a friend as it allowed us to discuss and process our experiences more even after our visit.
No matter why you’re visiting Memphis, this stop is a must in my opinion.
Beale Street
After a busy (and even emotional) day, make sure to have some fun by visiting Beale Street. Beale Street is at the heart of the music scene in Memphis and houses plenty of venues where you can listen to the local sounds.
This street has long been home to many black owned businesses, restaurants and shops and eventually also became the home of the blues music scene. Famous artists such as Muddy Waters, Louis Armstrong and B.B. King have all played here and helped to cement its legacy.
You never know what you’ll find when coming here. When I visited, I had the opportunity to be part of a drum march. The famous blues trio of drums, saxophone and trumpet drew in visitors and locals alike and beckoned you to follow their sweet sounds as the musicians marched down the street.
Also, make sure to also check out the Beale Street Flippers. This incredible acrobatic group performs right on the street for all to admire their dazzling tricks. They were even featured on America’s Got Talent.
Tips for Visiting Beale Street
During the evening hours, the street is closed off to vehicles and becomes pedestrian only. The sidewalks that line the street have curb cuts at each end, but there is no easy way for wheelchair users to cross the street in the middle. Sidewalks can be narrow at times and are often crowded during peak nighttime hours. Rolling in the road can be easier to navigate.
Day 2
Watch the Duck March at the Peabody Hotel
Although not music related, it would be a shame to miss out on one of Memphis’s quirky and fun traditions. Start your morning off by heading to the Peabody Hotel to watch the daily duck march. There are some resident ducks that live on the roof of the hotel, and each day they are escorted down the elevator and through the lobby to the giant fountain so that they can play the day away in its waters.
A grand master leads the charge and if you are chosen for this role, it is quite the honor. If being grand master is high on your bucket list, you can purchase a package through the hotel’s website to ensure you get to check this off your list.
History of the Duck March
This duck march tradition started in the 1930’s when the general manager of the hotel and a friend got a little tipsy from whisky and thought it would be funny to put their live decoy hunting ducks in the hotel fountain. Visitors were delighted by the unique experience and so it continued. A former circus animal trainer offered to help train the ducks to march down to the fountain.
To this day, the tradition continues, and city visitors line up to see this display each day at 11 am and 5 pm (when they come down and then go back up to their homes). If you would like to witness this tradition for yourself, make sure to arrive no later than a half hour before the “show” as it is very popular and can get crowded.
The hotel has an accessible entrance and staff can help wheelchair users to make sure they get a good view of the ducks.
Rock and Soul Museum
This fun and interactive museum tells the history of music in Memphis as well as the connections between blues, soul and rock music. Upon entering, you watch a short film which prepares you for the exhibits you will see. Then you are given an mp3 player to take with you that narrates the exhibits and incorporates music into its storytelling.
One of the things you will learn during your visit is how the music of Sharecroppers influenced Elvis Presley. The music of the farms, which is based in blues, was the foundation for what we now know and love as rock and roll music. Since Elvis is considered the king of rock and roll, his musical influences are an important part of music today.
Music and the Civil Rights Movement
The museum also highlighted the significance of Elvis’s career at the time. Elvis was doing something so new by singing what was traditionally “black music” as a white person and attempting to bridge the gap between the two races at a time when segregation was the norm in society. Through music, Elvis was attempting to bring people together when all society focused on where differences.
In many ways, music, as it often does, started to be less segregated and more inclusive for artists of all backgrounds. Even Sun Studio, where Elvis first recorded, started allowing black artists to record and get signed to record deals. By sharing a love of music, people were able to start accepting more diversity.
Don’t get me wrong, the integration of music certainly didn’t solve everything. There were and are still struggles with equality and human rights, however, what was happening in the music industry helped to serve as a foundation for change.
Is the Rock and Soul Museum Worth Visiting?
