Nashville to Memphis Graceland Day Trip Guide
Day Trips

Nashville to Memphis Graceland Day Trip Guide

Plan a self-drive Nashville-to-Memphis day trip to Graceland with route guidance, regular visiting hours, 2026 ticket costs, accessibility advice, and an important Elvis Week alert for August 15.

November 1, 2026 by 8 min read
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Important for Saturday, August 15, 2026: this date falls during Elvis Week, which runs August 8 through 16. Graceland strongly encourages advance ticket purchases because events can sell out. For the Candlelight Vigil on August 15, Memphis Police may close Elvis Presley Blvd. between Bluebird Street and Craft Road as early as noon and no later than 6:00 p.m. Choose another date for an easygoing first visit, or book and travel with a very flexible plan.

On a regular date, a Nashville to Memphis Graceland day trip is best approached as a focused self-drive outing. The route uses I-40, and Graceland sits in Memphis, about 10 minutes from downtown and three minutes from Memphis International Airport. The mansion’s regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the final mansion tour beginning at 4:00 p.m., so a late Nashville departure quickly compresses the day.

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  • Drive yourself for the greatest control over arrival and return timing; I-40 is the direct corridor between Nashville and Memphis.
  • For standard planning dates, Graceland is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the last mansion tour starts at 4:00 p.m.
  • The published 2026 Elvis Experience Tour price is $85 for adults and $49 for children. Standard vehicle parking is $10.
  • Enter 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN 38116, for Graceland visitor parking.
  • Check Tennessee 511 or TNSmartWay on departure day, especially while I-40 construction activity is possible in Shelby County.

Is Graceland a good Nashville day trip?

Yes, for travelers with a car who are happy to make Graceland the main event rather than one stop among many. The regular visiting window and the return drive leave little room for a relaxed late start, lengthy detours, or an elaborate Memphis sightseeing plan. Give the attraction a substantial portion of the day, then treat any additional Memphis plans as optional rather than essential.

This trip is a weaker fit for visitors without a vehicle, for families that need a highly flexible pace, or for anyone trying to combine a full Nashville itinerary with a full Memphis itinerary in one day. A self-drive plan offers the clearest control over timing, though it also means paying for parking and staying alert to I-40 traffic and construction conditions.

If you decide the round trip feels too ambitious, compare it with the Best Day Trips From Nashville for closer alternatives. Visitors who are remaining in Music City can also use the How to Get Around Nashville Without a Car guide to shape a car-free local day instead.

Stay well

Places to stay for this itinerary

Pair the day-by-day plan with a hotel location that keeps the trip simple.

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Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown Featured stay
Nashville

Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown

10.0Exceptional · 4,039 reviews
  • Free WiFi
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Air conditioning

Central Location in Nashville Located in the heart of Nashville, Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown offers air-conditioned rooms with modern amenities and a range of facilities for a comfortable stay. Convenient Amenities Guests can enjoy a…

  • Room, 1 King Bed, Hearing Accessible (Hearing…
  • Breakfast Included
  • Non-refundable rate
Nightly rate from8% off$217.12/night$200.12/nightNov 23 – Nov 26, 2026 · 3 nights$600.37 totalUSD · Taxes and fees included.
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Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown Guest favorite
Nashville

Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown

9.4Exceptional · 2,269 reviews
  • Free WiFi
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Air conditioning

Central Location Located in the heart of Nashville, Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown offers a convenient stay near popular attractions like Bridgestone Arena, Ryman Auditorium, and the Johnny Cash Museum. Modern Amenities Enjoy air-conditioned rooms, an outdoor…

  • 2 Queen Beds - Non-Smoking
  • Room Only
  • Non-refundable rate
Nightly rate from8% off$189.58/night$174.74/nightNov 23 – Nov 26, 2026 · 3 nights$524.23 totalUSD · Taxes and fees included.
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La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Nashville Downtown Stadium Guest favorite
Nashville

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Nashville Downtown Stadium

9.0Exceptional · 5,631 reviews
  • Free WiFi
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Air conditioning

Central Location in Nashville Located in the heart of Nashville, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Nashville Downtown Stadium provides a convenient base for exploring the city. Situated near top attractions like Nissan Stadium and…

  • 1 King Bed, Non-Smoking
  • Breakfast Included
  • Non-refundable rate
Nightly rate from8% off$127.26/night$117.29/nightNov 23 – Nov 26, 2026 · 3 nights$351.88 totalUSD · Taxes and fees included.
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Driving from Nashville to Graceland via I-40

I-40 connects Nashville and Memphis, making a personal vehicle or rental car the practical foundation for this itinerary. Avoid locking your day around a fixed online travel-time estimate. Traffic, road work, weather, breaks, and the precise point where you begin in Nashville can all shift the journey. Build in a generous buffer before your chosen Graceland entry time.

Check Tennessee 511 or TNSmartWay before leaving. TDOT uses those services for real-time incidents, construction, weather conditions, traffic cameras, and speed data. A Shelby County I-40 resurfacing and rehabilitation project was expected to begin in spring 2026, so departure-day conditions matter more than a generic route forecast.

Set navigation for Graceland visitor parking at 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN 38116. The property is close to Memphis International Airport and roughly 10 minutes from downtown Memphis, but it is not downtown itself. That distinction helps when deciding whether you truly have enough time for a second Memphis stop after the tour.

