Tupelo, Mississippi

Located in the foothills of Northeast Mississippi, Tupelo is the epicenter of America's music where in 1935 the world's greatest entertainer was born in a two-room shotgun shack.

Stroll through picturesque Downtown Tupelo and peruse its many unique shops and art galleries. Enjoy delectable Southern cuisine at one of Tupelo’s 160 restaurants and hear great live music in the Birthplace of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Elvis Presley's Birthplace

Visitors can experience the first part of this incredible story by visiting Elvis Presley's Birthplace where he took his first breath, the church where he sang his first song and the Tupelo Hardware Store where he strummed his first guitar.  Elvis fans can follow a driving tour or the new self-guided bicycle tour which highlights 14 significant places in Elvis’ childhood. 

A larger-than-life statue commemorating his 1956 Homecoming concert stands in Tupelo’s Fairpark District where each June all things Elvis are celebrated during the weeklong annual Tupelo Elvis Festival.

The Tupelo Hardware Store was where Gladys, Elvis’ mother, purchased his first guitar and put music in the hands of a boy who grew to become a musical legend. The story goes that Elvis was very upset because Gladys refused to buy him a shotgun for his 11th birthday, so a store employee tried calming him down by handing him a guitar. Elvis then decided upon the guitar! Visitors are welcome during the store’s regular hours.

Johnnie’s Drive-In is an All-American diner and one of 14 significant sites in Elvis’ formative years in Tupelo marked with bronze plaques on the Elvis Presley Driving Trail. Elvis and his friends enjoyed dining at Johnnie’s Drive-In and visitors can still enjoy the food Elvis liked to eat.  You can even sit in the Elvis booth!

Besides the Birthplace, visitors can explore the 14-stop Elvis' Tupelo Driving Tour. They have translated the tour into eight different languages, pick up a brochure at the Birthplace or download it from their website. 

The All Shook Up: Elvis' Tupelo Experience passport takes visitors to 21-places that pay homage to Tupelo's favourite native son. Download the passport at tupelo.net. From Elvis-themed food to iconic landmarks, visit them all, then stop by the Tupelo Visitors Center to pick up your free gift. 

More than 20 larger-than-life, Elvis-themed guitars line Main Street in Downtown Tupelo. You can explore them all and enjoy a photo opportunity with your favourites. 

Natchez Trace Parkway

The rhythms of this Southern town that gave rise to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll began with the Chickasaw natives who travelled the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway over 8,000 years ago. Reaching from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, this national scenic byway is headquartered in Tupelo and the music that it connects is as legendary as the views along the winding road.

Tour Tupelo’s trails on the Civil Rights and African-American Heritage Trail, Civil War Trail and Chickasaw Native American Trail.