‘This lesser-known part of the US exceeded our expectations’
Alabama and Mississippi teamed up to host a fam trip for trade partners last month – here, Travel Counsellor Helen Davis and Premier Holidays’ commercial executive Alex Day share their experiences with us
Andy Facer, trade director for Alabama, and Hannah Phipps for Mississippi hosted the educational, which covered Oxford, Vicksburg, and Clarksdale in Mississippi, as well as Birmingham, Huntsville, and Muscle Shoals in Alabama.
Helen Davis: I received an invitation to go on a familiarisation trip to Mississippi and Alabama. Our flights in Delta Premium select were incredibly comfortable with plenty of space. What a beautiful combination of towns and cities Mississippi and Alabama offer for the ideal trip filled with a plethora of amazing experiences. Not to mention loads of fun! You can go at your own leisure over both states more conveniently if you drive. And since every town is different it is interesting to move around. It’s difficult to believe that Oxford, Vicksburg and Clarksdale are in the same state – Mississippi – because they are so different to one another.
Alex Day: This March I was lucky enough to be a part of an incredible whistle-stop tour of Alabama and Mississippi, hosted by the fantastic team at Deep South USA. After the comfortable flight into Atlanta, courtesy of Delta Air Lines, we headed straight to Birmingham to kick-start our adventure. Of course, we couldn’t pass through the state line without playing the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic Sweet Home Alabama on the coach’s stereo!
Once we had rested up in the delightful area of Homewood it was time to see what Birmingham had to offer; we started the day with a trip to Vulcan Park, which provides beautiful views of the city and most notably the world’s largest cast iron statue. No trip to Birmingham would be complete without stopping at the Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church to learn about the hugely significant civil rights movement in America. Further highlights of “The Magic City” included Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and the unbelievable collection of motor vehicles at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
Heading north to Huntsville, we stopped at Unclaimed Baggage for a quick treasure hunt at the US’s only retailer of unclaimed and lost airline baggage and its contents. This was followed by a visit to the US Space and Rocket Center. Being the largest in the world, this is a must-stop for anybody interested in the US’s endeavours in space. After a quick golf buggy tour of the Botanical Gardens, next was Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment where we had the pleasure of playing some unique “cigar box guitars” in one of the resident shops. One of my highlights of the trip was next – being courtside at the CUSA Basketball Final and adopting the team’s supporting chants. The sense of camaraderie and atmosphere at American sports is truly unrivalled…
Helen: I became enamoured with Huntsville. It was so laid-back that I could easily imagine myself relocating there. We learned to play the guitar box at Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment in Huntsville. We had a great evening watching the 2024 CUSA Basketball Championships; I really enjoyed the noise level and had great fun cheering along to my first-ever live American sports event.
Alex: To finish off the Alabama portion of the trip, we had to stop at Muscle Shoals and Florence, noted as the Hit Recording Capital of the World. Countless artists have put this seemingly quiet place on the map, creating a very special history for these towns; we got a taste of this with live music and delicious southern fried chicken at Champy’s restaurant.
Helen: Muscle Shoals stood out, where so many well-known singers recorded hit songs. I really enjoyed visiting the Fame Studios, it really felt special to be there.
Alex: On the way to Oxford, Mississippi we stopped at the birthplace of Elvis Presley, plus the hardware store where he got his first guitar in Tupelo! Oxford included a tour of the beautiful “Ole Miss” campus, a stay in the amazing Oliver Hotel, and a great fine dining experience at City Grocery. Vicksburg, the “Key to the South”, was next on the itinerary. We stayed at the charming Anchuca and toured the delightful town on foot, stopping at the Coca-Cola Museum and witnessing a beautiful sunset atop the First National Building. Lastly, we toured Vicksburg National Military Park, a 16-mile round trip of the site of the 1863 siege during the Civil War.
Final stop, Clarksdale – we made a quick stop at the BB King Museum first, then we arrived in the birthplace of the Blues. Bad Apple Blues Club was a hidden gem, followed by Ground Zero for more great music.
Helen: The live blues at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues bar was incredible – it was such a memorable evening and the size of Oxford’s Ole Miss the University of Mississippi was shocking as it was huge.
Alex: This lesser-known part of the USA truly exceeded my expectations. Towns were full of rich history, unique character, and hospitality was unmatched. I would urge anyone with a sense of discovery, love of music or desire to learn history to add these destinations to their travel list.
Helen: These are a few reasons the Deep South has captured my heart. We had the greatest Southern hospitality from the time we arrived until we left. I will always be delighted to hear ‘’Yes, ma’am.’’ Everywhere we went, we received amazing service; it had become the norm. I was excited to try the fried green tomatoes, which varied slightly in flavour from restaurant to restaurant but were always flawless and our group’s favourite.
Although I learned a lot from the trip, the most unexpected thing was how much there is to do and see in the Deep South. I feel compelled to share this with everyone. I can understand why it attracts a wide range of clientele, as it truly has something to offer everyone.
Being able to visit the states for myself has given me the confidence to market the destinations to clients and discuss future plans for next year’s trips. I already have a few clients eager to make plans once flights go on sale for next summer, having followed me on social media and messaging me asking whether I believe it’s right for them. The sales potential feels limitless.
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