Discovering Holly Springs, Mississippi

“It’s a really cute town, and a great day trip destination,” comments Stephanie Movre, executive director of Holly Springs (Miss) Tourism Bureau.

Located between Memphis, Tenn., and Oxford, Miss., on Highway 78, Holly Springs is the quintessential small southern town that has a few surprises about it as well.

Perhaps best recognized as the setting for one of Jan Karon’s Father Tim novels, Holly Spring has also been voted by readers of Mississippi Magazine as the “best off-beat destination,” and lauded by New York Times as an “antebellum encyclopedia.”

So, what makes Holly Springs stand out from other destinations?

Well, there are the historic homes. Even if you just have a passing interest in history, you’ll find this part of Holly Springs interesting. You can tour such places as Walter Place Garden and Estate, the Yellow Fever House, Burton Place among others, including churches and a cemetery.

Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy exploring the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (map). Serving as Audubon’s state headquarters, this is the site for the annual Hummingbird Migration Festival in September. There also 14 miles of nature trails and year-long events.

Within the Holly Springs National Forest, you’ll discover Chewalla Lake Recreation Area, a great place to drop a line, take a hike or just relax. Don’t forget about nearby Wall Doxey State Park, and Fitch Farms (map) for the hunter.

And what about those surprises?

Holly Springs is home to Graceland Too, which Movre points out is the biggest attraction in the area. If you think you’ve seen all there is to see regarding Elvis memorabilia then you haven’t visited here.

Like many old places in the South, Phillips Grocery (map) has an interesting story to it. What once served as a grocery store during the day and saloon in the evening is now a place for burgers. A burger is a burger, right? Wrong. These have been recognized by USA Today as “one of the world’s greatest burgers.”

And this is just the beginning of what you can discover in Holly Springs. If your travel plans have you heading to Beale Street or Ole Miss, carve out some time to visit a charming small southern town that has a bit of sassiness thrown in as well.

photo credit: All photos are courtesy of Holly Springs Tourism Board.