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Visit Starkville: Themed Itineraries

Itinerary One | Itinerary Two | Itinerary Three

Starkville: The Crossroads of Your Mississippi Experience

On the road between tours of Columbus' antebellum homes and the Delta's "king cotton", you'll relish Starkville's taste of the New South's charm and hospitality. On your travels between wooing Lady Luck and Mississippi's "metro" areas, you'll welcome Starkville's small town take on "big city" opportunities. When you make Starkville YOUR home for the night, one thing's for sure. You can always count on unique experiences, diverse culture and an unparalleled feeling of home.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:

  • John Grisham Room
  • Templeton Music Museum
  • Cotton District
  • Aspen Bay Candle Company
  • Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge

ITINERARY:

DAY 1

Begin your New South experience with made-from-scratch bagels at City Bagel Café– quaint indoor or outdoor dining for a delicious breakfast! And, pick up some home-made goodies for the road. Yum! With “time to kill,” head to the heart of “Bulldog Country” and Mississippi State University. A visit to the John Grisham Room at Mitchell Memorial Library yields an intriguing look into the author’s creative process. The exhibit contains many personal papers and manuscripts donated by this celebrated MSU grad.

While at Mitchell Memorial, cut a rug at the Templeton Music Museum. This unique collection features over 22,000 pieces of sheet music, recordings and musical instruments from the Ragtime Era.

For lunch, you’ll be licking your fingers and wanting more at The Little Dooey, home of renown pulled pork plates and the best in Southern sides. Then, make a stop at the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum located in an authentic GM&O railroad depot. The museum showcases artifacts from the County’s history.

No trip to Starkville is complete without a walk through the Cotton District, one of the most photographed areas of our city. Reminiscent of Charleston, the development was once a collection of old cotton mill shanties and boasts over 130 award-winning properties in the New Urbanist style.

For dinner, try The Veranda for Chef Jay’s exquisite menu featuring steaks, seafood and scrumptious desserts like the mouth-watering Peanut Butter Balls.

DAY 2

After breakfast and shopping at Starkville Café in the downtown Old Main District, follow your nose to the Aspen Bay Candle Factory where you’ll see how these popular candles are made. Take a piece of Mississippi home with a purchase at the company’s flagship store in the Cotton Crossing Shopping Center. You’ll also get a look at more Mississippi products and other unique items from clothing to cookware to funky gifts at the shops of Giggleswick Village.

After a lunch at the Cotton District Grill, why not experience the great outdoors? Take to the links at one of Starkville’s highly-rated golf courses. Both Highlands Plantation Golf Course and the MSU Golf Course have received accolades for their challenging greens.

Enjoy “birdies” of a different kind at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. The 48,000-acre designated waterfowl habitat is home to geese, ducks, egrets and the occasional bald eagle. You’ll also enjoy year-round hiking or fishing. Finish the day with the culinary artistry of Restaurant Tyler, one of several fine dining establishments that are sure to please your palate.

SPECIAL ADDITIONS

If the Arts are your forte, a Stained Glass Demonstration with local artist, Kathryn Davis will delight. Or, peruse our Saturday Community Market featuring local fresh food and art vendors. The Starkville Community Theatre and Starkville-MSU Symphony Association also offer dynamic yearly performance calendars.

For the best Starkville has to offer, schedule your tour around one of our yearly festivals:

  • Magnolia Independent Film Festival – February
  • Cotton District Arts Festival – April
  • Sturgis South Motorcycle Rally – August
  • Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival– October

STARKVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU