Car rental Memphis International Airport (MEM)

Once you’ve collected your rental car at Memphis Airport it’s less than 20 kilometres to the heart of the city via Interstate 55. A major route running from north to south through West Tennessee, the I-55 connects Memphis with cities such as Jackson, Mississippi to the south and St Louis, Missouri to the north. You can also reach the city from the airport by travelling on I-240 and joining I-69 heading north.

Memphis is the second largest city in Tennessee. It’s connected to West Memphis, Arkansas by the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge, which carries I-55 over the Mississippi River. It’s sometimes known as the “Old Bridge”. The “New Bridge”, also called the Hernando de Soto Bridge, carries I-40 over the river further north.

With a rental car from Memphis International Airport it’s also easy to reach Tennessee’s state capital, Nashville, only three hours’ drive east via the I-40. This route runs right through the state, entering at the Arkansas border and continuing all the way to North Carolina.

Memphis also stands at the beginning of Tennessee State Route 1, also known as the Memphis to Bristol Highway as it runs all the way to Bristol in the northeast corner of the state.

Like many other US cities, Memphis is laid out in a grid pattern that makes it easy to navigate by car. The Downtown area can be found on the banks of the river, with Midtown and East Memphis to the east within the I-240 loop. Poplar Avenue runs right through the city from the suburb of Germantown and through East Memphis to the river. You can also use this route to access Union Avenue.

Speed limits in Memphis – and the rest of Tennessee – vary from 70mph (112km/h) on interstate routes to 65mph (104km/h) on divided highways. They drop to 55mph (88km/h) on undivided highways and two-lane roads, while limits in built-up areas are 30mph (48km/h) or less.

It’s worth knowing that your car’s headlights must be switched on 30 minutes after sunset and remain on until 30 minutes before sunrise. They must also be turned on in rain, mist or snow and when visibility drops to 200 feet or less.

Visitors flock to Memphis for music and food, but there’s much more on offer in this vibrant city. Rent a car at Memphis International Airport and you can explore all its highlights at your own pace.

Birth of rock ‘n’ roll

No trip to Memphis would be complete without visiting its musical attractions. Start your tuneful journey at Sun Studio. Expert tour guides will tell you all about the legends who recorded their hit tunes here, from BB King to Jerry Lee Lewis and, of course, Elvis himself.

You can stand on the spot where Elvis sang into the mic and see a fascinating collection of memorabilia from some of the biggest names in rock ‘n’ roll history. Sun Studio is open seven days a week, with free parking available just behind the studio.

Home of an icon

Graceland is the most popular attraction in Memphis, with thousands of fans making the pilgrimage every year to tour the mansion where Elvis spent his final 20 years.

You can take an interactive iPad tour and admire the ostentatious décor, as well as getting the chance to see Elvis’s stage costumes and the famous Jungle Room. If you want to pay your respects to the King, visit his grave in the Meditation Garden just behind the house.

Must-see museums

Back in the heart of Memphis, you’ll find an impressive collection of museums that are not to be missed. The Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum on Beale Street at the corner of Highway 61 takes you on a journey from the 1930s to the city’s musical heyday of the 60s and 70s.

Just a few blocks away is the National Civil Rights Museum, at the Lorraine Motel on Mulberry Street where Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in April 1968.

You can explore centuries of history from slavery to the Civil War and the rise of Jim Crow, as well as the momentous events of the 1960s. You can even see inside the motel, with rooms preserved just as they were when Dr King stayed here. 

A Memphis Heritage Attraction Pass provides admission to the National Civil Rights Museum, Blues Hall of Fame, Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the Ernest Withers Gallery, where you can see a fascinating collection of photos from the Civil Rights movement.

Peaceful parks

Take a short journey to Riverside Drive on the banks of the Mississippi River. Here, at the foot of Beale Street, is Tom Lee Park, a 30-acre site that hosts the Beale Street Music Festival during the first weekend of May each year. Even if you won’t be here for the festival, you’ll find it’s a great place to relax and take in beautiful riverside views.

The Memphis Botanic Garden is a peaceful space that’s open to the public daily. There are more than 20 specialty gardens, including a Japanese garden of tranquillity and a butterfly garden, making this the perfect break from all the busy city attractions.

With car rental from Memphis International Airport, you can experience all this and more during your time in Tennessee.