OT: MS Delta tour

RivaDawg

Junior
Feb 26, 2008
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I want to take a 1 to 2 day tour through the the MS Delta. What to see, where to stay? Juke joints an old white guy can go into and hear some Delta blues. Where to eat. Give me some recommendations for some one not from MS.
 
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DAWGSANDSAINTS

All-Conference
Oct 10, 2022
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Start in Indianola and get some pecans at Indianola Pecan House.
Then head over to Greenville and a must is
Does Eat Place for dinner.
The Belmont or Hotel 27 for the accommodations there that night.
Tamales at Scott’s or Tamale
Heaven -gotta compare those to Doe’s
Next stop head up to Cleveland and go to Airport Grocery for tamales and to Bar Fontaine - a rooftop bar in town.
From there go up to Clarksdale and get tamales at Abe’s.
In Clarksdale, stay at Ground Zero Blues Club above the club or Shack Up Inn
Get dinner at Kathryns on Moon Lake or Hookers Grocery.
Blues music listening at Ground Zero and definitely check our Reds Music Hall while in town.
Too bad the Crystal Grill closed or I would have definitely said start in Greenwood for lunch there.
This will be a great weekend itinerary.
 
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L4Dawg

All-American
Oct 27, 2016
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I want to take a 1 to 2 day tour through the the MS Delta. What to see, where to stay? Juke joints an old white guy can go into and hear some Delta blues. Where to eat. Give me some recommendations for some one not from MS.
The only place I can help you with staying is the Thompson House in Leland, awesome place if it is still in business. As for what to see, get on the Blues Trail. I’ve done a few days on it in the Delta, it’s the real experience.
 

tbaydog

All-Conference
Feb 25, 2008
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I want to take a 1 to 2 day tour through the the MS Delta. What to see, where to stay? Juke joints an old white guy can go into and hear some Delta blues. Where to eat. Give me some recommendations for some one not from MS.
Perfect Timing. In all my years living in Miss, never spent time in the Delta. Got a weekend trip to Cleveland end of April.
 

ababyatemydingo

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2008
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Hear you, but I think I'd find it interesting for a long weekend or something. But if you think that's bad, my sister in law is dying to plan a trip to...

Laurel.
downtown Laurel is actually a pretty cool little place. not much else to do there, though. Landrum's Village is a nice day trip around the Christmas holidays for the Christmas festival and civil war re-enactment. It's about 10 minutes south of Laurel on hwy 15.
 

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
21,767
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I was going to add Po' Monkey's to the list, but apparently, it's been boarded up. I've been to all the dives in the Delta. It was the coolest. I wouldn't go sober or without a crew and an exit strategy.

Doe's has the best Tamales.
The Jim Henson Museum in Arcola if you have kids (no clue if it's still open). Very nostalgic.
Alluvian in Greenwood if you want a swanky spa and cooking school experience.
I second Abe's for BBQ. My grandma lived in Clarksdale and I grew up eating it. IMO, they have the best cole slaw on earth (vinegar-based).
Crawdad's in Merigold, MS is another place I grew up eating at—one of the few things I miss.
 
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Nov 16, 2005
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I was going to add Po' Monkey's to the list, but apparently, it's been boarded up. I've been to all the dives in the Delta. It was the coolest. I wouldn't go sober or without a crew and an exit strategy.

Doe's has the best Tamales.
The Jim Henson Museum in Arcola if you have kids (no clue if it's still open). Very nostalgic.
Alluvian in Greenwood if you want a swanky spa and cooking school experience.
I second Abe's for BBQ. My grandma lived in Clarksdale and I grew up eating it. IMO, they have the best cole slaw on earth (vinegar-based).
Crawdad's in Merigold, MS is another place I grew up eating at—one of the few things I miss.
Crawdads is still very solid
Abe’s is a classic, no frills good BBQ. I can taste the sauce right now in my mind.
The Blue and White in Tunica is a great breakfast spot.
The Resthaven in Clarksdale.
 

Rick Danko

Sophomore
Sep 27, 2023
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Unfortunately pecan house closed their store. My understanding they are still doing bulk pecans but no day to day retail
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
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As someone who was raised in the Delta...

Why?
As someone who was raised in Laurel, I ask myself that every time I go home & see all the tourists. I mean, it’s a nice enough small town. But damn. To be fair, they have done some good things with downtown area.
 
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Darryl Steight

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Sep 30, 2022
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Another vote for staying at Shack Up Inn. Pretty cool, very unique experience. Of course the Alluvian in Greenwood is on the other end of the spectrum as far as experience, but another good place to stay.

Also second the Crawdads rec. I've had many meals there and it's always an experience.

I hope Ground Zero closing is a temporary situation, because it's another stop tourists must make while going through the delta, and I would stay in the hotel rooms on the second floor down the street if possible.

I'd go to the BB King (Indianola) and Grammy (Cleveland) museums if you have time while you're there. Or at least one of them. Both are very well done, world class museums of our state's rich music history. We who have grown up here take it for granted, but people literally from around the world (especially since the first British invasion shined a light on the delta blues) come to the delta to see where nearly every song on the radio from the last 60 years in blues, rock, and pop has its roots.

