Find the Best Things to Do in Germantown
By Sally Walker Davies
Memphis Local Expert
About Germantown
Photo courtesy of City of Germantown
The idyllic community of Germantown, just east of Memphis, is world's away in atmosphere. With master planned neighborhoods, boutique shopping areas and a full complement of locally-owned eateries, Germantown is one of the metropolitan Memphis area's most coveted residential suburbs and offers loads of options for outdoor enthusiasts.
See & Do
With loads of public parks, a greenbelt system including portions along the Wolf River and connects with the Shelby Farms Greenline, the prestigious annual Germantown Charity Hose Show, and a festival that includes Wiener Dog races, there's always something going on out of doors in Germatown. The excellent Germantown Performing Arts Center offers a variety of performing arts options, bringing world-class acts to this suburban Memphis stage.
Eat
For a suburb, and despite a plethora of chain options, Germantown boasts some excellent locally-owned restaurants. Elfo's - a northern Italian eatery owned by the family of Italian cooking in Memphis - is a white tablecloth treat, while the nearby Commissary is a testament to Memphis-style barbecue. The tiny West Street Diner offers a hearty home-cooked breakfast and diner-style lunches (think loaded BLTs), while Sakura's sushi and Bento boxes are staples for lovers of Japanese cuisine.
Stay
Hotel options in the Germantown area offer a variety of options for visitors, with mostly mid-priced chain options from which to choose. The Courtyard by Marriott offers easy access to the Wolf River section of the greenbelt, while those looking to stay more centrally located, on-the border between Memphis and Germantown options of the Embassy Suites and the swank Hilton Memphis.
Shop
Thanks to masterful planning and serious sign ordinances, Germantown's retail districts are tasteful and tempting, thanks to a mix of high-end retailers and local boutiques. The Shops of Saddle Creek offers two areas to meander through, with stalwarts like Talbots, J. Crew, Vera Bradley and James Avery to shop, while little gift stores and boutiques include Free People, More than Words, Isabella and Wish. Much of the shopping is located along the Poplar corridor between Kirby Parkway and Forest Hill-Irene.