Visiting the Historic and Entertaining Oxford

By Ashley Hall

IMC Student

Oxford is full of history and a variety of experiences. You can enjoy the creative community of artists, writers and musicians, or the exciting activities around the University of Mississippi, particularly the football Saturdays in the Grove and the stadium.

As the Visit Oxford website notes, “There is always something here to immerse yourself in.”

Kinney Farris, executive director at Visit Oxford, suggests that everyone who visits Oxford should go to Rowan Oak, the home of William Faulkner. 

“There are not a lot of places that you can go and see a Nobel Prize-winning author’s home,” he said. “You can go there and tour it and see what it was like when he was there.”

The University owns Rowan Oak, and students get in for free. For everyone else, it is $5. It is open on football weekends and non-game weekends.

“It is an easy walk from campus and the city center.” Ferris said. “You can be right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the football weekend but walk there and feel like you are in a secluded, park-like atmosphere.”

There’s more to the history side. On Friday afternoons, you can take a Historic Double Decker Bus tour. The tours are at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. with $10 tickets.

“The tour is a little less than an hour,” Ferris said, “and there is a local tour guide historian that takes you around and gives you the history of important sites. Rowan Oak is highlighted on the tour; lots of places on campus are highlighted on the tour.

“You can get the overall history and founding of the city of Oxford and the University and how those tie together.”

The Double Decker buses will also pick up from the Square on game days and take you to the game. They pick up three hours before kickoff, but they do not take you back to the Square. 

Tunes around Town is another great way to spend your Friday afternoon. This started last year in response to the pandemic to help local musicians and give locals a way to hear live music. Now locals and visitors get to enjoy the music at different locations around town. Check the Visit Oxford social media to know the location and who is playing.  

“When people come in they always want to go to the Square to eat and it sometimes gets so congested … we are trying to promote these other areas. We’ve got really great restaurants all over town,” Ferris said.

The best way to stay connected with all the activities and events around Oxford is to follow @visitoxfordms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.