Explore the highlights of Mississippi
Best known as the Southern state that birthed the blues and raised the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Mississippi nurtured musical legends like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and beloved crooner Elvis Presley.
The famed Mississippi Blues Trail, with over 200 markers, commemorates the significant sites and notable figures in blues history, offering insights into the cultural and historical context that gave rise to this influential genre.
There's more to the Magnolia state than its musical heritage though; Mississippi has a well-documented raw and complex history encompassing colonisation, conflict, plantation agriculture and cultural evolution.
Today, Mississippi leans into its profound historical legacy while celebrating its rich music and artistic contributions.
Take the time to explore this subtropical state and you’ll quickly learn that it’s far more diverse than you think. Here, you’ll find a vast river basin, balmy Gulf Coast beaches, live music hubs like Clarksdale, wooded state parks, museums and college towns with significant literary connections.
Musical Mississippi
Mississippi, hailed as the "Birthplace of America's Music," holds a revered place in musical history thanks to its association with one of the most beloved figures in rock 'n' roll — Elvis Presley.
Born January 8, 1935, in an unassuming two-room wooden house in Tupelo, Mississippi's homegrown virtuoso has left an indelible mark on American music and culture. His pioneering blend of country, blues and gospel helped shape the sound of rock and roll before his untimely death in 1977.
The Elvis Presley Birthplace, a museum and historical site, showcases the King's modest beginnings at this small house and rapid rise to global fame in the late 1950s.
The Presley household has been carefully preserved and restored to reflect its appearance in the early 20th century and features an extensive collection of artefacts, photographs and personal memorabilia.
Beyond the Birthplace, you can continue your rock 'n' roll pilgrimage and sit in the 'Elvis booth' at Johnnie's Drive-In, a vintage cash-only diner where the King ate during his formative years.
Another musical hotspot for hardcore fans is Tupelo Hardware Store, where young Elvis and his mother, Gladys, bought his first guitar for $7.75.
While you're there...
Tupelo's celebration of its musical heritage extends beyond Elvis's legacy. The city's longstanding live music scene features soulful blues nights, intimate singer-songwriter sessions and international acts playing in a 10,000-seat arena.
Follow the Natchez Trace Parkway
While music is an obvious focal point, a network of trails highlights Tupelo's major historic sites, including the Civil Rights and African American trail.
The Natchez Trace Parkway loosely follows a historic travel corridor and spans 444 miles through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.
This scenic route follows the Old Natchez Trace, an essential pathway for the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations. "Kaintucks", European settlers, slave traders and soldiers also used this long pathway before officials designated it as a unit of the National Park System in 1938.
Today, it's a recreational space and scenic drive, connecting more than 350 archaeological sites, including significant burial and ceremonial mounds like the Emerald Mound, built by early Native people and the second-largest mound in the United States.
Sip Mississippi's mead
After hitting the trails, sample artisanal wines crafted from 100% locally sourced honey at the Queen's Reward — Mississippi's first small-batch meadery.
Sip your way through a roster of meads, from traditional sweet and dry to unique flavours like Scarlett Noir, which blends Mississippi honey with California Pinot Noir grape juice, and Winter Spice, infused with aromatic cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
Cultural Mississippi
Touted as the "Cultural Mecca of the South," Oxford is Mississippi's historic literary and intellectual hub. Home to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), this Southern town has long inspired musicians, artists and writers, contributing to its cultural cachet.
Rowan Oak is central to its cultural landscape, the historic home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner.
Set on 29 acres of wooded grounds, Faulkner's 19th-century residence is where the esteemed author penned masterpieces As I Lay Dying, Absalom, Absalom!, Light in August, and A Fable. Take a self-guided tour and learn more about the life and mind of one of America's greatest writers through his personal effects and carefully displayed manuscripts.
Another significant landmark is the L.Q.C. Lamar House Museum, which showcases the life and career of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, a prominent 19th-century political figure. A well-preserved example of Greek Revival architecture, this restored house was declared a National Historic Landmark for Lamar's involvement in national political affairs after the end of the Civil War.
The museum's exhibits document his complex legacy, including Lamar's controversial stance on states' rights and his opposition to Reconstruction policies to secure civil rights for freed slaves.
While you're there...
The University of Mississippi campus forms a significant part of Oxford's college-town identity. Spanning 1,200 acres, Ole Miss is known for its groomed grounds, Georgian architecture, and historic buildings.
The downtown square is the city's social and commercial hub, characterised by a picturesque courthouse space surrounded by restaurants, boutiques, and bookstores.
Browse books in Oxford
Begin at Square Books, an obvious choice for avid bibliophiles looking for novel and cosy reading nooks. Founded in 1979 by Richard and Lisa Howorth, this homegrown indie store has become a beloved literary institution in Oxford.
Its well-stocked shelves are meticulously curated, emphasising Southern writers and topics. A robust programme of readings and book signings supplements the vast literary collection.
Sample Mississippi's gins
On Oxford’s fringes, 128-acre Farmstead Floral showcases the intricate art of floristry.
The Farmstead features vividly coloured commercial flower fields and a bountiful vegetable farm. It offers accommodation, yoga and art sessions and a cooking school. Head to Wonderbird Spirits, North Mississippi's first grain-to-glass gin distillery, for tours and tastings.
Situated just outside of Oxford on a picturesque 20-acre property, Wonderbird offers guided tours that give insight into the hand-distilled process, from sourcing ingredients to the final product.
