If you're looking for a swanky resort with room service, 1,000-thread count sheets and a spa, the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, Miss. is not for you. But if you want a getaway in a truly unique spot that's as southern as an RC Cola and a Moon Pie, put this Mississippi outpost at the top of your list.
The Home of the Blues
The Shack Up Inn is in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, providing the best place to stay for anyone making a trek to the home of blues legends. The Inn is located on the Hopson Plantation, where shotgun shacks stand among grain bins, the land's original cotton gin and one of the first mechanized cotton pickers ever made.
The shacks have corrugated tin roofs and walls made from Mississippi Cypress.
Blues music is at the center of the inn. The shacks are named after music legends, like Pinetop Perkins.
The grounds of the inn are filled with bottle trees and other southern folk art.
The shacks are a unique mix of old and new. Much of the structures have been kept the same, with modern conveniences like a refrigerator, coffee maker, air conditioning and heat added for the comfort of visitors. The cozy bedrooms are the perfect place to shack up with your sweetie.
During your stay, enjoy live music at the nearby Ground Zero Blues or Red's Lounge.
At the Crossroads
The inn is just minutes away from the infamous "crossroads" of Highway 49 and 61 (The Blues Highway). That's where legend has it that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil so that he could play guitar.
Located on the Blues Highway, stretching from Memphis to Vicksburg, Clarksdale is truly ground zero for the blues. It's the perfect road trip destination for those looking to pay homage to artists such as Charlie Patton, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Son House, Elmore James, B.B. King and Clarksdale native Sam Cooke, who all got their start playing in Mississippi juke joints. The city is also home to the annual Juke Joint Festival.
For a history lesson, visit the Delta Blues Museum and the Rock n' Blues Museum. Immerse yourself in Mississippi art and culture at Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art.
It's not just the ghosts of blues legends that reside at the Shack Up Inn. The inn has hosted legendary musicians and celebrities like Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant and Morgan Freeman and continues to host live music.
