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Before you go
Your trip to Clarksdale.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Clarksdale – Mississippi
How to get there
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Memphis International Airport (MEM) Memphis · 120 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
By car, about 125 km south of Memphis via Highway 61. Memphis Airport (MEM) is the most used. The town center is near the old railroad station, where the museum is located.
How many days
Two days, with two nights of live music. With one day you can visit the museum, the crossroads and spend one night in a juke joint.
When to go
In April, during the Juke Joint Festival, and in August, during the blues and gospel festival, if you want more activity. April, May and October have milder temperatures. Summer is very hot.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
Yes, to get around the Delta. In the center, the museum, record shops and juke joints are close to each other and can be done on foot. Drive on the right.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Clarksdale
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Afternoon
Museum and crossroads
Visit the Delta Blues Museum and stop by the intersection of Highways 61 and 49, with the guitars on the pole.
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Evening
Juke joint
Hear live blues at a downtown juke joint. Check the evening schedule before you go out.
2 days in Clarksdale
Day 1
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All day
Clarksdale
In the morning, the museum and the center, with the record shops. In the afternoon, the crossroads and the Blues Trail markers in town. At night, live music.
Day 2
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All day
Dockery and Indianola
Head down the Delta to Dockery Plantation and continue to the B.B. King Museum in Indianola. Return to Clarksdale for the last night.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What to do in Clarksdale?
Visit the Delta Blues Museum, see the intersection of Highways 61 and 49, listen to live blues in the juke joints and follow the Mississippi Blues Trail markers around town.
Which blues musicians are from Clarksdale?
Muddy Waters grew up on a nearby farm; John Lee Hooker was born in the region, and Ike Turner and Sam Cooke were born in Clarksdale. The museum and the Blues Trail markers tell those stories.
What is a juke joint?
A simple, rural-origin bar where you listen to live blues and dance. Clarksdale has several still operating, as well as larger bars dedicated to the blues.
What time zone is Clarksdale in?
UTC−6 in winter and UTC−5 in daylight saving time, from March to November.