As we touched down in Tupelo on a tiny 30(ish) seater plane at night, pulling up to an airport with only one gate, one terminal, heck, one door, I thought to myself, “Well, for my first trip to the state of Mississippi, this is already shaping up to be an adventure for this big-city gal.”
And that it was, in the best possible way.
If you have never heard of Tupelo, Mississippi, you at least know their most famous former resident- Elvis Presley. This music god was born and raised in Tupelo until he was 13, when his family moved to Memphis in search of work. Little did the locals know back then that the kid who bought a guitar from the Tupelo Hardware Store on his 11th birthday would be back rocking their town with his hip-gyrating tunes.
But we weren’t in Tupelo to stalk the town’s mega-music son. Nope, my friend Angie and I were here to have a restful girls’ weekend filled with great cocktails, local coffee, vintage shopping, and a bit of crafting.
After plenty of research into the things to do and best bites in town, here’s how I’d recommend planning a trip to Tupelo with friends when you want to escape the big city and soak up a little southern charm and “spill the tea” with a few friends over drinks.
How to get to Tupelo
Contour Air is the only airline that flies into Tupelo airport, at least during my most recent visit, with connections in Nashville and Dallas.
There are several larger cities within driving distance, which most visitors opt to do if they live in the south. It is perfect for anyone looking to take a road trip along the Natchez Trace Parkway from Franklin, TN, Huntsville, AL, or other southern states.
Approximate Drive Times to Tupelo
- Memphis: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Nashville: 3 hours 30 minutes
- New Orleans: 5 hours
- Huntsville: 2 hours 20 minutes
How to Plan a Girls’ Trip to Tupelo Itinerary
Before you book your girls’ getaway, think about what you want to do. Would you rather get out into nature, learn the history of the area, lounge around with cocktails and some spa time, learn a new skill, or a little bit of everything?
Personally, I’m a little bit of everything kind of gal, so when my friend Angie and I went on this trip, I thought about how we could balance both of our interests and make the most of what the city had to offer.
Friday
Arrive in Tupelo, MS via car or plane.
You can easily pick up a rental car to get around if you fly into the airport. I do recommend having a car, as public transportation is non-existent, and many of my favorite spots were spread across the city.
Check into the Hotel Tupelo
Hotel Tupelo is a beautiful boutique hotel that is not only right on Main Street with a fun, modern vibe for anyone looking to stay away from the usual chain hotels, but it has a great bar and restaurant built into the first floor too.
The shower pressure might not have been great in our two-queen beds room, but the beds were amazing, which more than made up for it.
If you need your hotel points, though, have no fear, downtown Tupelo hotels also include the Hilton Garden Inn Tupelo, or just outside of town, the Courtyard By Marriott and Home2 Suites By Hilton are an easy drive to everything you will want to see and do.
Get acquainted with downtown
Take a stroll through downtown and take photos with the Downtown Tupelo mural and Elvis Homecoming Statue as you pop into shops and peek in windows of any businesses that are closed that you will want to visit later in your visit.
You can check out the Off the Wall mural list to find all of the Elvis and Mississippi murals. Keep an eye out for the restored Coca-Cola wall advertisement too, which was one of my favorites.
Book an early dinner
One of the more fancy restaurants in town, Park Heights Restaurant, is just a short walk from your hotel if you are in the mood for southern food with a Mediterranean flair. If you have a vegetarian in your group, this is a spot where they will have plenty of options, so they don’t feel left out when their steak, fish, and chicken-loving friends are diving into their meals.
If you are looking for a more casual meal, pop into the Neon Pig for barbeque, burgers, and protein bowls. Simply grab a seat and look over the menu; a server will be right with you to help you grab a beer or point you in the direction of the soda fountain with unlimited refills.
Watch a Show at the Tupelo Community Theater
If the Tupelo Community Theater has a production with seats still available, make sure you book tickets to see a performance. This lovely community theater group puts on classics like Sense and Sensibility, Women Playing Hamlet, and Cinderella, all at an affordable price.
Post-show drinks at Downunder
Once your show lets out, walk over to Downunder to wind down with a cocktail before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. This local staple is owned by an Australian, and is literally in the basement of a building on Main Street, is a low-key hang-out spot for locals and visitors, plus it is on the Tupelo Cocktail Trails.
What is the Tupelo Cocktail Trail?
