A charming and historic square in our hometown of Collierville. An easy drive from the any of the Collierville hotel suggestions, it's full of shops like Hewlett & Dunn and CJ Lilly alongside restaurants we love: David Gristanti's on Main, Dyer's Cafe, Maeve's Tavern, Lost Pizza, Mensi's Dairy Bar ... and this isn't even all of them. If you want to get out for a walk, we'd recommend you hop in a car and drive to WC Johnson Park. There are several trail options, with a boardwalk in the very back of the park.
Thornwood is a a community of shopping, dining and entertainment options in the Germantown suburb. One of our recommended hotels is located here. Grab a coffee and pastry from JoJo's Espresso, lunch from Uncle Goyo's and dinner at Moondance Grill. Shop at Bella Vita (where we are registered!), stop by Maggie Louise (where Olivia got her wedding dress and veil!), and check out Buff City Soap. Saddle Creek is a stone's throw away with another great set of retail stores (Anthropologie, Madewell, Tecovas, ALO) and a fave healthy lunch/brunch spot, City Silo. Just a bit further, other Germantown favorites include Limelight and Southern Social.
If you're itching to get out for a stroll, Shelby Farms Park has great trails and walking path. They have a more upscale restaurant on the property called Coastal Fish that we LOVE! If the weather is nice, you cannot go wrong with a leisurely day spent here.
There is so much to do in Midtown! One of our absolute favorite restaurants, Tonica, is in Overton Park area, which is right near the Brooks Museum and Memphis Zoo. In Overton Sqaure, there's Petals of a Peony (featured in the 2025 Michelin Guide to the South!), Porch & Parlor, Lafayette's and Sweet Noshings (candy/ice cream shop). The Memphian is located right in this area and has a rooftop bar called Tiger & Peacock. Ballet Memphis and Playhouse on the Square bookend all the restaurants and it's worth checking their schedules for shows.
Downtown hosts the 8th Wonder of the World - Bass Pro at The Pyramid. Walk down Beale and pop into Silky's (a group can share the Diver's Bucket), BB King's, and Tin Roof (watch for bar tar). The Fedex Forum and Orpheum are within walking distance as is the historic Peabody Hotel. Other places to check out are the Metal Museum, Old Dominick Distillery (tours offered daily), Stax Museum, Tom Lee Park, and Harbor Town. Great places to eat include: Flight (Drew's favorite restaurant), Catherine & Mary's (great espresso martinis), Hive Bagel, Hard Times Deli, Earnestine & Hazel's, Westy's, Central BBQ, Amelia Gene's, and another Tonica location(!!). Loflin Yard and Wiseacre are great places to hang out and have a bite/drink. If you want to spend a late night downtown, a true Memphis classic is Paula & Raifords Disco.
Oxford, MS is about an hour and 10 minute drive from Collierville. Ole Miss and Mizzou will be playing each other at Ole Miss's Vaught Hemingway Stadium. Oxford is a great city to spend the day in, but we do caution it will be much busier than normal between travel delays (and likely take closer to 1.5 hours with game day traffic) and packed out bars, restaurants, and the campus in anticipation of the SEC match up. If you find your way out to Oxford on any day this wedding weekend, our top recommendations include: Frozen mojitos from Volta Taverna or frozen margs from South Depot, Oxford Grillehouse (need a reservation), pizza from Saint Leo (dressier) or Soulshine (more casual), drinks from The Graduate Hotel's rooftop bar (The Coop), Sqaure Books, and the William Faulkner House. Check out the Beta Fraternity House while you're there, where Drew and his dad lead the expansion construction project!
Wilson is about 1.5 hours away from Collierville or closer to 45 minutes from Memphis proper. It is regionally known as "America's Village," due to its English Tudor architecture and cotton farming history. It's home to The Delta School, White's Mercantile (owned by Hank William's granddaughter, Holly Williams), and the delicious farm-to-table Wilson Cafe. There is also the 4-star Louis Hotel if you decide you'd like to spend the night.