Ultimate Guide to Memphis, Tennessee for Group Travel and Meetings

Table of Contents

Your quick guide to Asheville for group travel, meetings & events.

1. Why Memphis is Perfect for Group Travel
2. Must-See Attractions
3. Group-Friendly Hotels
4. Cultural Dining
5. Event Venues
6. How GroupSync Can Simplify Your Group Travel

Why Memphis Is Perfect for Group Travel

Memphis works well for U.S.-based groups because it offers the personality of a major cultural destination without the overwhelming busyness of a massive Tier 1 city. It has music history, civil rights history, riverfront views, Southern hospitality, and enough meeting infrastructure to support everything from board retreats to association meetings to corporate trainings.

The city is especially strong when the goal is to give attendees a sense of place. Beale Street, Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Graceland, the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, and the National Civil Rights Museum give planners ready-made programming that feels meaningful, memorable, and very specific to Memphis.

Logistically, Memphis is also manageable. Memphis International Airport is close to downtown, which makes arrival and departure days easier than in larger metro areas where airport transfers can become their own emotional support project. Downtown Memphis keeps many of the city’s major group assets close together, including Beale Street, The Peabody, FedExForum, the riverfront, South Main, and several museums.

The hotel landscape is also flexible. Planners can build around a convention-center program downtown, a music-forward stay near Graceland, a boutique South Main experience, or an East Memphis business meeting with easier drive-in access and parking.

Must-See Attractions for Group Travelers

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

This is one of Memphis’ most important group experiences. Located at the Lorraine Motel, the museum gives attendees a powerful look at the American civil rights movement through exhibits, artifacts, films, and personal stories. It works especially well for leadership programs, education groups, nonprofit meetings, student groups, and association audiences.

GRACELAND

Graceland is one of the most recognizable attractions in the country, which makes it a strong option for first-time visitors, incentive groups, and music-loving attendees. The campus can support group tours, dining, receptions, and Elvis-themed programming. It is also convenient for arrival or departure day because of its proximity to the airport.

BEALE STREET ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

Beale Street is the classic Memphis night-out. It gives groups live music, food, museums, nightlife, and photo moments in a compact district. For planners, it works best as a structured evening with a hosted dinner, planned meet-up location, or guided experience instead of simply releasing attendees into the neon wild and hoping for the best.

SUN STUDIO

Sun Studio is small, iconic, and easy to add to a downtown itinerary. The guided tour gives attendees a direct connection to the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll, with stories tied to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other music legends. It is a great pre-dinner or afternoon activity.

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

Stax is a must for music, culture, and history-focused groups. The museum gives attendees a deeper look at Memphis soul, Black music history, and the cultural impact of Stax Records. It pairs well with Beale Street, Sun Studio, or a music-themed reception.

TOM LEE PARK AND THE DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT

The newly redesigned Tom Lee Park gives groups a beautiful outdoor connection to the Mississippi River without leaving downtown. It works well for wellness walks, casual networking, spouse programs, outdoor receptions, and festival-style moments, with rentable spaces including Sunset Canopy, TVA Lawn, The Prospect, and First Horizon River Lounge.

MEMPHIS ZOO

Located in Overton Park, Memphis Zoo is a strong group-friendly option for family programs, casual outings, receptions, and lighter attendee experiences. With thousands of animals, recognizable exhibits, and private event spaces, it is an easy win when a group needs something memorable, accessible, and not overly formal.

SHELBY FARMS PARK

Shelby Farms is a strong option for team-building, recreation, outdoor wellness, or pre/post extensions. With trails, water activities, open space, and event facilities, it gives groups room to move, which can be a gift after a heavy content day.

BARON VON OPPERBEAN AND THE RIVER OF TIME

This new immersive art and storytelling experience on Mud Island gives groups a fun, unexpected Memphis stop beyond the usual music-and-barbecue itinerary. Phase One is now open inside the former Mississippi River Museum, with interactive environments, local art, technology, and a little weird Memphis magic built in.

Hotels and Accommodations

Memphis has a broad hotel mix, but planners should match the hotel to the purpose of the trip. Downtown is best for walkability, Beale Street, museums, and convention-center access. Graceland works well for Elvis-focused programming or arrival/departure efficiency. East Memphis is better for business meetings, regional drive-in groups, parking, and quieter evenings.

Always verify final room counts, meeting space, renovation timing, and available event space during the RFP process.

THE PEABODY MEMPHIS

The Peabody is the classic Memphis hotel. It brings historic character, high-touch service, and a built-in attendee experience through the famous Peabody Duck March. This is a strong fit for executive meetings, association gatherings, receptions, and groups that want Southern hospitality with polish.

