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Memphis & Mississippi: An All-American Trail
Whilst transatlantic travel is suspended, we know the desire to travel to the USA is still strong and when the time is right Memphis & Mississippi will be rebound ready. In the meantime, we’d like to inspire your client’s travel plans for a great American road trip.
The City of Memphis has always had strong connections with its southern neighbour, the state of Mississippi, making Memphis & Mississippi a road trip waiting to happen with a playlist to go with it that spans from blues to gospel, soul to country and rock ’n’ roll.
The sheer variety of Memphis & Mississippi from the beaches of the Gulf Coast to the music clubs on Beale Street will surprise and enthral both seasoned and first-time visitors to America.
The Memphis & Mississippi Trail starts and ends in Memphis and can easily be managed in 14 nights. The best times of year to visit are in the Spring (April/May) or Autumn (September/October).
Memphis
There is plenty to see and do in Memphis for three or four nights and there are year-round events and festivals celebrating this diverse and dynamic city. Here’s a popular 3-day itinerary: | | |
Memphis Day 1 – Turn Up the Volume
o Take your pick from a variety of downtown diners specializing in southern-style breakfast platters to coffee shops that serve house-made pastries.
Rock ‘N” Soul Museum (1 hour)
o Hear the complete Memphis music story at this Smithsonian-curated museum.
o Visit Memphisrocknsoul.org
Sun Studio (1 hour)
o Take a guided tour through the tiny studio where you’ll hear rare outtakes from recording sessions and you can even touch Elvis’ first microphone.
o Visit Sunstudio.com
Edge Motor Museum
o Showcases the American sports car from “post-war to ‘74” and a convenient two-minute walk from Sun Studio.
Graceland (4 hours)
o Welcome to the Home of Elvis Presley. See how a rock ‘n’ roll legend lived and relaxed with family and friends. Savour the personal side of Elvis in the mansion, preserved since 1977, and then explore his astonishing career across the street at Elvis Presley’s Memphis which includes eateries and gift shops.
o Visit Graceland.com
Dinner Downtown and Beale Street
o With celebrity chefs, buzzy outdoor spaces and breweries and distilleries serving food truck fare and more, you’ll find diverse dining options downtown. The live music on Beale Street hums much of day and long into the night 365 days a year.
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Memphis Day 2 – History Meets Culture
Slave Haven/Burkle Estate (1 hour)
o This home, a former stop on the Underground Railroad for escaped enslaved people, reveals secrets hidden for more than 100 years and tells a compelling and inspiring story.
o Visit Slavehavenmemphis.com
National Civil Rights Museum (3 hours)
o In the historic Lorraine Motel, site of the assassination of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this museum interprets 400 years of the civil rights movement.
o Visit Civilrightsmuseum.org
Soul Food Lunch
o From downtown to Soulsville, discover iconic soul food restaurants for authentic home-cooking.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music (1 hour)
o In the Soulsville neighbourhood, learn more about (and dance to!) Memphis soul music through 2,000 records, artifacts and memorabilia.
o Visit Staxmuseum.com
The Peabody Duck March
o Witness the hilarious spectacle of The Peabody Duck March (11am and 5pm daily) in the opulent lobby of the South’s grand hotel, The Peabody.
BBQ for Dinner
o With more than 100 barbecue restaurants citywide, follow your nose to indulge in Memphis’ culinary signature dish.
o Visit Memphistravel.com/Memphis-best-barbecue
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Memphis Day 3 – Explore Outdoors
Shelby Farms Park (3 hours)
o Cycle from downtown along the Greenway, a protected bike trail, to Shelby Farms, a 4,500-acre outdoor wonderland with bike trails, horseback riding, zipline adventures and more including onsite dining.
o Visit Shelbyfarmspark.org
Golf (9 or 18 holes)
o Whether you want to play 9 or 18 holes, choose from a variety of Memphis courses, including historic and award-winning clubs, open to the public.
o Memphistravel.com/trip-ideas/golf-getaways-memphis
o Rent a kayak or paddleboard to enjoy the Mississippi River up close.
