100 Things to do in Memphis over Spring

High five, Mamas! You (and your kids) survived the crazy winter that was 2024 and all the weird weather. But now, the weather is getting nicer and we’re quickly approaching yet another week off for Spring Break! Not sure how you’ll fill the days (or nights?)…. well, here’s 100 ways Memphis Moms is here for you….

Downtown

1. Go see a Grizz game! They’re playing March 12 at 7:00 vs the Wizards, March 13 at 7:00 vs the Hornets, and March 16 at 7:00 vs the Thunder. Buy tickets here.

2. Visit the Blues Hall of Fame. Didn’t know we had one? (me neither!)
3. Just because school is out doesn’t mean you can’t squeeze in some Delta history. Walk the Mississippi River down at Mud Island Riverwalk
4. Walk to Arkansas! — visit Big River Crossing

5. Tour the National Civil Rights Museum (spring break is the perfect time for a real-life history lesson)
6. You can’t visit downtown Memphis without riding the trolley! Park for free at the bus depo and ride both the Main Street and the Riverfront lines. Base fare is only $1!
7. Visit the Memphis Rock’n Soul Museum
8. The 51st annual Silky O’Sullivan St. Patrick’s Day parade is March 16 at 2 pm on Beale Street!
9. Hungry? You can never go wrong eating gumbo fries at Blues City Cafe on Beale.
10. Take in the city view a little differently! Ride a Memphis Riverboat!
11. See downtown with a birds’ eye view! Ride the largest free standing elevator in the country at Bass Pro! ($10/each). Want to keep your feet firmly on the ground? That’s ok: Check out the giant fish tank and watch the scuba diver feed the fish at 10 am or 5 pm!
12. Beale Street isn’t just famous for drinking! Take the kids “souvenir” shopping at A. Schwab Dry Goods Store, one of the oldest establishments downtown.
13. Be a duckmaster! Every day at 11 am and 5 pm the duck parade happens at the historic Peabody Hotel.
14. Oh Sweets Skin Care is having a Mix & Whip Party on March 13 at 2:00 pm. Tickets available in-store or online.
15. If you haven’t checked out the new and improved Tom Lee Park, this is your sign to head there! It’s amazing!

16. Take in a show at the Orpheum Theatre! Mrs. Doubtfire is playing March 12-17!
17. Eat some homemade cheesecake at The Cheesecake house.
18. Spring Break Camp at most of the city parks around town is FREE for all City of Memphis residents. Campers ages 5-15 can enjoy a week of fun-filled activities, including puzzle mania, scavenger hunts, and athletics! Box lunches and snacks are provided.
19. Take a picture on the courthouse steps and discuss what it means to live in a democracy!
20. Calling all Firemen! Spend an afternoon (or all day!) at the Fire Museum of Memphis. Kids 3-18 $8, under 2 FREE!
21. With its famous chicken hash & waffles and fish pudding, the Waffle Shop provides downtowners with a unique lunch during the season of Lent while supporting the outreach ministries at Calvary Episcopal Church. Wednesday-Friday. Takeout available for $1 extra.

The Edge District

22. Be like Elvis and strike a pose.
23. Buy all the Elvis things at Boulevard Souvenirs.
24. Have a car lover? Check out the Edge Alley Motor Museum! (Then grab a beer at High Cotton Brewery)
25. Throw axes at Craft Axe Throwing! See who can make the most bulls-eyes and get a picture taken in the throne! (This is ideal for ages 12 and up)
26. Take a picture in front of one of Memphis’ best murals located on the side of the Riverdeep building.
27. Listen to some Johnny Cash and then go tour Sun Studios!

Midtown

28. There’s a St. Patrick’s Day concert in Overton Square on Sunday, March 17. The Memphis Pipe Band will be playing classic Celtic songs with traditional instruments. 5-7 pm.
29. Let the kids play on the amazing playground while you enjoy a quiet moment in a hammock at Railgarten. Upscale diner fare for both kids and adults. Frosé (frozen rosé), Mama?
30. Ride the carousel at the Children’s Museum of Memphis {CMOM}.
31. Buy a book at Burke’s bookstore, the oldest bookstore in the city!
32. Walk through the Elmwood Cemetery (8am-4:30pm daily).
33. Crosstown Concourse. So. Many. Options. Need an afternoon treat or pick me up? Grab a coffee from French Truck Coffee or eat burgers for dinner with the whole family at Farm Burger! Besides food joints there’re so many things to check out — especially the library & children’s area on the 2nd Floor.
34. The Memphis zoo is always a family favorite!

36. Memphis Parks presents the third annual Spring Break Mane series hosted by Play Your Park! At Spring Break Mane, the arts meet outdoor fun! This FREE, three-day series will feature bounce houses, video games, free food for kids, jookin’ tutorials, a petting zoo, and more! Three locations: Liberty Pocket, Klondike, and Gaisman Parks.

37. Check out 901 Comics in Cooper Young (the back room has a ton of $1 editions!). There is also 901 Comics East in Cordova!
38. Children 8 and under are always free at the Stax Museum!

39. Pack a picnic lunch and eat at Overton Park. Afterward burn some energy at the Rainbow Lake Playground.
40. Let out your inner Picasso. Take your kids to The Art Project in Overton Square! They take care of clean up and you save your sanity!
41. Gather your girl friends and daughters and attend tea at one of our favorite places:
17 Berkshire!
42. Play pinball at Flip Side (plus their lunch menu is amazing)!
43. Eat Mexican Pizza at Cafe Ole in Cooper Young.

