Memphis to Gulf Shores road trip: Time, distance & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Memphis to Gulf Shores drive are Tupelo MS, Meridian MS and Mobile AL. The distance from Memphis to Gulf Shores AL by car is 444 miles, with a 7h10m driving time.

Planning a Memphis to Gulf Shores road trip itinerary

The Memphis to Gulf Shores drive takes you from western Tennessee to the Alabama coast.

Memphis, Tennessee, is a pilgrimage site for Elvis fans. The King’s Graceland mansion is one of the top tourist sites in the US. But the cultural heritage extends beyond music, as you’ll discover on an African-American history tour.

Try the Rock and Soul Museum, plus the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the 19^th century Woodruff-Fontaine House.

Ways of seeing the city include ghost walks, Downtown food tours and musical bus tours. There are also guided walks down music central, Beale Street, and city tours that take you inside the legendary Sun Studios.

Top Memphis accommodation options include the Peabody, famous for its marching ducks, and the Guesthouse at Graceland.

Gulf Shores has a touch of the Margaritaville lifestyle, which should come as no surprise given Jimmy Buffett’s sister runs restaurant and music bar LuLu’s here.

A little soft adventure can be mixed in with the turquoise water, white sand and fun-loving bars, however. Top Gulf Shores experiences include kayaking with dolphins and paddleboarding with Pure Aloha Adventures.

Fabulous beachside accommodation in Gulf Shores include the Lodge at Gulf State Park and the Phoenix All Suites West Hotel.

Memphis to Gulf Shores distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Memphis to Gulf Shores is 444 miles. That makes for a driving time of around seven hours and ten minutes. Most of the journey is down the I-22 and US-45.

The best stops to add to a Memphis to Gulf Shores road trip itinerary are Tupelo MS, Meridian MS and Mobile AL.

Memphis to Gulf Shores road trip attractions: Tupelo MS

Elvis lived in Tupelo, Mississippi, until he was 13 years old. The house where he was born, and lived his first few years, is now a museum.

The simple two room house was built by Presley’s father, Vernon. Attractions at the site include a statue of Elvis as a 13-year-old and the church the family attended.

Memphis to Gulf Shores drive: Meridian MS

The Meridian Museum of Art is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Meridian Children’s Museum keeps younger visitors entertained.

Elsewhere, the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience celebrates Mississippi’s contribution to the arts world and the Greek Revival-style Merrehope does the historic home thing.

Best stops between Memphis and Gulf Shores AL: Mobile AL

The Alabama Gulf Coast port city of Mobile has a perhaps unexpected party spirit. This is best explored in the bars, or at the Mobile Carnival Museum.

You can also head on board the USS Alabama battleship or visit the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico. The latter includes a ship simulator, where you can have a go at steering a ship through the Gulf.

Mobile experience options include a downtown food tour and a wildlife kayaking tour.

Top Mobile accommodation picks include the personality-packed Fort Conde Inn and the riverside Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza.