Things to do in the suburbs of Memphis

There is so much to see and do in Memphis that much of the great activities have spilled over into the local suburbs. You don’t need to be in the city center or one of the up and coming communities to experience Memphis. In fact, some of the most fun you’ll have is visiting a handful of the Memphis suburbs. Here are just a few of the fun things to do in Memphis and the neighboring communities.

Images Source: Germantown Performing Arts Center

Germantown Performing Arts Center

This is one of the best performing arts centers in the entire state. And if you’ve never checked it out before you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the acts that come through. In fact, many of the top performing touring acts prefer to stop by Germantown because it’s easy to get in and out. So whether you’re looking for a comedy show, world class musician, or something unexpected, make sure to take a visit to the Germantown Performing Arts Center.

Brooks Collection

Whether you’re visiting Memphis for the first time or you’re a long time local, I always recommend Brooks Collection. Here you’ll find all kinds of antiques and boutique shops. Visiting the location is a great way to support local retailers and artists. Plus there are some pretty incredible things to see. You may have never realized you needed the brass-polished coat rack that says “Memphis,” or the antique bottle that reminds you of visiting grandma’s as a kid, but when you find it at one of these shops, it’ll bring back some wonderful memories.

Memphis Botanic Garden

There’s just something relaxing and invigorating about taking a stroll through botanical gardens. The Memphis Botanic Garden is located in East Memphis, as well as the Dixon Gallery & Gardens (in fact, both are within walking distance of one another). The Memphis Botanic Garden also has a fantastic children’s garden (called “My Big Backyard”). So whether you have a green thumb or just enjoy being around nature, stop by the gardens for a bit of personal relaxation.

Music Festivals

Gonerfest is an annual music festival put on during the fall by Goner Records. Now, nobody is going to blame you if you haven’t heard of Goner Records before (we all can’t be keeping up on every record label now, can we?). However, if you’re a fan of garage bands, this is the kind of music festival for you. Goner Records brings in artists such as Guitar Wolf.

The Cooper-Young Festival (which is also the site of Gonerfest) is a great music and art festival that is a bit more mainstream than Gonerfest. It’s also a great chance to purchase little goodies made by local artists (such as hand crafted jewelry). You may also enjoy just listening to the music while you sample some of the best street food Memphis has to offer.

There’s always something fun and exciting to do in Memphis. And the beauty of Memphis is, you don’t always need to be right in the city itself to experience these activities and destinations.

You may also be interested in: Explore Memphis | Things to do in Memphis | Memphis Attactions