Looking for the best weekend getaway trips from Memphis, Tennessee? I’m rounding up ten of our family’s favorites and why you should add them to your 2026 travel plans!
Ya’ll know I love my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, but I also love a good road trip. And when it’s only 6 or so hours away, it’s perfect for a little weekend trip! With summer here, it’s the perfect time to start the year off right and take a fun little weekend getaway trip. Whether it’s a couple trip or a family friendly trip, there are tons of great ones nearby…but I especially think these are perfect for families! One of the great things about Memphis is that we are centrally located to SO many great places that are round around 6 hours. Just that short little weekend getaway is great too if you’ve got the travel bug and just have to get away! And there are so many great things to see and do! Today I’m sharing my top 10 favorite locations for a short weekend getaway trip from Memphis.
Top 10 Weekend Getaway Trips from Memphis, TN
1.) St. Louis, Missouri
One of the biggest reasons families love visiting St. Louis is the incredibly unique City Museum. It is unlike a traditional museum and is more of an enormous interactive playground built from repurposed architectural pieces, tunnels, slides, climbing structures and hidden passages. Kids can easily spend an entire day there, but honestly adults love it too. My sister and I easily could have spent an entire weekend there! I’m honestly not sure who loved it more. The rooftop area with the Ferris wheel and school bus hanging off the edge is especially cool too! It’s great for all ages. St. Louis is also home to the iconic Gateway Arch, a Cardinals baseball game, the Saint Louis Zoo, Union Station and several free attractions that make it an affordable family weekend trip.
2.) Chattanooga, Tennessee
Last spring was our first time to visit Chattanooga, and now we have been back 4 times already. If you want a mix of outdoor adventure, great restaurants and walkable downtown charm, it’s the perfect spot. It is about 5 hours from Memphis, making it an easy road trip for couples, families or a girls’ weekend. One of the biggest draws is Lookout Mountain where you can visit Ruby Falls, ride the Incline Railway and explore Rock City with its incredible panoramic views. Downtown Chattanooga is also home to the Tennessee Aquarium, which the kids absolutely loved! You can spend the weekend walking the Walnut Street Bridge, exploring Coolidge Park, kayaking on the river, visiting rooftop bars or just slowing down and enjoying the mountain views. Chattanooga also has some really great boutique hotels and fun glamping stays too if you want something more unique.
3.) Branson, Missouri
Branson is a place we frequently visit and for good reason. We LOVE Branson. This is where we had our wedding, and a place we visit every year. There is so much to see and do in Branson from amusement parks like Silver Dollar City to Pink Jeep Tours to shows to hiking. And a bonus is how family friendly the entire area is! Our favorite place to stay is Big Cedar Lodge and the Ozarker Lodge. Branson is perfect for a couples trip or a family getaway.
4.) Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville has long been a favorite place of mine, and now we love to take the kids too. And it is such a blast for them! We typically stay at Gaylord Opryland, and in the winter they have gingerbread decorating, carriage rides, ice tubing, bumper cars, ice skating and more! And year-round they have the indoor water attraction, flatboat rides and scavenger hunts. And during summer, they have the outdoor water attraction. They literally have everything here from tons of great dining, ice cream shops, gift shops and more. It is so family friendly too! And if you stay in the downtown area, it is perfect for a couples or girls trip!
5.) The Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
We’ve been to the Gatlinburg area since I was a kid, since it’s just on the other side of the state. And now we go every single year and take the kids! We are going again this summer, and we cannot wait! If you don’t know, Gatlinburg sits just at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and is absolutely GORGEOUS. There’s lots of fun, outdoorsy things to do and we just love it when we are here! There are plenty of great shows, coasters, rafting, amusement parks like Dollywood and Anakeesta, swimming and hiking to be done here. And it’s super family friendly as well! Some of our favorite resorts are Margaritaville and Wilderness at the Smokies.
6.) Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is such a great, short little trip. They have so much there to do like Legoland and Great Wolf Lodge, and it’s just a short drive from where my brother lives. Nearby there is a great zoo, Six Flags, tons of great restaurants, shopping and nice hotels. There are also plenty of great suburbs nearby too you will want to visit. It’s great for a couples trip or a family trip! And nearby, there is tons of great hiking and cabins you can stay in too.
7.) New Orleans, Louisiana
We have always loved a good weekend getaway to NOLA. If y’all haven’t been, it’s honestly a gorgeous place to visit no matter what time of year it is. New Orleans has so much to offer. Amazing restaurants, super interesting history (which includes tons of tours to learn more about that history) and always something happening, you really can’t go wrong here! Our favorite hotel to stay at when we are here is The Royal Sonesta. We haven’t taken the kids yet, but it’s on our list to do very soon now that Grayson is a little older.
8.) Birmingham, Alabama
Only a few hours drive from Memphis, Birmingham is a favorite of ours. They have great dining, the great golf courses, hotels, rolling hills, hiking, and the entire area is pretty family friendly as well. Our favorite hotel is Renaissance Ross Bridge. We love it for family trips or for a couples trip too.
9.) Dallas, Texas
We love Dallas! It is only a 7 hour drive, and it is a great place to spend the weekend. They have tons of great shopping, wonderful hotels, amazing food, and honestly there are so many more great places within driving distance of Dallas too that you’ll want to cross off your list sometime too. We sometimes stay in Grapevine too when visiting. They have Great Wolf Lodge and the Gaylord Texan there, and they are both super family friendly too. The entire area is just beautiful, and the weather is typically nice and warm. You can always find something new and some place to visit here.
10.) Oxford, Mississippi
Only a short hour drive away, Oxford is a great spot for a quick little getaway! This little town is so charming and has so much to offer! And it is still constantly growing. They have a couple great hotels, really cute boutiques, bookstores and gift shops and restaurants on the square and you can always watch Ole Miss play. The entire town is super family friendly and walkable on the square too. The Oliver Hotel is my favorite hotel in town.
11.) Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is a growing area, and that won’t be changing anything soon. Known for its natural springs and bath houses, it is also known for its thoroughbred racing. Hot Springs was the first national park in the U.S, so they have plenty of great hiking and views. And they also have some beautiful hotels, great airbnbs and some great dining and shopping downtown. It is super friendly but also a great spot for couples. Our favorite spot to stay is the Waters Hotel.
Have you been to any of these places? Let me know which are your favorite weekend trips from Memphis.
I have done that have been mentioned, but I think my favorite spots were Atlanta and New Orleans!!! I love weekend getaways!!!