East Memphis

44. Visit the Amuse Adventure Museum! Hard to explain in one sentence, but SO MUCH FUN! Read more here. (definitely geared towards older/taller kids, but all kids can have fun).
45. MoSH (formerly The Pink Palace) has SUE! Come between two titans with full-scale casts of SUE and T. rex’s nemesis, Triceratops. Experience a unique multimedia show transporting you to the Cretaceous forest alongside SUE. Get tickets here.

46. Stak’s Pancake Kitchen is the best place for hungry tummies!
46. The Dixon Gallery and Gardens is hosting a Spring Break Nature Camp for 1st-5th graders. It’s daily from 9-3. See more here.

50. Memphis Botanic Garden is hosting Flower Tots: Story Time every Thursday at 10 am from March 7-April 25. They also have hidden dinosaurs near a secret playground. See if you can find it.
51. The Crystal Shrine Grotto at Memorial Park Cemetery is a little known gem (ha! see what we did there?)
52. Grab a kolachi (basically a hot dog wrapped in an amazing pastry shell) at OB Donuts.
53. Shop at the newest store Landshore Learning! They just had their grand opening and it’s a perfect place to pick up an educational toy or some fun arts & crafts supplies!
54. Go bowling at Billy Hardwick’s All-Star Lanes.
55. Hike the trails at Lichterman Nature Center! Or sign up for their Dino Discovery Spring Break Camp! It’s at Lichterman Monday-Thursday and at MOSH on Friday.
56. Lazy days are made for reading. Get a book from Novel.

Summer Avenue

57. Plan a special outing to eat at El Sabor Latino, an authentic Colombian restaurant. Watch Encanto then order a feast!
58. Check out Aldar Cafe, the newest coffee shop serving authentic Yemeni coffee & tea.
59. Never been in a pawn shop? Check one out along Summer Avenue. You never know what treasure you might discover!
60. Pineapple chili, rice pudding, and salted margarita….those are just some of the unusual flavors of La Michoacana’s famous ice cream! They also offer real fruit popsicles such as watermelon, guava, and spicy cucumber! $2/popsicle.
61. Grab those pillows and pile in! The Malco Summer Drive-In is a great weekend activity for the whole family!
62. Go on a mural scavenger hunt! Take your picture in front of your favorite!

63. Try an authentic Hispanic pastry at Kay’s Bakery.
64. Play some putt-putt at Putt-Putt Family Park
65. Find the quirkiest thing at the Antique Warehouse Mall!
66. Eat dinner at Central BBQ. 2 free kid meals on Wednesdays!

… and more fun things to do around town, out in the ‘burbs, or at home!

67. Find the Little Libraries all around town. Take a book, leave a book!
68. Creation Station at Bellevue is back!
69. Head to the Collierville Square and climb in the train.
70. Shelby Farms Park is another amazing place in Memphis! Head over to Hyde Lake and rent a paddle boat or kayak. Adventurous family? Try the paddle boarding!
71. For those kids {age 10+} wanting a little more thrills, try GO APE!
72. Bike the Greenline: 10.6 miles tip to tip of paved path! For extra fun, rent a bicycle built for two at either the Hyde Lake Wheel House or the Greenline Wheel House.
73. Kinda like TopGolf but for basketball, check out Shoot 360 in Collierville. So fun for your favorite basketball player!
74. Try your hand at disc golf! There are 3 courses in Memphis: Libertyland, Shelby Farms, and Bud Hill!
75. Rainy day? Check out Monster Mini (indoor!) Golf in Cordova! Plus it has bowling and an arcade!
76. Disney on Ice is at the Lander’s Center!
77. Kids inspired by the pros at Disney on Ice? Then try skating at the Mid-South Ice House!
78. IKEA! Family Members get free coffee every day!
79. Teenagers bored at home? Try Topgolf Memphis!
80. Burn some energy at Memphis Rox, a climbing gym that, well, totally rocks.
81. If you’re not in a sugar coma yet, grab a macaron from the Sift Bakery in Bartlett.
82. Get your tackle box dusted off and head to Nonconnah Creek for an afternoon of fishing!
83. Swing on the swings at McVay Park in Germantown
84. Volunteer to make flower bouquets with 901Pop!
85. For a sweet treat, eat some pie at The Pie Shop in Cordova.
86. Jump on over to Jumpin’ Jelly Beans, a boutique play space!
87. Go hiking in Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park.
88. Make Tie-Dye T-shirts!

89. Fly a kite
90. Checkout the Meditation Garden at Graceland (7:30am-8:30pm daily).
91. Take the kids roller skating at Cordova Skate Center. Wednesday is discount skate day; skate for only $6 including rental skates!
92. Have your heard about Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum? Check it out!
93. Is it raining? Head over to the Main Event and eat, bowl, and play!
94. Geocaching gets kids outside and thinking strategically.
95. Make homemade playdoh.
96. Walk your dog! Anyone just get a new puppy?
97. Drive out to Arlington and play all afternoon at their amazing Playground of Dreams.
98. Learn to sew.
99. Get a library card so you’re ready for the summer reading program.
100. Lock up those iPads and school devices and go a week without technology!

Whew! These are just some of the amazing things you can do here in Memphis!

What would you add to the list? Which one(s) do you think you’ll try?

Don’t forget — to really stay up to date on all of our community events and more happenings around town head to our Instagram page and our website!