Nashville to Memphis Day Trip: Graceland & Beale Street Tour

Thirteen hours from Nashville covers three Memphis landmarks most visitors miss on their own

A private roundtrip day trip from Nashville to Memphis with entry to Graceland and Sun Studios, stops at Beale Street, and a Nashville native driver for up to five passengers. The itinerary leaves at 7:15am and returns by 8:30pm, with two rest stops built in. Complimentary beverages for adults 21+, water, sodas and light snacks included throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Graceland3h · entry included
2. Sun Studio1h · entry included
3. Beale Street1h

Memphis daytrip: Graceland, Sun Studio, Beale

• Depart Nashville at 7:15am
• Stop at Casey Jones Village for 20 minutes
• Arrive at Graceland for 3-hour tour
• Leave Graceland at 2:00pm
• Tour Sun Studio for 1 hour
• Explore Beale Street for 1 hour
• Scenic drive by Pyramid and Mississippi River
• Stop for 30 minutes pitstop
• Return to Nashville by 8:30pm

The experience

The day starts early. You leave Nashville at 7:15am in a luxury vehicle with a driver who knows the city. A twenty-minute stop at Casey Jones Village in Jackson gives you a chance to stretch and grab breakfast before the main drive to Memphis. By 11am you're at Graceland, where you spend roughly three hours exploring Elvis Presley's mansion, the Trophy Building, the Racquetball Building, the Automobile Museum and his airplanes. The interactive iPad tour, hosted by John Stamos, walks you through the living room, his parents' bedroom, the Jungle Room and his father's office while you hear stories from Elvis and his daughter Lisa Marie.

After Graceland you head to Sun Studio, the birthplace of rock and roll, for about an hour. You stand in the same recording spot where Elvis first laid down a track, and the guide walks you through the studio's role in launching B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and the explosion of rock and country that followed. The memorabilia on display and the outtakes from old sessions give you a sense of what happened in that room. From there it's a scenic drive through Memphis (past the Pyramid, the Mississippi River and the M Bridge) before you land on Beale Street for roughly an hour to eat, drink and catch live blues music. The return journey includes another thirty-minute stop before you're back in Nashville around 8:30pm.

The vehicle holds up to five passengers, so families or small groups travel together without splitting up. Complimentary beverages for anyone 21 and older, plus water, sodas and light snacks, keep you fueled through the day. The driver handles all the driving, so you can relax between stops and take in the route.

What’s included

• Private roundtrip transportation in a luxury vehicle for up to five passengers.
• a Nashville native driver.
• entry tickets to Graceland and Sun Studios.
• complimentary beverages for passengers 21 and older.
• water, sodas and light snacks throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Saturday

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 43 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Nashville Bestie Transportation

Is this one for you?At thirteen hours round-trip, this tour fills a full day and leaves no time for other Nashville attractions, so plan it as your main event. The early 7:15am departure and late 8:30pm return work if you're staying overnight in Nashville or willing to start your travel day before dawn. If you need a shorter outing or a later start, look for a half-day option instead.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

57 verified traveler reviews

5 ★57

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

How much time do you actually spend at Graceland?

Graceland takes up roughly three hours of the day. You tour the mansion rooms, the Trophy Building, the Racquetball Building, the Automobile Museum and Elvis's airplanes using an interactive iPad guide, so you move at your own pace through the complex.

What exactly is Sun Studio and why is it famous?

Sun Studio is the original recording studio where Elvis, B.B. King, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis all recorded in the 1950s. It's known as the birthplace of rock and roll because the studio blended blues, gospel and country into the sound that launched the genre. Your guide takes you through the studio's history and you stand in the same recording spot where these legends worked.

Do you have time to eat on Beale Street or is it just a quick stop?

You have roughly an hour on Beale Street, which gives you time to grab food and drinks. The itinerary recommends BB Kings for BBQ, drinks and live blues music, though you can explore the three-block stretch however you like.

What's included in the price and what costs extra?

Entry to Graceland and Sun Studios, roundtrip transport from Nashville, a Nashville native driver, complimentary beverages for passengers 21+, and water, sodas and light snacks throughout the day are all included. Food and drinks on Beale Street are on your own.

Are there rest stops on the drive?

Yes. You stop for twenty minutes at Casey Jones Village in Jackson on the way to Memphis, where you can grab breakfast and browse gift shops, and another thirty minutes on the return drive to Nashville.