• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Good Hearted Woman logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Comfort Food
    • Cooking Basics
    • Condiments
    • German Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Sourdough
    • Snacks
    • Sweets
    • 30-Minute Meals
  • Cozy Living
    • Arts & Crafts
    • For Music Lovers
    • Food Holidays
  • US Travel
    • One Day in...
    • Pacific
    • Rocky Mountains
    • Southwest
    • The South
    • Hikes Near & Far
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cozy Living
  • Road Trips
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cozy Living
    • Road Trips
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Travel » The South

    Nashville & Memphis Travel Itinerary for Music Lovers

    June 16, 2017 • Updated: February 9, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Nashville & Memphis for Music Lovers {Tips & Itinerary}

    This is our real-life trip itinerary. Follow along as we recap our adventures in Memphis & Nashville over the next few months, or use it to plan your own musical Tennessee vacation. Either way, we've got you covered.

    Music Lovers Guide to Nashville & Memphis | The Good Hearted Woman
    ^^^ Bucket List 😉

    One of the biggest challenges of taking a "whirlwind" trip is designing an itinerary that allows you to experience everything you want while still leaving room for some relaxation and a little serendipity. Mr B and I have no interest in relentless nightmare itineraries that keep us running every single moment of the day: we always like to keep a little wiggle room in our plans, because you just never know.

    What follows is our real-life trip itinerary. 

    This vacation plan - with all the scheduling details already mapped out for you - is designed to take four complete days: a total of two days each in Nashville and Memphis. (Obviously, if you need to travel very far to get to Tennessee, as we did, it will take six days including travel.)

    If you think you want to plug more action into your days and nights, go for it. As it was, we stayed pretty darn busy!

    Day 1: Nashville

    Note: "Day 1" is the most tightly scheduled day on this four-day itinerary.

    Book in advance: 

    • Nashville hotel (2 nights)
    • The Sound Nashville Music (11 am tour)
    • Studio B (1:30 pm Tour)
    • Hatch Print Museum (3:30 pm tour)
    1. Enjoy a delicious breakfast (and maybe a pitcher of mimosas!) at Another Broken Egg Café. (It’s half a block from where The Sound tour begins.)
    2. Get an introduction to Music City on The Sound Nashville Music Tour. [Guided Tour Bus]
    3. Grab a quick lunch at Bajo Sexto Taco at the Country Music Hall of Fame. (We ate here mostly because it is located right in the Hall of Fame and the timing between our bus tour and our Studio B Tour was a bit tight.)
    4. Start your self-guided walking tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame. [1:00 pm]
    5. Take the Studio B Tour. [Bus leaves/returns directly from the Country Music Hall of Fame.]
    6. Continue touring the Hall of Fame.
    7. Take the Hatch Show Print Tour. [Located at the Hall of Fame]
    8. Continue touring the Hall of Fame until closing time. [5:00pm]
    9. Walk on down the Honky Tonk Highway on Lower Broadway. Be sure to swing by Legend's Corner, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, and the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.
    10. Have a late-night, lip-smacking, finger-licking Nashville Hot Chicken for dinner at Hattie B’s. (The lines will be significantly shorter after 8pm.)
    11. Wrap up the evening listening to some talented up-and-coming singer-songwriters at The Listening Room Café.

    Day 2: Nashville to Memphis

    Book in Advance:

    • The Guest House at Graceland (2 nights. Inquire about available packages)
    • Ryman Auditorium Tour (11 am or earlier)
    1. Check out of your Nashville hotel. Enjoy a relaxing breakfast at one of many delicious Nashville breakfast spots.
    2. Take the Ryman Auditorium Backstage Tour 
    3. Eat a fast lunch at White Castle (Oh, yes we did.)
    4. Drive to Memphis (3 hours)
    5. Take the Sun Studio Tour (Tours start on the half-hour. You should easily get into Memphis in time to catch the 4:30 tour. Last tour is at 5:30.)
    6. Check into The Guest House at Graceland.
    7. Drive on out to Beale Street and take a walk to enjoy the sights, sounds, and all the feels.
    8. Stop in for dinner & blues at BB King’s Blues Club on the corner of Beale & 2nd Avenue.
    9. Return to The Guest House and get a good night's sleep!
    Music Lovers Guide to Nashville & Memphis | The Good Hearted Woman

    Day 3: Memphis

    Book in advance: 

    • Elvis Presley's Memphis VIP passes
    • Gibson Guitar Factory Tour (4 pm or 5 pm tour)
    1. Eat breakfast at Delta’s Kitchen at the The Guest House at Graceland.
    2. Ride the hotel shuttle to Elvis Presley’s Memphis.
    3. Take the early tour of Graceland Mansion.
    4. Return to Elvis Presley’s Memphis, and grab some lunch at Gladys’ Diner.
    5. Explore Elvis Presley’s Memphis until mid-afternoon. Be sure to stop at the VIP room to relax and get some great pictures.
    6. About Drive back down to Beale Street.
    7. Tour the Gibson Memphis Guitar Factory.
    8. Tour the Rock & Soul Museum. (Literally right across the street from Gibson. Open until 7 pm most days.)
    9. Enjoy an amazing dinner at Marlowe’s BBQ, just a mile down the road from The Guest House. (Try the BBQ Spaghetti!)
    10. Stop by and sign the Graceland Wall on your way back to The Guest House.

