Memphis: City Tour, Riverboat Cruise & Sun Studio Options

Ducks march down a hotel lobby while Elvis's first recording waits upstairs

You ride a narrated bus through Memphis's music and civil rights landmarks, stop to watch the Peabody Hotel's famous ducks descend to the lobby, and pass Victorian homes and Beale Street. Add a paddlewheel cruise on the Mississippi River or a visit to Sun Studio where Elvis recorded his first song: both available as paid upgrades at checkout. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. National Civil Rights Museumpassing by
2. A. Schwab30m
3. Peabody Hotel Ducks30m
4. Beale Street1h
5. Sun Studio

Memphis city sightseeing tour

• Start at downtown Memphis hotel
• See Elvis Presley and BB King statues
• Pass National Civil Rights Museum
• Stop at Schwab general store
• Pass St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
• Pass Pyramid Arena
• Stop at Peabody Hotel for duck march
• Cruise down Beale Street and Cotton Row
• Travel through Victorian Village
• Optional Memphis Riverboats cruise
• Optional visit to Sun Studio
• Return to hotel

The experience

A small group boards a mini-coach outside a downtown Memphis hotel, and within minutes the guide is pointing out statues of Elvis and BB King as the bus rolls past the Lorraine Hotel, where the National Civil Rights Museum now stands. The Memphis city tour moves through neighborhoods that matter: Victorian Village with homes built in the 1800s, Cotton Row, the stretch of Beale Street where the music still lives. You pass the Pyramid Arena, a 20,142-seat structure that looks exactly like what its name says, and stop at A. Schwab, a general store that has been there for 120 years and still smells like a general store should.

The Peabody Hotel stop is the one people talk about afterward. Every day at a set time, ducks that live on the rooftop make their way down to the lobby in what the hotel calls the March of the Ducks, and you're there to see it. It's brief, it's real, and it's the kind of thing that makes no sense until you're standing there watching it happen. If you've added the riverboat upgrade, you board a paddlewheel boat and cruise the Mississippi River with the captain pointing out Tom Lee Park and explaining how the river shaped Memphis commerce. The narration is the kind that sticks, not a script read fast, but actual information delivered by someone who knows the route.

Sun Studio, where an 18-year-old Elvis recorded his first song, is an optional add-on you can select at checkout. The studio itself is small, exact, preserved: the kind of place that doesn't need to be bigger to matter. After the tour wraps, the driver takes you back to your hotel. The whole day runs on a fixed schedule, which means you're not deciding when to move or how long to linger. The bus moves when it moves, and you see what's on the route.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off at select downtown Memphis hotels, narrated mini-coach tour of Memphis landmarks including Beale Street, Victorian Village, the Lorraine Hotel (National Civil Rights Museum), A.
• Schwab general store, and the Pyramid Arena, stop at the Peabody Hotel to watch the March of the Ducks, views of Elvis and BB King statues.
• Optional upgrades available at checkout: Memphis Riverboats cruise down the Mississippi River with captain commentary, or admission to Sun Studio where Elvis recorded his first song.

Options for this experience

4 options

Memphis City Tour, Tour OnlyGuide in English · 09:00Lasts about 2 hours. Memphis City Tour only, with a duration of roughly 2 hours. Pickup is included.

City Tour plus Sun Studio (ages 6+)Guide in English · 09:00Lasts about 4 to 4.5 hours in total: Memphis City Tour with Sun Studio. The Sun Studio portion is for ages 6 and up only. Includes pickup.

City Tour plus Memphis RiverboatGuide in English · 09:00Runs about 6 to 7 hours in total: a City Tour with the Memphis Riverboats cruise and free time on Beale Street. Departs at 9:30am. Includes pickup.

Tour plus Riverboat plus Sun StudioGuide in English · 09:00Takes about 6 to 7 hours in total. A City Tour with Sun Studio and Memphis Riverboats, for ages 6 and up only. Includes admission to Sun Studio and a cruise aboard the Memphis Riverboats. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 2h–7h, runs every day at 09:00, from US$ 45 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

GroupUp to 42 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 28 pickup points.

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h 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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Memphis Best Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Memphis's main sights and stories in one guided morning or afternoon without arranging transport or timing yourself: the fixed schedule and included pickup handle both, and the optional add-ons let you go deeper into music or river history if you want to.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3): 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 24 h before the start.

What's included in the base Memphis city tour?

The narrated bus tour, stops at the Peabody Hotel, A. Schwab, Beale Street, and views of the Lorraine Hotel, Pyramid Arena, and Victorian Village. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Is the riverboat cruise included or extra?

The riverboat cruise is an optional upgrade you can add at checkout. If selected, it's a paddlewheel sail down the Mississippi River with captain commentary.

Can I visit Sun Studio on this tour?

Yes, but only if you purchase the Sun Studio add-on at checkout. It's the studio where Elvis recorded his first song.

Is hotel pickup available?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are included for select downtown Memphis hotels.

Are the buses wheelchair accessible?

The buses are not wheelchair accessible, but the operator can accommodate guests who can exit a wheelchair and step onto the bus.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

What is the March of the Ducks?

A daily event at the Peabody Hotel where ducks that live on the rooftop make their way down to the lobby. You'll stop to see it during the tour.