Things to Do in Tupelo MS

What is in Tupelo?

I was getting packed for our adventure in Mississippi, and my husband asked where we were visiting in Mississippi. I replied that we were on our way to Tupelo. He said, “What is in Tupelo?” I realize that must be the question most people have. I can tell you more than I realized.

Imagine you are on a quest to teach your children about history, music, and the way it was. You decide to invite your sister and her three kids. You now have six kids and two adults and the desire to make sure everyone learns something and has fun.

You fly into Memphis, Tennessee and rent a car for the road trip of all road trips through Mississippi. You make your way to the jewel in northern Mississippi after visiting Oxford called Tupelo. You can easily reach Tupelo by way of several airports. Besides the Memphis, Tennessee airport Tupelo does offer its own airport you can also search the Golden Triangle Regional Airport or even the Northwest airport in Alabama just in case driving isn’t your thing. The truth is I only knew about Tupelo because of Elvis. 

Yes, Tupelo is all about Elvis. It is also full of history, music, food, buffalos, and fun.

Tupelo, Mississippi is a visitors dream. They have done all the work for you in terms of planning.

You can go to Tupelo.net for itineraries and I suggest a trip to the visitors center located at 399 E Main St, Tupelo, MS 38804. 

These are the Things to Do in Tupelo MS

Restaurants in Tupelo MS that You Should Check Out!

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites

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The Fairfield Suites were clean, and the staff was efficient. The pool was wonderful, and the rooms were ample for a family of four. The breakfast was kid-friendly and plentiful. The hotel was located close to everything we wanted to accomplish while in Tupelo.

Visit Fairfield Inn & Suites at 3070 Tom Watson Dr., Tupelo, Mississippi 38866 USA

Elvis Presley’s Birthplace

Next, we went to Elvis Presley Birthplace. He was born in Tupelo Mississippi on January 8, 1935, to Vernon and Gladys Presley. Born in a two-room house built by his father, grandfather and uncle, Elvis was one of twin brothers born to the Presleys. Elvis grew up in Tupelo surrounded by his extended family including his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

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Elvis was a product of his religious upbringing and his family devotion to the church. That is why our favorite part was going in to the church Elvis used to attend and watching a movie depicting a day in his life in the church. I also suggest you go into the house that he lived in when he was younger. The tour guide was a local and very knowledgeable about when Elvis and his family lived in Tupelo.

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The tour also featured a collection of Elvis memorably. We were delighted to see so many of his items in one place. I can imagine anyone who loves ‘The King” would be overjoyed. It was a great place to introduce our kids to one of the greatest entertainers in history. 

This is one of his final performance prior to his death at 42.

Visit Elvis Presley’s birthplace at 306 Elvis Presley Drive, Tupelo, MS 38801

There were so many ways to feel close to Elvis in Tupelo. We had a blast posing with the murals.

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Then you could go and see the 1956 Elvis’ Homecoming statue in Fairpark

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We had the opportunity to learn about Elvis through the Elvis Guitar Trail. It was not only a fun way to see the city, but to understand more about the man, the myth, the legend. We visited a lot of the places he and his family used to go to and experienced a day in his life.

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Tupelo Buffalo Park

I know you think Tupelo is only about Elvis, but it isn’t. There is an incredible experience that is sure to delight anyone who loves animals. This hands-on get in your face adventure is found only at the Tupelo Buffalo Park. The park offers several ways to enjoy the animals. You can walk, ride, or take a VIP tour. We took the tracker wagon tour. The guide was clever, funny, informative, and we really left knowing more about the animals in the park. They have over 300 exotic animals in a tranquil 200-acre park.

The kids are still talking about feed the buffalo. I am still talking about how engrossed the kids were in the experience. This park was not only worth our time it was inexpensive for what you receive, and they offered more than just looking at animals. I do suggest water and sunscreen and an appetite for knowledge.

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Visit Tupelo Buffalo Park at 2272 North Coley Road Tupelo, MS 38803

Natchez Trace Parkway Visitors Center

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One of my favorite parts about a trip is learning history. I love a good movie for the kids and the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitors Center had one. It was just long enough and had just enough information to get the children interested in the trail. This stop helped to build background knowledge for our journey on the parkway and beyond. The center was free and open to the public. It offered hands-on experiences and a knowledgeable park ranger to help answer any questions. I would put away about an hour for this experience. The best fact we learned was it was a woman’s historical society that fought to preserve the trail. We added that to our list of impactful women in Mississippi as we headed down the trail for more adventures. We would savor our time in Tupelo and we hope others visit soon. They will enjoy their stay.

Milepost 266 on the Natchez Trace Parkway

A unit of the National Park Service, the Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile drive through exceptional natural and rural scenery that traverses 10,000 years of North American history. Utilized by American Indians, “Kaintucks,” settlers, and future presidents, the Old Trace played an important role in American history. Today, visitors can enjoy not only a scenic drive but they can also hike, bike, boat, horseback ride, and camp. Special events such as Dulcimer Day and Pioneer Day are regularly scheduled to entertain and enlighten visitors. Children can enjoy fun educational activities at Junior Ranger programs. Visitors enter free of charge and can plan their visits and learn about the Trace at the Parkway Visitor Center at milepost 266 in Tupelo, MS. The park rangers engage visitors at the small museum and are happy to share a new, high-quality, modern introductory movie.

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