I love a cocktail trail, so if you are also a cocktail lover you will want to download the mobile app that tracks your visits to seven different bars and eateries on Main Street throughout your stay so you can claim a #MyTupelo cocktail shaker after you have hit all seven.
Featured cocktails and locations on the trail include:
- The Burn Out at The Downunder: Bourbon, Grand Marnier, ginger syrup, lemon juice, smoke, ginger/grapefruit Bitters, and flamed orange
- Tupelo Honey at Park Heights: Honeysuckle Vodka, Elderflower, fresh mint, and lemon juice
- Lemon Ice Box Pie Martini at The Grill at Fairpark: Absolut Citron, white chocolate, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- The Jordan River at Amsterdam Deli: Titos Vodka, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup
- Tupelo Martini at Nautica Whimsey: Tequila, Triple sec, sweet and sour, blueberry syrup
- The Daisy at Jobos: Luna Azul Tequila, Triple Sec, freshly squeezed citrus juice with a Tajin and herb-salted rim
- Mex Berry at Loco Taco Downtown: Mezcal, cherry & chile liqueurs, strawberry puree, agave nectar, and lime
Saturday
Don’t rush out the door in the morning, but do make sure you are up in time for a hearty brunch.
Breakfast at The Grill at Fairpark (10am-3pm)
Walk across the street from Hotel Tupelo to dig into chicken and waffles (my fav!), peach cobbler biscuit (a piece of fried chicken on a buttermilk biscuit topped with warm peach compote!!!), French toast or a smothered chicken biscuit. If you are a fan of Moscow mule cocktails, check out The Grill at Fairpark’s extensive menu of mules and specialty cocktails to go with your entree.
Once you are fueled up, you have two options (both must be booked ahead of time!)
Flower class at Fresh Farm Tupelo OR a charcuterie board class at Charcutie
Both businesses are owned by local women with unique stories to share about how they started their companies. If you have time to do both workshops during your stay, do try to schedule one on Saturday and one on Friday if there are classes scheduled. You can also book a private workshop for just you and your friends, which might be preferred if there is a group of you.
How to decide which class to take? It’s tough, but if you can only pick one, think about where your passions lie- do you want to learn how to make a charcuterie board in the city or how to arrange flowers (or make a dried flower frame like I did) in a greenhouse on a farm?
Here’s a little more information that might help you decide.
Fresh Farm Tupelo
Step out of the car and onto Mori Freeze’s farm filled with flowers, both fresh and dried, and the greenhouse I dream of building in my backyard one day. Workshops vary depending on the time of year, but you can always learn how to arrange flowers, make natural cocktail infusions, or create a piece of dried flower art in a vintage frame.
Charcutie
Whether you want to make charcuterie cups for an upcoming party or learn how to make the perfect charcuterie board for your guests, Charcutie can show you how to do it all. Even better, the owner Stephanie Hall, can show you how to pair your boards with different wines or bourbon for your own event at home all while you enjoy time with your friends. .
I know it’s a hard choice. Happily, I never had to make that decision since we could squeeze both in during our 72-hour trip.
Stephanie and Mori work together often, too, so you could always ask if you could do a combined workshop that incorporates flower and charcuterie classes over the morning or afternoon.
Lunch at Connie’s Chicken
Connie’s Chicken is a Tupelo staple and where you can load up on southern favorites like… fried chicken. Connie’s also offers biscuits and gravy, coleslaw, green beans, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, baked beans, and onion rings.
Before you overstuff yourself, remember to save room for their famous blueberry donuts. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these local favorites are just what you need to balance out the salt of the chicken.
Tour the Elvis Birthplace and Park
Since you are there, and especially if you have ever enjoyed an Elvis song, you should drive over to the Elvis Birthplace and Park. Enjoy a short tour of the two-room home and a presentation in the church he used to sing at (the building was moved to the birthplace site) before you tour the indoor museum and take a stroll up the hill to see the statue “Becoming” of Elvis as a child in his hometown and as a larger-than-life adult who always remembered his humble roots.
Even if you don’t want to take a tour, you can enjoy a peaceful stroll through the park and around the guitar-shaped lake on the grounds.
Coffee Break
Lost and Found Coffee Co. was my favorite coffee shop (of many locally owned ones) in Tupelo. They roast their beans on site, serve up a beautiful cappuccino and have a nice variety of flavored lattes for those in need of sugar.
Lost and Found wasn’t the only great coffee though. If you want to check out shops around town, make sure you pop into Mae’s To Go (get the blueberry crumble “muffin bomb”) and Crave (indulge in a dessert and frappe while you take photos around this pink-infused space).
