Tupelo is a fun town to visit in Mississippi – for Elvis!
Looking for a town to visit in Mississippi? Tupelo is 115 miles from downtown Memphis, Tennessee.
You’ll find nods to Elvis all over this small town, and if you’re a fan, it’s worth a day trip. If you are wanting to make a weekend out of it, I would suggest staying in nearby Oxford, Mississippi, (home of Ole Miss) and enjoying some time shopping and eating on The Square, and maybe even catch an Ole Miss football or baseball game.
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Fast Fact: Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis Presley, and the town celebrates it!
I came to town looking for something more than Elvis, but after an afternoon and a few conversations with locals, I discovered that Elvis is indeed the King here! I asked the question at varying venues from museum to restaurant, “Aside from Elvis, what else is Tupelo good for?” and I got varying terminology of the same answer, “Nothing, Elvis is it!” Although there are nice places to eat and drink and few places to shop, I would expect a hardy dose of Elvis, and not a lot more.
Two points of interest to visit Tupelo:
1
Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum. You could make the visit to the museum a long visit, or you could get through all there is to see in about an hour. The museum buildings are very small, rightfully so as Elvis was born in a two-room house, but there are also some very peaceful park-like areas on the grounds that you could spend a good bit of time walking around. It’s a quaint walk back in time, especially if you’re an Elvis fan.
If you’re coming from Memphis to see the museum, you’ll want to consider this tour, with transportation included, to make your experience perfect.
2
When looking for places to visit in Mississippi, remember that every summer Tupelo hosts the Tupelo Elvis Festival. As you would expect and hope for, you’ll see and hear Elvis look-alikes and Elvis tributes. But you’re also going to find all the other wonderful events that come with a good festival including live entertainment, some great southern food, beverages, a “Running with the King” 5K, and lots of other competitions and events. If you want a good helping of Elvis in the best setting possible, I suggest that this would be the summer festival to put on your calendar!
FIVE Things to Know Before You Go:
- Don’t let first impressions fool you when driving into town. Find your way to Main Street, this is the starting point for most of what you’ll want to see in Tupelo during your visit in Mississippi.
- Tupelo does have several bars and restaurants that are open later in the evening, but if you are going on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday you’ll want to check ahead to make sure the place you want to visit is open.
- I found plenty of free on-the-street parking on a normal business day, but I suspect that changes during the Elvis Festival, so be sure to check the website for the parking situation that weekend.
More Photos From Tupelo:
