Mississippi Blues Road Trip: From Elvis to the Delta

Fly from the UK to Memphis, pick up your car and head south across the state line into Mississippi.

Wake in the town where Elvis Presley was born and take your first day slowly. Step inside the two-room house his father built, sit in the little church where he first heard gospel, and stop at Tupelo Hardware, where his mother bought him his first guitar. Hotel Tupelo puts you a short stroll from the cafés and shops of Main Street. On the edge of town, the new Chickasaw Heritage Center (opening spring 2027) tells a far older story of this land through art, archaeology and restored prairie. As evening falls, the oaks fill with the hum of cicadas.

Follow the Natchez Trace Parkway south, a slow, peaceful road beneath oak and hickory with not a billboard in sight. In Jackson, the state capital, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum tells the state’s hardest story with honesty and force, so give it an unhurried morning. Visit the home of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, now a national monument, then drive out to Bentonia’s Blue Front Café, one of the oldest juke joints still standing. Back at the Old Capitol Inn, the evening belongs to Walker’s Drive-In, a vintage diner turned one of the city’s favourite tables, with warm night air drifting in off North State Street.

Swap the inland heat for a sea breeze in Ocean Springs, an artists’ town of galleries, live oaks and easy walks to the water. Your home is The Roost, a restored landmark named among the most beautifully designed hotels in Mississippi. Wander the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, find the Gulf Hills Hotel where a young Elvis came to escape the crowds, and spend slow hours on Front Beach. Eat Gulf shrimp fresh off the boats as the sun sinks over the bay.

Natchez sits high on the bluffs above the Mississippi, its streets lined with mansions draped in Spanish moss. Settle into Dunleith Historic Inn, an 1856 Greek Revival estate with columns on every side, set in quiet landscaped grounds. Tour the historic homes, drive the southern stretch of the Natchez Trace Parkway and dine at the Castle, the estate’s own restaurant. Then wander down to Natchez Under-the-Hill as the river turns copper at dusk.

Head north past the Windsor Ruins, where twenty-three columns stand alone among the trees, to Vicksburg, the city where the Civil War turned on a 47-day siege. Follow the battlefield’s 16-mile tour road past cannons and quiet monuments, then step inside the Lower Mississippi River Museum to discover how the river shaped everything around it. Stay at the Mulberry Hotel, and as night falls, watch the barges slide past, slow and steady as the centuries.

Cleveland is your next stop, where you’ll stay two nights at the Cotton House. This charming town is home to the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, an absolute must-visit for music lovers. Uncover the stories behind your favourite songs and discover new sounds in this interactive museum. Explore Dockery Farms, often dubbed the birthplace of the blues, where you can feel the music history in the air. 

Wrap up your Mississippi journey in Clarksdale, where the blues were born. Spend two nights at the Hampton Inn, nearby iconic music landmarks like the Delta Blues Museum. Dive into the city's vibrant live music scene at Ground Zero Blues Club, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, where every note tells a story. Visit the legendary Crossroads, where Robert Johnson is said to have made his famous deal. Clarksdale offers a soulful finale to your trip, leaving you with melodies that linger long after you leave.

Drive from Clarksdale to Memphis, then fly to the UK.