100 Things to do in Memphis over Summer
Summer is awesome in the South. But kids can only take so much porch sittin’ and sweet tea sippin’. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of 100 things to do all over the city to help keep the “I’m bored” cries at bay.
1. Check out We Rock The Spectrum – a sensory-safe, autism friendly indoor playground and gym for kids!
2. Have tweens? Challenge them to a plethora of “game rooms” at Amuse Museum
3. June 6th Crafts & Drafts is returning to Crosstown Concourse
4. On Friday July 10th & Saturday July 11th, check out the Ed Murphey Classic on Beale Street featuring World-record holder and 3-Time Olympic Champion, Ryan Crouser!
5. Burn off energy at Jumping World
6. Learn how to ride a bike!
7. Get outside and play with Memphis Parks
8. Go to the library and check out their Library Of Things
9. Visit the Dixon Gallery and Gardens (it’s free admission forever!!) and grab something from their cafe, Park & Cherry
10. Go to a Redbirds game (there are fireworks at Saturday home games) – they have a game on July 4th!
11. Celebrate Christmas in July with us! Mark your calendars for Swimming with Santa on July 12th. We’ll have multiple time entries, so every kid has a chance to dip their toes with the big guy. There will be Christmas crafts, photo booth fun, a holiday cookie decorating station and more!
12. Visit your local fire station (call non-emergency line ahead of time to schedule a visit)
13. Memphis Botanic Garden is always a favorite. See if you can find the “secret” dinosaur area. Don’t forget about their food truck nights, too!
14. Children’s Museum of Memphis – their Splash Park is include with admission and open Memorial Day to Labor Day for a fun way to cool off in the summer heat!
15. Museum of Science and History (which will forever be the Pink Palace)
16. Go day trippin’ – check out one of our guides for ideas. We have suggestions for Oxford, Little Rock, the TN Safari park and more!
18. Eat a cold sweet treat (summer bucket list to try them all?)
19. The Dude Perfect: Squad Games Tour is headed to Fedex Forum on Friday, July 17th, featuring members of the Savannah Bananas!!!
20. See free live music at Orion Concert Series at the Shell
21. Get a summer YMCA membership ($0 joining fee) – they are offering a Splash Pass that automatically cancels in September to give you unlimited summer fun with pool access — so many different pools to try.
23. Go to the Stax Museum
24. Have a water balloon fight (make sure you also drink from the hose)
25. Chase down the ice cream truck when it rolls through your neighborhood (or get some neighbors together and get Mister-Softee to come through)
26. Have a family board game night. Our family’s newest favorite is “Splendor”
27. Get the kids to clean out their rooms and hold a yard sale
28. Live in the Garden is a family (or date night) favorite
29. Go rock climbing. There’s LOTS of different camps offered at Highpoint Climbing for all ages!
30. Creation Station at Bellevue Baptist
31. Pick a friend and be pen pals for the summer (or better yet – find an out-of-town family member or friend to write to!)
32. Create art at Little Lemon Art Studio. There’s also adult-only craft nights, so gather some moms friends for a time to get creative sans kids!
33. Visit 7 clydesdale horses at Menagerie Farms — the youngest is only 11 months old!
34. Plant something and watch it grow, maybe herbs? or cherry tomatoes?
35. A brand-new amphitheater just opened at Grind City Brewing Co. in North Memphis. An Evening With Wilco is coming on July 7
36. The FedEx St. Jude Classic returns to Southwind August 12th -16th, with a new ticket experience (Grounds+) that includes free food & non-alcoholic beverages…and it allows each ticketed adult up to 2 children 15 and under to come for free with the same perks!
