If you think of Tupelo as “that other Elvis place that’s not Graceland,” then stop what you’re doing and start planning your trip to Tupelo. While this small town (population 37,000 as of 2021) in northeast Mississippi has lots of activity choices for everyone, such as families and multigenerational groups, Tupelo shines when it comes to girlfriend getaways. If you’ve been seeking the perfect place in the southeast for your next girl’s trip, then look no further.
It’s Tupelo.
Bespoke Denim and a Boutique Hotel in the Middle of all the Action
If you really want to treat yourself, get fitted for a pair of raw denim jeans made just for you. Blue Delta’s tagline is “One Size Fits One.” When you buy a pair of Blue Delta jeans, you’ll be thoroughly measured, which results in creating your own personal pattern. You choose the style, color, and stitching; your jeans will be made by hand in Blue Delta’s Tupelo warehouse and shipped to you four to six weeks after your initial fitting. But that’s not even the coolest part.
Blue Delta has a partnership with Hotel Tupelo, which is an upscale boutique hotel in the heart of downtown. Book your room and pay for your jeans for one price – both the hotel stay and the jeans are discounted – and the folks from Blue Delta will come to you and do the measuring at the hotel. You also have the option to go to the Blue Delta warehouse, which is just a short drive from downtown, but the rockstar experience of having someone come to you to measure you for your personal pattern is something that elevates your girl’s trip.
If you really want to take your trip up a notch, book the King Suite or the Premier Suite. Both are spacious corner suites with two bathrooms, a dining area, a wet bar, and a luxurious king-sized bed. The King Suite is subtly Elvis-themed. Hotel Tupelo has an onsite restaurant/bar, Jobos, and loaner bikes to explore the city.
Made in Tupelo
The shopping in Tupelo is plentiful. There’s a great balance of name-brand retail stores and locally-owned boutiques. From designer clothes and upscale home goods to made-in-Tupelo artwork and pottery, you can shop to your heart’s content here. Tupelo is a true maker’s town, and you can schedule your vacation around a shared activity that allows you to create a one-of-a-kind tangible memory.
Take a pottery class at Midnite Pottery. Be warned – you’ll want to buy all the things and make your own treasure. Stop by the bouquet bar at Fresh Farm and create your own flower arrangement or check their calendar for other classes and seminars that give you the opportunity to create your own projects, such as windchime making and vase painting.
I saved the best for last – the most fun you’ll have making something in Tupelo is at CharCutie Tupelo. Part of the reason I give CharCutie top billing is how fun is it to make something you can enjoy eating afterward. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make an amazing charcuterie board, owner Stephanie Hall is the person to know. From scheduled events that anyone can sign up to attend, such as bourbon and charcuterie pairings, to private classes that teach you how to create an epic brunch board.
Don’t have time for a full class or event? Don’t miss stopping by CharCutie’s grab-and-go section for pre-made boards and boxes that are perfect for having a picnic in one of Tupelo’s many parks or green spaces.
Reward Yourself at Mississippi’s Original Meadery
If you’ve never tried mead, which is wine made from fermented honey, a girl’s trip to Tupelo is the perfect time for your first sip. All mead served at The Queen’s Reward Meadery is made onsite with local Tupelo Honey. Like any beverage, mead is best enjoyed with friends. The Queens Reward has both indoor and patio seating. The meadery is located just off downtown Tupelo, but it sits far back from the street and has a nice, large yard, so there’s a feeling of seclusion.
If you’re not a sweet wine drinker, don’t count this one out. Even though mead is made from honey, not all mead is sweet. Even the sweeter varieties of mead at the Queen’s Reward are sweet and tart versus tasting like a mouth full of sugar. And, if you visit Tupelo on a hot day, I have two words for you: mead slushie.