Crafted with locally sourced rice, their signature gin draws inspiration from Japanese sake-making techniques to create their base spirit, resulting in distinctive, award-winning gins.
Local Mississippi
The blues began in the Mississippi Delta, a distinctive region in the northwest of the state. This National Heritage Area (MDNHA), characterised by its rich, fertile soil and complex history, provided the backdrop for developing this profoundly expressive and soulful genre.
Mississippi's socio-economic environment, characterised by cotton plantations that relied upon enslaved labour and a sizeable descendant African-American population, played a pivotal role in shaping and sharing blues music, while laying the foundation for modern rock, jazz and hip-hop.
At the heart of this musical homeland is historic Clarksdale, one of the best places in Mississippi to experience Delta culture and blues.
Begin at tiny music haunt Red's Juke Joint, one of the last remaining authentic juke joints in the Delta. Here, the evocative blues come to life, with talented musicians playing late into the night.
Its intimate setting, with eclectic decor and red lighting, creates an electrifying ambience for revellers.
For a deeper dive into the history of this soulful music, head to the Delta Blues Museum. The diverse exhibits chronicle the journey of this evocative genre and are bursting with instruments and blues memorabilia, including the log cabin where Muddy Waters grew up.
In the rural town of Tutwiler, you'll find a community-focused Quilters program - Tutwiler Quilters. Founded in 1988, this crafty collective was created for women in the area to make their own money and the ladies have woven personal stories into their unique textiles ever since.
Sweet treats in the Delta can be found at Heaton Pecans in Clarksdale. This family-owned business has been producing homegrown pecan products, including pies, tarts and candy assortments, since 1962.
While you're there...
Clarksdale, the musical mecca and home to the legendary 'Clarksdale Crossroads,' is where blues icon Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his extraordinary talent.
Before you reach the Crossroads at the intersection of Highways 49 and 61, stop in Tutwiler to see the fading Tutwiler Tracks mural depicting the city's rich musical heritage.
Immerse yourself in the blues
Continue your blues pilgrimage at Ground Zero Blues Club, a cornerstone of Clarksdale's live music scene.
Actor Morgan Freeman co-owns the high-energy downtown club, which occupies a former cotton-grading warehouse. Graffiti and music memorabilia cover its walls, telling the story of sticky, soulful nights in Clarksdale, where numerous local talents and big-name blues artists have performed live, including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke and Robert Johnson.
Delve into blues history
Explore a key chapter of blues history at Stovall Farm, which blues icon Muddy Waters once called home for 30 years.
In 1941-42, a renowned musicologist, Alan Lomax, visited Stovall Plantation to record local musicians for the Library of Congress. These recordings on Waters' front porch include some of his earliest known performances, such as "Country Blues" and "I Be's Troubled". These sessions were pivotal, as they captured the raw and authentic sound of the Delta blues and introduced Waters to a broader audience.
Though the original house now resides in the Delta Blues Museum, the significant site remains a pilgrimage point for music lovers.
Coastal Mississippi
With 99km of picturesque shoreline, Coastal Mississippi offers a pleasing mix of natural beauty and cultural richness. Charming towns and white sand beaches dot this stretch along the balmy Gulf of Mexico.
Begin your journey at Bay St. Louis, an artsy beach town. The bay's sandy beaches are a huge draw, while the Municipal harbour offers plenty of facilities for boating, trout fishing and kayaking in vivid, blue-green waters.
Dining is a real treat on the coast, with waterside restaurants serving ocean-fresh seafood dinners with dreamy Gulf views. Trapani’s, a beachside favourite, is known for locally caught trout, flounder and red snapper.
Grab a seat on The Blind Tiger's marina-facing patio and order from the daily chalkboard menu, featuring seafood classics like shrimp tacos and fish sandwiches.
On your coastal journey, swing by Pass Christian, known for its shrimping heritage and historic role as a resort destination for wealthy New Orleans residents in the 19th century. These well-heeled New Orleanians built grand summer homes along Scenic Drive, one of the nation's most notable historic districts. Today, the small town is renowned for its shady oak-lined streets, arts festival and Gulf-to-table cuisine.
Art hub Ocean Springs is another coastal Mississippi must-see, home to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. Named after American painter and writer Walter Anderson, his varied art celebrates the Gulf Coast's rich flora and fauna with a style that blends realism and abstraction.
While you're there...
Coastal Mississippi offers a rich blend of activities and attractions along its pristine shorelines. A must-visit is the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, a unique cultural institution dedicated to the innovative works of George E. Ohr, a celebrated ceramic artist known as the "Mad Potter of Biloxi."
The museum's campus, designed by the renowned architect Frank Gehry, consists of several distinctive structures housing rotating exhibitions and hands-on classes.
Retreat to the Gulf of Mexico
On the shoreline of Waveland, Buccaneer State Park offers an outdoor retreat surrounded by verdant landscapes featuring moss-covered oaks, marshlands and the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Initially opened in 1972, the park was dramatically restored after Hurricane Katrina's devastating destruction to become an extensive recreation and camping hub.
Hike among the wildlife
You can also hike the Pirate's Alley Nature Trail, a 2.9km self-guided trail that winds through a variety of coastal vegetation and wildlife habitats.
The park's sandy beach area along the sun-kissed Gulf of Mexico provides swimming, sunbathing and beachcombing in a wildlife-rich coastal ecosystem.
