Delta Blues Road Trip
Tunica > Clarksdale > Cleveland > Greenwood > Indianola > Greenville/Leland > Yazoo City > Vicksburg
So, you’re planning a trip to the land of the blues: The Mississippi Delta!
The Mississippi Delta is known to start in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and end down where the Yazoo River joins the Mississippi River in Vicksburg. With most people starting their journey through the Mississippi Delta in Memphis, we’re going to start this trip just south of Memphis on historic Highway 61 in Tunica and take you all the way down to Vicksburg through the Delta towns of Cleveland and Rosedale, Greenwood, Indianola and Benetonia, Leland and Greenville, and Yazoo City, and we’ll be including must-see blues sites, places to stay, and places to eat along the way. You can click on the links to open another page/tab with more specific information about any of the stops.
Also, there are scores of blues trail markers along this journey - some in the towns, and others seemingly in the middle of nowhere. We encourage you to download the Mississippi Blues Trail App to take along on your journey.
View the entire Blues Road Trip on Google Maps
But, without further ado, let’s get started on the Mississippi Blues Roadtrip!
Tunica
Legendary Blues musician Robert Johnson lived on a farm in nearby Robinsonville when he was growing up, and it was while working on this farm with his stern step-father that he decided he didn’t want work on the farm, and would rather be a musician. After traveling the Delta and picking up “licks” from other blues musicians, he would go on (after a fateful meeting at the crossroads) to become one of the world's most famous blues musicians.
You’ll be able to learn a lot more about the blues and blues history at the Gateway to the Blues Museum in Tunica. This wonderful museum is right on historic Highway 61, on the right (in the middle of a cotton field), as you’re headed south.
If you’re feeling kind of peckish while you’re in Tunica, you may want to try out the Blue & White Restaurant or the Hollywood Cafe, both famous for their southern cuisine. View a complete list of Tunica restaurants.
And, if you want to stay the night, Tunica has a number of great options, including some fancy digs at their riverboat casinos, including the Horseshoe, Gold Strike, Sam’s Town, and the Fitz.
Clarksdale
Just a little over a half hour south of Tunica is the Delta Blues town of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Considered the world over as “Ground Zero” for Delta Blues, and home to Morgan Freeman’s restaurant of the same name, Clarksdale has become an international destination for blues enthusiasts.
In addition to listening to live blues seven nights a week at places like Red’s Lounge (a Juke Joint) and Ground Zero, visitors also take in the Delta Blues Museum, located right downtown, where they can learn about the origins of the blues and its impact on the world.
When you’re hungry, there are plenty of places to eat in Clarksdale, including Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero, or Levon’s, or maybe some southern classics from The Dutch Oven. View a full list of restaurants in Clarksdale.
And, if you want to spend a night or two, there are a number of unique boutique hotels in Clarksdale that are within walking distance of all the fun: The Hooker Hotel, Auberge Clarksdale Hostel, and Travelers Hotel are all good choices. View a full list of hotels in Clarksdale.
Clarksdale has plenty of stuff going on throughout the year, but their main festival is the Juke Joint Festival that takes place in April. For a look at Clarksdale events throughout the year, check out their calendar.
Cleveland
About thirty-minutes south of Clarksdale on Highway 61 is the city of Cleveland, Mississippi. Originally called “Fontaine”, Cleveland was founded as a railroad town back at the turn of the last century as the area was being transformed from vast cedar swamps into productive farmland. As a railroad crossroads town, many blues musicians traveled through the area, playing on street corners and on the city’s rowdy “Virgin Lane”. The city is now known for its vibrant downtown and the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi that celebrates Mississippi’s contribution to American culture (Did you know that Mississippi has more GRAMMY winners per capita than any other state?).
Another source of Cleveland’s Blues pedigree is nearby Dockery Farms, which BB King said was the true birthplace of the blues, with one of the first “Frolicking Houses” in the area. Bluesmen like Charley Patton (the Father of the Blues), Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Johnson, Son House, Roebuck “Pops” Staples, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards all spent time at Dockery. It has been said that it was after Robert Johnson was laughed out of Dockery for his poor playing and was faced with going back to work on the farm or pursuing music full time (the metaphorical crossroads) he found himself at the fabled crossroads.
Cleveland is also known for its tamales, the most famous of which can be found at Airport Grocery and in nearby river town of Rosedale at Joe’s White Front Cafe and Tamale Shop. View a full list of Cleveland’s restaurants.
