Historic Memphis Walking Tour: Cotton Row and Court Square

Walk through the oldest downtown Memphis and watch the Peabody ducks march to the fountain

This 2-hour guided walking tour of Memphis explores the city's 19th-century heart, moving through Cotton Row and Court Square while a professional guide shares stories of yellow fever, Civil War battles, and Prohibition-era bootleggers. The tour includes the famous Peabody Hotel duck march and sweeping Mississippi River views. It's wheelchair accessible and suitable for all fitness levels, including families with strollers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Court Square20m
2. Peabody Hotel Ducks20m

Historic Memphis walking tour highlights

• Learn about yellow fever history
• Discover WDIA radio station history
• Explore Memphis' oldest park
• Visit Fourth Bluff Park battle site
• Understand Mississippi River importance
• See Cotton Exchange and Cotton Row
• View oldest buildings in Downtown
• Experience Peabody Hotel duck march

The experience

The tour starts in downtown Memphis and moves through the blocks that shaped the city's past. You'll walk through Cotton Row, where the oldest collection of original buildings still stands (what was once called Howard's Row), and learn how the Cotton Exchange built the South's wealth. Court Square, one of Memphis's oldest and most beautiful parks, sits at the heart of this stretch, and the guide explains its role in the city's 19th-century life. The Mississippi River views open up as you move through the streets, and the guide covers the river's importance to Memphis itself.

The stories woven through the walk span yellow fever epidemics, the Battle of Memphis in 1862, and the bootleggers who moved through the city during Prohibition. WDIA, known as the "Goodwill Station," gets its place in the narrative too. The route stays leisurely (this is not a rushed sprint through dates and plaques), so there's room to absorb the details and ask questions as you go.

The tour ends at the Peabody Hotel, where you'll watch the famous duck march, a time-honored Memphis tradition where the ducks walk from their penthouse home down to the fountain in the lobby. A professional guide leads the whole 2-hour walk, and local taxes are included. Parking is nearby: the closest garage is two blocks away at 149 Peabody Place, or you can try metered on-street parking on Second Street or Beale.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English.
• local taxes.
• access to the Peabody Hotel duck march and views of the Mississippi River.
• walking routes through Cotton Row and Court Square with stories of yellow fever, Civil War battles, and Prohibition history.

Information

Lasts 2h–3h, runs every day at 09:00, from US$ 32.92 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 20 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

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

Book up to3h before

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

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Backbeat Tours

Is this one for you?You get a guided narrative of Memphis's past without arranging transportation or timing around a group schedule: the professional guide sets the pace and the route, so the history unfolds as you walk, and the whole tour fits into a morning or afternoon.

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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 24 h before the start.

What is the Peabody Hotel duck march, and will I see it on this tour?

The Peabody Hotel duck march is a daily tradition where ducks walk from their penthouse residence down to the fountain in the hotel lobby. You'll watch this famous Memphis ritual as part of the tour's finale.

How long does this Memphis walking tour take?

The tour runs 2 hours at a leisurely pace, covering Cotton Row, Court Square, and the Peabody Hotel without rushing through the stops.

Is this tour accessible if I'm using a wheelchair or pushing a stroller?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

What stories will the guide tell about Memphis history?

The guide covers yellow fever epidemics, the Civil War Battle of Memphis in 1862, Prohibition-era bootleggers, and the history of WDIA radio station, along with the city's role in the cotton trade and the Mississippi River's importance to Memphis.

Where do I park for this tour, and how far is it from the starting point?

The closest parking garage is at 149 Peabody Place, two blocks from the tour start, between Second Street and BB King Boulevard. You can also use metered on-street parking on Second Street south of Beale, along Beale between Front and Second, or on Peabody Place from Front to Fourth Street.