Forget walking in Memphis: try hopping, instead.
Memphis Hop is the new hop-on/hop-off bus service that runs a route from downtown to favorite attractions, including Graceland, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Memphis Zoo. It's a huge deal for a city with limited public transportation options and scattered points of interest.
A colorful ride to Memphis' top attractions is easy to catch — Photo courtesy of Memphis Hop The brightly colored buses circle between the city's most famous attractions, allowing visitors to tour in air-conditioned comfort. Once an hour, the bus stops at any of a dozen attractions and moves on, providing a quick and painless way to get around town.
Tickets are good for 24 hours of riding, and are available on the bus, online or at a few select attractions on the route, including Graceland and the AutoZone Park box office. With adult fares at $20, children 12-17 at $15 and children under 12 riding for free, the cost savings can be tremendous. Just think: no rental car cost, no parking hassles or fees and no getting lost.
Pre-planning your day will be crucial to getting the most bang for your buck, as well as fitting in all the attractions you want to visit. The buses run from 10:30 - 7:00 p.m., so starting earlier with a visit to a downtown attraction may be best.
Then, hop on the bus for the run to Stax and Graceland, perhaps following with an afternoon at the Zoo, and a final journey back downtown to Beale Street.
If you want to proceed at a slower pace or visit everything Memphis has to offer, then a discounted second-day ticket is the way to go. Just be sure to hold on to your ticket stub from day one to score the deal.