BY MISTY MILIOTO
Tupelo, known for being the birthplace of Elvis Presley, is a small town in northeast Mississippi that’s brimming with culture. While Tupelo definitely still has small-town charm, it’s also bustling with hip hotels, street murals, farm-fresh restaurants, and plenty of entrepreneurs who are making their mark on the city. No matter where you decide to explore, you’re sure to find friendly faces and a warm welcome.
WHERE TO STAY HOTEL TUPELO
Located in the historic Fairpark District, Hotel Tupelo is smack dab in the middle of Tupelo’s dining and shopping scene. This boutique hotel features sophisticated design thanks to mid-century modern furniture, mood lighting and unexpected touches like sheet music on the walls. The two Premier Suites (the Tupelo Suite and the Elvis-inspired King’s Suite) are the largest of the room offerings at 912 square feet. They also boast Main Street views, one king bed, two oversized TVs, double bath vanities, a separate parlor with a dining table for six, a living area with queen-sized sleeper sofa, a wet bar, and another half bath.
Hotel Tupelo also offers ADA-accessible rooms with features like audible or visual alarms, closed captioning on TVs, grab bars in the bathrooms, and enlarged door openings. All rooms feature plush platform beds with cozy custom throws, wall- mounted reading lights, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, Muro bath products, and local coffees and teas. Pet-friendly rooms are available. Be sure to stop by the lobby restaurant and bar, Jobos, which serves modern coastal cuisine for breakfast and dinner and a specialty weekend brunch. Meanwhile, the bar serves up fantastic cocktails. Try The Daisy, made with Lunazul Tequila, Triple Sec, and citrus juice. 314 E. Main St., 662-362-6200, www.hoteltupelo.com
WHAT TO SEE ELVIS PRESLEY BIRTHPLACE & MUSEUM
Upon arriving at the Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum, visitors will first notice a 1939 green Plymouth sedan (a replica of the car that the Presley family drove on their move from Tupelo to Memphis). From there, it is recommended to start the tour at the Walk of Life, a scored concrete circle surrounding the house where Elvis was born, that denotes each year of Elvis’ life from 1935 to 1977.
In the middle of the circle stands a statue, “Elvis at 13,” which memorializes Elvis in his youth. From there, take a step back in time while visiting the modest two-room house where the King of Rock & Roll was born. Also make time to see Elvis’ childhood church where he was first introduced to Southern gospel music. Meanwhile, the Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel, also on the museum grounds, features beautiful stained- glass windows and serves as a place for meditation. Finally, be sure to check out the museum, featuring artifacts, audiovisual presentations, and more. 306 Elvis Presley Drive, 662-841-1245, www.elvispresleybirthplace.com
NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY
Located along the Natchez Trace (one of the nation’s top 10 national parks), the Tupelo-headquartered Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile tree-canopied route dotted with picturesque views of hardwood forests, wetlands, waterfalls, and overlooks.
While visitation to Natchez Trace is primarily by car, the park winds through three states (Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee), and it has 25 nature and guided trails totaling more than 60 miles. The park also doubles as a historical site due to the various landmarks that can be accessed by trail throughout the park. www.nps.gov/natr
THE MAKERS BLUE DELTA JEANS
Offering bespoke men’s and women’s jeans made from raw-denim, Blue Delta Jeans employs more than 70 local artisans and seamstresses. Each pair of jeans goes through a unique 16-step process, and seamstresses hand sew each and every garment locally in the Tupelo shop. Stop by for a fitting with a stylist, then choose from more than 40 pant colors across seven materials, along with your thread, cut, fit, and monogram — and voila, you have a pair of custom jeans that fits your size, shape, and style to a T. 1318 Palmetto Road, Verona, MS 38879, 888-963-7879, www.bluedeltajeans.com
LOST + FOUND COFFEE CO.
What started as a small pop-up coffee bar has now grown into a full-service brick-and-mortar coffee shop. Lost + Found Coffee roasts its own specialty Tupelo coffee, and the team focuses on coffee education so that guests leave with more than just a tasty cup of java. Try the lavender latte, or be spontaneous and order a drink from The Lab (a selection of drinks that changes every few weeks). Food items — like pizza bagels and cake truffles — also are on the menu. 910 Robert E. Lee Extended, 662-269-3675, www.lostandfoundcoffee.com
TALBOT HOUSE BAKERY & CAFE
As a social enterprise of Talbot House (a safe, stable, and supportive living environment for women transitioning from a drug and alcohol treatment program to independent sober living), Talbot House Bakery & Cafe (and Talbot House Production Kitchen) provides employment and job readiness to women in early recovery. The bakery is known for its enormous cinnamon rolls, handmade with love and loaded with ooey-gooey icing. 101 N. Industrial Road, 662-260-4318, www.talbothousetupelo.org/bakery
QUEEN’S REWARD MEADERY
Founded by Jeri Carter, this woman-owned business first began making mead (a combination of honey, yeast, and water) as a hobby. After two of her meads won in national competitions, she decided to bring the full experience of mead to Mississippi. Not only does she solely use honey produced in Mississippi, she also crafts each bottle with tender-loving care.
Try a mead tasting to discover all of the current meads and to get a sense of the range that Carter produces — from dry to sweet. Drop in during one of the regular events (such as the Mead & Read Book Exchange on Dec. 13) and spend some time in the honeycomb- inspired space. 1719 McCullough Blvd., 662-823-6323, www.queensreward.com
CHARCUTIE
An adorable concept kitchen located in the heart of Tupelo, CharCutie came about during the summer of 2020 when single mother Stephanie Hall was searching for a way to generate extra income. While brainstorming ideas with friends, the idea of a custom charcuterie business was born.
Today, Hall designs gorgeous charcuterie boards using repurposed wood. She offers lunch, grab-and-go charcuterie boxes, specialty orders (like cheeseballs, Mississippi caviar, and turkey sliders), classes and events, Saturday brunch, and a gourmet food retail section. 603 Clayton Ave., 662-350-3164, www.charcutie.online
RAW WICK & WOOD
Founded by Michael and Andrea Gibson, RAW Wick & Wood was born from a dream to build a pole barn for their family home. Michael, who had no experience in barn-building, studied and built the barn from scratch. Finding a new love of building, he tried his hand at building furniture for their home. One thing led to another, and the couple opened RAW Wick & Wood to offer custom-designed hand-made furniture, candles, and more. For a truly bespoke piece of furniture, simply choose your species of wood, design style, size, color, and finish.
Meanwhile, Andrea offers hand-poured soy candles made in-house using all-natural ingredients produced by American farmers. 120 W. Main St., 662.321.9388, https://sites.google.com/view/rawwickandwood