If you get to meet the queen herself, owner Jeri Carter, you are in for a treat. Not only does she craft delicious mead, but she’s an A+ storyteller. Schedule your trip to the Queen’s Reward early in your trip for two reasons: first, because you might find yourself wanting a second trip and second, Jeri will tell you as much about Tupelo as she will about mead.
Tupelo’s Cocktail Trail
Tupelo’s Cocktail Trail has eight participating locations, all walkable from the downtown area. Grab a cocktail card at the Visitor’s Center to pick up your cocktail card, then visit all eight locations, order their signature drink, and get your card stamped. Once you’re finished, return your card to the Visitor’s Center for a complimentary #MyTupelo cocktail shaker.
There’s no requirement to complete the stops in a specific order or within a specific timeframe, so you can take your time and sip safely and responsibly. While you’re navigating the cocktail trail, you’ll see many colorful guitar sculptures that line the streets of Tupelo – there are 25 in all. Try to find them all and snap some fun selfies.
Immerse Yourself in Mississippi Art
When you’re shopping and exploring downtown Tupelo, save some time to pop into the Caron Gallery on West Main Street. The gallery showcases only Mississippi artists who produce work across a variety of mediums. There’s always art available for sale, and the gallery also offers custom consultation services in case your visit inspires you to start collecting art or add to an existing collection.
The Caron Gallery also offers Art and Wine Dinners periodically. You can see highlights from past dinners on their website. If you want to know if your visit will align with one of these events, contact the Caron Gallery in advance. The Caron Gallery has a second location in Laurel, a name that fans of the HGTV show Home Town will recognize. Laurel is 200 miles south of Tupelo if you feel like more Mississippi. Fun fact: Ben and Erin wear Blue Delta jeans, and they’ve been spotted in and around Hotel Tupelo with their daughters.
Skip the Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich and Get a Donut Instead
It’s a commonly accepted fact that one of Elvis’ favorite foods was a peanut butter and banana sandwich. If you’re looking to indulge your tastebuds in Tupelo, swing by Connie’s Fried Chicken in the morning for a fresh-out-of-the-fryer blueberry cake donut. Connie’s only makes one kind of donut, and they’ve perfected the blueberry cake.
Live music venue and restaurant, The Blue Canoe regularly buys up the excess donuts from Connie’s every day and uses them to make a blueberry bread pudding. Don’t feel like you have to choose – part of the fun of being on vacation is indulging a little, so go ahead and have the donut for breakfast and the dessert with your dinner.
Pay Homage to “The King”
Even though there’s so much more than Elvis lore in Tupelo, the King of Rock and Roll is the reason Tupelo is on the map in the first place. Visit Elvis’ birthplace and his boyhood church which was moved to the grounds of the birthplace. Downtown Tupelo has lots of Elvis murals and monuments that highlight Elvis’ early life – he moved to Memphis with his family when he was 13 or 14.
Don’t miss a stop at Tupelo Hardware Company, where Elvis bought his first guitar. Stand in the exact spot Elvis stood in when the clerk handed him the guitar out of the same display case that’s still in use today. X marks the spot.
Getting to Tupelo
Tupelo is 365 miles from Baton Rouge, which is about a six-hour drive, excluding stops. If you want to fly, Tupelo Regional Airport is serviced only by Contour Airlines, so you’ll likely have to connect in Memphis or Nashville or fly to one of those two airports and rent a car. Tupelo is 115 miles – about a two-hour drive – from Memphis, so flying there can significantly slice your drive time.
More Trip Planning Inspiration
Check out www.tupelo.net for more ideas, and swing by the visitor’s center on East Main Street once you roll into town for your Tupelo Cocktail Trail card and any brochures, maps, and in-person assistance you might need.
Jill Robbins is a Texas mom who loves to roam. She has a 30-year-old daughter and two sons in middle school. She knows that’s a big gap in age, but she tries to be polite when people point that out. Her writing has appeared in Business Insider, Tripsavvy, Wealth of Geeks, San Antonio Magazine, and more.