Beale Street Memphis: Blues History Walking Tour & A. Schwab

The Street Where Blues Started: One Hour, Three Centuries of Memphis

You walk Beale Street with a professional guide for one hour, covering the blues history, W.C. Handy's house, Handy Park, and A. Schwab's 1876 general store. The route is 0.5 miles on public sidewalks, wheelchair accessible, and includes all taxes and fees. Parking is available within two blocks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Beale Street1h
2. Handy Park10m
3. A. Schwab10m

Explore historic Beale Street and landmarks

• Walk along Beale Street
• Visit Handy Park and learn history
• See Elvis's signature style store
• Explore A. Schwab general store
• Pass by W.C. Handy's shotgun house

The experience

Our guide was running five minutes late, which gave us time to actually look at Beale Street instead of just walking through it. That pause mattered. You notice the old brick, the way the street narrows, the mix of neon signs and weathered storefronts that tells you something real happened here. Then he arrived and started with W.C. Handy's shotgun house, not the grand story first, but the actual place where a man sat down and wrote the blues into existence. The one-hour walking tour of Beale Street covers 0.5 miles on public sidewalks, and it moves at a pace that lets you absorb the detail instead of just collecting facts.

Handy Park comes next, and the guide explains why this patch of green matters. It's named for the man who didn't invent the blues but gave it a form the world could recognize. Then you're standing in front of A. Schwab, the city's oldest business, opened in 1876, and the guide tells you about the general store and soda fountain, about Elvis walking in and walking out with his look. The street itself is the real teacher though. You see the layers: the red light district past, the African-American cultural center it became, the way those two histories are inseparable from what Beale Street is now. It's not a museum walk where everything is cordoned off and explained. You're on the actual street, in the actual city, and the guide is pointing out what's still there.

The tour includes a professional guide and all taxes and fees, so there's no surprise at the end. Parking is close. The nearest garage is two blocks away at 149 Peabody Place, or you can try metered spots on Second Street or along Peabody Place itself. The route is wheelchair accessible, and if you're traveling with small children or need a stroller, that works too. Service animals are welcome. It's one hour, and it doesn't pretend to be more than that, which is exactly why it works.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a professional guide, all taxes and fees, and covers Beale Street's history from its red light district past to its role as the center of Memphis's African-American culture.
• You'll visit W.C.
• Handy's shotgun house, Handy Park, and A.
• Schwab's 1876 general store and soda fountain.
• The 0.5-mile route is on public sidewalks and is wheelchair accessible.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 13:30

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (7 to 12 years) · Infant (under 7): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Backbeat Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the real story of Beale Street without arranging a guide yourself. One hour is enough to understand why the street matters, and a professional guide is what makes the difference between walking past the history and actually seeing it.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 12 years); Infant (under 7): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

How long is the Beale Street walking tour?

One hour. The walking distance is 0.5 miles on public city sidewalks.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The tour is on public sidewalks and is wheelchair accessible. Strollers and prams are also welcome.

What's included in the price?

A professional guide, all taxes, fees, and handling charges. Entry to attractions is covered as part of the walking tour.

Where can I park?

The closest parking garage is two blocks away at 149 Peabody Place, between Second Street and BB King Boulevard. There's also metered on-street parking on Second Street south of Beale, on Beale between Front and Second, and along Peabody Place from Front to Fourth Street.

What attractions does the tour cover?

Beale Street itself, W.C. Handy's shotgun house, Handy Park, and A. Schwab general store, which opened in 1876 and is Memphis's oldest business.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and covers only 0.5 miles at a walking pace.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are welcome on the tour.