• Guest rooms: 464
• Meeting space: Approximately 80,000 sq. ft.
• Meeting rooms: 36
• Why groups like it: Historic setting, central downtown location, strong service culture, memorable lobby experience
• Best for: Executive programs, association meetings, receptions, and luxury-leaning groups

THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND

The Guest House at Graceland gives groups a self-contained, music-forward campus experience. It works well when planners want the hotel, dining, meetings, entertainment, and attraction programming to feel connected instead of scattered across the city.

• Guest rooms: 450
• Meeting space: Approximately 25,000 sq. ft. in hotel-specific listings, with more than 100,000 sq. ft. across the broader Graceland campus
• Meeting rooms: Varies by campus configuration
• Why groups like it: Themed experience, strong campus feel, proximity to Graceland and the airport
• Best for: Incentive groups, music-themed meetings, self-contained programs

HILTON MEMPHIS

Hilton Memphis is a strong East Memphis option for corporate groups, regional meetings, and attendees driving in from the surrounding area. It offers substantial meeting space outside the downtown core, which can make logistics easier for business-focused programs.

• Guest rooms: 405
• Meeting space: Approximately 31,001 sq. ft.
• Meeting rooms: 21
• Why groups like it: Business district location, larger meeting footprint, parking-friendly setting
• Best for: Corporate meetings, regional trainings, East Memphis programs

HYATT CENTRIC BEALE STREET MEMPHIS

Hyatt Centric is a stylish downtown option with strong walkability and riverfront appeal. Its location on Beale Street makes it especially appealing for smaller conferences, leadership retreats, and groups that want nightlife and restaurants nearby.

• Guest rooms: 227
• Meeting space: Approximately 8,765 sq. ft.
• Meeting rooms: 4
• Why groups like it: Beale Street location, rooftop views, outdoor event lawn, modern feel
• Best for: Small to mid-size meetings, leadership retreats, upscale downtown groups

THE WESTIN MEMPHIS BEALE STREET

The Westin sits close to FedExForum, Beale Street, and the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, which makes it a useful base for entertainment-adjacent groups. It is also a good fit for attendees who want downtown access with a polished brand experience.

• Guest rooms: 203
• Meeting space: Around 9,000 sq. ft. in venue listings, with Marriott showing expanded event inventory
• Meeting rooms: Varies by source, with 8 to 10 commonly listed
• Why groups like it: Beale Street access, sports and entertainment proximity, wellness-oriented brand
• Best for: Small to mid-size meetings, sports groups, entertainment-focused programs

THE CENTRAL STATION MEMPHIS, CURIO COLLECTION BY HILTON

The Central Station is one of the city’s strongest boutique options. Located in the South Main Arts District, it gives groups a music-forward, adaptive reuse hotel experience near the National Civil Rights Museum, Blues Hall of Fame, restaurants, galleries, and the riverfront.

• Guest rooms: 123
• Meeting space: Approximately 10,408 sq. ft.
• Meeting rooms: 6
• Why groups like it: Historic train station setting, South Main location, memorable design
• Best for: Creative meetings, boutique groups, welcome receptions, cultural programs

BIG CYPRESS LODGE

Big Cypress Lodge is tucked inside the Memphis Pyramid, which makes it one of the city’s most unexpected stays. It works best for smaller room blocks, VIP groups, incentive-style programming, or as an offsite paired with a larger downtown hotel.

• Guest rooms: 103
• Meeting space: Approximately 7,470 sq. ft. in current venue listings
• Meeting rooms: 6
• Why groups like it: One-of-a-kind setting, indoor wilderness feel, riverfront location
• Best for: Incentive groups, VIP dinners, memorable offsites, recreation-themed programs

MEMPHIS MARRIOTT EAST

Memphis Marriott East is a practical East Memphis option for business meetings and regional groups. It gives planners a full-service Marriott base outside downtown, which can work well for attendees who prioritize parking, training rooms, and quieter evenings.

• Guest rooms: 232
• Meeting space: Approximately 10,151 sq. ft. in Cvent listings
• Event rooms: 8
• Why groups like it: East Memphis business location, full-service brand, drive-in convenience
• Best for: Corporate trainings, regional meetings, business-focused groups

Booking Tips for Memphis Hotels

Book downtown blocks early if the event is tied to Beale Street, the riverfront, FedExForum, the convention center, or major museums. If the group is larger, consider a hub-and-spoke strategy with a primary hotel and nearby overflow options.

