Memphis in 6 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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6 days: the city core plus two Mid-South day trips
The city’s own sights fill four days, so this six-day version adds two of the Mid-South’s day trips rather than stretching downtown further: Clarksdale for Delta blues, then Tunica for its closer, quicker casino corridor. Expect roughly $80-150 a person per day depending on the day trips; the main budget guide covers the city-side numbers in detail. Prefer the day trips to be the whole point of the trip rather than an add-on, see the Memphis, Tennessee base itinerary instead. Shorter trip, the 5-day itinerary covers everything here except Day 6.
Book these before you go
- A timed Graceland ticket for Day 2, especially near Elvis Week (Aug 8-16 2026)
- A rental car (or confirm your own) for Days 5 and 6, neither Clarksdale nor Tunica is reachable without one
Day 1: Beale Street and the Civil Rights Museum
Beale Street by day (free), the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel (roughly $25 adult / $22 child / $23 senior-student, closed Tuesdays), BBQ at Rendezvous or Central BBQ, Beale Street at night.
Day 2: Graceland and Sun Studio
Graceland (Whitehaven, car needed, roughly $85 adult / $49 youth, or about $53 entry-level), Sun Studio (roughly $15 adult / $10 ages 5-11).
Day 3: Stax, Overton Park and Big River Crossing
Stax Museum of American Soul Music (Soulsville, roughly $20/$16, closed Mondays), Overton Park (free), Big River Crossing (free, into West Memphis, Arkansas).
Day 4: Midtown and Shelby Farms
Cooper-Young and Overton Square (free), Shelby Farms Park (free, 4,500 acres).
Days 1-4 ticket costs (per person): roughly $106-145 total.
Day 5: Clarksdale, Mississippi
About 75-95 minutes south of Memphis on Highway 61, Clarksdale is the Delta blues pilgrimage: the Crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, Ground Zero Blues Club (Morgan Freeman co-owns it), the Delta Blues Museum, and Red’s Juke Joint. It’s the northern anchor of the Mississippi Blues Trail. Budget the full day, car required, and drive back to Memphis for the night.
Day 6: Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica sits closer, roughly 30-45 minutes south, built around a casino corridor plus the Gateway to the Blues Museum and the Tunica RiverPark. It’s the easiest, quickest of the Mid-South day trips, a lighter final day after Clarksdale’s longer drive the day before.
One honest note that applies to both day-trip days: the practical safety concern on the highway is the same as in the city, don’t leave valuables visible in a parked car, at a casino lot in Tunica or a club in Clarksdale just as much as downtown Memphis.
| Days | Focus | Ticket costs (per person) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Beale Street, Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, Sun Studio, Stax, Overton Park, Big River Crossing, Midtown, Shelby Farms | roughly $106-145 |
| 5 | Clarksdale, MS: the Crossroads, Delta Blues Museum, Ground Zero Blues Club | modest, mostly meals and a live-music cover |
| 6 | Tunica, MS: casinos, Gateway to the Blues Museum | variable, gaming budget is your own call |
One concrete money tip: set a hard gaming budget before you walk into Tunica, it’s the one day on this trip where costs aren’t fixed by a ticket price. Book Graceland ahead for Day 2; the rest runs on a full tank of gas and a rental car for Days 5-6.