Memphis New Year's Eve

Destination 01

Beale Street & Downtown Memphis

8 places

Two nights downtown for Beale Street clubs, ribs and the midnight fireworks.

• Photo: Curt Hart · CC BY 2.0

  New Year's Eve on Beale

  Free 21-and-up street party along Beale Street with bands, a DJ stage and fireworks and confetti cannons at midnight.

  Tip Arrive by 9 p.m.; entry is screened and the street fills fast after 10.

  DoBeale Street Historic DistrictFree4 hr9 p.m. to midnight
• Photo: Bjoertvedt · CC BY-SA 4.0

  B.B. King's Blues Club

  The flagship blues club on Beale, with a house band, Southern food and a packed New Year's Eve stage.

  Tip Reserve a table package for Dec 31; walk-ins wait outside.

  DrinkBeale Street Historic District$$2 hrAfter 9 p.m.
• Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 3.0

  Rum Boogie Cafe

  Long-running Beale Street blues bar at the corner of B.B. King Boulevard, with live bands nightly.

  Tip Its corner spot puts you right by the midnight stage.

  DrinkBeale Street Historic District$$1.5 hrEvening
• Photo: Heath Cajandig · CC BY 2.0

  The Peabody

  Grand 1925 hotel two blocks from Beale, famous for the ducks in its lobby fountain and a ticketed ballroom party on Dec 31.

  Tip Watch the duck march at 11 a.m. or 5 p.m. before the evening crowds arrive.

  StayDowntown$$$

• Chez Philippe

  The Peabody's French dining room, serving a fixed-price four-course menu on New Year's Eve.

  Tip Take the early seating and you are on Beale well before the screening lines build.

  EatDowntown$$$$2.5 hrEarly evening

• Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

  Basement rib house down an alley off Union Avenue, serving charcoal-cooked dry-rub ribs since 1948.

  Tip Go on Dec 30; it is closed Sundays and Mondays and fills early on holidays.

  EatDowntown$$75 minEarly dinner

• Majestic Grille

  Steaks and classic plates inside a restored 1913 silent-movie theater near the river.

  Tip Reserve for Dec 31; it has hosted New Year's Eve dinners with live music.

  EatDowntown$$$2 hrEvening

• Tom Lee Park

  Rebuilt riverfront park below downtown with long views of the Mississippi and the lit Hernando de Soto Bridge.

  Tip Walk here at dusk on Dec 30 for the bridge lights before heading up to Beale.

  OutdoorsRiverfrontFree45 minDusk

Destination 02

South Main & the Riverfront

6 places

A slow Jan 1: breakfast at the Arcade, the Lorraine Motel and a walk over the Mississippi.

• Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki · CC BY 3.0

  Arcade Restaurant

  Memphis's oldest cafe, a 1919 diner on South Main known for sweet potato pancakes and its neon sign.

  Tip Check holiday hours for Jan 1 and expect a short wait at peak brunch.

  EatSouth Main$60 minLate morning
• Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 4.0

  Lorraine Motel

  Site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, preserved as part of the National Civil Rights Museum.

  Tip The museum is traditionally closed Jan 1, but the balcony and wreath are visible from the plaza.

  SeeSouth MainFree30 minMorning
• Photo: Dclemens1971 · CC BY 4.0

  Big River Crossing

  Walking and cycling path on the Harahan Bridge, nearly a mile across the Mississippi to Arkansas.

  Tip Walk out to the state line marker midway for the best look back at the skyline.

  DoRiverfrontFree75 minAfternoon

• South Main Street

  Arts district of restored warehouses, galleries and shops along the Main Street trolley line.

  Tip Many galleries keep short hours on Jan 1, so treat it as a walk rather than a shopping trip.

  ShopSouth Main$60 minMidday

• Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

  Downtown outpost of the Mason, Tennessee, spicy fried chicken shop, a short walk from South Main.

  EatDowntown$45 minLunch
• Photo: Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Central Station Hotel

  Hotel in the restored 1914 Memphis Central Station, still served by Amtrak's City of New Orleans.

  Tip A quieter base than Beale if you want to walk to the party and back.

  StaySouth Main$$$