Side note, we all know Memphis steals a lot of the limelight for our music and tourists because they realized long ago how they could profit from selling that story, but it all came from here. The musicians just migrated north (Memphis, St Louis, Chicago, Detroit) at some point to get their music heard. 17 Memphis. We are doing a better job telling the story now with the two museums, Blues Trail, etc., but we need to keep expanding it. Music-based tourism is one positive thing the delta has that can keep growing.

eta: This was a delta post, but while I'm on a roll, Nashville sort of did the same thing with country music. We do have the country music trail, the Jimmy Rodgers museum, etc. and now Marty Stuart's deal in Philadelphia could be huge if this partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame works out. Just something else we need to build on.
 
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Nov 16, 2005
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Another vote for staying at Shack Up Inn. Pretty cool, very unique experience. Of course the Alluvian in Greenwood is on the other end of the spectrum as far as experience, but another good place to stay.

Also second the Crawdads rec. I've had many meals there and it's always a great experience.

I hope Ground Zero is a temporary situation, because it's another stop tourists must make while going through the delta, and I would stay in the hotel rooms on the second floor down the street if possible.

I'd go to the BB King (Indianola) and Grammy (Cleveland) museums if you have time while you're there. Or at least one of them. Both are very well done, world class museums of our state's rich music history.
Shack up Inn is very cool and I would highly recommend it.
 

TrueMaroonGrind

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Jan 6, 2017
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As someone who was raised in Laurel, I ask myself that every time I go home & see all the tourists. I mean, it’s a nice enough small town. But damn. To be fair, they have done some good things with downtown area.
People visit Holly Springs to look at old houses or go to Jackson on vacation. My SIL wanted to go to Meridian for a couple of days. There’s always some draw that may seem silly to people who live there but is interesting enough to tourists.
 

dorndawg

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Sep 10, 2012
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People visit Holly Springs to look at old houses or go to Jackson on vacation. My SIL wanted to go to Meridian for a couple of days. There’s always some draw that may seem silly to people who live there but is interesting enough to tourists.
One time when I was a kid we went on a short vacation to - and this is a true story - Baton Rouge.

And I don't mean for a football game; it was summer.
 

TrueMaroonGrind

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One time when I was a kid we went on a short vacation to - and this is a true story - Baton Rouge.

And I don't mean for a football game; it was summer.
I looked at a few Air BnBs in Baton Rouge for a weekend getaway a couple years ago. We were dropping off the kids on the coast. We wanted a close-ish Air BnB to relax and a handful of restaurants to get a nice meal.

Ended up going somewhere else but we almost had a vacation in Baton Rouge too
 
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Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
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Might as well head on over to Waco too
You joke but people are planning to go this:


Hear you, but I think I'd find it interesting for a long weekend or something. But if you think that's bad, my sister in law is dying to plan a trip to...

Laurel.

I was born in, lived in (okay it was outside but I had the zip code dambit), and worked in Laurel.

I find its appeal as a vacation destination very surrealistic. Who’d have thought a home improvement show could do all that?

Going Crazy GIF
 
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Darryl Steight

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Sep 30, 2022
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Our vacations were to various State parks that had water to swim and we ate sandwiches, generic lays and cans of pork and beans....and I loved it....didn't know any different.
Man, if you had a rope swing and a frisbee at a state park, what else do you need in life? Kids these days have no idea. I know mine don't, they would skitz if I told them we were going to the state park and they had to leave their phones at home. Matter of fact, that is a great idea for this weekend.
 

HRMSU

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Apr 26, 2022
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Man, if you had a rope swing and a frisbee at a state park, what else do you need in life? Kids these days have no idea. I know mine don't, they would skitz if I told them we were going to the state park and they had to leave their phones at home. Matter of fact, that is a great idea for this weekend.
Wiffle ball and playing catch with your dad or best buddy....priceless entertainment!!
 

MStateU

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Nov 15, 2009
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When I was at Holmes CC back in the day I knew a few places right on the edge of the delta you get your azz kicked.
 

dickiedawg

All-Conference
Feb 22, 2008
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Man, if you had a rope swing and a frisbee at a state park, what else do you need in life? Kids these days have no idea. I know mine don't, they would skitz if I told them we were going to the state park and they had to leave their phones at home. Matter of fact, that is a great idea for this weekend.
I’d have a harder time than my kids giving up the phone/electronics. My wife would as well.
Might be nice to try though, pack some board games and books.
 
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Poppy IV

Freshman
Nov 24, 2016
100
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Museums: Grammy in Cleveland, BB King in Indianola, Wildlife Heritage in Leland
Hotels: Alluvian in Greenwood, Cotton House in Cleveland
Restaurants: Does, Downtown Grille in Greenville, Lillo’s and Vito’s in Leland, Giardina’s in Greenwood, Staple in Cleveland