The Guide
Day Trips from Memphis
TL;DR
The best day trips from Memphis within two hours: Shiloh's free Civil War battlefield, the cypress waters of Reelfoot Lake, Discovery Park of America, Faulkner's Oxford, and the Delta blues in Clarksdale. Camping note for 2026: several state-park campgrounds are closed for renovations — T.O. Fuller, twenty minutes from downtown, is the sure bet. Every fact verified.
“Day trips from Memphis” is a question where the details quietly change out from under you — several of the region's campgrounds are closed for renovations this year, and museum prices moved. So we verified all of it: thirteen trips within about two hours, with the 2026 reality checked at every park, museum, and town. (And if the day's real mission is the hunt, the antique stores guide covers the metro's districts — including where the flea market actually moved.)
Everything here works as a there-and-back Saturday. For what's happening *inside* the city this week, our events page updates every weekday — and if you're staying put, start with the free things to do in Memphis.
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The big five
The trips worth building a whole day around.
- Shiloh National Military Park~2 hours east (TN)
One of the country's great Civil War battlefields — auto tour, national cemetery, and completely free (no entrance fee, per the NPS). Pair it with the free Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center 22 miles south (daily 9am–5pm) for the full story.
- Reelfoot Lake State Park~2 hours north (TN)
The 'earthquake lake' the New Madrid quakes made in 1811 — cypress trees standing in the water like something from a dream. Pontoon cruises run daily from the visitor center (reserve: 731-253-9652), and January–February brings the famous bald eagle tours.
- Discovery Park of AmericaUnion City, ~2 hours north (TN)
The region's blockbuster family museum — 100,000 square feet plus a 50-acre heritage park, an aquarium, and a 120-foot observation tower. Adults $39.99, kids 4–17 $29.99, 3 and under free (10% off online); open daily in summer.
- Oxford, MS & Rowan Oak~1.5 hours southeast
The Square is the South's best small-town downtown, and Rowan Oak — William Faulkner's home — is $5, cash only (Tue–Sat 10–5, Sun 1–5; the price is set to rise this fall, so check before you go). Book people, this is your pilgrimage.
- Clarksdale, MS~1.5 hours southwest
The Delta blues capital: the Delta Blues Museum (Mon–Sat 10–5, Mississippi's oldest music museum), the Crossroads at 61 and 49, and live blues Wednesday–Saturday at Ground Zero, the club Morgan Freeman co-owns. Go down for the afternoon, stay for the first set.
Small towns & short hops
Under an hour each — the low-commitment classics.
- Holly Springs, MS~50 minutes southeast
Twenty-five-plus antebellum homes on a self-guided drive, the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum, and a town square that time skipped. The famous Pilgrimage home tour runs each April (since 1938).
- Wilson, AR & the Hampson Museum~50 minutes north
A tiny Delta town rebuilt around an English-style square — plus Hampson Archeological Museum State Park, home of the nationally significant Nodena collection (Tue–Sat 8–5, Sun 1–5).
- Arkabutla Lake~45 minutes south (MS)
The big Corps of Engineers reservoir — swim beaches, fishing, quiet water. Day-use areas open and close seasonally; check the Corps' site before you load the car.
We check the hours so you don't drive to a closed gate.
That's the Hey Memphis promise — verified plans, every weekday morning, free. The 2026 campground closures below are exactly why.
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Camping near Memphis: the 2026 reality
Heads up — several campgrounds are closed for renovations this year. Here's what's actually open, verified in July 2026 — and the full closure-by-closure rundown, with cabins and RV hookups, lives in our camping near Memphis guide.
- T.O. Fuller State ParkSouthwest Memphis, ~20 min
The sure bet: open year-round — 45 sites with water and 30/50-amp hookups and a bathhouse, 20 minutes from downtown, next to the Chucalissa mounds. One of the first US state parks open to Black visitors; camping without leaving the city.
- Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park~30 minutes north
⚠️ The campground is closed for a full renovation until fall 2026 — but the six lakeside cabins stay open year-round (2-night minimum), and the 13,000-acre forest, trails, and Poplar Tree Lake paddling are unaffected. Our full Shelby Forest guide has the 2026 details.
- Village Creek State Park~1 hour west (AR)
Arkansas's second-largest state park on Crowley's Ridge — 96 campsites (from about $25) and 10 fully equipped cabins with fireplaces, plus 33 miles of trails and Lake Dunn.
- Pickwick Landing State Park~2 hours east (TN)
⚠️ The main campground is closed (weather damage + renovation) — but the Bruton Branch campground is open, and the newly renovated 119-room lakeside lodge and cabins make it the comfort option.
- Chickasaw State Park~1.5 hours east (TN)
⚠️ Tent and horse campgrounds closed for renovations; the RV campground is open (full hookups) — plus WPA-era cabins and Lake Placid paddling.
The honest answers
What's the best day trip from Memphis?
For most first-timers: Oxford, Mississippi — ninety minutes to the South's best courthouse square, Faulkner's Rowan Oak, and an easy drive home after dinner. For families it's Discovery Park of America; for history, Shiloh; for music, Clarksdale.
Where can you actually camp near Memphis in 2026?
T.O. Fuller State Park, twenty minutes from downtown, is the reliable option — open year-round with hookups. Village Creek in Arkansas is open too. Know before you book elsewhere: Meeman-Shelby's campground is closed for renovation until fall 2026, Pickwick Landing's main campground is closed, and Chickasaw's tent sites are closed (its RV loop is open).
What's the closest trip on this list?
Arkabutla Lake and Holly Springs are both about 45–50 minutes, and T.O. Fuller and Meeman-Shelby are inside 30 — those two barely count as trips, which is exactly their charm.
Which trips are free?
Shiloh and the Corinth Interpretive Center charge nothing, Holly Springs' antebellum drive is free, the state parks are free to enter (activities and camping cost), and Clarksdale's Crossroads is a free photo. The paid anchors are Discovery Park (~$40 adults) and Rowan Oak ($5, cash).
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