What a Graceland day trip costs in 2026

For 2026, Graceland lists the Elvis Experience Tour at $85 for adults and $49 for children. Standard vehicle parking costs $10. One adult driving to Graceland therefore has a published minimum of $95 before fuel, food, taxes or fees, and any ticket upgrade. Factor in the return drive before deciding that the lowest ticket price represents the total cost of the day.

Vehicle arrival area at Graceland visitor parking in Memphis
Visitor parking is located at 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd. in Memphis.

Higher-tier tours listed by Graceland range from $148 to $260 before parking. The better value depends on how much time you intend to devote to the attraction. For a short, tightly timed round trip, choosing an expansive ticket without leaving enough time to use it can make the day feel hurried. Review the selected ticket’s inclusions before committing.

The most useful budget is a simple one: admission, parking, vehicle costs, food, and a contingency for traffic-related changes. Prices, dates, and ticket terms can change, so use Graceland’s live booking options for the travel date you select.

Choose a ticket that matches your available time

Do not treat Graceland as a quick roadside photo stop. A ticket that includes Elvis Presley’s Memphis lets guests come and go from that complex during the day of their tour, which makes a more spacious visit easier to organize. In contrast, VIP tours are valid only on the purchase date, so they reward a carefully protected schedule.

A Nashville day trip works best when the ticket level and your available time are in balance. Travelers who want to linger or add more Memphis experiences should consider making the visit part of an overnight stay instead. Graceland also offers multi-day add-ons, a useful option for visitors who prefer not to force a fuller visit into one long round trip.

Build a realistic Nashville-to-Graceland itinerary

  1. Choose your Graceland ticket and entry plan first. Use the attraction’s schedule as the fixed point for the day.
  2. Leave Nashville early enough to absorb I-40 delays, a fuel stop, and arrival procedures without threatening your planned visit.
  3. Navigate directly to visitor parking at 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd. Standard vehicle parking is listed at $10.
  4. For regular operating dates, work backward from the 4:00 p.m. final mansion-tour start instead of assuming you can arrive late and still fit in the full visit.
  5. Keep the return portion of the day open. Memphis traffic, I-40 conditions, and the time you spend at Graceland are all more manageable when there is no tightly booked Nashville evening waiting at the other end.

Bring the basics that make a long driving day simpler: your ticket details, photo identification if required for your ticket type, a charged phone for navigation, and water for the car. Keep your destination and return plans flexible enough to respond to live road information. The pleasure of the trip comes from giving one landmark the time it deserves, not from racing between two cities.

Accessibility at Graceland

Graceland provides several important accessibility features. The mansion-tour shuttle has a wheelchair lift, and the mansion is accessible apart from two basement rooms. For those spaces, visitors who cannot use stairs can view photographs and a monitor instead. Captioning is available on the iPad tour.

Lisa Marie aircraft displayed at Graceland in Memphis
The Lisa Marie aircraft is part of the Graceland visit, though it is not wheelchair accessible.

Elvis Presley’s Memphis is wheelchair accessible. The Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II aircraft are not. Guests are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair or scooter: a limited number of wheelchairs are available first-come, first-served for the mansion portion only. Scooters cannot remain occupied on the shuttle for safety reasons.

For a day trip, build in extra time for boarding the shuttle and moving through the property at a comfortable pace. Travelers with specific mobility needs should review the current ticket and accessibility information before setting their Nashville departure time.

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The August 15, 2026 Elvis Week exception

Saturday, August 15 is a special case, not a normal template for this trip. Elvis Week programming runs through August 16, and the Candlelight Vigil can bring unusually heavy demand and operational changes. Graceland advises purchasing tickets in advance because events can sell out.

The most significant logistics issue is possible street access. Memphis Police may close Elvis Presley Blvd. between Bluebird Street and Craft Road as early as noon and no later than 6:00 p.m. for the vigil. That can affect the approach to Graceland, parking, and the timing of a Nashville return. If your plans are flexible, select a regular operating day instead.

Make the trip for the right reason

A Nashville to Memphis Graceland day trip suits visitors who have a car, can start early, and want to devote most of a day to one of Tennessee’s best-known music landmarks. Its limitation is simple: regular visiting hours, the long return drive, and I-40 uncertainty leave little margin for overplanning. Pick a regular date when possible, choose your ticket with care, and let Graceland be the center of the itinerary.

Before you book

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Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Graceland from Nashville in one day?

Yes, a self-drive day trip is workable when Graceland is the main focus and you leave Nashville early. Regular mansion hours run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the last mansion tour beginning at 4:00 p.m., so there is little room for a late start or a packed Memphis itinerary.

How do you drive from Nashville to Graceland?

Use I-40 between Nashville and Memphis, then navigate to Graceland visitor parking at 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN 38116. Check Tennessee 511 or TNSmartWay on departure day for current incidents, weather, and construction conditions.

How much does a Graceland day trip cost?

The published 2026 Elvis Experience Tour price is $85 for adults and $49 for children, while standard vehicle parking is $10. A driving adult should budget at least $95 before fuel, food, taxes or fees, and optional ticket upgrades.

Is Graceland wheelchair accessible?

Much of Graceland is wheelchair accessible, including the mansion-tour shuttle, which has a wheelchair lift, and Elvis Presley’s Memphis. Two mansion basement rooms require stairs and have a photo-and-monitor alternative; the Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II aircraft are not wheelchair accessible.

Should I visit Graceland on August 15, 2026?

Only visit on August 15 if you are prepared for Elvis Week crowds and a flexible arrival plan. Events can sell out, and Elvis Presley Blvd. may close between Bluebird Street and Craft Road for the Candlelight Vigil from as early as noon until no later than 6:00 p.m.

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