Rowan Oak
Faulkner's home, with his outline of a novel on the wall.
Oxford and Tupelo
William Faulkner's literary college town, and the tiny two-room house where Elvis Presley was born.
Oxford's town square is lined with the old Square Books and good Southern restaurants. Faulkner's Rowan Oak is open as a museum. Tupelo, an hour east on the Natchez Trace, has Elvis's small birthplace, built by his father for $180.
- Best Time
- March–May and September–October
- Time Needed
- 1–2 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Check before you go; hours vary by season
- Getting There
- About 90 minutes by car southeast of Memphis.
What to See
1 of 3 are freeThe Oxford Square
Square Books and the University of Mississippi's lovely campus are nearby.
Elvis Presley Birthplace
The two-room house, with a chapel and a museum.
Know Before You Go
- Football weekends fill all of Oxford's hotels.
Where to Stay
Stay in Oxford.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
Editor's picks. Nobody paid to be on this list.
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Go Next
Worth a DetourMemphis and Graceland
Tennessee
Elvis's Graceland, the blues on Beale Street and the National Civil Rights Museum.
Full Guide
Worth a DetourThe Mississippi Delta and Clarksdale
Mississippi
The birthplace of the blues: the flat cotton lands of Highway 61, with juke joints, the crossroads and a real sense of history.
Full Guide
If You're NearbyNatchez Trace Parkway
Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee
A peaceful 444-mile drive from Mississippi to Nashville, along an ancient trail used by Native Americans and frontier boatmen.
Full Guide
Last checked 2026-11-02. Part of the Southeast list.