This Underrated Mississippi City Is A Blues Lover's Paradise Surrounded By Lakes And Countryside

In blues music, the word Mississippi is heard a lot more than you'd think. Not only has it been a defining region for a genre that changed American and global music, but it has also been the birthplace of many icons, like Robert Leroy Johnson. A visit here is a wander through an open-air heritage museum. Towns like Clarksdale, the home of the blues, and a wildly underrated city with year-round live music performances, and New Albany, a charming historic city in Mississippi's Appalachian foothills, stand as a testament to Mississippi's irreplaceable contributions to the history of music. A short drive away from Memphis, you can find the underrated gem of Senatobia, another important location for blues, and a perfect getaway spot to get lost in nature while listening to serene, sorrowful guitar. 

Thanks to its proximity to Memphis, Senatobia is easily accessible from Memphis International Airport, which is only 34 miles away. If you don't plan to rent a car and drive the journey yourself, you may have to get a taxi, as public transport options are limited and not very practical from the airport. In these blues towns, your accommodation options will include some very interesting choices, like Mississippi's Shack Up Inn, a place steeped in blues and Southern charm. But in the case of Senatobia, you may be limited in your options. Hotels around town are scarce, but the nearby town of Sardis may offer more options. Senatobia is not a dead town, by any means; its small community of just over 8,500 residents is alive and thriving, so much so that the town is the county seat of Tate County.

In addition to names like Aron Burton and O.B. McClinton, Senatobia's claim to fame in the world of blues music is none other than renowned player Jessie Mae Hemphill, who came from the area and is buried at the Senatobia Memorial Cemetery. She comes from a long family tree of musicians, going as far back as her great-grandfather, Dock Hemphill. A young Jessie would draw from this music legacy that continued to grow with her grandfather, Sid, and learned to play guitar, harmonica, and more. Hemphill became one of the few female multi-instrumentalists in the genre.

Senatobia is also located right along the Mississippi Blues Trail, an essential route for music fans, which goes through some of the most defining locations while passing numerous charming towns, and the trail is constantly acquiring new additions for their contributions to blues. The trail passes through dozens of towns, all with varying importance in the context of blues music, and you should familiarize yourself with the towns before making an itinerary of your own, as it would be impossible to see all of them on a short trip. 

One important stop along the trail is none other than the famous Beale Street (referenced in many songs and movies). Since you will probably be passing through Memphis anyway, it makes sense to add it to your itinerary and discover why it's so important for blues music. This historic and thriving street in downtown, where live music constantly lingers in the air like oxygen, with plenty of venues, street performances, and historic locations like The New Daisy Theatre.

Senatobia's history dates back to 1834, when an early settler by the name of James Peters purchased plots of land from the Chickasaw Nation. Its name comes from the Chickasaw word Senatohoba, meaning white sycamore. As indicated by its nature-rooted moniker, the area surrounding the town is a dream for any outdoors fan, and even more so if you like beautiful lakes. Less than an hour's drive away is Sardis Lake, and besides its unique look with a tiny island in the middle, the destination is brimming with activities you could engage in, from boating and biking to simply camping and taking a leisurely hike around its beaches. If you're lucky, you might even spot some wildlife on your walk.

From Lake Sardis, it is only another hour's drive before you're at Arkabutla Lake, a camping hotspot with over eight different campsites — plenty of options to choose from depending on your setup, desired amenities, and view preferences. The lake is an ideal spot for an extended getaway in serene nature, where you can camp over a long weekend and enjoy a slow life and fresh countryside air, or a one-day outing dedicated to one of the many activities to be found around the lake. 

There are many hiking trails, like the Area 51 Trail System, which takes over two hours to complete and takes you through beautiful forests. The path is especially popular with mountain bikers, who enjoy its steady elevation and rugged terrain to showcase their abilities and practice their hobby. Arkabutla Lake also has a visitor center where you can find helpful material like camping information and maps.