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Oxford, MS
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Downtown courthouse
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Maison Weiss 2
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Bottletree Bakery
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The Grove
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William Faulkner statue
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Square Books
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Big Bad Breakfast
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Taylor Grocery and Restaurant
Oxford, Mississippi
The home of one of the most belovedand civilizedtailgates in the South is also where you'll still find traces of the life and times of local boy–turned–literary giant William Faulkner. Spend at least part of your visit on the quaint-as-can-be town square and you will experience traces of tradition, Southern charm, scholarly love, and of course, a pretty fierce display of school spirit.
School: University of Mississippi Stadium: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Mascot: Rebel Black Bear Battle cry: 'Hotty Toddy!”
Friday
4 p.m. After checking into the cozy 5 Twelve Bed & Breakfast, head into town, where the game-day crowds are starting to arriveeven against the sea of Ole Miss red, the historic town square is still an image of casual, small-town Southern charm. Take a stroll while popping into stylish boutiques, like Cicada and Maison Weiss 2. At Square Books and Off Square Books, you can peruse stacks of first editions or whole sections dedicated to Faulkner, espresso, and Southern studies.
7 p.m. City Grocery has become the culinary heart of Oxford, with chef John Currence presiding in the kitchen and pumping out a blend of both Southern and international flavors, like grilled Malaysian barbecue chicken thighs and Szechuan cashew catfish.
9 p.m. It's time to grab your spot on The Grove, the 10-acre site that on game day transforms into a tent city, with some outfits boasting chandeliers, faux Greek columns, white linens, and crystal stemware. Once you've pitched a tent, celebrate with a pint at The Library Sports Bar.
saturday
8 a.m. Up and at 'em, especially if kickoff is at noon, since tailgating starts early in this town. For a little pregame fuel, stop off at Bottletree Bakery for a whole-wheat muffin and a Bump & Grind, which is coffee with a shot of espresso.
10 a.m. Two hours before game time, you'll want to join the other well-dressed fans on The Grove to cheer on the team as they head into the stadium during the walk of championsand practice your 'Hotty toddy!” chant, of course.
7:30 p.m. If game day hasn't entirely tuckered you out, make your way out of town toward Taylor, about 15 minutes down the road, where the rustic Taylor Grocery and Restaurant puts out some of the South's finest fried catfish. Enjoy the dish with sweet tea or your own brown bag of wine or liquor.
11 p.m. Make one last stop at 4 Corners, a Chevron gas station just off the square where, for better or worse, Oxford's night owls gather to socializeand indulge in a late-night treat called chicken on a stick.
sunday
10 a.m. Sleep in for a bit before hitting Big Bad Breakfast on your way out of town. Order the Dear American Airlines plate, loaded with country ham, eggs, and grits, plus a dollop of tomato gravyit's just the thing to leave you longing for your next trip back.