Cleveland, MS Road Trips

Cleveland's, and the Mississippi Delta's, primary value as a tourist locale is its beautiful scenic views, quiet small town atmosphere, and its relation to Delta blues folklore. Drive 20 miles west to Rosedale and visit the Great River Road State Park. The park offers magnificent views of the Mississippi River with access to sandbars during the drier seasons. The park also boasts a 75-foot-high lookout tower that provides panoramic views of the Mississippi River. Below the tower is a picnic area, swings, grills, and a large reservable pavilion for group events. The park is named for the Great River Road, a scenic parkway that follows the Mississippi from its beginning as a small Canadian creek to its end at the Gulf of Mexico. Find the original Old Highway 61, which starts just west of Rosemary Road at Hwy 61. Somewhere this road will cross with the original Old Highway 49, where it is said that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for secret knowledge that helped him pioneer the blues. 1 Dockery Farms, 299 Hwy 8, ☏ +1 662 719-1048. The birthplace of the Delta Blues is about 5 miles east of Cleveland on State Highway 8. Dockery Farms was a 28-square-mile cotton plantation and sawmill along the Sunflower River. It is widely regarded as the place where Delta blues music was born. Blues musicians resident at Dockery included Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson and Howlin' Wolf. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Cleveland is a small town. Locals of all ages enjoy simple pleasures such as joyriding through the farmland, mud-riding, bonfires, jam sessions, drinking parties, dinner parties, barbecues and other socially centered pastimes. Cleveland is also known for its festivals, including Octoberfest, The Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival, and The Italian Festival. Contact the Chamber of Commerce for more information. Another popular activity is attending Delta State University sporting events, as the school is known for its championship athletic teams, particularly in baseball, football, and women's basketball. Over the years, DSU has won over 50 conference championships and nine national titles, mostly at the NCAA Division II level.

Cleveland has many locally owned restaurants; you won't find a TGIFridays or Applebee's here. Go to the Airport Grocery or Hey Joe's for typical local fare - burgers, ribs, pulled pork, assorted barbecue, catfish, crawfish, kabobs, etc. The Country Platter offers soul food and plate lunches, and just south of it one can find Crustaceans for more inexpensive local dining. Crustaceans is primarily known for crawfish. South of Cleveland, in Boyle, is Bellazar's and Catfish Cabin, which specializes in fish and seafood. There are two small Chinese restaurants called China Buffet and Little China Kitchen, and while their food is good, they are not regarded as "sit-down" restaurants. There are also a Mexican restaurant called Guadalajara. Another popular restaurant is The Warehouse, a gourmet deli, art gallery, and bazaar for various local vendors. À La Carte provides high-end wraps, salads, and sandwiches. Mississippi Grounds on Court Street is a popular coffee house. The Lost Pizza Company, 3745 Hwy 61, ☏ +1 662 846-1300. M-Sa 3PM-9PM. Located on the legendary Hwy 61 on the northern side of town, Lost Pizza offers a wide variety of pizza, sandwiches, sides and desserts, as well as a huge selection of import and domestic beers. The original location is in Indianola on Hwy 82, on the western end of town.

Sr. Jose's at 201 S Sharpe Ave has a well-stocked bar and a friendly staff. Locals often opt to drink at home amongst friends, and liquor stores can be found all along Hwy 61. Because of Blue Laws, liquor stores close at 10PM and bars stop serving at 1AM.

Cleveland has many hotels located on Hwy 61. 1 Cotton House, Cleveland, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, 215 Cotton Row, ☏ +1 662 843-7733. Upscale lodging, with a rooftop bar. (updated Sep 2021)

The closest airports with airline service are in Memphis, 100 miles to the north, and Greenville, 30 miles to the south. While Greenville has limited airline service, Memphis is a major hub and is the preferred airport. Driving from Memphis: get to Hwy 55 South and follow it to Hwy 69, right outside of Olive Branch (you'll see a sign for Tunica). Take Hwy 69 to Hwy 61 in Tunica and go south on 61. Follow Hwy 61 76 miles to Cleveland. Driving from Arkansas (Lake Village): Take Hwy 82 21 miles east through Greenville then drive 10 more miles (through Leland) to Hwy 61, which you will take north for 35 miles to Cleveland.

There is no public transportation in Cleveland. There are two taxi services. Cook's taxi can be reached at ☏ +1 662-402-4150. Cleveland is completely flat and only 7 miles square, so biking during good weather is suggested.