Best Day Trips From Memphis To Take This Summer
Memphis, Tennessee - the name alone invites a sweep of emotion. It evokes memories of Ancient Egypt's Memphis, a celebrated haunt known for its grand temples and palaces —and which served as the first capital of unified Egypt. From Spain's founding of Fort San Fernando in 1795 at a sweet-looking elevation of the Mississippi, Memphis has always been an adorable spot for history lovers, outdoor addicts, and entertainment devotees. From the days of Elvis Presley, who changed how Americans saw and heard music, to Martin Luther King Jr, who breathed his last in Memphis, Grind City is rarely boring. Still, if you want a breath of warm summer air not far from downtown Memphis, discover the best day trips from the Birthplace of Rock' n Roll.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, Tennessee
If you want to briefly escape Memphis life, especially when summer has announced its snug presence, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park should be your default choice. For starters, it will take you just about 25 minutes—and you'll be at the park—wandering through the woods, well-sheltered from Memphis's summer temps. Then again, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is free to enter and enjoy, as are all the state parks in Tenessee. If you want to clear your head and be more in tune with nature, the hilly Woodland Trail may do the trick. Conveniently located near the visitors' center, this trail is a beautiful stretch to run, hike, or just wander through. If you want to relax with a paddle and just be bobbing about for some minutes, the ever-shimmering Poplar Tree Lake will come in handy.
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge, Tennessee
Since Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge is located 56 miles from Memphis, you'll need about an hour to make the trip. Away from the glass and glitter of Memphis, Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge is a wild, massive swampland that spans more than 11,000 acres. Besides enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, the leafy woods, and the greenery, this refuge is a pretty fine place to kayak, soak in some amazing scenery, or just sit down, camera in hand, and click an afternoon away. Dotted with unique plants, Htchie National Wildlife Refuge also plays host to a decent variety of wildlife. This includes all sorts of reptiles, deer, turkey, and an impressive number of bird species. Originally established as a sanctuary for migratory birds, Hatchie also features several fishing spots where people often chance on some impressive finds.
Wilson, Arkansas
While cruising through U.S. Highway 61, Wilson is a speck of a town you can drive through without noticing, especially if you don't want to check it out. Conveniently located about 45 miles directly north of Memphis, it will take you approximately 43 minutes to set foot on this Arkansas secret. Home to about 700 residents, Wilson is the quintessential small-town getaway ideal for winding down. Hitherto a farming town, this Arkansas charmer is slowly emerging as a cultural hotbed worth exploring. With a townscape that features Tudor architecture and is dotted with classy restaurants such as the unrivaled Wilson Cafe, spending an hour or two at Wilson will be both therapeutic and exhilarating. Besides, Hampson Archeological Museum displays some of the best Native American pottery exhibits in North America.
Oxford, Mississippi
If you want a quick getaway from Memphis but cannot endure the gloom of slumbering small towns, Oxford, Mississippi, maybe your best pick. Home to the University of Mississippi, Oxford is essentially a college town. That means it is always vibrant and full of energy. Besides, Oxford boasts a culinary landscape that will severely put to the test the virtue of self-control. Then again, since Oxford is known for its art, music, and history, it will appeal to just about any visitor. Then again, even if you are not fascinated with the literary world but love beautiful old homes, Rowan Oak, where American author William Faulkner once called home, may just be the unexpected highlight of your Oxford day trip.
Village Creek State Park, Arkansas
The frames of rolling hills and hardwood forests make Arkansas' second-largest state park a contender for a Memphis day trip. The solitude of parks, juxtaposed with their sylvan charm, often makes for a nearly irresistible allure. Situated right over the Mississippi Bridge in the hills of northeast Arkansas, Village Creek State Park offers adventure options, many of which are best enjoyed in summer. You can enjoy horseback riding on one side, for instance, and mountain biking on the other. In between, there is a world of adventure that includes fishing, hiking, and boating. You can even get the chance to tee off at a golf course that boasts none less than Andy Dye as its creator. Then again, the longest preserved section of the Trail of Tears is often an emotional spot to set foot on.
Como, Mississippi
While the flavorful steaks Como Steak House offers pull crowds from all over the state, there are other attractions to Como that make it a favorite Memphis day trip destination. But let us start with the essentials. Como is located 48 miles south of Memphis. This means you only need about 40 minutes to announce your arrival. As a heads-up, since Mississippi is among the best root sources of blues music, you may want to explore part of a trail that commemorates the people and places where this type of music once warmed hearts. Interestingly, Como is among a handful of locations along the Mississippi Blues Trail that has three Blues Trail Markers. Then again, Como's downtown area — which you will certainly find charming— is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Brownville, Tennessee
Home to about 9,400 residents, Brownsville is a Tennessee charmer located approximately 63 miles northeast of Memphis. About an hour is all you'll need to set foot in a town that styles itself as "Simply the Best." While history lovers will want to check out the Dunbar Carver Museum and Cultural Center, a one-of-a-kind museum known to enthuse visitors with its impressive collection of exhibits and memorabilia that speaks to the area's rich African-American heritage, outdoor lovers will get a blast at Rockin' Roll Hatchie Trail located along the rolling bluffs of the Sugar Creek stream. For music lovers, there will be no better way to spend an afternoon than at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center, a West Tennessee music heritage destination that features the only Tina Turner Museum in the world. Then again, it will be worthwhile to explore Hatchie River, located minutes from town, the last "wild" river in the lower Mississippi system.
La Grange, Tennessee
Located an easy 55 miles from downtown Memphis, La Grange is another day-trip option that almost never disappoints. The Thrillist, for instance, ranks La Grange as Memphis's Best Paddling Getaway. Therefore, if your ideal summer afternoon involves floating through a cypress forest, complete with all the sylvan charm, this is the town you should lace up for. That's because the 105-mile-long Wolf River, a beautiful spring-fed river that rises in Baker's Pond, is among La Grange's most prominent natural landmarks. While the entire span of the Wolf is remarkably scenic, the eight-mile section from La Grange to the Bateman Road Bridge, popularly known as the Ghost River Section, represents one of the last unsullied cypress swamps in the Volunteer State. While a music lover may miss out on this, for a nature lover, disregarding this slice of paradise will be unforgivable.
The Takeaway
Memphis connotes different things to different people. There is a bit of Elvis Presley and a cast of Martin Luther King Jr. There are the footprints of Andrew Jackson — and an evocative reference to Ancient Egypt's first capital city, especially as a unified polity. Such a town should be a pleasant spot. Still, for the love of exploration, checking what lies beyond the city's limits, if just to escape it for a moment, remains a worthy undertaking. Fortunately, options abound. Memphis's quick summer day trips include Oxford, Mississippi, Wilson, Arkansas, and LaGrange, Tennessee. In between, there are such natural marvels as Shelby Forest State Park and Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge. Just pick one—and fill up your car tank.