37. Attend a concert in the Grove at GPAC
38. Play kickball
39. Swim in a lake (but NOT Memphis’ “secret beach” — #iykyk)
40. Catch fireflies
41. Make s’mores but gourmet
42. Play video games at Nerd Alert in Collierville
43. Have a cannonball contest at one of the local pools
44. See some art at the Brooks Museum
45. Visit theCrystal Shrine Grotto, one of Memphis’s hidden gems
46. Go see a show at the Orpheum – Beauty & The Beast will be on stage in June, and Bluey will be in town in August
47. …Or see Legally Blonde, The Musical at Theater Memphis in June
48. Moms, take your son on a date
49. Set up a tent INSIDE and camp in your living room (so much cooler)
50. Did you know Shelby Farms Park has putt putt in the woods? It’s over by GoApe!
51. Celebrate Black heritage and culture at the 33rd annual Memphis Juneteenth Festival at the Medical District Park — featuring live music, a freedom walk/run, local vendors and more. Be sure to check their festival events calendar to stay updated
52. Attend Sunset Skate Night downtown, last Thursdays of the month from May to August from 6pm-9pm (free 30-minute skate rentals available first come, first served)
53. Spend a week at a local summer camp
54. Or be brave and send them to a sleep away camp
55. Make popsicles
56. Do a neighborhood lemonade stand
57. Go to Jumping Jellybeans — there’s now two locations — Collierville and DeSoto County!
58. Check out Slimetastic
59. Tots Play World for the smaller crowd
60. Order an inflatable water slide for the neighborhood. Our fave company is Tiki Jumps!
61. Check out a local fireworks display over 4th of July
62. Hike in Shelby Forest
63. Then eat at the Shelby Forest General Store
64. Shop at A. Schwab and order something from the soda fountain
65. Check out Bike Night on Beale, every Wednesday night from May to September starting at 6pm
66. Walk to Arkansas on the Big River Crossing
67. Duckpin Bowling at Rock ‘n Dough in the Edge District
68. Celebrate all things Elvis during Elvis week, August 8-16. There’s so much more than Graceland — however, if you’re local, this might be a time to check this iconic destination off your to-do list!
69. Register your kids for a Summer Free Bowling Pass and get 2 free games of bowling a day at Billy Hardwick’s, Cordova Bowling Center, and Main Event – Memphis
70. Check out an event hosted by Crosstown Arts
71. Make art with sidewalk chalk
72. Make it a 90s summer with sprinklers and a slip ‘n slide
73. Luke Bryan is coming to the BankPlus Amphitheater on July 23rd
74. Head to your local library for story time
75. Play a board game at Boards to Beers
76. Play chess at Memphis Chess Club
77. Learn how to hula hoop
78. Or juggle
79. There are TWO Candelight tribute concerts on June 22nd at the Brooks Museum. One for Whitney Houston and the other for Coldplay & Imagine Dragons
80. Memphis Tri-State Blues Festival is August 16 at the Landers Center
81. Go to the National Civil Rights Museum
82. Try ice skating at the MidSouth Ice House
83. Go to the Zoo
84. Memphis Rock ‘n Soul Museum (created in 2000 by the Smithsonian; how have I never been?)
85. Catch a free movie at Overton Square on Thursday nights
86. Sign up for a free Malco Rewards account and take advantage of their discount Tuesday movie ticket prices (earn points for ticket purchases and turn them into free concessions and even free full-priced tickets)
87. Check out The Dixon’s “Project Pop-Up”, a free art project on the first Saturday of each month from 1pm-3pm
88. Go fishing
89. See the ducks march at the Peabody Hotel
91. Get outdoors at Lichterman Nature Center
92. Check out the Metal Museum
93. Chucalissa, another hidden gem and one of my kids’ favorites
94. Take a ride on a riverboat
95. See where the magic started at Sun Studios (kids must be 5 for this one)
96. Zip line at Go Ape USA at Shelby Farms
97. Axe throwing
98. Pack a picnic and enjoy one of the many green spaces Memphis has to offer
100. Go kayaking or paddle boarding at Shelby Farms. They also offer Canoes & Cocktails on Friday evenings for adults. You select either a single kayak or double kayak / double canoe. Ticket price includes a guided lake tour, followed by an adult beverage and a meal selection by Feast&Graze around fire pits.
Whew! So many fun things to do this summer! What are your summer plans? Can’t wait to see them! Tag us on Instagram when you do something fun!