    Day 4: Memphis to Nashville 

    Book in advance: 

    • Elvis Presley's Memphis passes
    • Nashville hotel (1 night)
    • Grand Ole Opry Concert
    1. Eat an early breakfast at Delta’s Kitchen at the The Guest House.
    2. Check out of The Guest House. (Be sure to get a pass for the parking lot so that you can pick up your car later. You can take your car with you, but it will cost you an extra $10 to park at Graceland.)
    3. Ride The Guest House shuttle to Elvis Presley’s Memphis. Revisit your favorite exhibits from the previous day, check any you might have missed, and be sure to pick up a little something in one of the many gift shops for the folks back home.
    4. Ride The Guest House shuttle back to The Guest House parking lot and pick up your car.
    5. Grab a quick lunch at Krystal. (We did this so that we could compare the two sliders and report back to you. See how we are? 😉 )
    6. Drive back to Nashville. (3 hours)
    7. Visit Carter Vintage Guitar Shop. (Do not skip this. It's a quick stop, but totally worth it.)
    8. Check into your Nashville hotel.
    9. Ice your vacation cake by attending an iconic Grand Ole Opry Concert.
    10. Catch some late-night live music on the Honky Tonk Highway.

    FAQs

    Why didn't you just fly into Nashville, stay two days, and then drive over to Memphis for two days and fly out?

    Sigh. Sadly, Mr B and I don't have a trust fund or unlimited disposable income. We are what is known as "budget travelers," and one of the ways we keep costs down is by flying in and out of the same airport. (Car rental fees skyrocket when you drop off at a different location from your pick-up.)

    This itinerary is offered simply as a guide: if you are planning a trip to Tennessee, you can do anything you want - it's your trip! 

    More Memphis & Nashville Travel

    • Why You Will Love "The Guest House at Graceland"
    • The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum: Why You Need to Visit
    • The Sound Nashville Music Tour ♫ ♪ Songwriters Welcome
    • A New Era at Graceland: Elvis Presley's Memphis
    • Home of 1000 Hits: RCA Studio B (Nashville)
    Legends Corner Mural, Nashville TN | The Good Hearted Woman

    Disclosure: As always, all opinions are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running - and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    More Southern Travel

    • Top 8 Things to Do in Nashville for Music Lovers
    • 50 Miles on the Natchez Trace Parkway (Tupelo to US-72)
    • One Day in Tupelo, Mississippi
    • A New Era at Graceland: Elvis Presley's Memphis
    729 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard

    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Sheri says

      June 24, 2017 at 8:36 pm

      Great ideas and presented in such a fun way. We have not been to Tennessee but would love to visit on our next travels to the US.

      Reply
    2. Caitlin says

      June 22, 2017 at 10:17 pm

      I have always wanted to visit Tennessee! My husband went to Nashville earlier this year for work but had some time to explore... he had such a great time.

      Reply
    3. Jenny says

      June 19, 2017 at 3:36 pm

      This looks like such a fun trip. I really want to explore Memphis the next time we are in Tennessee. It seems like such a charming area.

      Reply
    4. Krystle Cook says

      June 19, 2017 at 12:08 pm

      I would love to visit both of these places. There is so much history to be learned and fun to be had in them.

      Reply
    5. Michelle Paige says

      June 19, 2017 at 11:10 am

      You fit so much in!!! When I moved to Colorado last summer we stayed in Nashville for a night. If we didn't have my dog with us, I would have totally stayed longer. That city is amazing.

      Michelle | She's Not So Basic

      Reply
    6. Journa Ramirez says

      June 18, 2017 at 7:10 pm

      My husband and I are both music lovers and this would be a great experience for us! I hope we can do it soon. FUN!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Adorable middle-aged couple in forest setting. (i.e., Me & Mr B)

    Join me & Mr B for the best in home cooking and cozy living - from the beautiful Pacific Northwest and beyond.

    More about us →

    Follow Us

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    fresh recipes

    • Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries
    • Classic Hot Buttered Rum
    • Cinnamon Roll Wreath (Danish Pastry Ring)
    • Orange Tea Ring (Danish Wreath)
    • Team Colors 7 Layer Dip
    • Orange Spiced Cranberry Sauce

    game day eats

    • Team Colors 7 Layer Dip
    • Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)
    • 20 Best Game Day Food Ideas
    • Sweet & Spicy Grilled Buffalo Wings
    • Cool Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip
    • Roasted Garlic Spinach Artichoke Dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Statement
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Follow

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Meet Me & Mr B

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 The Good Hearted Woman. All rights reserved.

    729 shares
    729 shares
    We Value Your Privacy
    To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    We use cookies to make this website a better place. Cookies help to provide a more personalized experience and relevant advertising for you, and web analytics for us. To learn more about the different cookies we use, check out our Cookie Policy.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    We use cookies to make this website a better place. Cookies help to provide a more personalized experience and relevant advertising for you, and web analytics for us. To learn more about the different cookies we use, check out our Cookie Policy.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}