Memphis is a beautiful city teeming with culture and has a vibrant tourist industry. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend the weekend with your family, here are the top 10 best family-friendly activities in Memphis.
- National Civil Rights Museum
- Memphis Zoo
- The Children’s Museum of Memphis
- America’s Incredible Pizza Company
- Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park
- Memphis Botanic Garden
- Graceland
- The Peabody Hotel Ducks
- Shelby Farms Park
- Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum
With so much excitement and cultural history, Memphis is filled to the brim with family things to do over a weekend. The rest of this article will walk you through each of these attractions so that you can decide which one piques your interest.
National Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum is a historic wonderland featuring countless historical moments in the history of civil rights.
Featuring the moments that drove national and international civil rights forward and snapshots of memorable moments, movies, photos, and recreations of famous scenes from civil rights history, this museum delivers a one-of-a-kind experience that the whole family will remember.
Memphis Zoo
The Memphis Zoo boasts an incredible array of animals, activities, tours, and experiences. With adventures like the Kanga Zoo Outback Experience and the Giraffe Feeding Adventure, and plentiful options for dining, the zoo is a great place to spend the day on a family adventure.
The Children’s Museum of Memphis
The Children’s Museum of Memphis blends learning with fun to create an unforgettable experience. With weekly craft events and lots of hands-on exhibits, this museum boasts a kid-friendly atmosphere like no other.
Interactive experiences like the Bubble Gardens and the H2Oh! Splash Park makes this museum both incredibly fun and educational, perfect for a weekend trip.
America’s Incredible Pizza Company
A self-proclaimed jack of all trades when it comes to entertaining kids, America’s Incredible Pizza Company is, well, incredible.
Boasting popular attractions like laser tag, bumper cars, and an arcade, kids will love the whimsical atmosphere and the myriad of games to enjoy. With a great buffet and the option to personalize your experience with a birthday party, America’s Incredible Pizza Company offers a fun-filled experience like no other.
Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park
For the outdoorsy family, Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park is a splendid way to enjoy the beautiful Memphis weather while seeing the natural greenery of the forest.
Enjoy lengthy ziplines like the Treetop Adventure and Treetop Journey. Hardcore adventurers will love Nights at Height, a chance to experience Go Ape during the nighttime and try the thrilling ziplines and obstacle courses in a new light.
Ax throwing and mini golf are also available at the Memphis location, providing a great way to wind down after an adventure in the canopy.
Memphis Botanic Garden
Memphis Botanic Garden boasts 96 acres of land and 30 specialty gardens. With stunning topiary and a one-of-a-kind Alice’s Adventure experience, the Botanic Garden has plenty of incredible sights to keep kids entertained.
Encounter The Red Queen playing croquet, Alice meandering through wonderland, and 10-foot-tall guards guarding the chess board. Monthly programming focusing on horticulture and other botanical sciences make this adventure both thrilling and educational for a weekend on the town.
Graceland
See the place Elvis called home at Graceland. Explore the massive mansion and walk the grounds, experiencing history come to life.
With weekly programming, live music, and a large entertainment complex, there’s something for everyone at Graceland. Enter a historical landscape and walk where Elvis once lived. See his life in new detail and introduce your kids to this testament to classic rock and roll history.
The Peabody Hotel Ducks
The Peabody Hotel is a beautiful location to explore, but there’s something out of the ordinary that makes this location particularly special for kids.
That’s right, ducks actually live in the fountain of the Peabody. If you visit the lobby from 11AM-5PM, you can see the famous Peabody Duck March.
Not only is the duck march an unforgettable experience, but you can also experience the glamor of the Peabody Hotel in all its splendor, making this luxurious adventure an unforgettable one.
Shelby Farms Park
Described as the coolest place in town, Shelby farms park offers beautiful outdoor sights as well as plentiful entertainment options for children. With 4500 acres of green space and over 10 miles of urban trail, the Shelby Farms Park is truly a local treasure and a one-of-a-kind experience across the US.
The Woodland Discovery Playground and Water Play Sprayground provide lots of attractive environments for kids to run, splash, jump, and play around in.
Enjoy the nature trails and bring along a picnic to make this family experience special, or blaze your own trail on the unpaved paths that offer scenic on-foot experiences for the whole family.
Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum
Feel the history come to life at Slave Haven Underground Railroad. Explore the history of slavery in America and see how cotton was king in Memphis during the mid-1800s.
Open since 1997, Slave Haven provides a truly sobering experience where you can descend the stairs into the cellar where fugitives were once harbored. Take a walk through the past and experience the reality of life in the 1850s.
A great family experience is also a great learning experience, and Slave Haven Underground Railroad is a more contemplative journey that can help your family understand the history of slavery in Memphis.
Conclusion
As a whole, Memphis is a culturally rich city with lots of unique entertainment options from the whole family. Wild arcade adventures and zipline adventures pair with interactive museum experiences to create a wide scope of enriching activities for the whole family.
Get outside and enjoy Shelby Farms Park or see the history of the city in Graceland or Slave Haven. However you choose to adventure, there’s a wonderfully vibrant experience out there to chase away boredom and make the weekend both an incredibly fun time and a special bonding experience.