Memphis is easy to enjoy, but it still rewards planners who manage movement intentionally.

Cultural Dining

Memphis is known for barbecue, soul food, fried chicken, hot wings, blues clubs, and live music dinners. Food is not just a meal here. It can be part of the actual program.

A classic group evening might start with the Peabody Duck March, move into cocktails, and then continue to a barbecue dinner or live music experience. Another strong option is a hosted Beale Street night with dinner, music, and a planned return shuttle. The planner move is to give attendees the flavor of Beale Street without turning the evening into a logistical scavenger hunt.

For food, Memphis-style barbecue is the headline. Think ribs, pulled pork, pork shoulder, dry rub, sauce, slaw, beans, and smoke. Rendezvous, Central BBQ, Cozy Corner, The Bar-B-Q Shop, Payne’s, and Germantown Commissary are all commonly recognized names in the Memphis barbecue conversation.

Groups should also try barbecue spaghetti, which is deeply Memphis and delightfully specific. It blends spaghetti with barbecue sauce, smoked pork, tomatoes, and onions. Smoked hot wings are another strong local choice, especially for casual dine-arounds or late-night bites.

For a broader dining mix, build around soul food, fried chicken, Southern classics, and chef-driven restaurants in Downtown, Midtown, Cooper-Young, Overton Square, and East Memphis. For attendee gifts, skip the generic keychains and consider local barbecue rub, Memphis-made candy, music-themed gifts, or something from a museum shop.

Event Venues Beyond the Hotel

Renasant Convention Center

Renasant Convention Center is the city’s major convention anchor. It offers 300,000 total square feet, including a 118,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, and dozens of flexible meeting rooms. Choose this venue for conferences, conventions, trade shows, large general sessions, and programs that need serious meeting infrastructure downtown.

CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Connected to the convention center, Cannon Center is ideal for general sessions, keynotes, awards programs, entertainment, and high-production moments. With more than 2,000 seats and a Broadway-sized stage, it works especially well when the program needs more drama than a ballroom can deliver.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

The Orpheum gives planners historic Memphis glamour. It is a strong choice for awards nights, performances, keynote experiences, donor events, and programs where the venue itself needs to carry emotional weight. The nearby Halloran Centre provides a smaller venue option for more intimate programming.

LOFLIN YARD

Loflin Yard is a relaxed downtown Memphis venue with indoor and outdoor space, multiple bars, covered decks, a stage, fire pits, lawn games, and a big backyard feel. It works well for casual receptions, company parties, welcome events, rehearsal-style dinners, and groups that want Memphis atmosphere without a formal ballroom setup.

Choose Loflin Yard for laid-back networking, outdoor dining, live music, and events that should feel easy, social, and distinctly local.

THE KENT

The Kent is a downtown Memphis event venue in the Historic Snuff District, set inside a renovated industrial building with more than 20,000 square feet of flexible space. It can host up to 1,000 guests and works well for galas, corporate events, fundraisers, receptions, and larger social events that need a polished but not cookie-cutter setting.

Choose The Kent when the group wants a spacious private venue with historic character, an open floor plan, and easy access to downtown Memphis.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

Memphis Botanic Garden offers 96 acres and event capacity for groups ranging from intimate gatherings to receptions of up to 600. Choose it for outdoor receptions, wellness programming, spouse or guest programs, retreats, and events that need a softer, more natural atmosphere.

How GroupSync Makes Group Travel Easier

When a destination has as many viable hotel neighborhoods as Memphis, sourcing can get complicated fast. Downtown, East Memphis, Graceland, and riverfront options all serve different group needs, and the “best” hotel depends on the event purpose, room block, budget, meeting footprint, and attendee movement.

That is where GroupSync Marketplace helps planners work smarter. Instead of starting with scattered tabs, old contacts, and guesswork, planners can search and compare hotel options in one place. GroupSync helps teams evaluate room blocks, meeting space, rates, location, and property fit with more clarity.

For a Memphis program, that means you can compare walkable downtown hotels against East Memphis business properties, look for hotels near key attractions, and simplify the RFP process. For smaller groups, instant booking options can also reduce friction when you need rooms and space without a long sourcing cycle.

Conclusion

Memphis gives planners something valuable: a destination that can hold both logistics and story. It has the hotel inventory, convention space, airport access, and venue variety needed for serious meetings, but it also has music, food, history, and culture that attendees can feel.

Choose Memphis when you want a group trip to feel grounded in place. Choose it when the agenda needs substance, rhythm, and a little Southern swagger. Most of all, choose it when you want attendees to leave with more than a lanyard and a dinner receipt.