GO! SEE! EXPLORE! :: Canoes + Cocktails

Friday nights this summer just got a whole lot more fun! The Memphis Moms team recently participated in Canoes + Cocktails at Shelby Farms Park and we had the best moms’ night out ever!

the moms right before canoes + cocktails — Canoes & Cocktails

On Friday nights from May through September, head to Shelby Farms to experience a 45 minute guided tour of the lake. Park in the lot next to the First Horizon Visitor Center and head to the Gift Shop or Welcome desk to check in. After check-in, proceed to the Hyde Lake Boat House if you are renting a boat. You can rent a canoe, a single kayak, a double kayak, or a stand up paddle board. The canoe and double kayak rentals are for two people and the ticket includes cocktails and food for two. If your ticket is BYO-Boat, please check in at the Gift Shop, launch from the public boat launch, then paddle over to the boat house launch area to meet up with the group. The tour is timed so you can experience sunset on the lake. It takes about 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of the group) for everyone to get their canoes, kayaks, or paddle boards onto the lake and ready to go.

getting into the kayaks and then onto the water

Once everyone is on the lake, there is a guided tour of the lake with lots of park facts and other information. You do a complete circuit of the lake. You start at the boat dock, head towards Coastal Fish Company, then circle back around on the other side of the islands back to the dock. You can keep up with the group or you can start early and just paddle around for 45 minutes. You can also be lazy (like us) and hang back from the group and just relax and talk out on the water. This is YOUR evening!

**Mom tip: bring a clear wet bag for your phone if you have one. Just in case…

After the paddling, comes the real fun. Everyone heads to the Visitor Center for the “cocktails” part of Canoes + Cocktails. There are specialty cocktails from Old Dominick Distillery (there’s also a selection of beer, wine, water, and soft drinks) and snacks from a local restaurant. The night we were there, they had charcuterie and sandwiches from Feast and Graze! You choose your food when you register. They have charcuterie, an antipasto veggie plate, and chicken Caesar wraps that come with chips.

On the lawn in front of the visitor’s center, there are bistro tables set up, as well as fire pits and yard games. Plus they have music playing for you to enjoy under the stars while the rest of the park is closed. We claimed a fire pit and all hung out, eating, drinking, and enjoying a calm moment in the middle of the end of the year, “May-cember” chaos. You are also welcome to bring your own picnic blanket or chairs plus additional snacks and drinks. I highly recommend you bring a water bottle.

Canoes + Cocktails is a 21 and over event. The start time changes, depending on the time of sunset. But each event lasts ~2 and a half hours, including the 45 minute paddle. If you are looking for a date night or fun moms’ night out, this is the perfect summer evening!

Shelby Farms Park Visitor Center

6903 Great View Drive North
Memphis, TN 38134

For tickets:
https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/shelbyfarms/items/303087/calendar/2026/05/?full-items=yes

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