Tupelo, Mississippi, checks all the boxes for a sensational Southern summer getaway. With a remarkable dining scene, only-in-Mississippi attractions, and distinctive museums and cultural sites to explore, Tupelo is an ideal summertime destination for making the most of Mississippi.
Take a scenic drive into town on the Natchez Trace Parkway, ranked as the fourth most-visited National Park Service site in the country. Start your day at the Parkway Visitor Center at Milepost 266, where helpful rangers will tell you everything you need to know about traveling the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway, and point you in the direction of trails within easy walking distance.
Speaking of trails, the city has options for every outdoors enthusiast. Check out the Music Bend Nature Trail, a certified Mississippi Arboretum that introduces 42 distinct tree species labeled along the trail. Saddle up for the Elvis Tupelo Self-Guided Bicycle Tour, which will take you to 14 sites that played important roles in Elvis’ childhood in Tupelo. Delve into the city’s rich history along its Heritage Trails, which include the Chickasaw Native American Heritage Trail, the Civil Rights & African American Heritage Trail, and the Civil War Trail.
There’s plenty more to explore. Don’t miss the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo, which invites guests to get up-close with exotic animals including zebras, buffalo, and monkeys. Home to over 260 animals and encompassing 210 acres, this one-time cattle ranch is now Mississippi’s largest zoo by area. No list of Tupelo’s attractions would be complete without the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum, where visitors tour the home where Elvis was born, explore a museum that chronicles his life, and visit the childhood church where the King of Rock & Roll was heavily influenced by gospel music.
Worked up an appetite? There are more than 200 restaurants in town to choose between. Whether you crave a taste of the South or an elevated, upscale plate, Tupelo has a menu for you. For a great burger, visit Neon Pig Café. Home of the smashburger, the “smash grind” is made up of filet, ribeye, sirloin, New York strip, and Benton’s bacon. For a classic meat-and-three, try Romie’s Grocery. The rooftop at Park Heights Restaurant offers a perfect sunset setting in which to enjoy the Springer Mountain chicken or pan-seared mahi-mahi. If it’s delicious local libations you crave, head to Mississippi’s first and only meadery, Queen’s Reward. We recommend trying the famous slushie flight—a perfect summertime adult treat.
Visit tupelo.net to start planning your next iconic summer getaway. Imagine what you can do here!