I loved listening to the music that helped change America while getting to see artifacts and learning about the Memphis music evolution. It was a fun and fully accessible museum that combined music and American history. I highly recommend a visit.
Graceland
It is almost impossible to talk about music in Memphis without mentioning Graceland. Graceland was the home of Elvis Presley and is now where he and his parents are buried. Despite Elvis being gone from the music scene since his death in 1977, Elvis’s legacy lives on.
His music changed the world and while people may not directly listen to his songs, the music of today was heavily influenced by them. The role he played in founding rock and roll as well as integrating the music community is profound. As a result, each year over 500,000 people make their way to Graceland to pay their respects.
How to Get to Graceland
Visiting Graceland requires a short drive out of the downtown area of Memphis. You can arrive using your own vehicle, using an accessible taxi or by the hop on hop off bus. Upon arrival, you will go to the ticket booth (which is across the road from the actual Graceland) to get your passes. Here there are also plenty of museum displays and even a café.
Wheelchair Accessibility at Graceland
After watching a short film, you will then need to use the shuttle that is provided to take you to Graceland. There is a wheelchair accessible shuttle with a lift, that staff will summon for you. Right before boarding, you will be given an iPad with a set of headphones which will be your tour guide as you explore the home where Elvis used to live.
A ramped entrance is available for you to enter the home. From there the first floor of the house is accessible. None of the tours go upstairs, as that is left private for the family. The tour does go downstairs and into the basement (which is not accessible) however, you can see the rooms and hear the guided narration on your iPad.
After touring the home, head back outside and go around to the back part of the house to see the home office, gym, pool and garden. As Elvis loved horses, you will see some in the field just as there was when he lived here. Out by the pool area and in a meditation garden, you will find the graves of Elvis, his parents and grandmother. People often bring flowers to leave at his grave so you will see the impact that he still has today.
I also found the accessibility to be fairly good. I was able to see most of the rooms in the house in person, and the ones I couldn’t visit, I still got to do a virtual tour. The museums and exhibits located near the ticket office were all fully accessible. There was also designated handicap parking and restrooms available during my visit.
Is Graceland Worth Visiting?
Although I was born several years after Elvis’s passing, I did listen to his music growing up. His sultry voice and showmanship while performing were always entertaining. Getting to visit this special place, especially after learning just what an impact he made, was a fun experience. I enjoyed looking at his costumes and learning more about his life.
Even if you are not an Elvis fan per se, this is still a fun and informative place to visit for any music lover.
If You Have More Time
If you have more than a weekend to spend in Memphis, there are plenty of other great options for you to see and do while you are in town. I’ve listed just a few of the other music themed attractions below. For more information on wheelchair accessible things to do in Memphis, check out my post here.
STAX Museum
Located at the place that was once Stax Studios, this museum follows the evolution of Soul Music. A short film before your tour begins, is a great way to prepare you for all of the exhibits you are about to see, which follow the progression of Soul music in America. The music you will hear along your tour will have you tapping your feet and ready to dance.
Take your time to read the placards, enjoy the vibes and learn more than you could imagine.
Blues Hall of Fame
Opened in 2015, this museum has the goal of exposing and educating people to blues music and culture. There are 10 galleries that have interactive exhibits highlighting the music as well as the stories of its over 400 inductees. Whether you are an avid blues fan or just interested in learning more, this is a great and accessible place to visit.
Memphis Music Hall of Fame
If you’re looking for a quick stop for music lovers check out Memphis’s famous musical residents at the Music Hall of Fame. This small museum (one room) contains memorabilia and exhibits from Memphis’s famous residents in music. You can even get a combination ticket for the Rock and Soul Museum to save a couple of bucks.
Final Thoughts on the Perfect Weekend for Music in Memphis
As a music lover, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring all that Memphis has to offer. It was fun to see how the different styles of music influenced each other and to learn more about and experience the blues genre. I know that my guide for the perfect wheelchair accessible weekend for music in Memphis will help you to make your own memories in this great city.