Vintage Shopping in Tupelo
If you have time, or you skipped the Elvis Birthplace tour, make sure you hit up some of the best vintage shops in Tupelo. Prices are fair, and the selection is amazing, whether you are looking for milk glass, Elvis memorabilia, antique cookware, clothing, jewelry, or collectible toys.
I was on the hunt for mid-century/ retro cocktail glasses and simple syrup containers. While I didn’t score any cocktail glasses (I needed one, not eight, which was tricky to get home), I did find some unique containers to photograph my simple syrups in for cocktail recipes.
There are several consignment and vintage shops, but here are the two you will want to make sure you hit if digging for treasure is your thing.
Relics Antique Marketplace
The size of a city block, it’s so easy to get lost in Relics’s two-story treasure trove. If you aren’t looking for something specific, you will walk out with what you never knew you couldn’t live without.
The staff is happy to wrap up your goodies for transporting home. Best of all, they have baskets and shopping carts you can borrow to load up on items as you wander, so you don’t have to keep running back and forth to the front.
Presley Heights Antique Mall
More manageable in size, with a good selection, Presley Heights Antique Mall has several vendors to wander with a lovely staff that can hold items up front as you load up on glassware, decor, and more.
Prices are all over the place, as each is based on individual vendor stalls, but there are definitely deals to be had if you know what to look for. When in doubt, check eBay to see how much an item is selling for; chances are you will get it at a steep discount at these antique shops in Tupelo.
More Consignment, Vintage, and Thrift Shops
- Shabby Chic Consignment and Boutique LLC
- Lollipop Boutique
- Salvation Army Thrift Store
Dinner at Fork Lift Restaurant
Fork Lift Restaurant is where you will find Chef Cooper Miller serving up delectable bites using local ingredients in elevated Southern cuisine. Entrees like BBQ Duck spaghetti, Cider Braised Pork Cheeks, Jerk Steelhead Trout and Shrimp and Grits are why so many locals and visitors continue to come back to see what specials will hit the menu next.
Post-Dinner Cocktails
Another stop on the Tupelo Cocktail Trail, Jobos, located inside of Hotel Tupelo, is a great spot to enjoy a cocktail before and after dinner.
The Oven-Baked Fundito (melted cheese with tortilla chips) and dessert menu are perfect if you are still a bit hungry after dinner or just aren’t ready to call it a night yet. You can indulge in that extra cocktail, too, since your hotel room is just an elevator ride away.
Sunday
It’s your final day in Tupelo, so let’s focus on a little self-care. Between hikes in nature and a departure massage (or facial), you will feel rested when you get home from your vacation instead of feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation.
A note about Sundays and Mondays
Keep in mind that many restaurants that are open on Saturdays will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. This being the south, Sundays are the Sabbath and reserved for church and family, so most stores and restaurants will be closed (but not all, so don’t panic!)
Morning Walk along the Natchez Trace Parkway (at the Visitors Center)
If you are looking for a nature break, head out to the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor’s Center to find a trail to hike or enjoy a trail run after you wake up. It’s easy to hit the Beech Springs Trail at the Visitors Center or the Confederate Gravesites/Old Trace Trail a few miles down the road if you are looking for a short wander.
This 444-mile parkway stretches all the way to Nashville to the east and Natchez to the west and is the perfect spot to walk and drive throughout the year, but especially in late autumn when the leaves start to turn colors.
Breakfast at Brick and Spoon
Head back into the city for a mimosa flight, beignets, and omelets at Brick and Spoon, where you can relax for a bit after your walk or catch up with those in your group who might have opted to sleep in.
Massage or facial at Haven Studio
End your girls’ weekend with a little pampering at Haven Studio, a day spa that offers yoga, massages, and facials. You can book online or over the phone, but do book in advance, as this is a small staff and if they have no appointments, they might not be there for you to walk in with your group.
Head to the airport or hop in the car to drive home.
It’s time to say goodbye. Load your bags into the car and head to the airport or home. I guarantee you are already thinking about your next trip to Tupelo, maybe this time for an annual festival, fall colors in November, or just to hit the sales at the local boutiques you wandered downtown and in the Midtown Shopping District.
No matter what brings you back to town, Tupelo will be ready and waiting with something new you missed on your last trip.
This post is part of a paid partnership with Visit Tupelo. As always, my opinions are my own. When they aren’t you will be the first to know.
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