Most visitors to Memphis find that driving in Memphis is relatively easy and that renting a car is the way to get for getting from one place to another during a Memphis vacation.  Memphis streets are laid out easily and well-maintained so that driving is efficient.  This is not as true of downtown Memphis as it is of the other areas of the city but even driving in downtown is generally not too difficult.  The one time of day that this is not true is rush hour and it is highly recommended that tourists avoid driving during this time, especially in the downtown area.

Public transportation is easy to negotiate in Memphis and is often the best second-choice after driving for getting around the city.  The bus system, MATA, is inexpensive and runs all throughout the city as well as to and from the Memphis International Airport.  There are two lines which run through downtown Memphis and this is the way to go if you need to get downtown during high-traffic hours.  Additionally, MATA operates a trolley system which tourists often use to see the famous tourist locations without having to worry about driving and parking.  During the weekday lunch hour, the trolley operates at half price.