If you want to stay the night in Cleveland to check out some music, or have dinner, the Cotton House Hotel downtown is an excellent place; also the Lyric 8 West, near the Grammy Museum is recommended. View a full list of Cleveland hotels.
Greenwood
Drive one hour east from Cleveland, through the cotton fields, and you’ll find yourself in the grand old Delta town of Greenwood, Mississippi. The Academy-Award winning film, “The Help” was filmed here, and the town is the location of Robert Johnson’s Gravesite. Johnson was poisoned by a jealous husband here and died at the age of 27, becoming the first member of the infamous “27 Club”. Greenwood’s other major Blues attraction is the nearby childhood home of Mississippi John Hurt.
And when you’re hungry, Greenwood has no shortage of restaurants, including the well reviewed Fan and Johnny’s and world-famous Crystal Grill, both located downtown. View a full list of restaurants in Greenwood.
If you’re wanting to spend the night, a couple of Greenwood’s most popular hotels are the posh Alluvian Hotel, which includes a spa and cooking classes (you must sign up well in advance for these), and Tallahatchie Flats, which is a compound of old sharecropper shacks on the outskirts of town. Talk about a unique experience! View a full list of Greenwood hotels.
Indianola
Headed west from Greenwood to Greenville, you’ll travel about 45 minutes through cotton fields and pecan groves to the village of Indianola, Mississippi. Indianola is the birthplace of the King of the Blues, B.B. King, and his final resting place at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. The Father of the Blues, Charley Patton, is buried just outside of Indianola and is worth the stop for any true blues aficionado. And don’t forget to get a pic in front of the world famous Club Ebony.
Two of the most popular restaurants in Indianola would be The Crown Restaurant and The Blue Biscuit. View a full list of restaurants in Indianola.
And, if you want to stay the night in Indianola, they’ve got a Hampton Inn and a Quality Inn and several more. View a full list of hotels in Indianola.
Greenville / Leland
Travel twenty minutes west of Indianola and you’ll find yourself in the small town of Leland, Mississippi, just on the outskirts of the Mississippi River town of Greenville.
In Leland, be sure and make a stop at the Highway 61 Blues Museum, located in town. This “labor of love” museum has a great selection of blues artifacts and a generally good vibe.
Travel on into Greenville and use the Mississippi Blues Marker App to discover the city’s myriad blues locations and walk along the levee to take in some great Mississippi River views. Also, if you time your trip right, you may find yourself in the middle of the ever popular Mississippi Blues and Heritage Festival or International Hot Tamale Festival that could only take place in Greenville.
When you’re hungry, the world famous Doe’s Eat Place is a must stop, but if the wait is too long, you may want to check out the ever popular Shermans at South Main, or any of the city’s numerous tamale shops. View a full list of restaurants in Greenville.
Some cool places to stay in Greenville include Hotel 27 and The Skylight, both downtown. View a full list of hotels in Greenville.
Yazoo City
From Greenville, heading South on Highway 1 through Rolling Fork, Mississippi, is a trip through the heart of the Delta, with scenery including vast cotton fields, ancient cypress swamps, and centuries old plantation homes like Mont Helena. From Rolling Fork, you’ll head east to the vibrant town of Yazoo City with all of its colorful storefronts. Check out your Blues app for Blues Marker locations, and plan on making the 15 minute drive to Bentonia for lunch or a picture in front of the historic Blue Front Cafe.
Other recommended restaurants in Yazoo City include Ubon’s for barbeque, and a little bit of Cajun infusion at P-Reaux’s Cajun Mudbugs. View a full list of restaurants in Yazoo City.
If you’d like to extend your stay, check out the Main Street Hotel or Hampton Inn. View a full list of places to stay in Yazoo City.
Vicksburg
One hour southwest of Yazoo City is the historic Mississippi riverboat port town of Vicksburg. This beautiful old southern city perched on the bluffs that signify the end of the Mississippi Delta is home to six blues markers and its walkable and historic downtown make a great place to wind down your Mississippi Delta adventure. The town is also home to the Vicksburg National Military Park which examines one of the most important battles of the American Civil War.
There’s no shortage of restaurants in Vicksburg, but a couple that stand out are Rusty’s Riverfront Grill and the world famous Solly’s Hot Tamales. View a full list of restaurants in Vicksburg.
Vicksburg is also home to a number of bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels including the Corners Mansion Inn and Anchuca. View a full list of lodging options in Vicksburg.
