Having done all we could at Graceland it was time to wave goodbye to Memphis and the birthplace of Rock n Roll and say hello to the Mississippi Delate blues. We soon found ourselves out of the city and onto Highway 61, more commonly known as the Blues Highway. It was 80 miles of straight road. and i mean STRAIGHT. by the time we got to Clarksdale i’d forgotten how to turn a corner lol.

We stopped at the Gateway to The blues tourist information but only stopped to get some maps and some info. There was a museum attached but we were all museum’d out after the morning at Graceland.
We were soon heading into Clarksdale and heading towards our unique lodgings for the next couple of nights.

First stop was the local Walmart to stock up on some sweet goodies and a few beers. Once they were purchased it was off to the Shack up Inn, the rather cool and very bluesy motel we had chosen to stay at.

The Shack up Inn is hard to describe so i’ll point you in the direction of their website to read more …. The Shack Up Inn . The main building and gin bar looks more like a scene from American Pickers ( both inside and out) and the accommodation is a mixture of wooden shacks with tin roofs and Grain Bins. We had picked the Delta Shack and to be honest, we were a little apprehensive as the pictures on the website made it look very old and rustic. On check in we picked a guitar to borrow from the lobby and headed over the rail track to find the Delta. We were pleasantly surprised. As the website states, “It Ain’t no Ritz” but it is cool as a cool thing and perfect for plucking teh guitar on the veranda under the moonlight.

This evening we headed over to the Hopson Commissary for food, beer and live music. It’s one of those places that when you walk in wearing a “man bag” (i know, i should know better lol) everyone stops and stares but it also had bags of authentic character. We found a table, opened a tab at the bar and had a great evening listening to two fantastic guitar players and singers.

Dinner that evening consisted of Chilli, Rice, Mac and Cheese, Salad and Cornbread. You stuck $10 in a tip jar and helped yourself to what was on the table. It was simple, well cooked and very tasty.