Mighty Lights over the Mississippi River (15 min. show)
o This free, nightly show on the hour from sunset highlights two iconic bridges over the Mississippi River with a dazzling light show.
Dinner in Overton Square
o This entertainment district packs a variety of restaurants to please any taste or palate, plus theatres, shops, and live music venues to explore after dinner.
| | | Memphis → Oxford → Tupelo (200km) Oxford is a perfectly preserved small town with the sophisticated restaurants and shops of a big city and all the quirk and charm of a truly Southern town. Explore "The Square", still the centre of Oxford's commerce and activity and take in Nobel Prize-winner William Faulkner's home Rowan Oak, just minutes from the University of Mississippi's historic campus.
Once inside the actual birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo you'll fully understand his background in a tiny house in a tiny town. A statue commemorating his 1956 Homecoming concert stands in Tupelo's Fairpark District in the thriving downtown, and driving and cycling tours highlighting 11 significant places in Elvis' childhood is also part of the visitor experience. A must-see is the Tupelo Hardware Store which is still in business and housed in the same historic building where Gladys Presley bought her son a guitar and the world was never the same.
| | Tupelo → Columbus → Meridian (251km) Make your first stop in Columbus the Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center where you’ll be greeted by one of the friendly and knowledgeable guides and a complimentary cup of gourmet coffee. Take the free tour of the first home of legendary playwright Tennessee Williams and then explore several of the architectural gems right around the corner including the renowned Greek Revival Rosewood Manor and Gardens (c. 1835).
The Mississippi Arts Experience (MAX) in Meridian celebrates Mississippi’s culture from the native Choctaw to modern home-grown celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Tammy Wynette William Faulkner and BB King. Meridian also honours its most famous son, Father of Country Music, Jimmie Rodgers at his birthplace museum in the historic downtown.
| | Meridian → Hattiesburg → Secret Coast (265km) Enjoy the serene canopy of trees on a hike, bike or horseback ride down the 44-mile Longleaf Trace near Hattiesburg or feast in the local music scene at Live at Five in Town Square Park.
Coastal Mississippi, known as the Secret Coast, stretches 62 miles overlooking the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Secret Coast’s temperate climate, along with its astounding natural beauty, makes for the perfect year-round destination. There is an incredible amount to do, see and experience from outdoor activities, such as kayaking, boating, fishing and hiking, to a wide variety of attractions, museums, festivals, world-class gaming and championship golf courses. Each coastal community across the region has something different to offer; from scenic harbour towns and beautiful, walkable downtown areas shaded with live oaks, to world-renowned shows and casino headliner entertainment.
| | | Secret Coast → New Orleans (146km) Take the old coastal road, Highway 90, from the Secret Coast to New Orleans, the birthplace of Jazz and home to the French Quarter, the Garden District, the famous streetcars, the Saints and the Super Dome. Not to mention a nightlife and culinary scene that throbs 24-hours-a-day. | | New Orleans → Natchez (283km) A visit to Natchez, the jewel of the Mississippi River, is a “must” on any Southern road trip as it is the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River and in the 1850’s had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America.
Natchez was originally inhabited by Native Americans known as the Noche, a sophisticated and sun-worshipping tribe who had a flourishing commercial empire. Established first as a French fort overlooking the Mississippi River in 1716, the city was later laid out as a new town by the Spanish in the 1790s. Natchez became part of America with the establishment of the Mississippi Territory in 1798.
An easy way to experience the city's attractions is on the Natchez City Sightseeing Double Decker Bus, which offers a hop-on, hop-off tour. Or for something a bit different why not enjoy the sunset and romance of Natchez at night and take a horse-drawn carriage tour around beautiful antebellum homes and historical downtown Natchez.
| | David Nicholson, Partner Lofthouse Enterprises
Representing Memphis & Mississippi
Tel: 01462 440 784
E-mail: david@lofthouse.co
| | Jennie Jordan, Communications Manager Lofthouse Enterprises
Representing Memphis & Mississippi
Tel: 01462 440787
E-Mail: jennie@lofthouse.co
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